The Astrology Book

Kennedy, E. S., and David Pingree. The Astrological History of Masha’allah.Cambridge, MA:

Harvard University Press, 1971.

Khayya ̄t, Yahyá ibn Gha ̄lib. The Judgments of Nativities.Translated from the Latin version of John

of Seville by James H. Holden. Tempe, AZ: American Federation of Astrologers, 1988.

Ptolemy. Ptolemy: Tetrabiblos.Translated by F. E. Robbins. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University

Press, 1964.

———. Ptolemy’s Tetrabiblos.Translated by J. M. Ashmand. London: Foulsham & Co., 1917.

Tester, S. J. A History of Western AstrologyWoodbridge, Suffolk: Boydell Press, 1987.

Thorndike, Lynn. “Albumasar in Sadan.” Isis(1954).

MATHEMATICIANS(MATHEMATICALS)

Prior to the advent of modern astrology tables and, especially, the computer revolution,

extensive mathematical calculations characterized the practice of astrology. For this

reason, the ancients often referred to astrologers as mathematicians or mathematicals.

MATHESIS

Mathesis, asteroid 454 (the 454th asteroid to be discovered, on March 28, 1900), is

approximately 88 kilometers in diameter and has an orbital period of 4.3 years. Its

name represents the desire for learning and the power of knowledge. In a natal chart,

Mathesis’s location by sign and house indicates where and how the desire for learning

is most likely to manifest. When afflicted by inharmonious aspects, Mathesis may

show aversion to learning or attraction to unhelpful subjects of learning. If prominent

in a chart (e.g., conjunct the Sun or the ascendant), it may indicate an exceptionally

studious person, or an individual for whom learning is a major life theme.

Sources:

Kowal, Charles T. Asteroids: Their Nature and Utilization.Chichester, West Sussex, UK: Ellis

Horwood Limited, 1988.

Room, Adrian. Dictionary of Astronomical Names.London: Routledge, 1988.

Schwartz, Jacob. Asteroid Name Encyclopedia.St. Paul, MN: Llewellyn Publications, 1995.

MATRIXASTROLOGICALSOFTWARE

Computers were made for astrology, although it took some astrologers a little time to

recognize this. Matrix Software, the first company to create computer programs and

make them available to the general public, was founded by astrologer Michael

Erlewine in 1977 in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Prior to Matrix, astrologers did their charts using complex log tables, interpo-

lation techniques, and a pencil and paper or, at best, a four-function calculator. Some

astrologers even tried to make the argument that the age-old ritual look-up tables had

some special meaning in themselves and that computers had no soul. This retro atti-

tude did not last long and astrologers quickly came to love their computers.

Erlewine began programming on handheld-programmable calculators in the

early 1970s, in an attempt to research techniques for which there were no tables, such

Mathematicians (Mathematicals)

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