PERSONALNAMEASTEROIDS
An asteroid is one of thousands of small planets, 95 percent of whose orbits lie
between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. Initially these were given mythological
names, but as telescopes increased in strength and more asteroids were discovered,
astronomers began naming them after places and people. The various astrologers
who have studied the influence of asteroids have reached a consensus, which is, as
noted in J. Lee Lehman’s The Ultimate Asteroid Book,that “asteroids have astrologi-
cal effects which may be studied,” and the “name of an asteroid has astrological sig-
nificance.”
The essential clue with which one begins this type of research is the name of
the asteroid, which gives preliminary insight into the asteroid’s astrological “tem-
perament.” The early asteroids studied by astrologers were named after mythological
figures, and an exploration of the relevant myths provided a preliminary clue to the
nature of these tiny planets’ influence. When researchers began shifting from
explicitly mythological asteroids and started examining asteroids with common
names like Barry and Patricia, they continued to follow their previous line of explo-
ration by finding initial clues in certain specialized reference works that provided
etymologies for common names. Patricia, for example, is derived from the Latin
patricius,meaning “noble one,” which provides “nobility” as an initial clue to the
influence of the asteroid.
Astrologers also found that individuals have a special relationship with the
asteroid bearing their name. Thus, the natal location of the appropriate personal
name asteroid will show something about the character of the individual, and the
transits of the same asteroid will give indications about current influences.Sources:
Lehman, J. Lee. The Ultimate Asteroid Book.West Chester, PA: Whitford Press, 1988.
Press, Nona Gwynn. Personal Name Asteroids.San Diego: Astro Computing Services, 1987.
Schwartz, Jacob. Asteroid Name Encyclopedia.St. Paul, MN: Llewellyn Publications, 1995.PHILAGORIA
Philagoria, asteroid 274 (the 274th asteroid to be discovered, on April 3, 1888), is
approximately 36 kilometers in diameter and has an orbital period of 5.3 years. Its
name means fond of assembly in Greek. When prominent in an astrological chart, it
may indicate, as the name suggests, an individual who is fond of gatherings of all sorts.
The sign and house position offer greater specificity as to where and how the native
enjoys assemblies.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.Personal Name Asteroids
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