ANTISCION
Antiscion is a somewhat confusing term that has, unfortunately, come to be used for
more than one notion. Picture the wheel of the zodiac and imagine a straight line
from 0° Cancer to 0° Capricorn so as to divide the circle into two equal halves. If a
planet is located at an angular distance of 45° away from this dividing line (e.g., at 15°
Taurus), its antiscion would be 45° in the opposite direction from the line (e.g., at 15°
Leo). If another planet happens to be located at or very near the antiscion of the first
planet, the two planets are said to have a relationship with each other comparable to a
conjunction aspect. This is the traditional meaning of the term.
Some astrologers have extended the term to apply to points at equal angular
distances from the ascendant-descendant axis (i.e., at equal distances above and below
the horizon) in an individual horoscope.Sources:
Brau, Jean-Louis, Helen Weaver, and Allan Edmands. Larousse Encyclopedia of Astrology.New
York: New American Library, 1980.
Gettings, Fred. Dictionary of Astrology.London: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1985.ANTIVERTEX
The antivertex is the intersection of the ecliptic with the prime vertical in the east.
(The intersection in the west forms the vertex. All horoscope angles—ascendant,
midheaven, etc.—are formed by the intersections of great circles.) Some suggest inter-
preting the antivertex as an auxiliary ascendant—not as significant as the actual
ascendant, but a secondary key to personal action and basic identity instincts. Planets
closely (by three degrees) conjunct the antivertex are like conjunctions to ascendants.
Planets closely conjunct the vertex are like planets conjunct the descendant—themes
and issues met through interactions with other people (and may project onto other
people who are likely to “overdo” those drives). Some authors have suggested a “fated”
quality to the vertex, which probably is because people are not in charge with others,
thus relationship issues often have a “fated” feeling. Sometimes in synastry (chart
comparison) more contacts exist between committed couples involving the
vertex/antivertex than the ascendant/descendant.—Maritha PottengerSources:
Pottenger, Maritha. East Point and Antivertex.San Diego: ACS Publications, 1984.ANUBIS
Anubis, asteroid 1,912 (the 1,912th asteroid to be discovered, on September 24, 1960),
is approximately 11 kilometers in diameter and has an orbital period of 4.9 years. Anu-
bis was named after the jackal-headed Egyptian god of the dead, associated with
embalming, guarding tombs and, in a later period, the Greek god Hermes. According
to J. Lee Lehman, individuals in whose natal chart this asteroid is prominent “may rep-Antiscion
[26] THEASTROLOGYBOOK