Jerome, Lawrence E. “Astrology: Magic or Science?” The Humanist35, no. 5 (September/Octo-
ber 1975): 10–16.
Melton, J. Gordon, Jerome Clark, and Aidan A. Kelly. New Age Encyclopedia.Detroit: Gale
Research, 1990.
Pinch, T. J., and H. M. Collins. “Private Science and Public Knowledge: The Committee for
the Scientific Investigation of the Claims of the Paranormal and Its Use of the Literature.”
Social Studies of Science14 (1984): 521–46.
Rawlins, Dennis. “sTARBABY.” Fate34, no. 10 (October 1981): 67–98.
STATIONARY
Because of the planets’ differing speeds and orbits, they all appear at times to reverse
their usual direction and go retrograde. On the day a planet reverses direction, as well
as on the day it resumes its direct motion, it is said to be stationary because, against
the background of the fixed stars, it appears to have paused in space. A planet that has
paused before going retrograde is said to be stationary retrograde, while a planet paus-
ing before going direct is said to be stationary direct. When a planet becomes station-
ary, it is said to take its station. The stationary period for each planet is regarded as
being inversely proportional to the speed of its motion. Thus, for example, the period
of Mercury’s station would be one day; Venus’s, two days; Mars’s, three days, and so
forth (i.e., the slower a planet moves, the longer it tends to remain stationary).
In an astrological chart, stationary planets are usually indicated by a small “S”
that appears at the lower right of the planet symbol. (Many astrologers use “SR” and
“SD” to distinguish stationary retrograde from stationary direct.) Someone born when
a planet was stationary will have that planet’s particular characteristics deeply
engraved in her or his nature. For example, someone born when Mercury was station-
ary will mature into a highly mental person. With respect to transiting, the days that a
planet is stationary are considered to be fortunate for the matters associated with the
particular planet, although the interpretation varies according to whether the planet
is going direct or retrograde. Thus, for example, the day Mercury is stationary direct
would be good for embarking on a journey, while the day it is stationary retrograde
would be good for beginning a meditative retreat. Some contemporary astrologers
regard the points in a chart where planets take their stations as highly sensitive areas
that should be watched when other planets transit them.
Sources:
Bach, Eleanor. Astrology from A to Z: An Illustrated Source Book.New York: Philosophical
Library, 1990.
Brau, Jean-Louis, Helen Weaver, and Allan Edmands. Larousse Encyclopedia of Astrology.New
York: New American Library, 1980.
STELLIUM(SATELLITIUM)
A stellium (also called a satellitium) is a multiple conjunction involving three or
more planets in one house and/or one sign in an astrological chart. As might be antic-
ipated, this configuration indicates an emphasis on the matters associated with the
house and/or sign in which the stellium occurs.
THEASTROLOGYBOOK [629]
Stellium (Satellitium)