Encyclopedia of Astrology

(vip2019) #1

Diurnal and nocturnal. The nocturnal planets are the Moon and Venus, because of their
feminine qualities, their cool, moist temperaments, and their passive natures as compared to
the Sun and Mars. Also applied to those which at birth were below the horizon, and thereby
deemed to represent passive qualities. In this case the diurnal planets are those which at birth
were above the horizon, and are thereby considered to represent the more active influences.


Dry and Moist. Dry: Sun, Mars, Saturn. Moist: Moon, Mercury, Jupiter, Uranus; also,
according to Sepharial, Neptune. Mercury is both dry and moist.


Electric and Magnetic. Electric: Sun, Mars, Jupiter. Magnetic: Moon, Mercury, Saturn,
Neptune. According to Sepharial both Sun and Moon are magnetic.


Masculine and Feminine. Masculine: Sun, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn and Uranus. Feminine:
Moon, Venus and Neptune. Also, planets are said to take on masculine attributes in masculine
signs; when in advance of the Sun; or in the oriental quadrants; and feminine attributes in
feminine signs; when following the Sun; when on the opposite side of the horizon from the
Sun; or when in the occidental quadrants.


Morning and Evening. Matitutinal and Nocturnal. This refers particularly to Mercury and
Venus, as morning and evening "stars," although all the planets become morning and evening
stars at some part of the year, though not all of them are visible to the naked eye. (v.
Retrograde.) It must be observed that a planet which is "behind" the Sun in its orbital motion,
rises in diurnal motion "before" the Sun. The counter-clockwise motion of the Earth's surface
causes objects as uncovered on the Eastern horizon to appear to move in a clockwise
direction. Thus the planet which is behind the Sun in orbit, rises in diurnal motion before the
Sun.


Superior and Inferior. The Major or Superior planets are those that have orbits larger than
that of the Earth, and which lie at a greater distance from the Sun. They are: Mars, Jupiter,
Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto. Also called the Ponderous or Ponderable planets. Their
motion appears to us to be slower, due to their greater distance from the Sun. Their effects are
more enduring than those of the Minor or Inferior planets. The Minor or Inferior planets are
those that have orbits smaller than that of the Earth, and which lie closer to the Sun. They are
Mercury and Venus.


The order of the planets outward from the Sun is used in a recent work in psychology, in

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