View Full Version : New Definition for Planet
Not really about current transits but some current news. Interesting how this will affect astrology if the definition of "planet" is changed.
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,20148426-2,00.html
Boffins set to name more planets
By staff writers
August 16, 2006 04:00pm
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SCIENTISTS are getting set to expand our solar system by adding three new planets, taking the number from nine to 12 and changing what children around the world are taught about our corner of the universe.
The International Astronomical Union, the accepted authority on planetary matters, has recommended to its members that Charon, Xena and Ceres be ratified as new planets, a US newswire service has reported.
A new definition of what is a planet would allow the inclusion of these three worlds which previously were considered too small to include with the nine already recognized planetary bodies.
The new order of planets going out from the sun would be Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Ceres, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, Charon and Xena.
Astronomers will vote on making this the official line-up on August 24.
The new definition, which states that a planet is any star-orbiting object so large that its own gravity pulls in its rough edges and produces a near-perfect sphere, allows the long-running controversy over whether Pluto really is a planet to be put to rest.
Basically this definition gives sway to the view that size doesn't matter, or at least not so much, because the proposed planets, along with Pluto, are all smaller than the Earth's moon.
But it also opens the door to giving planetary status to a host of other previously other categorised orbital objects.
The IAU, currently discussing planetary qualifications in Prague, already keeps a list of a dozen candidate planets.
Some astronomers have said this could lead to there being hundreds of new planets.
A dissenting body of astronomers believe the new planets plus Pluto should not be called planets but instead plutons.
As far as our solar system's planets go they are firmly of the belief that eight is enough.
So even if the IAU's membership endorse the expanded roster planetary warfare is likely to continue for a while in astronomical circles
Is "Charon" Chiron? If it isn't, then I've never heard of that one....
Is "Charon" Chiron? If it isn't, then I've never heard of that one....
Good question that's what I thought as well.
According to wikipedia, it is a moon of pluto (and the article specifically states that it is not to be confused with Chiron)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charon_%28moon%29
It will make pluto-charon a double planet. Wonder what this is going to do?! hmmmmm, very interesting!
Wow, cool!
I love Ceres, it's a good guy. I don't know about Charon and UB313 and their importance in astrology, but I don't think that the astrological influence or importance of these 3 new planets change just because astronomers vote so.
Charon is Pluto's sister planet, they rotate around a common gravitational centre. It is definitely different of Chiron.
However, let's keep an eye on them.
UB313 discovery: January 5, 2005, 11:20 am PST, Palomar Observatory - 33n21, 116w52. It was at about 19 Aries at the time of discovery.
Yes chiron I think orbits between Saturn and Uranus; completely different to Charon.
I don't think it will make much difference either. Maybe just more a focus on these new planets in analysis now.
Hey Radu, where is your Ceres? Why do you love it so much? :p
Mine is exactly on Nadir, tightly conjunct 4H Jupiter and square 7H Venus.
I have no idea how to interpret a sqaure to Ceres, especially from Venus. They seem so compatible!! Surely they get along?? :D
.
Must be the "second moon" nature of Ceres.
http://www.magick.net/magyan/asteroids.htm
My ceres sits 1 deg Gem/2nd house and conjuncting my 2deg Aqu/10th house sun-moon and sextiling my saturn in 4th/can
And some aspects of Ceres and Ors:
http://www.magick.net/magyan/aspects.htm
Oooh, thanks. Unfortunately for me, they don't describe Ceres sqaure Venus. I could probably learn more by looking at the elements of this square.
Venus in Aquarius - friendly and warm but not overly emotional, needs its freedom
Ceres in Scorpio - "you need to give intense emotional bonding" "intimacy is paramount"
Venus in 7H - interpersonal
Ceres in 4H - deeply personal
Perhaps the way I relate interpersonally, and the freedom that I value and demand doesn't reflect my deep emotional need for intense nurturing/connection?
****, that seems to be a theme for me. Intensity vs freedom in relationships (can't I have both?? :p) Jupiter conjunct Ceres (and also sqaure Venus) probably magnifies this whole idea.
.
Yes there is a venus square ceres description on the page:
http://www.magick.net/magyan/Venus_Aspects.html
Venus square Ceres
You are a social person, but do not enjoy taking care of others, and resist falling into the role of care giver. You may have a “smother mother”, and find it difficult to break away. Or you may be separated by circumstance from a nurturing parent, and find it hard to be on your own and take care of yourself. You might seek nurturing relationships, but feel a dilemma over how much to accept and/or give. You don’t place much value on the natural world.
Jupiter conj venus should also be on the site as well, go the Jupiter aspects.
Ahh, thank you! (Go-go-gadget attention span!! :p )
For me, I agree with being a social person but not necessarily comfortable as a carer. I'm not a mother yet so I can't speak fully on that one :) I agree also with the parst about seeking nurturing relationships, but not knowing how much to accept/give.
I can see why they say 'don't put much value' on the natural world. That isn't accurate for me though (I studied Sustainable Development for three years!!). I can also see why they say a smother-mother. That might be mildly accuate, but not really.
Lapis
08-17-2006, 12:40 AM
~ I posted this on another forum here but wanted to add it here also. ~
And here is another monumental current indicator that the Aug. 2006 "Lions Gate" or ancient female Sirian Sekmet energies and consciousness aka another aspect of The Goddess, is/has returned to humanity and Earth in a major way! I just found this letter written by Eric Francis today. Personally I sense that Persephone's myth or archetype will possibly be expressed through Charon now.
************************************************** ********
Thursday, August 17, 2006 | Goddess Power
Dear Friend and Reader:
Okay -- with a whole bunch of help*, I think I've got to the bottom of, and actually comprehend, the IAU proposal for the inclusion of Ceres, Charon and Xena (2003 UB 313). It seems that these are indeed official planets, and that the category "dwarf planet" is descriptive rather than official term (kind of like gas giant, such as Saturn or Neptune). "Pluton" is an official classification of planet, that includes any object with an orbit of 200 or more years, an eccentric (highly elliptical) orbit and a steep inclination to the ecliptic (it orbits at a steep angle, in other words). It is not a descriptive term, but rather a new category.
Charon is being considered twin planet to Pluto and hence, for the first time, we will have two planets in one point in the astrological chart -- this is very big news, and will be compelling us to take a whole new look at Pluto, and to search out the "other side of Pluto."
This is a big day for both astrology and astronomy. To me, what is most remarkable is the presence of female energy in this development. Ceres has long deserved recognition merely for what she represents: mothers, food, processing grief and loss, and nourishment. Xena, though an unofficial name, is powerful, outrageous female warrior figure and who was not only overtly sexual, but bisexual. And Charon was described a generation ago as Minerva, a kind of feminine counterpart to Pluto -- the wisdom aspect of Pluto.
I have to say, this is very impressive indeed. If the archetypal world is speaking through these astronomer-priests, who are all at heart mystics gazing toward the heavens, we are getting a truly encouraging message that something on the planet is balancing out. More details in Thursday night's Astrology Secrets Revealed.
Thanks for tuning in.
Yours & truly,
Eric Francis
*That would be from Melanie Andrews, who has been patiently wading through and assembling the bits of IAU documents all day.
And -- welcome -- here is a table listing the members of the new solar system.
http://www.planetwavesweekly.com/resources/table.html
************************************************** ********
www.ericfrancis.com/
Futurist
08-17-2006, 04:48 PM
Hi
Historically new planetary bodies always arrive celestially to mirror new events, concepts and transitions emerging terrestrially. Although this is a re classification rather than an announcement of totally new discoveries, I believe this is one of the most important weeks for us astrologers in decades. This is the time when we are going to come under the most flak from the general public who have no understanding that astrology is a language of symbolism and correspondence. It is incumbent upon us all to educate people during this 'window' (when astrology is coming into the news headlines again) as to the true nature of our 'art'.
Here's the post I added to my site last night:
If there was ever any doubt about the cyclical nature of life, one only has to look at the news which is rocking the world of astronomers and astrologers alike today. On the day that the Sun aligned with the position that Saturn (the planet of structure and status) occupied on January 1st 1801, when the asteroid Ceres was discovered, it is announced in Prague that The International Astronomical Union (IAU) have proposed a draft resolution in which our concept of the Solar System will be totally rearranged.
Some 76 years after the discovery of Pluto and 205 years after the discovery of the first and largest asteroid, Ceres, the IAU are suggesting that Ceres is added to the current line up of known planets. Meanwhile Pluto would be effectively downgraded and, whilst still being seen as a planet, it would be renamed as being one of several 'Plutons'. The others being Charon and Xena (2003 UB313) The text books will have to be re-written, our perception of our Universe altered forever.
If the proposed Resolution is passed, the 12 planets in our Solar System will be (in order) Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Ceres, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, Charon and 2003 UB313 or Xena. (The name Xena is provisional, as a "real" name has not yet been assigned to this object).
When we first heard about the discovery of the planet Uranus in 1781, it coincided with the era of the French Revolution and the American War of Independence. Uranium was identified in 1789. Due to the inseparable nature of the celestial and terrestrial it soon became obvious that whatever was happening in the World had its symbolic counterpart in the heavens. Thus the planet Uranus is present whenever matters to do with independence, revolution, anarchy and technological discoveries arise.
Likewise in 1930, the planet Pluto was discovered. This corresponded with a time of developments in nuclear fusion, frozen foods (suspended life) and sexual reorientation operations. Thus it has become associated with transformation from one state to another.
So how does the news about the new planets say about current events and what the Plutons and planets will come to symbolise in our astrological dictionary? Well, as I write the former Prime Minister of Israel, Ariel Sharon, is sadly very close to death. The planet Charon was discovered in 1979, by James Christy of the United States Naval Observatory. He named this moon after Charon (pron. KARON), who in Greek Mythology was the ferryman who rowed the souls across the river Styx from the world of the living to Pluto's world of the dead, Hades. But because his wife, Charlene was known as Char, he proposed that in future everyone should pronounce "KARON" as "SHAR-ON". His wife is reputed to have commented, "Some husbands promise their wives the moon, but mine got it for me".
The symbolism suggests that sadly Ariel Sharon and his beloved State of Israel as we know it, is about to 'change' and enter the history books, but will forever be remembered by the 'stars above'. As Charon is the 'ferryman of the dead', I repeat my assertion that we must be alert for terrorism at sea and events involving water - or lack of it.
The alteration of Pluto's status suggests that Scorpio's will be hitting the headlines in weeks and months to come and undergoing major transformations. The first one that springs to mind is Prince Charles. My reasoning for homing in on him could well be due to the upcoming Saturn/Neptune opposition which is historically related to the British Royal Family. Furthermore, the asteroid Ceres, which has associations with Women, Matriarchs and Mothers (The Queen?), was discovered on the day that the Act of Union took place between Great Britain and Ireland. Ceres is therefore highly symbolic of the UK, and one would expect developments (knowing Saturn/Neptune are aligning too) of an historical nature at this time (abdication/demise of the Monarch or capitulation of a leader). In 1801 the Prime Minister, William Pitt The Younger resigned shortly after the disovery of Ceres.
It can be no coincidence that the United Kingdom was brought to global attention this week with the terrorism threat emanating from its shores. However, it should also be noted that Ceres seems to have affiliations with Egypt, The Sri Lankan Tamil Tigers, Nuclear disasters, famines, Ethiopia and the Chinese - especially their ruling of Hong Kong.
As to Xena, my friend and colleague, Jonathan Cainer believes it may foretell the rise of a very independent, woman leader to power. Xena is a mythological 'Warrior Princess'. Could this mean we might see the rise of women (and Mothers, if we include Ceres) involved in military actions and the fundamentalist battles?
This is breaking news and needs a lot of consideration but, as we all ponder the unfolding nature of the symbolism of these planets, let me just say that if you Google the words 'Xena', 'Charon' and 'Plutons', and if a company, organisation or concept is known by any of these names, then they are in for very interesting times. Historically, there is a coincidence between a name and its 'fate'.
One quick example if we look up ' Pluton' it currently describes rock structures in Volcanoes and other geophysical activity. We could therefore expect the dissolving characteristic of Neptune in alignment with the sign of rocks, structures and formations, (Saturn), to describe upcoming upheaval in the Earth, perhaps in form of earthquakes or other collapse of structures (or Governments, institutions and other Saturnian 'structures') to coincide with alignments of the 'Plutons'.
To end on a more upbeat note, the applying Saturn/Neptune opposition can speak of expanded states of consciousness (as well as expanded Solar Systems) and it was at the time of the first occultation of Ceres that SETI, the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence was formed. Are we about to see an even greater expansion of life as we know it - Jim ! Is the expansion of our Solar System a metaphor for an expanded World consciousness? Time will tell.
Kind regards
Kathryn x
Arian Maverick
08-17-2006, 06:09 PM
I discovered during yesterday's Live Chat (http://www.astrologyweekly.com/forum/chat/flashchat.php) that both Ceres and 2003 UB313 (Xenia) are located in Aries in my natal chart, with that latter conjunct my Aries stellium.
10th planet ephemeris (http://www.astrologyweekly.com/online-ephemeris/10th-planet-ephemeris.php):
15 Mar 1989 26Vi09 16Ar25 3Vi48
14 Apr 1989 25Vi37 16Ar45 3Vi21
I am incredibly excited about the assimilation of these planets into astrology! :D
Arian Maverick
akka naeda
08-17-2006, 07:24 PM
i have yet to find an astrologer who is aware of the fact that a pluton is, in addition to being a geological structure, also a nuclear missile.
consider that, along with the fact the iau hold their closed session on 22 august, the same date that iran has said it will tell the world whether it will go ahead with what it says is peaceful nuclear processing. the public result of the iau vote is released 2 days later on 24 august, at which time the world will know if the objects are to be called plutons, or whether the whole idea will be scrapped.
akkan
Futurist
08-19-2006, 12:06 PM
That's fascinating Akka Naeda - exactly the type of thing we should be looking out for. It's making these connections that will allow astrologers to understand what Charon ,Ceres, Xena, and the term 'Plutons', will come to correspond to in our childrens and grand-childrens astrological dictionaries.Thanks for that info.
As I say, I believe that Charon will now always correlate (amongst other things) to events in Israel, due to its coming to prominence at this particular time. Likewise,Ceres appears to have strong correlations to the UK and the other things I mentioned.
There was also a news story yesterday that could, in future years, be seen as coinciding with this re-classification. It is one of the biggest breakthroughs in the race to find a cure for Cancer -and it is coming out of the UK (Ceres) at the time of the Saturn/Neptune opposition (healthcare).
Dr David Russell reported in Royal Society of Chemistry Journal, Photochemical and Photobiological Sciences, that The University of East Anglia, UK has developed a 'Magic Bullet' in the fight against Cancer. They have discovered that by adding nanoparticles of Gold to a drug that homes in on tumours, they produce a form of active oxygen that is toxic to cancer cells. The oxygen is activated when the tumour (that the bullet has homed in on) is exposed to light, so it's known as Photo-dynamic therapy. Apparently, adding flakes of metal to drugs can boost their oxygen yield and therefore their power by 50%. The article ends by stating that this is not the first time scientists have turned to precious metals in the fight against disease. Silver can tackle MRSA and it highly toxic to other bacteria - Sailors used silver coins to purify barrels of water.
To those of a metaphysical persuasion the use of light as a cure for disease is particularly noteworthy symbolism. There's also an eery correspondence to nuclear warheads and weaponary (plutons?)which are effectively bullets which home in and use 'light', in the form of nuclear energy, to destroy.
Just as an adjunct, the Sun 'rules' Gold, the Moon 'rules' Silver. Their atomic weights are 196 and 108 respectively .To those astrologers (or alchemists!) who also have an interest in chemistry this probably means something as I recall reading in an old text something about atomic weights corresponding to distances between planets, rather like Bodes Law. Does anyone know anything about this?
unukalhai
08-24-2006, 06:15 PM
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5703014
Pluto has become a dwarf!
It will be quite interesting to see how the astrological community reacts to this. I think it just goes to show an object doesnt have to be a major object to show major influence in the chart.
It goes to show we shouldn't be neglecting "minor" objects in our chart analysis.
Right!
We already saw Pluto at work in astrological charts and astronomers' decision doesn't affect a thing in astrology.
But it has some effect on how we consider Pluto's rulership of Scorpio. It demonstrates that:
being considered a planet by astronomers is not a reason to assign sign rulership
a cosmic object doesn't have to be considered as planet by astronomers in order to be assigned sign rulershipIt also reminds us not to overlook traditional sign rulerships.
And it represents an impulse to continue the use of so-called "minor" planets/asteroids in astrological charts.
And then there were eight...
By Alan Crosby in Prague
August 25, 2006 03:00am
Article from: Reuters
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PLUTO was stripped of its status as a planet overnight when scientists from around the world redefined it as a "dwarf planet", leaving just eight classical planets in the solar system.
With one vote, toys and models of the solar system became instantly obsolete, forcing teachers and publishers to scramble to update textbooks and lessons used in classrooms for decades.
“Pluto is dead,” Mike Brown of the California Institute of Technology bluntly said on a teleconference.
Discovered in 1930 by the American Clyde Tombaugh, Pluto has traditionally been considered the ninth planet, farthest from the sun in the solar system.
However, the definition of a planet approved after a heated debate among 2500 scientists from the International Astronomical Union (IAU) meeting in Prague drew a clear distinction between Pluto and the other eight planets.
The need to define what is a planet was driven by technological advances enabling astronomers to look farther into space and to measure more precisely the size of celestial bodies.
Mr Brown added impetus to the decades-old debate on the definition of a planet when he discovered UB313 in 2003. Xena, as it is nicknamed, is larger than Pluto, instantly creating a buzz over whether a new planet had been discovered.
The scientists agreed that, to be called a planet, a celestial body must be in orbit around a star while not itself being a star.
It must be large enough in mass for its own gravity to pull it into a nearly spherical shape and have cleared the neighbourhood around its orbit.
Pluto was disqualified because its oblong orbit overlaps with Neptune's. Xena also does not make the grade of being a planet, and will also be known as a dwarf planet.
“It's an issue mainly for the public, not really for scientists. Some people may be upset, but we've long regarded it (Pluto) as a minor planet,” said Richard Miller of the University of Chicago.
The new definition - the first time the IAU has tried to define scientifically what a planet is - means a second category called “dwarf planets”, has been created, as well as a third category for all other objects, except satellites, known as small solar system bodies.
”We are just defining a new class of planets and I think it's very appropriate. We are finding more planets in our solar system, and some are larger than Pluto,” said Philip Diamond, a professor at the University of Manchester and a delegate attending the IAU meeting.
“I think what we have done is a good thing, we have actually expanded the number of planets in our solar system, but just spread them over two categories.”
From now on, traditional planets will be restricted to eight: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune.
Meanwhile, the widow of Clyde Tombaugh said he would have understood why his discovery was demoted to non-planet status because he was a good scientist.
“Clyde said, 'Well, it's there. You can do what you want with it',” Patricia Tombaugh, 94, said from her home in Las Cruces, New Mexico.
Her husband, who discovered Pluto while working at the Lowell Observatory in Arizona, was disappointed and frustrated when scientists began questioning its status.
But, she said: “Clyde would have said, 'Science is a progressive thing and if you're going to be a scientist and put your neck out, you're apt to have it bitten upon'.”
Mrs Tombaugh said a tiny amount of her husband's ashes were on a spacecraft bound for Pluto.
I like how the article says "Pluto is dead", what a pun!
So I guess Xena, Ceres and Charon didn't make the cut last night. Got to agree with Radu, regardless if pluto is relegated to a dwarf planet, everyone knows it has an effect and I have felt it in my life. Long live the Dwarf?!
unukalhai
08-25-2006, 05:37 PM
Pluto more accuratly is a KBO, although "dwarfs" could be KBOs, big asteroids, etc etc.. chiron, ceres, pluto... all quite different, all now dwarfs :)
long live the KBOs! there are four major KBOs, I need to re-find the link i had on that subject, i will run into it soon enough and post it...
I have this sort of weird concept that maybe the solar system should be brought into 3 groups of 4.. 4 terresterial personal planets, 4 social/collective gas giant planets, and 4 outer KBOs. 3/4 like the zodiac itself...
certainly many "minor" objects have major impacts! chiron is another great example, and i personally consider chiron/pluto to be like bloodline brothers as they work so closely together.
regardless, i was hoping for a few exact charts.
anyone know what time the IAU voted pluto down?
and what date/time pluto was voted into planetary status?
as well as its initial discovery?
I'd like to see what energies were at work between the three charts, I'm curious what the lesson behind this is, according to the sky...
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