astrology programs

[Lynnaea]

I saw Mol was requesting new threads and disscusion. soooooooo
Who uses a computer program to calculate their charts and who does it the old fashioned way with a protractor and compass? Also how accurate are the interpretations of some of the programs out there?

[Amethyst Rose]

I'm interested enough in astrology to put so much work into figuring out my own chart, so I don't have any astrology programs.
However, there is an excelent website out there that will print out your chart for you, as well as compatibility charts, and tell you what it all means, you can find it here: http://www.astro.com
That's what I used to find out about my chart and what all my planets are, etc.

[mol]

Hmmm...well, if you are just dealing with the Math and not the interpretation I guess a program to draw out the charts would be a fine tool.

Or am I missing something?

[Lynnaea]

Originally posted by mol
Hmmm...well, if you are just dealing with the Math and not the interpretation I guess a program to draw out the charts would be a fine tool.

Or am I missing something?

No, I was just wondering if anyone else used an Astrology program. Just as we now use calculator to do our arithmatic, astrology programs are a great tool to instantly draw the chart. I have a couple, softkey makes one called Astrologer, I think I paid $15 for it about 4 years ago. I also have one by Expert sortware allso called Astrologer, that was $10. You can pay up to several hundred dollars, I'm not sure what the advantage would be to spend that much. If I were a professional astrologer I probably would check into the features of a program like that.

The interpretations leave something to be desired, but they are good for learning with.

[Litha]

Just the basic chart alone requires intensive mathematical calculation.
Most of it is logarithmic and can be done with a four function calculator. One would also require a few charts to provide information of the True Local Time and Greenwich Mean from which you could calulated the GMT interval. This is is about 20 steps right there.
Then you would go on to calculate the Sidereal Time, which reqires a few more charts and another 12 steps or so.
Anyone who has actually done the math can tell you that one tiny mistake can throw everything off completely and then you are deliniating from an incorrect chart
Several hundred dollars is worth it to a serious student of astrology since they would want to calculate other things like midpoints between planets, such as when you do a relationship chart called a composite.
These expensive programs also can calculate your aspects, whether they are applying or separating, and when they become exact, all very useful future planning and looking back at the past.

[mol]

Well, there you go..software is a good choice. No better number crunchers in the world. ;)

[Alphyna]

Wow, I know I am really late getting here, and not entirely sure if anyone will know I wrote this, But, in case you see this, I am a serious Astrologer student, Although I feel stuck. Maybe I don't know where to look, but in all the books I have seen, they never have the actual mathematics explained. So it's like here, have all the info you need to interpret charts, all the definitions, etc..but about creating a chart....:( It is very frustrating. Eventually I would like to learn the mathematics, (yes, I am crazy :) I am also teaching myself physics at home!) I just feel that I would have a much better understanding if I understood how it was acheived. As for the computer programs, what would be a good begginner program? Thank you all for your help!
Brightest Blessings, Alphyna

[Methanespirit]

Lynnaea, Alphyna, (sorry to have gotten your names wrong and mixed up. It is time to get off this computer, as I've been surfing all day, and a little tired now!) I have read several texts on Astrology that included chart calculations, and nearly all of them teach it wrong or make it more complicated than is necessary. Personally, I use a simple 12-digit four-function calculator and reduce all time and motion into decimals. I used to make many charts but now I have slowly gotten away from that and use a home-made mechanical chart that rotates and you can set the angles on it. It makes things much simpler. If you would like me to teach you the proper way to the math on a chart, please E-mail me and I would be happy to get you started, although the method you were taught may be correct, but I'd have to see it first.

[Alphyna]

I tried to emaqil you, but it wouldn't let me. I would like to learn that, if you would like to teach me. I am eager for all info! :) How did you get started with Astrology?
BB, Alphyna

[Methanespirit]

Alphyna ; As is common to most capable Astrologers, there is something about their plight in life that is undesirable. And I do not mean a simple one-time situation, but a repetitive theme that constantly occurs throughout their lifetime. ( Also, there are specific aspects to the natal Sun, Moon, and Ascendant that denotes astrological abiltiy, and without these, the student will be defecient in its overall math and or delineations or both. It is difficult to find people who are capable at both.) I started in 1969, to question how and why such things are so. After moving to Tucson, Ariz in 1971 in order to be under the tutorship of one of the greatest Sidereal Astrologers in the nation, I began to study, sometimes putting in as much as 36 to 50 hours a week (while also holding down a full-time profession) into research until I learned the fundamentals of the discipline.

[Litha]

For a a self-paced challenging, learning experience of the mathematical and basics of astrology, Prof. Don LeCouteur is available for no charge. He has been teaching Client Centered Astrology for about as long as I've been alive; he is a gruff rough interesting fellow and can be reached at his website:
http://astrologynewage.com/
His courses are found under the astrology forum which brings you to the classes pagelink where his email hyperlink can be found for private email registration.

Astrology 101
Beginner's 10 week course covers the basics, including construction of horoscopes by hand, and interpretation designed to encourage self-discovery rather than "fortune-telling." The course is handled entirely by e-mail and is paced with the beginner in mind.

Astrology 201
An advanced seminar open only to graduates of his 101 class. Covers topics like Comparison Charts, Rectification, Research, and advanced interpretation techniques. Weekly chat sessions open only to registered students.

[Dr. Doom]

The title of this thread is Astroogy Programs. I was interested in considering purchasing an Astrology program. Is anyone willing to share opinions on programs? Which programs are good values? Which are over-priced? Where is a good place to purchase an Astrology program? What programs are geared toward telling the native what actions he can take to best meet the challenges presented to the native, as indicated by Astrology? Which programs simply present information on the challeneges inicated by Astrolgy, without any suggestions of how to best confront or avoid those challenges? Which programs do progresssed charts?

In searching the Astrology Section for PROGRAMS, I came across:

Program info:

http://www.astrolog.org/astrolog/astlink.htm


http://uk.geocities.com/astrolog32/



Data Source
http://sourceforge.net/

Skycalendar

http://freshmeat.net/projects/skylendar/


Thanks

[Kadynas]

For the PC I've got astrolog... price was right! :lol:

Also free, but for my MAC, is Kairon (it's been awhile so I don't have the link, but a search should turn it up.) which I like very well.

One of these days I'll upgrade to the fancier, more advanced programs, but for now these two sharewares suit my purposes. :) _wiz_

[Fluffmeister]

The title of this thread is Astroogy Programs. I was interested in considering purchasing an Astrology program. Is anyone willing to share opinions on programs? Which programs are good values? Which are over-priced? Where is a good place to purchase an Astrology program? What programs are geared toward telling the native what actions he can take to best meet the challenges presented to the native, as indicated by Astrology? Which programs simply present information on the challeneges inicated by Astrolgy, without any suggestions of how to best confront or avoid those challenges? Which programs do progresssed charts?

Well, the best starting point has got to be Astrolog - because it's freeware. Not even shareware. You don't have to pay a cent, EVER.

You gave a few links to it - I'd recommend Astrolog32 assuming you're running Windows, because it has all the latest features; the official Astrolog32 home page is


http://uk.geocities.com/astrolog32/

Astrolog was originally developed by Walter Pullen years ago as a free service to the astrological community. It's been enhanced by various people (and with Walter's support for this too), the latest being my friend Antonio Ramos - and that's Astrolog32.

Unfortunately, the help file is limited - if you can read French, though, there is an excellent manual for it (also on the Astrolog32 home page). There's also a French version of the program.

It does progressions and transits. In fact, once you get to grips with it, it's amazingly flexible - it also does harmonic charts, basic astro mapping, parallels and contra-parallels, ephemerides, planetary speeds, heliocentric charts and many others. Some astrologers use Black Moon Lilith as a body - and there is a "true" BML and a "mean" BML. The really expensive commercial programs only give you the position of mean BML. Astrolog32 can do either!

I managed with Astrolog for many years. I did finally bite the bullet and buy Solar Fire, which I think is wonderful, but at $279 in the US (and even more expensive over here in the UK) it should be! It doesn't actually have that many more features than Astrolog, but it's more customisable. For instance, I can design my own chart wheel, define my own aspects sets for easy retrieval (in Astrolog, I can say what orbs I want to use, and change them if I need to; in Solar fire, I can not only say what orbs I want to use, but can create various sets - "medieval orbs", "wide orbs" and so on, and just select the set I want to use for a chart). It's also very good for medieval astrology, which I need as I'm doing Bernadette Brady's medieval diploma course - so it has customisable Arabic Parts, Almutens and so on. Astrolog doesn't have this medieval stuff at all.

The big downside of Astrolog is that it didn't have an atlas or time zone info. That's being rectified - there's an atlas now, to give you latitude and longitude. Currently, there's no time zone information - although that's being worked on too!

In Solar Fire, if you enter "New York" as the birth place, it looks up New York to find the latitude and longitude, knows that it's in the Eastern Time Zone, and according to the date you've entered, knows whether Daylight Saving is in effect or not. Astrolog doesn't.

As for interpretations - that's where human beings come in. Astrolog has an "interpretations" file that is laughable: for instance, here's part of what it says about my chart:

Venus in Aquarius and 7th House: This person's creativity, tendencies for
affection and calmness, and relationship needs is progressive, erratic,
revolutionary, idealistic, humanitarian, inventive, and desires
individuality. Most often this manifests in the area of life dealing with
personal relationships and intimacy.
Mars in Aquarius and 6th House: This person's will, energy, activity, and
aggressive, assertive tendencies is progressive, erratic, revolutionary,
idealistic, humanitarian, inventive, and desires individuality. Most often
this manifests in the area of life dealing with work and feeling talented and
useful.

You can see what it's doing - it takes some keywords for Aquarius, Venus and the 7th and mixes them together.

Solar Fire is little better, really: clicking on Mars simply says:

MARS IN THE 6TH HOUSE
You will approach daily life with vigor, and may fight for or with co-workers. You may also push your body hard. You will benefit from daily exercise.
MARS IN AQUARIUS
You will fight for just causes. You are unpredictable, but will probably be a group leader. You may become rebellious when angry.


Unlike Astrolog, I can also see that Mars is opposite Uranus and ask for an interpretation on that:

You enjoy the excitement of conflict and challenge. You can be arrogant or charming and do well in selling. Be careful with dangerous sports as you can be accident prone.

I can edit these interpretations - but they're still not satisfactory. When I look at my chart, I see Mars as part of a wide Grand Square involving my MC, Neptune, Uranus and Mars providing creative tension and a need to move on in my job because there's a thirst for Uranian knowledge and ideals, an itch that can never be scratched. This Mars energy plays out in a 9th house way (because Mars rules my 9th and 4th houses), so I'm interested in philosophy and politics and in shaping the world, but in a very behind the scenes way.

Now, *no* astrology program will give me this interpretation, because astrology is an holistic art. A computer program can only ever break things down and give you a basic interpretation of one placement - it can't "integrate" them.

For instance - I have a Leo Ascendant, which means I'm outgoing and love the limelight. I have a Pisces Sun which means I'm shy and retiring. These sound like opposites - so which one is true? Well, they both are - so how do you integrate these?

It's best to use a computer programs for the three things it does better than humans:

1. Looking up latitudes, longitudes and time zone information
2. Doing the calculations
3. Printing out the chart wheel

and leave the humans to do the interpretation!

If you *really* want to calculate by hand, check out my article at http://www.chrismitchell.bristolastrology.net/chart_calculation.html

[Dr. Doom]

Thanks for the replies.

Blessings