Cyril Fagan - Heliacal Phenomena and the Origin of the Exaltations or Hypsomata

1 | FAGAN -- HELIACAL

Heliacal Phenomena and the Origin of the Exaltations or Hypsomata

[HELIACAL] Cyril Fagan. On Heliacal Phenomena ("First Light"

Appearances and Disappearances of Planets) in ancient Babylon & Egypt,

especially with regard to the First Crescent Moon, its primary

importance, & how to calculate it. Never before published FLIGHT OF

THE PHOENIX Tables for dating Distant Eras (revised Egyptian

Chronology); excerpts from 9/1958 "Solunars," A.A. On Heliacal

Phenomena and the Origin of the Exaltations or Hypsomata; excerpts from

6/1969 "Solunars." On the Origin of the Horoscope Form from the

Heliacal Rising of Sirius at Heliopolis in 2767 B.C., the inauguration

of Sothic Era as the earliest known horoscope; excerpts from 12/1961

"Solunars" and letter of 5/1966.

Cyril Fagan, "Solunars," A.A. (9/1958)

[HELIACAL PHENOMENA]

Babylonian Accuracy

If reference is made to the Egyptian Sothic Calendar for 2767 B.C,

it will be found that the Greek name for the first month of the season

Shemu was Kaphon (Copic=Pachons). This was because the festival of Pa

Chons or Chronsu ("The New Moon") was celebrated during this month,

which tallied with the Julian year commencing March 13th. Pa Chons was

the god of the New Moon and in the monuments he was represented as

either a falcon-headed man wearing the solar disc and lunar crescent on

his head, or as a naked boy similarly crowned. This seems to prove

convincingly that the Egyptians celebrated the Neomenia or 1st New Moon

of the lunar year, which tallied with the Babylonian 1st Nisan, long

before the institution of their calendar of 360 days, plus 5 epagomenal

days, especially as their ideogram for a month was a representation of

a crescent moon!


Many hundreds of Babylonian cuneiform tablets of baked clay have

been excavated, which gave the dates of the first appearance of the

lunar crescent. Referring to these, Dr. J. K. Fotheringham of Oxford

University says "...Elaborate computations of the date of this

appearance have come down to us, and we are able to check Babylonian

lunar dates for predicted phenomena with sufficient frequency to know

the high accuracy with which the late Babylonians were able to predict

this phenomena. The late Babylonian ephemerides must in the nature of

the case have been regulated by predicted appearances..." And Karl

Schock declares "...I can say of the Babylonians, who were persistent

observers of the crescent during 3000 years, that not only their

observations but their computations for ephemerides are admirable...."

But while the Babylonians were able to predict with such marvelous

accuracy the dates on which the crescent moon would first become

visible in Babylon, the problem, even to this day, is one of the most

intricate exercises of positional astronomy, notwithstanding our

advanced mathematical technique. It is first essential to know the

precise time of the syzygies and in the Venus Tablets of Ammizaduga

(Oxford University Press, 1928) Schoch has published simple tables for

the computation, accurate to within five minutes of time, from 3508

B.C. to 1992 A.D. Before his lamentable death in 1929, Schock issued

privately even more accurate elements of the luminaries, and with these

James Hynes of Dublin has compiled more precise tables, permitting the

accurate calculation of the longitude and time of the conjunctions and

oppositions of the Sun and Moon for any date between 4000 B.C. and 2000

A.D.

Sighting Problems

To ascertain the date on which the crescent will become visible to

the sharp-sighted observer (weather permitting), it is necessary to

know the Altitude of the Moon over the western horizon at the moment of

sunset, for the 2nd day after the syzygy. This is dependent on the

season of year, the age of the Moon, and the azimuth difference between

the Sun and Moon. In the latitude of Babylon (N 32.30') if the azimuth

difference is zero, the Moon will need to have an altitude of 10.7


degrees before it can be spotted, but should the azimuth difference

amount to 19 degrees it can be seen when it is only 6.3 degrees above

the western horizon. But these values will differ for every degree of

geographical latitude. If the altitude is less than tabular

requirements, the Moon will not be seen until after sunset of the 3rd

day after the syzygy.

Given a set of heliacal table for the required latitude and a Sun-

date table, such as those compiled by Hynes, it is a very simple matter

to ascertain the date of the heliacal rising or setting of a planet or

fixed star, or the date of its acronychal rising or cosmic setting,

provided the arcus visionis is known. Or vice versa, if the date is

known to determine the value of the gamma. Since the time when Ptolemy

penned his famous ALMAGEST or "Great Work" it has been customary to

regard the visibility of a planet or fixed star as dependent on the

angular distance of the Sun below the horizon at the time of the rising

or setting of that planet or fixed star, and this angular distance is

known among astronomers by the Greek letter gamma. The minimum value

of gamma which will render a star visible is known as the arcus

visionis ("arc of vision").

The value of the 'arcus visionis' is in the first instance

determined empirically, that is, through direct observation by a team

of trained observers, for it is not only dependent on the magnitude of

the star or planet, the season, the azimuth difference of the Sun and

star, but on such local conditions as the terrain--whether hilly or

flat country, whether inland or on the coast, conditions of visibility

and the like. It may happen that two places may be situated on the

same parallel of geographical latitude but while the prevailing

conditions in respect of visibility in one may be excellent, in the

other they may be very poor indeed, and the values of the 'arcus

visionis' for both will be affected accordingly.

From the dates of heliacal risings, given on ancient monumental and

cuneiform inscriptions, Schock found that the mean gamma for Sirius at

heliacal rising at Babylon was 7.7 degrees and at Memphis in Egypt 8.8

degrees. At heliacal setting it was one degree less. This means that

the Sun must be approximately 44 degrees separated from the conjunction


of Sirius for the latter to be seen on the horizon at Babylon

immediately before sunrise. But once the 'arcus visionis' of a star is

known, magnitude and azimuth distance from the Sun is determined

empirically for any given place, then the 'arcus visionis' of all other

fixed stars and planets can be determined form the appropriate

trigonometical formulae.

Most of the great epochs and eras of antiquity were dated from the

heliacal rising of one or other of the fixed stars. The Harakhte era

began with the heliacal rising of Spica at Heliopolis on September 15,

3130 B.C. and the Sothic era with the heliacal rising of Sirius at

Heliopolis on July 16, 2767 B.C. The rainy season was ushered in at

the heliacal rising of the Hyades and the vine harvest at that of Tsha

Nefre, the "beautiful boy" or Bacchus, identified with Vindemiatrix in

Virgo 15 degrees 12'. The zodiacal exaltation degrees o the planets

(except Venus were the degrees of the zodiac in which they heliacally

rose or set during the lunar year 786-785 B.C. Thus, in that year

Jupiter set heliacally on June 22, 786 B.C. in Cancer 15d. Mercury set

heliacally in the east in Virgo 15d on September 13, 786 B.C., Saturn

set heliacally in the west on September 23, 786 B.C. in Libra 21d and

Mars rose heliacally in the east on January 30, 785 B.C. in Capricorn

28d. On New Year's Day of that year (1st Nisan) April 3, 786 B.C. at

midnight (because the Babylonian ephemerides were always computed for

this time) the Sun was in Aries 19d, the Moon in Taurus 3d and Venus in

Pisces 27d, which are their traditional exaltation degrees. This alone

demonstrates the immense importance that the ancient astrologers gave

to heliacal phenomena. All these longitudes are, of course, in terms

of the sidereal zodiac computed from Spica in Virgo 29d06'.

Dating Distant Eras

The omission of any reference to heliacal phenomena in any

astrological textbook suggests that it is of modern vintage. it is

true that Ptolemy does not specifically refer to such in his

TETRABIBLOS, although he dilates at length upon the subject in his

ALMAGEST. But Schock has demonstrated that Ptolemy's values for the

'arcus visionis' are impossible, even for Alexandria where visibility


is said to be very poor. Unfortunately these values appear to have

been translated to India and will be found in the Surya-Siddhanta, but

they are equally inapplicable to that continent....

To determine the 'arcus visionis' for a fixed star for any other

place it is necessary to have a team of sharp-eyed observers, capable

of recognizing the star, watching the unobstructed eastern horizon and

a locality where the darkness of the night sky is not destroyed by the

glow of neon lights or the like. From about a week or so before the

calculated time of heliacal rising at Babylon, the vigil should

commence, and the date noted on which the star is seen for a fleeting

moment in the early morning skies on the eastern horizon before

sunrise. Knowing the star's right ascension and declination, the

geographical latitude of the place and the longitude of the Sun, it is

a simple matter to compute the value of the gamma. This should be

repeated with other fixed stars of known magnitude, and from the data

so obtained the value of the 'arcus visionis' for a given magnitude and

azimuth distance, in respect of that locality, can be determined. As

conditions of visibility vary from day to day, these determinations

should be checked in the following year or two.

Knowing the Egyptian date for the heliacal rising of Sothis (Sirius)

the approximate Julian year can be determined almost at sight from the

following table, which has never been published before in any magazine

or textbook, academic or otherwise.

FLIGHT OF THE PHOENIX

The approximate Julian years (1st of the tetraeteris) for the 1st

of each Egyptian month when Sirius rose heliacally at Heliopolis.

Season Month Coptic Name Cycles

1 Achet 1 Thoth 1st 2nd 3rd 4th

2 Achet 2 Phaophi -4224 -2768 -1312 + 144

3 Achet 3 Athyr -4104 -2648 -1192 + 264


4 Achet 4 Khoiak -3984 -2528 -1072 + 384

5 Pert 1 Tybi -3864 -2408 - 952 + 504

6 Pert 2 Mekhir -3748 -2288 - 832 + 620

7 Pert 3 Phamenoth -3628 -2168 - 712 + 740

8 Pert 4 Pharmouthi -3508 -2048 - 592 + 860

9 Shemu 1 Pachons -3388 -1932 - 476 + 980

10 Shemu 2 Payni -3268 -1812 - 354 +1096

11 Shemu 3 Epiphi -3148 -1692 - 236 +1216

12 Shemu 4 Mesore -3028 -1572 - 116 +1336

1st Epapomenal Day -2908 -1452 + 4 +1456

2nd Epagomenal Day -2788 -1332 + 124 +1576

3rd Epagomenal Day -2784 -1328 + 128 +1580

4th Epagomenal Day -2780 -1324 + 132 +1584

5th Epagomenal Day -2776 -1320 + 136 +1588

-2772 -1316 + 140 +1592

In the Ebers Papyrus it is recorded that in the 9th year of

Amenophis (Amenhotep) I, the "Festival of New Year's Day" was

celebrated in the 3rd month of Shemu, day 9, with the rising of Sirius.

What was the approximate year of rising, and the first year of

Amenophis I's reign? From general historical considerations it is

known that Amenophis I (18th dynasty) flourished during the 2nd

millennium B.C., so we enter the 2nd column of the above table and find

that Sirius rose heliacally in the tetraeteris (four-year period)

commencing -1572 (1573 B.C.) on the 1st of the 3rd Month of Shemu, (1st

Epiphi). Then:

Month Year

Shemu 3rd 1st day = -1572

Shemu 3rd 8x4 (tetraeteris) = + 32

-----

Shemu 3rd 9th day = -1540

Hence the rising of Sirius took place in one of the four years

commencing -1540 (1541 B.C.), so Amenophis I began his reign in one of


the four years beginning -1548 (1549 B.C.). To the Egyptologist and

historian this handy table should prove invaluable in accurately fixing

the chronology of Egypt. From it also can be obtained for any year

during the dynastic period, the Egyptian date on which Sirius rose.

In his chronology, Meyer gives Amenophis (or Amenhotep) I's first

year as 1557 B.C. Meyer based his well-known chronology of Egypt on

the recorded heliacal risings of Sirius. But at the time he compiled

it, the value of Sirius' 'arcus visionis' and the elements of the Sun

and Moon, in respect of ancient times, were inaccurate, so that his

chronology suffered in consequence. The following is Sewell's

amendment of Meyer's chronology which is now accepted as orthodox by

Egyptologists:

Dynasty Approx. year

Old Egyptian Archaic Period I 3188 B.C.

II "

Old Kingdom III 2815 "

(Pyramidic Period) IV 2690 "

V 2560 "

VI 2420 "

1st Intermediate Period VII 2394 "

VIII

IX 2240 "

X

Middle Kingdom XI 2132 "

XII 1990 "

2nd Intermediate Period XIII 1777 "

XIV 1740 "

XV

XVI

XVII

Late Egyptian New Kingdom XVIII 1573 "

XIX

XX 1220 "


Late Kingdom XXI 1090 "

XXII

XXIII

XXIV

XXV 715 "

Saite Period XXVI 663 "

Late Period XXVII 525 "

XXVIII

XXIX

XXX

XXXI

The accuracy of this and other Egyptian chronologies can now be

easily tested by the reader by means of "THE FLIGHT OF THE PHOENIX'

TABLE, for all recorded Egyptian dates of the heliacal risings of

Sirius.

************

From DREIS' INDEX OF FAGAN'S "SOLUNARS," published 7/1953 to

3/1970 in

American Astrology, the following dates are given for discussion of

HELIACAL PHENOMENA. The pages listed are not the magazine pages,

but

the pages of the article itself. 8/1958, p3,4,5,6; 6/1961, p3;

2/1964, p4; 3/1964, p1 (rising); 9/1967, p4; 10/1968, p3;

6/1969, p1;

*************

Cyril Fagan's "SOLUNARS...


A STUDY OF THE SIDEREAL ZODIAC"

[HELIACAL PHENOMENA & HYPSOMATA,

THE EXALTATION ORIGINS]

Has the reader ever seen the ever-so-thin crescent of the Moon lying

close to the western horizon just after sunset? If so, he has

witnessed what was the most important celestial phenomenon in all

antiquity, namely the heliacal rising of the Moon in the west. The

chronology of Egypt, Babylon, Assyria, and other great nations of

remote antiquity were timed by such mensal recurring phenomena. What

modern calendars, almanacs and ephemerides style the New Moon is not

really such at all but is the syzygy or conjunction of the Sun and Moon

in the ecliptic, which always is invisible and usually occurs on the

penultimate day of the previous lunar month. Incidentally, this was

reckoned to be the most unlucky day of the month because on that day

eclipses of the Sun and Moon took place.

As the first day of the month began at sunset when the New Moon was

spotted, it was of the utmost importance that the phenomenon should not

be missed, so scribes would keep watch from the hilltops, the roofs of

temples and similar points of vantage, and would signal when the

crescent was seen. When the weather was adverse the date was

estimated. The lunar year began when the crescent was seen during the

month of Pakhon (Egyptian) or Nissanu (Babylonian).

To calculate the date of the true New Moon was at one time

considered quite a difficult feat. Very precise and accurate tables of

the syzygies are required, and up to the time of Karl Schoch (1873-

1929) of the Heidelberg University the existing table were only

accurate to the nearest hour. Tackling the problem Schoch produced

syzygy tables that were accurate to less than five minutes of time even

in remote antiquity. Then by auxiliary tables also produced by Schoch

it was possible to determine the date of the true New Moon for any date

in antiquity provided the 'Arcus Visionis' of the crescent was first


determined empirically because this differs according to the visibility

and other factors of the locality. Schoch's syzygy and auxiliary

tables for the latitude and climate of Babylon first appeared in The

Venus Tablets of Ammizaduga (Oxford University Press, 1928). Since

then they have been very much refined by means of Schoch's own

corrections by James Hynes of Dublin, Ireland. By means of Schoch's

tables it was possible to restore precisely much of the chronology of

the great nations of antiquity.

How many astrologers of today can precisely determine the date of

the true New Moon at their home towns? Have they ever tried. Have

they every attempted to determine, say, when Jupiter will first be seen

in the skies just before sunrise or when Venus will last be visible

just after sunset at their places of residence? is there an astrologer

living other than James Hynes, an authority on such subjects, who is

prepared to deliver a well informed lecture on heliacal phenomena? Any

astrologer who is not familiar with heliacal and acronychal phenomena

is completely ignorant of astrology in remove antiquity which consisted

of nothing else. The most important annual events were linked with

heliacal phenomena. For instance, the Greeks saw in the heliacal

rising of the Hyades the beginning of the rainy season; the acronychal

rising of the Pleiades was synchronized with the Deluge and the true

All Soul's Day; the heliacal rising of Vindemiatrix ushered in the

grape harvest, while most important of all, the heliacal rising of

Sirius synchronized with the commencement of the Inundation.

RESOLUTION OF THE HYPSOMATA

Every student of astrology is familiar with the exaltation degrees

of the planets. They are given in almost every textbook and they

represent the oldest traditions in astrology. For the benefit of newer

readers they are herewith given once more and are as follows: Sun in

Aries 19 degrees; Moon in Taurus 3 degrees; Mercury in Virgo 15

degrees; Venus in Pisces 27 degrees; Mars in Capricorn 28 degrees;

Jupiter in Cancer 15 degrees; Saturn in Libra 21 degrees. The Greeks


called an exaltation degree 'hypsoma,' plural 'hypsomata.

'

In the British Museum, London, there is a fragment from a large

cuneiform tablet written about the time of Nebuchadnezzar (747-434

B.C.). Here the legends of the twelve lunar months are rehearsed. The

commentary on the month Tammuz gives the valuable information that

Perseus and the Pleiades were the hypsoma of the Moon, Aries of the

Sun, Capricorn of Mars and Cancer of Jupiter. (Babylonian Menologies:

S. Langdon, London 1935). How did these exaltation degrees originate?

What do they represent? As Mercury's elongation from the Sun cannot

exceed 28 degrees (here it is 146 degrees) they cannot be longitudes of

the planets in any horoscope, or the like. The mystery of the origin

of the hypsomata has intrigued philosophers from the earliest times and

classical writers have not refrained from penning their speculation as

to their origin. Plutarch (Moralia I, 149a) refers to the Egyptians

saying the planets grow better or worse according to their Hypsomata

kai tapeinomata; while Pliny the Elder in his Historia Naturalis II,

13, seems to think the hypsomata were a 'suo centro apsides

altissimae.'

Down the long corridors of time, from the Greek period through the

Italian Renaissance to modern times, the problem of the hypsomata has

agitated many philosophical minds but evaded solution. Boll-Bezold-

Gundel (Sternglaube und Sterndeutung) and Bouche-Leclercq (L'Astrologie

Greque) agree that they are not apogees or perigees and as Dr. Herbert

Chatley adds, "no one seems to know what they are." However, the

problem was finally solved on May 14, 1949 when it was discovered by

the present writer that the 'hypsomata were the heliacal longitudes of

the planets for the lunar year commencing 1st Nissanu, April 4, Julian,

786 B.C.' On this date the tropical longitudes of the Sun, Moon, and

Venus were Aries 5 degrees, Aries 15.6 degrees, and Pisces 12.9

degrees. On Sivan 21 (June 22) Jupiter set in the west heliacally in

Cancer 1.5 degrees; on Elul 15 (September 13) Mercury set in the east

heliacally in Libra 7.1 degrees; and on Shebat 6 (January 30, 785 B.C.)

Mars rose heliacally in Capricorn 13.5 degrees. Here it will be


noticed that the phenomenon alternates between the east and west

horizons.

The difference between the tropical longitudes and the traditional

hypsomatic degrees gives the sidereal longitude of the vernal point

(VP) for the epoch 786 B.C. thus:

Tropical Hypsoma VP

Sun 5.0 d. 19.0 d. 14.0

Moon 15.6 33.0 17.4

Mercury 150.8 165.0 14.2

Venus 342.9 357.0 14.1

Mars 283.5 298.0 14.5

Jupiter 91.5 105.0 13.5

Saturn 187.1 201.0 13.9

Mean value of VP for 786 B.C. 14.5

These amended values which differ slightly from those given in

Zodiacs Old and New (Llewellyn Publications 1950) are the result of

finer figuring and more critical translations of cuneiform records.

But here is must be stressed that they are derived from Schoch's

Heliacal Tables and his Arcus Visionis for Babylon on the tenatitive

assumption that the hypsomata were observed there. But such may not

have been the case. In the above named work, a plausible case was made

out that the phenomena was observed at Halakh, Assyria which is

disputed by Professor B. L. van der Waerden of the Mathematical

Institute of Zurich. They may have been observed in Egypt, Phoenicia,

or even in India. Being without positive historical records we simply

do not know. But if the phenomenon was not recorded in Babylon but in

some neighboring country then obviously the above values may differ by

a day or a degree either way. WHAT WE DO POSITIVELY KNOW IS

THAT THE HYPSOMATA RELATE TO THE YEAR 786 B.C. AND TO

NO OTHER YEAR IN THE WHOLE HISTORICAL PERIOD (4,000 B.C.

TO THE PRESENT DAY); THAT THE EXALTATIONS


RELATED ONLY TO THE SIDEREAL ZODIAC; AND AT THE TIME

OF THEIR OCCURRENCE THE SIDEREAL LONGITUDE OF THE

VERNAL POINT (AYANAMSHA) WAS

ABOUT 14 DEGREES.

In a letter to this writer, dated June 30, 1952, van der Waerden

advances cogent reasons for doubling that the longitude of the planets

at the date of the hypsomata were calculated by the Babylonians at that

time. He writes "The earliest known text in which entrances of the

planets into zodiacal signs are mentioned is VAT 4924 from the 5th year

of Darius II (420 B.C.) Degree are not mentioned; in fact they are

never mentioned in almanacs. Degrees are given only in computed lunar

and planetary tables from 100 to 300 of the Seleucid Era. The oldest

text comparable with NS (Normal Stars) almanacs is Strm. Kambys 400

(523 B.C.). It does not yet contain normal stars, but it gives

distances of planets to planets, and expressions like 'Saturn rose

heliacally east of Spica." In Sp II 901 (387 B.C.) the normal stars

appear for the first time. (Kugler: Sternkunde I, p. 71-81.) The

almanac CBS II 901 (425 B.C.) contains dates of heliacal risings and

settings. These five texts are all we have of the Persian time. All

in all, it seems extremely improbable that the Assyrians observed the

positions of the planets in 786 B.C. in signs and degrees. The only

possibility would be that Seleucid astronomers computed these positions

(retrospectively) and used them for their hypsoma theory. Besides,

whey should the Babylonian astrologers be interested in the

installation of Assyrian temples? The Babylonians were glad to get rid

of the Assyrian yoke in 612 B.C...."

But why should the Babylonians of the Seleucid period (312-64 B.C.)

want to compute the heliacal position of the planets for 786 B.C.? If

they did so, they must have been in possession of extraordinarily

accurate tables, or have been unusually competent mathematicians

comparable to the best we have today! The suggestion seems too far-

fetched and unconvincing. If, as van der Waerden contends, at the

period 786 B.C. the Babylonians did not think in degrees nor signs,


then it would appear that the hypsomata had their origin in Egypt. We

know that the Egyptians did think in signs and at least in pentades as

early as the 3rd millennium B.C. We also know that in Egypt in B.C.

786 the reign of Shashonk III, the last king of Dynasty XXII from

Bubastis, and that of Pedibaste, the first king of Dynasty XXIII from

Tanis overlapped, but for the rest history is silent. We simply lack

records.

The above reflections were stimulated by an excellent article in the

March '69 issue of our contemporary Horoscope, by our good friend LCDR

David Williams, entitled "The Constellations vs. the Zodiacal Signs."

Therein he states that there has been little agreement among

authorities as to when the first point of Aries actually coincided with

the beginning of the constellation Aries and in evidence he lists the

following tabulation:

Authority Date

Cheiro 388 B.C.

D. Davidson 317 B.C.

A. M. Harding 300 B.C.

Gerald Massey 255 B.C.

C. A. Jayne, Jr. 254 B.C.

Thierens 125 B.C.

Dane Rudhyar 97 B.C.

Paul Councel 0 A.D.

Cyril Fagan 220 A.D.

Sepharial 321 A.D.

Now let us note the following historical facts. In 1913, Weidner

found a cuneiform astronomical text which proved to be a Lunar

Computation Table after the system of the Babylonian astronomer

Naburiannu (epoch B.C. 500) for the New and Full Moons of B.C. 49-48.

In Naburiannu's system the sidereal longitude of the vernal point is

given as Aries 10 degrees. The German Jesuits Epping and Kugler

examined another Babylonian tablet of the year B.C. 103 bearing the

title Lunar Computation Table according to the System of Kidinnu (epoch


B.C. 373). In Kidinnu's system the sidereal longitude of the vernal

point is given as Aries 8 degrees (Kugler: Babylonische Mondrechung).

Van der Waerden defined the position of the origin of the Babylonian

zodiac by comparing it to the equinox of the year 101 B.C. (-100).

From several Babylonian lunar and planetary tables both Kugler and van

der Waerden obtained the following mean differences (VP).

Tables Years Difference

Lunar table Nr 93, system II -174 to -154 3.7

Lunar table Nr 272, system I -103 to -101 3.3

Jupiter tables, 1st kind -180 to - 90 4.2

Jupiter tables, 2nd kind -120 to -100 4.2

Jupiter tables, 3rd kind -120 to - 80 4.3

Babylonian Almanacs -210 to -160 3.5

Babylonian Almanacs -110 to - 60 5.3

"These values," states van der Waerden, "range from 3.3 to 5.3 which

means that the vernal point of -100 lies near 4.3 of the Babylonian

zodiac and Spica near 29 degrees Virgo with a possible deviation of 1

degree to either side. This result obtained several years ago is

strikingly confirmed by a Babylonian star catalogue recently published

by A. Sachs. Restricting ourselves to 5 entries that can be identified

with certainly, we find in this list the following longitudes. I have

added to the list two Jupiter longitudes drawn from the planetary table

and probably observed in the year 108 and 158 Seleucid Era which

commenced in 312 B.C."

Bab. Kugler

Text Star Name Long. Long. Diff.

BM 46083 Beta Virginis 151 147.6 3.4

Gamma " 166 161.2 4.8

Alpha Virginis 178 174.7 3.3


Alpha Librae 200 195.9 4.1

AO 6476 Beta Librae 205 200.2 4.8

Sp li 889 Jupiter 151.75 148.05 3.7

Jupiter 230.17 226.20 4.0

The mean difference is 4.1, the standard error of the single

observation being 0.6 Sonderabdruk aus Archiv fur Orientforschung, Band

XVI, Sweiter Teil, 1954. For the year -100 the Egyptian Berlin papyrus

(years -16 to +10) gives the differences of VP as 4.6 while the

Egyptian Strobart Tablets (years +70 to +131) give the VP as 5.1.

Should the reader take a sheet of graph paper and enter all these

findings, including that of the hypsomata, and taking as his

coordinates the year of the epoch and the longitude of the derived VP,

he will discover that the resultant "curve" is a perfectly straight

line! This clearly establishing the authenticity and historicity of

the hypsomata, which implies that all the other dates tabulated by

Commander Williams are false as they have no historicity of any

consequence to confirm their validity. The graph reproduced here is

taken from Zodiacs Old and New. [Below graph could only be

approximated in ascii text format.]


DIAGONAL LINE = SIDEREAL LONGITUDE OF THE AUTUMNAL

EQUINOCTIAL POINT MEASURED FROM SPICA IN 29 VIRGO 00'

Babylonian Planetary Texts (V.P. reduced to ecliptic of-100

by Van Der Waerden)

YEARS B.C. YEARS A.D.

-800 -700 -600 -500 -400 -300 -200 -100 -0 +100 +200

| | | | | | | | | | |

LIB 15__________________________________________________________

\

14___\ __13.8 LIB _________________________________________

S * Hypsomata B.C. 786

I 13________\ _______________________________________________

D \

E 12____________\ ___________________________________________

R \

E 11________________\ _______________________________________

A Naburiannu

L 10___________ 10 LIB * B.C. 500 ___________________________

\

L 9______________________ \ _________________________________

O Kidinnu

N 8__________________ 8 LIB * B.C. 373 ____________________

G

I 7_____________________________ \ __________________________

T \

U 6_________________________________ \ 5.3 LIB ____________

D \ * B.C. 116-60

E 5____________________________________ ___________________

4 LIB

4_____________ 4.2 LIB B.C. 160-130 *\ *Berlin Demotic

3.5 LIB B.C. 210-160 * \ Papyrus P8279

3___________________________________________ B.C. 15 - A.D. 11

\

2_________________________ 2 LIB A.D. 71-132 * ________

Strobart Egyptian \

1__________________________ Tables (Demotic) ______ \ ____

\

LIB 0______________________________________________________ \ _

\

VIR 29__________________________________________________________

VIR 28__________________________________________________________

| | | | | | | | | | |

-800 -700 -600 -500 -400 -300 -200 -100 -0 +100 +200

YEARS B.C. YEARS A.D.


When I was engaged on the solution of the mystery of the hypsomata,

following modern Hindu traditions I assumed that the fiducial star was

Spica in Libra 0 degrees. But the solution quickly proved that the

sidereal longitude of Spica was nearer to Virgo 29 degrees than to

Libra 0 degrees; a most unlikely longitude for a fiducial star. Virgo

29 degrees also was confirmed by van de Waerden in his examination of

Babylonian records. Constant readers of this magazine know that in

1957, by purely statistical methods, Garth Allen established that the

sidereal longitude of Spica was Virgo 29 degrees 06' 05"; a still more

unlikely longitude for a fiducial star. In more recent years it was

discovered that when Garth Allen's determination was referred to the

hypsomata epoch 876 B.C. it put the Bull's Eye (Aldebaran) precisely in

the mathematical center of Taurus (15 degrees 00' 00') clearly

demonstrating that the true zodiac commenced with Taurus 0 degrees and

not with Aries 0 degrees. THIS HISTORICITY OF THE HYPSOMATA

ZERO YEAR,NAMELY A.D. 220 IS AN ALL IMPORTANT FACTOR IN

CONFIRMING THAT THE SOLUTION HERE GIVEN OF THE

HYPSOMATA IS THE CORRECT ONE.

This was the most momentous discovery--if it can be called such--

ever made in the long history of astrology. Its implications are far

reaching and revolutionary in the extreme. Although the details of

this were made public some 20 years ago in Zodiacs Old and New, only

recently are the inferences beginning to percolate the astrological

consciousness of the more far seeing of astrologers. In all

seriousness, no amount of rationalization will succeed in explaining it

away. Of course, because of vested interests, or of heavy commitment,

there are those who ostrich-like prefer to hide their heads in the sand

and refuse to see. But ultimately the resolution of the hypsomata will

prove to be the open sesame that will restore astrology to its original

honorable place in the councils of the great nations.

* * * * *


CYRIL FAGAN'S "SOLUNARS" 12/61 American Astrology

ORIGIN OF HOROSCOPE FORM

[HELIACAL RISING OF SIRIUS;

OLDEST KNOWN HOROSCOPE 2767 B.C.]

Before beginning a delineation of an astrological chart we must

fully comprehend the meaning of the horoscope form itself and its

interpretation. The circular diagram is popular in the west today; but

strange to say, it is a comparative innovation, notwithstanding the

fact that the dome of the heavens is obviously circular. Up to the

19th century the square of rectangular shaped horoscope form was the

vogue, as it is still the vogue in India. In his letters to the

present writer, the Irish poet, W.B. Yeats, the Nobel prize winner for

literature (1923), always used the square-shaped horoscope form. Why

did the square-shaped form persist for so many centuries before it was

gradually supplanted by the circular design, and how did it originate?

The glib answer is, of course, that it was easier to draw. But is that

the only reason?

If the hieroglyphic inscriptions of ancient Egypt are examined it

will be found that from the most remote periods they invariably

inscribed in the form of square or rectangular patterns, and down the

corridors of time, there appears to be little or no deviation from this

rather rigid convention. The famous Egyptian star charts were all

square or rectangular in shape to conform to the general pattern of

hieroglyphic inscriptions. But these same celestial diagrams, as they

were termed by Egyptologists, were a source of puzzlement to them and

astronomers alike, because the orientation appeared to them to be all

wrong.

Referring to the Celestial Diagram found in the tomb of Senmut (cira

1500 B.C.) Professor Pogo writes: "...A characteristic feature of the

Senmut ceiling is the astronomically objectionable orientation of the


southern panel; it has to be inspected like the rest of the ceiling by

a person facing north, so that Orion appears east of Sirius. If

astronomical ceilings in sepulchral halls were originally an expansion

of the inside and outside decorations of sarcophagus lids, the reversed

orientation of the southern panel would be easy to account for.

Another explanation for the wrong orientation of the southern panel is

suggested by the possibility that it originated on a southern vertical

wall facing a northern vertical wall appropriately decorated with

representations of the "meridian cords" and the "mural dials" discussed

below; by moving such hypothetical mural panels to the ceiling, their

relative orientation could be preserved, as in the case of the Seti

monument, or else the orientation of the southern panel could be

sacrificed to "uniformity" as on the ceiling of Senmut and of the

Ramesseum..." (The astronomical ceiling decoration in the Tomb of

Senmut, --XVIIIth Dynasty: Isis 14, p.306).

Professor Pogo did not know, nor do Egyptologists in general know,

that these celestial diagrams, belonging to many different dynastic

periods, were nothing else than copies of the horoscope for the

inauguration of the Sothic Era at the heliacal rising of Sirius at

Heliopolis on July 16 (O.S.), 2767 B.C. (see January 1954 issue). This

was deemed to be a magical talisman insuring for the deceased longevity

in the Elysium Fields.

The orientation of these celestial diagrams was not wrong. It is

identical with the orientation of our modern horoscope forms, whether

square or circular; a fact which is a strong argument that it was the

Egyptians, and not the Babylonians, who invented astrology, as so

fondly argued by Assyriologists. The horoscope for the inauguration of

the Sothic Era is identical in form with that of the square horoscope

form. It antidates the first records of Babylonian astrology by over a

thousand years; and it is the oldest extant horoscope in the world.

South at Midheaven.

When a modern horoscope form is seen for the first time, the


beholder, like Professor Pogo, is apt to exclaim "The orientation is

all wrong." This is because he is accustomed to see north at the top,

the south at the bottom, the east at the right and the west at the left

in all modern geographical maps. But to orientate our geographical

maps in this way is only a convention. In truth, there is no top or

bottom to the earth or for that matter for any of the celestial bodies.

The Egyptians always considered the south as being the top or upper

region, the north as the bottom or lower region, the east as being the

left and the west and being the right. The Egyptian for east is

'i3bt,' while that for left-hand is 'i3bi;' the Egyptian for west is

'imnt' and for right-hand 'wnmy,' both words having the same root. The

Egyptian for north was 'mht,' the root of which is 'mh' meaning "a

whip."

The same root occurs in the word 'mhnyt' - "the coiled one," meaning

a snake or serpent, and it is rather curious to find in the argot of

the southern states of the U.S.A., before the emancipation of the

slaves, that the whip was often referred to as the "snake.' In

Egyptian symbolism the ideogram of a snake or serpent indicated the

"winds" and that of the "whip" is here identified with the icy winds

that blow from the north, which metaphorically speaking, "whip the

backs of the Egyptians" when they blow, as the viewer of a horoscope is

always supposed to be facing due south, with his back to the north. So

positioned the east will be at his left and the west at his right. The

Egyptian for south was 'r-swt' - "the sedge plant," and the Egyptian

for Upper (southern) Egypt was 'sm'w,' the phonetics of which

incorporate the ideogram of a "sedge planet," while that for Lower

(northern) Egypt, i.e., the Land of the Delta, was 'mhr,' the phonetics

of which include the ideogram of the "whip."

When looking at a circular horoscope form it must be remembered that

the astrologer is trying to express diagrammatically in two dimensions

a three dimensional view, this view being taken in "the plane of the

vertical." The circle that surrounds the diagram represents the prime

vertical, which is a great circle of the sphere that rises due east


(extreme left-hand point of the circle), cuts through the Zenith, which

is that point in the heavens that is immediately overhead (extreme top

point of the circle), sets due west (extreme right-hand point), passes

through the Nadir, which is that point immediately opposite to the

Zenith (bottom part of circle) and then rises again due east.

Cusps and Angles

The horizontal line that stretches across the diagram from east to

west is the great circle of the rational horizon viewed edge-on, thus

appearing as only a line. The vertical line is the great circle of the

meridian, also viewed edge on. It rises due north of the horizon, cuts

through the prime vertical at the Zenith, again intersects the horizon,

this time due south, and again intersects the prime vertical at the

Nadir, to rise again at the north point of the horizon. These are the

three great primary or fundamental circles of the mundane sphere. The

twelve lines, looking like spokes of a wheel, represent the cusps

(edges) of the twelve mundane houses. They are known as secondary

circles or just secondaries.

* * * *

From Cyril Fagan's letter in "Many Things" A.A. 5/66

[HELIACAL RISING OF SIRIUS & OLDEST HOROSCOPE 2767

B.C.]

...Senmut's astronomical ceiling is nothing else but a copy of a

horoscope (as the legends, indeed, state) for THE HELIACAL RISING OF

SIRIUS ON NEW YEAR'S DAY of the common Egyptian calendar: an

event which can only recur for a tetraeteris (4 year period) about 1456

years!

Additional copies of the same horoscope were found in the two

temples of Rameses II at Abydos and at Madinat Habu; in the tombs of

Rameses VI, VII, IX at Thebes (c. 1150 B.C.) in the sarcophagus of


Prince Nectanebo, and in the coffin of Hor-nef-tef of the Saite period

(663-420 B.C.) and in the two tombs at Alfih of the Ptolemaic period

(305-30 B.C.) where they acted as talismans promising longevity in the

Elysian Fields.

These copies show a very rare quadruple conjunction of Mars,

Jupiter, Saturn and Venus (as Mars was identified with the evil god

Seth, for superstitious reasons in a few copies it was omitted), with

Venus, under its Pyramidic name of the Benu-bird or Bird of the

Inundation, risen in the east just above the Ascendant. Retrospective

calculation discloses that such a conjunction actually took place on

July 16 (O.S.) 2767 B.C. which happened to be New Year's Day of the

common Egyptian calendar, and incidentally midsummer day. On this date

Sirius rose heliacally at Heliopolis the Greenwich of Egypt! Note the

accompanying chart which is a copy of the oldest extant horoscope in

existence!

Sidereal Campanus: OLDEST HOROSCOPE July 16 O.S., 2767 B.C.

M.C. 10ARI37, llth 9TAU00, 12th 18GEM41, ASC 28CAN52, 2nd

26LEO59,3rd 19VIR00, MARS 19CAN01, JUP 21CAN35, SAT

24CAN53, VEN 25CAN42, SUN 10LEO34, MER 28LEO54, MOON

19AQU02

Apart from the above, the 63rd Tablet of the great Babylonian Enuma

Anu Enlil series gives the heliacal rising and settings in Nin-se-an-na

(Venus) in terms of the Babylonian months (not the zodiac, which was

unknown to the Babylonians at this period, not yet being imported from

Egypt) during 22 successive years in the reign of Ammisaduqa of the

First Babylonian Dynasty. There can be no question that Nin-se-an-na

is identical with Venus for the periodicity of its heliacal risings and

settings are the same as those of Venus, and for no other planet.

On the 1st Nisan, the first day of the Hypsomatic lunar year,

commencing April 4, 786 B.C. the triad comprising the Sun, Moon and

Venus were found precisely in their traditional degrees of their

exaltation! Apart from such considerations it is known that Babylonian


and Assyrian sanctuaries, dating from that of Enlil-Assur-Zikurrat in

2931 B.C. to Nabu's Temple in 606 B.C., whose foundation dates were

recorded, were oriented on the 1st Nisan of the foundation year, to the

Pedjeshes (an arc of a circle intersecting Benetnash and Spica), which

has been confirmed by the researches of Gunter-Martiny, P.V.

Neugebauer, Boker and others.

* * * *

Documents

Cyril Fagan - Heliacal Phenomena and the Origin of the Exaltations or Hypsomata