The Sun & Solar Cycle
Every day the Sun rises in the East but something new happens every day and it creates new possibilities of life every day. For many people it is just another day, nothing changes and same thing happens every day. For some other people who have some astronomical or astrological knowledge it is a certain transit or event which they can relate with some mathematical numbers or just another concept.
But if a person has some basic knowledge about Spiritual & life sciences, some fundamental awareness of life energy with some basic sensitivity & humane sense of life then it can correlate with real life events and experiences. Then the everyday movement of the Sun will become a living reality and we would look forward to the new possibilities of life that begins every day. This is real astrology and it is a divine science which is necessary for every human being.
- The solar-year can be divided in to 4 parts or quarter, each part of 3 months duration, and covering all the 12 zodiac signs in one year; the duration of transit through each zodiac sign is around one month, 30 days, and the Sun transit in to each zodiac sign occurs around the mid of each month, dates can vary 13-14 to 17-18, according to English calendar.
It takes 24 hours for a single 360º rotation of earth on its axis that makes day & night. The revolution of earth around the Sun makes the seasons.
Sidereal day is one full rotation with respect to the stars. It takes the Earth about 4 minutes to rotate the extra 1°. Because of difference in sidereal and solar time, stars rise 4 minutes earlier each day.
The sky is moving with the Sun, the difference of 4 minutes of time becomes 120 minutes in a month, i.e., 2hours, which becomes 12 hours in 6 months. It means that the star which was seen rising in the east, its position has moved to the west in the sky, now it is seen setting in the west and the star on the top Zenith goes-down to the position of Nadir in every 6 months and this cycle continues.
The Sun worship is just an expression of gratitude to life & Mother Nature. All the spiritual practices, knowledge & wisdom of all the civilizations are directly or indirectly based on energy, movement & the position of The Sun & The Moon – study and knowledge of Sun’s Analemma that decides & influences the energy system & life at a place.
Some interesting points about the Sun-Year –
1. Sun Analemma – for the year
2. Moon Analemma – for solstice & equinox months
3. The Solar-Year can be divided as follows –
Uttarayan, for 6 months, from Jan-June – start with Sun transit in Capricorn zodiac sign, on 14-15 Jan, after the Winter Solstice, on 21-22 Dec. It has 2 seasons – Spring & Summer
Dakshinayan, for 6 months, from July-Dec – start with Sun transit in Cancer sign, on 15-16 July, after the Summer Solstice, on 21-22 June. It has 2 seasons – Autumn & Winter
4. The Solar events – solstice & equinoxes occur in dual/mutable signs, i.e., Gemini (3), Virgo (6), Sagittarius (9) & Pisces (12).
5. There are 2 set of opposite pairs, Gemini-Sagittarius & Virgo-Pisces.
Planet Mercury is the lord of Gemini & Virgo and planet Jupiter is the lord of Sagittarius & Pisces, and the notes on the meaning & qualities of dual/mutable signs, as follows –
1. Winter Solstice – Sun in Sagittarius-fire sign
Sagittarius (9) – represented by centaur, half-body of man above and horse-legged below; dual sign between Water sign – Scorpio and Earth sign – Capricorn.
21st December, Perihelion. On this day, the Sun is at the lowest altitude in the sky in Northern Hemisphere and it is longest night. About two weeks after the December Solstice, around early January, the Earth is at the closest minimum distance from the Sun, i.e., during the winter season the Earth is closest to the Sun. At the Winter Solstice – Sun is directly over the Tropic of Capricorn, i.e., the maximum Southern declination; then it enters the Capricorn zodiac sign (ruled by Saturn).
Next 3 months – January, February, March – make the 1st quarter.
2. Spring equinox – Sun in Pisces-water sign
Pisces (12) – represented by twin-fishes; dual sign between Air sign – Aquarius and Fire sign – Aries.
23rd March, the day & night are almost equal on this day as the Sun crosses the ecliptic from Southern Hemisphere and moves into Northern Hemisphere during Uttarayan.
Next 3 months – April, May, June – make the 2nd quarter.
3. Summer Solstice – Sun in Gemini-air sign.
Gemini (3) – represented by a set of twins (or in Egyptian astrology by a pair of goats and in Arabian astrology by a pair of peacocks). It is dual sign between Earth sign – Taurus and Water sign – Cancer.
On 21st June – celebrated as the International Yoga Day; Aphelion (Earth is at maximum far distance from the Sun) always happens in early July, about two weeks after the June solstice. During the summer season the Earth is farthest from Sun. On this day, the Sun is at the highest altitude in the sky in Northern Hemisphere and it is the longest day.
Next 3 months – July, August & September – make 3rd quarter of the yearly
solar-cycle. 4. Autumn equinox – Sun in Virgo-Earth sign.
Virgo (6) – represented by an angel-woman with an ear of wheat/herbs in left hand; dual sign between Fire sign – Leo and Air sign – Libra.
It is one of the two points in the sky (the other being in the constellation Pisces) where the celestial equator intersects with the ecliptic. Virgo is the second largest constellation in the sky. The only constellation larger in size is Hydra.
23rd Sept, the day & night are almost equal on this day as the Sun crosses the ecliptic from Northern Hemisphere and moves into Southern Hemisphere.
Next 3 months – October, November, December – make the 4th quarter.
Basic points about the orbit-movement of the Moon -
The Moon’s orbit around Earth is also elliptical. The point of the orbit closest to Earth is called perigee, while the point farthest from Earth is known as apogee. Every lunar month, it comes closest to Earth and reaches farthest point during one cycle of full Moon to the next. The Moon’s phase and the date of its approach to its perigee or apogee are not synced. When a Full Moon occurs close to the Moon’s perigee, it is known as a Supermoon. On the other hand, when a Full Moon occurs close to the Moon’s apogee, it is known as a Micro Moon. Next, according to the Moon cycle – it completes one revolution around the earth in approx. 28 days, which is called as lunar month. These 28 days are divided in 2 parts – Krishna Paksha & Shukla Paksha, depending on the movement of the Moon towards or away from the apparent position movement of the Sun in the sky.
- The Moon cycle or lunar month has a Tithi – based on the relevant position of Moon w.r.t the Sun; the Sun-Moon cycle is constantly moving across the 12 zodiac signs in the sky. ∙ Krishna Paksha – waning phase – ends on the new Moon Day or Amavas – when Sun & Moon are together in the same zodiac sign.
- Shukla Paksha – waxing phase – ends on the full Moon Day or Purnima – when the Sun & Moon are in the zodiac signs opposite to each other.
Zero Shadow Day 2024 (around the same dates yearly) –
Between the Tropic of Cancer & Capricorn, i.e., the latitudes +23.5º to -23.5º, twice a year the Sun’s declination is equal to the latitude. On these 2 days the Sun will be exactly overhead at Noon and not cast a shadow of an object on the ground.
1st event – April 25, 2023
2nd event – August 18, 2023
Ascendant, Sun Sign & Moon Sign
The zodiac sign rising in the east at the time of birth or at the time of any event/observation is known as the Ascendant. There are 12 zodiac signs and each sign has a of length-covering – 30º arc of horizon. Each Zodiac Sign takes about 2 hours’ time to rise which makes (12 x 2) 24 hours’ time for 1 complete cycle of (12 x 30º) 360º rotation of the sky and this cycle continues every day.
The zodiac sign where Sun is in transit is known as Sun sign and the zodiac sign where Moon is present in transit is known as the Moon sign. The Moon takes 24 hours to complete the transit of 1 Nakshatra (all the timings are approximations and there are small variations due to planetary speed during the different months/seasons of the year).
The fundamental elements of energy and life
There are 5 universal elements – Air, Water, Earth, Fire, Sky/Space There are 12 zodiac signs, having 4 categories, as per the energy of fundamental elements of the universe. The Sun completes the transit through the 12 zodiac signs every year (apparent movement of the Sun with respect to our position on Earth) – 1 month in each zodiac sign with a unique energy. The names of zodiac signs with numerology (in brackets) are mentioned below
Fire – Aries (1), Leo (5), Sagittarius (9) Earth – Taurus (2), Virgo (6), Capricorn (10) Air – Gemini (3), Libra (7), Aquarius (11) Water – Cancer (4), Scorpio (8), Pisces (12)
✔ The element – Sky-Space – holds or inclusive of all the 4 different kinds of energies, i.e., all the energies exist & can be experienced within the space. According to philosophy of yoga our body is the space and the universe exists within us, i.e., the energy of all the elements exists within us. Every human being is different & unique and through the spiritual-yoga program we learn to find the balance of energy & emotions that is unique to oneself. For example – a person has to-identify and establish their own rhythm & balance of yoga practices, the same standards or parameters will not work for everyone the same way.
✔ Depending on the astrology position of the Sun & Moon in the birth-chart and during the transit/movement every month, we can learn to co-relate it with real-life events & experiences. Wherever the position of Sun in transit (zodiac sign in particular astrology house) – that house becomes active or the relevant aspects of life become active which are related to that house. When the energy of Sun, fire, is passing through the energy of water sign then it will create some kind of disturbances or imbalances. Also, when the energy of Moon, water, is passing through the energy of fire sign then it will create some other kinds of disturbances & imbalances. There is also an impact of the position of Sun & Moon in the birth chart, according to the same principle.
✔ The Fire & Water elements are 2 different-opposite energies – Sun is related to fire energy & Moon is related to the energy of Water. The balance between the energy of the Sun & Moon can be achieved with the spiritual-yoga practices – the balance of Sun-Moon is necessary and very important to maintain the balance of our own body & mind. The Sun is dominant during the daytime and the Moon energy is dominant during the nighttime but the energy of Moon is nothing but the reflection of the energy of the Sun. So, the energy of Sun is transformed through the Moon which shows that the energy of Moon has the power of great transformation but it has 2 sides – just like the 2 sides of the Moon or like the 2 main astronomical-astrological events of Full Moon & New Moon Day.
On a Full Moon Day the Sun & Moon are in the opposite zodiac signs and on a New Moon Day they come together in the same zodiac sign. The energy of the Moon can be very relaxing and cool-calm for some people on certain days while on certain days some people may experience simple to severe mental-emotional disturbance, fear-anxiety, or panic attack. Through the spiritual-yoga program we are identifying a reference to understand our energy & emotions – the energy and our breathing do not follow some random pathways & patterns; it is very specific and unique according to individual personality that shows-reflects in different kinds of abilities-capabilities or weaknesses of a person.