As with the other articles in this series, we will explore a single astrological concept where the student or reader must choose from multiple possibilities. Such choices reflect the interest of the student or reader, the usefulness of the information, the reliability and quantity of the study material, and the type of graph being contemplated. What ends up being selected as preferable by a single astrologer is not a comment on the validity of other options or techniques. It is simply personal preference. Rarely can an astrologer become an expert in all categories of astrology. That mighty task often falls to the researcher or teacher who needs a broader range of knowledge. I would seriously doubt that a single person could know all of astrology. Astrology is as vast as the human experience and it would be a pretty big order to fulfill. I have worked in this broader field of knowledge for over 35 years and I confess that I do not know everything and probably never will. Astrology is a humbling experience!

Previously we discussed tropical and sidereal astrology, geocentric and heliocentric methods, equal and unequal houses, the types of chosen cards and whether we are currently in the Age of Pisces or the Age of Aquarius. All of these are choices we must make, but none are right or wrong, better or worse, for the study of astrology. In this article I want to see what bodies you could choose to study or read. We will see the personal points, such as the ascendant or the midheaven, in a separate article.

The major astrological planets consist of our Sun, our Moon, and eight planets. The Sun, which is literally a star, is the body that is the central gravitational force that holds our entire solar system together and is its ruler. Our Moon is the closest celestial body to us and is not really a planet, although it is referred to as such for ease of reference as a collective. The Moon is a satellite of the Earth. Due to the difference in size/distance, the Sun and the Moon appear to be the same size and were considered by the ancients to be the heavenly parents: Mommy and Daddy. The conjunction was the marriage or union that was thought to produce offspring: the planets.

Only five planets were in standard use by the ancients, even though they were aware of the existence of other bodies. Those five planets were Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. In more recent history, the discovery of Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto led us to a total of eight planets, or descendants, of the heavenly parents.

The most recent rediscovery of the three outer planets changed the original system of government of the planets over the signs. The two systems of government will be a future topic in this series on astrological choices. I recommend at this time that you study and use both the old and new governance systems because the jury is still out on both.

Standard astrological practice includes the use of the ten bodies which are collectively referred to as “the planets”, although in reality one is a star and the other a satellite. More recently, astronomers changed Pluto’s status, but the change itself was controversial. I continue to use Pluto as a planet in my practice and teachings, my choice.

There are many more bodies available for astrologers to study and read. How far should he go in his studies and what bodies should move to the front of his line? I recommend that you start with the top ten agencies just listed. You will have your hands full initially just understanding the top ten principles. Give you a chance. Do not take more until you instinctively know these ten energies thoroughly. Your study will become the core and foundation of everything else you will study and apply. Just remember that these ten are not all your possibilities.

When you are comfortable with those ten energies, the sky is truly the limit for your choices. As an example, let’s briefly review the possibilities, which number in the thousands and grow to thousands per month (can you say overwhelming?) and break them down into a more manageable ratio.

There is a mathematical formula called Bode’s Law that shows where the planets should be located as you move away from the Sun. There are two anomalies in the measurement and they are No it is believed to be the formula problem. These two anomalies are bodies that should or should not be located at two points of the total measurement. There is a body (Neptune) where there should be none according to Bode’s Law. Instead, Pluto’s position falls within the mathematical formula. Also, again according to Bode’s Law, a body must be located between Mars and Jupiter. The large field of debris and asteroids in the Asteroid Belt suggests that it is likely that there was once a body located there in the distant past of our solar system.

Not all asteroids are in the asteroid belt. Asteroids come in all shapes and sizes and are found in various places throughout our solar system. A large collection is found at Jupiter’s LaGrange Points. These are believed to be a collection of asteroids that have entered Jupiter’s sphere of influence by magnetic attraction or pure chance. Most dramatically, there are many asteroids in the far reaches of the solar system, including a collection whose orbits bring them close to Earth called Earth Grazers. Our scientists are continually monitoring these bodies, which may have a future impact on Earth due to their proximity to us.

There are four asteroids that are in common use and should be listed in your stage two studies: Ceres, Juno, Pallas, and Vesta. Why would you choose these four over some of the newer and more exciting discoveries? Astrologers have accumulated a great deal of information and evidence of the influence and probable rulerships of these four asteroids. There is more material, more serious research, more reading and teaching experience, so these are a good place to start your study of minor bodies. Many years ago I obtained marvelous results studying other asteroids, particularly Hidalgo for a specific application. That being said, most other asteroids have a much shorter discovery and identification period and less credible material available. Asteroids work, but give yourself time to gradually learn.

At the outer edges of what we call our known solar system is an area called the Kuiper Belt. The Kuiper Belt is believed to be the inner part of another system called the Oort Cloud. This area is considered to contain the remnants of the formation of our solar system. Within these regions are very large asteroids, planetoids, dwarf planets, and comets. The discovery of what are believed to be planets larger than Pluto in close proximity to Pluto was exciting. As mentioned, Pluto was recently declassified as a planet and reclassified as a dwarf planet by astronomers. I still use Pluto as a planet. There is a great deal of knowledge, research, and material utilizing Pluto’s astrological influence that has developed since its discovery in the 1930s.

However, that recent downgrading of Pluto to dwarf planet status by astronomers created a new category for the study of the other bodies that inhabit those lower regions of our solar system. At such great distances it is difficult to determine whether the bodies are asteroids, planetoids, or comets. There is a lot of new material being developed about them and they could eventually have the same power and influence as Pluto, so this would be another category for a later phase of your studies. This is a work in progress as I write this.

Comets are thought to be more ice and gas than rock and are believed to originate from the Kuiper Belt and the Oort Cloud. Comets appear to be ejected from the Kuiper Belt region into the inner part of the solar system, where they orbit the Sun for a while before getting too close and turning into icy toast. There are long-period comets and short-period comets: those that orbit infrequently and those that orbit frequently. The most famous of the comets for centuries was Halley’s, which has an orbit period of 75-76 years. Certain comets have been cataloged and read for thousands of years. The ancients, for example, viewed comets as harbingers of national or leadership trials and tribulations. Recently, Chiron, which is a massive comet but originally projected as a new planet, has become well known. The study of centaurs (Chiron is the lead) will take up much of your time with the study of comets, but this is a relatively new area. Start with Chiron and if you choose your sources for him carefully, he would be a good addition to a later phase of studying him.

There are other bodies or pseudo-bodies to study. As a novice astrologer I learned about Dark Moon Lilith and included her in everything she did. I studied and practiced it for two years before someone told me that it was not considered an important planet. I have to tell you that in the two years of my constant application, she acted like a major player. I continue to use it today because I got a lot out of it in my early studies and later. Since then the Black Moon Lilith (an intersection point in space and not a body) and the asteroid Lilith have come to light. I have No made an in-depth study on any of them. Dark Moon Lilith is my choice right now because I have personal knowledge of how it works.

Trans-Neptunian planets are hypothetical planets located at crucial intersection points noted by astrologers for several decades. I have No I did a study of them, although they are on this year’s to-do list for me. They are trusted by many well-known and knowledgeable astrologers, so choose your sources and material wisely and put them on your list for advanced study as you grow in your astrological knowledge and experience.

This is as far as this short article will take you to help you sort through what you can study and use on the subject of major and minor bodies. Heavenly bodies are being discovered at about 3,000 per month last time I checked. That’s too many bodies to keep up with, so you have to be selective. Start with what has stood the test of time; then move on to those areas currently under serious study. Choose your bodies, your authors and your teachers and stay with what is credible. Study astronomy along with astrology because astronomy walks hand in hand with astrology. Select a category or a few specific bodies and take the time to build your skill and knowledge by reading through them before moving on to your next set of options. Everything is available, but only one part is valuable: pace yourself.