Mars stations direct on the fixed star Aldebaran on January 12th, adding some tension just a week after the Cancer Full Moon.
Although Aldebaran is currently at around 10 degrees of Tropical Gemini, it is visible in the constellation of Taurus – in the eye of the bull. This is because the constellations shift gradually backwards compared to the movement of our solar system and the tropical Zodiac is determined by the movement of our star – the Sun – over the equator.
Aldebaran is a Red Star and similar to Mars in its meaning – in Jyotish it is known as Rohini, the red one, and marks Rohini Nakshatra. The energy of Mars runs counter to the creative and inspirational energy of Rohini and causes rifts instead of potential connections.
It is long considered to be one of the most important stars – thousands of years ago in Persian astronomers used Aldebaran to mark the vernal equinox. It’s one of the four Royal Stars which were known as the Guardians of the Sky and as the Archangel stars – in the case of Aldebaran it is Archangel Michael, the dragon slayer and military commander who watches over the east.
The others are Fomalhaut known as Gabriel star in the South; Regulus, known as Rafael in the north; and Antares, known as Oriel of the West – these were the solstice and equinox points thousands of years ago, and because of the precession of the equinox points these continue to shift backwards relative to our Earthly perspective.
Ptolemy wrote that Aldebaran is a Mars-like star and it has long been associated with war and military figures.
Aldebaran doesn’t necessarily promise success in war unless there are other positive aspects because it’s always opposite Antares, which for Ptolemy carries the influence of Mars and Jupiter, making it more powerful in that regard. Any general that would decide on such a manoeuvre or an attack with Aldebaran on the ascendant would need to remember that Antares is on the descendant and vice-versa.
Aldebaran has been in tropical Gemini since the mid-13th century, around the time of the Christian crusades against Islam, and Antares is in tropical Sagittarius adding to the symbolism of religious conflict.
Aldebaran is also an indicator of people who are restless and rioters always stirring up popular dissent and revolution. This star was traditionally said to “inflame the minds of people with furious quarrels and to be an enemy of quiet and peace”.
According to maternal as Aldebaran when aspected by a malefic portends sudden and unexpected involvement in riots and sedition resulting in justly being condemned by the people. Nonetheless Aldebaran is also considered to be one of the most fortunate stars in the sky offering riches and honour I’ll be it typically through war.
People with Aldebaran prominent in their birth charts are likely to be very stressed although successful – think Sean Penn and Prince William of the United Kingdom.
Aldebaran has been worshipped for thousands of years by the Egyptians, Babylonians, Chinese, druids, and even Amazon Indian tribes.
In Arab astrology Aldebaran is said to cause the destruction and hindrance of buildings, fountains, wells, gold mines, the flight of creeping things (whatever that means!) and it begets discord.
It’s worth keeping in mind that in the United States chart Antares is in the first house and Aldebaran in the 7th, so expect unrest and an increase in the various wars it is involved in around the world.
Find out more about how the Cancer Full Moon and Mars’ direct motion affects you here:
