Fixed stars in your chart

Fixed stars are other suns, very far away, that look almost motionless from Earth. Astrologers have paid attention to certain bright ones for a long time. Natalora has a "Fixed stars" tab that shows which of them sit close to a point in your chart.

How they differ from planets

Planets keep moving through the signs, but the fixed stars stay put against the sky behind them. Their place in the zodiac changes only because the Earth's axis wobbles slowly (precession), which moves the start of Aries by about one degree every 72 years. For example, Regulus stood at about 29 degrees of Leo in the year 2000 and crossed into Virgo around 2012.

Natalora works out each star's position for your birth date. If you choose the sidereal zodiac, the star positions shift with it.

The 25 stars

Natalora shows bright stars that astrologers use often: Algol, Alcyone, Aldebaran, Rigel, Capella, Betelgeuse, Sirius, Canopus, Castor, Pollux, Procyon, Regulus, Alphard, Denebola, Vindemiatrix, Spica, Arcturus, Antares, Vega, Altair, Deneb Algedi, Fomalhaut, Scheat, Markab and Achernar.

Positions come from the Hipparcos catalogue of the European Space Agency (ESA). Names follow the list of the International Astronomical Union (IAU). The magnitude is a brightness number, and a smaller number means a brighter star. Sirius is the brightest on this list.

What each star means

A short summary of each star's traditional theme. The full text, with something to try, is in the "Fixed stars" tab when you tap that star.

• Algol intensity, focus and staying power, best put into something you can build step by step
• Alcyone the brightest star of the Pleiades, sharp observation and seeing the bigger picture
• Aldebaran one of the four royal stars, courage, honesty and drive
• Rigel skill, learning and know-how you put to real use
• Capella curiosity, friendship and a love of learning new things
• Betelgeuse a bright red star, confidence and being noticed
• Sirius the brightest star in the night sky, ambition and being remembered
• Canopus finding your way, long trips and learning from experience
• Castor one of the Gemini twins, quick thinking, talking and writing
• Pollux the other twin, boldness, a competitive streak and standing up for yourself
• Procyon short bursts of energy and fast starts
• Regulus one of the four royal stars, leadership, pride and wanting respect
• Alphard strong desires and a love of good food and fun
• Denebola the tail of the Lion, speaking up and sticking to your values
• Vindemiatrix careful preparation and practical planning
• Spica talent, skill and an eye for beauty
• Arcturus finding your own path and trying new ways of doing things
• Antares one of the four royal stars, passion, courage and going all out
• Vega charm, creativity and a feel for music and art
• Altair boldness and going after what you want
• Deneb Algedi fairness, responsibility and giving back
• Fomalhaut one of the four royal stars, imagination, ideals and big dreams
• Scheat a rich inner life and strong feelings
• Markab carefulness and thinking before acting
• Achernar far to the south, ambition and a wider view

All of these are traditional themes, not promises, and not a verdict on your chart.

How to use it in the app

• A star "touches" a point in your chart when they are within 1 degree of each other (an orb of 1 degree). This works for every body in the chart, and for the Ascendant and the other angles if you entered a birth time.
• The "Fixed stars" tab lists the closest matches first. Tap a row to read a short description of that star.
• Stars are not drawn on the chart wheel, and they are not in the positions or aspects tables.
• If you don't want them, turn off "Show fixed stars" in the "Chart settings" tab. It is on by default. The Fixed stars tab then disappears, and you can bring it back any time.

How to read it

Treat a fixed star as an extra detail, not a verdict on your chart. Older books read a star that touches a planet or an angle as adding its own theme. A star linked with courage that touches Mars, for example, puts a little more emphasis on courage.

The four Royal Stars, Aldebaran, Regulus, Antares and Fomalhaut, are the ones old books talk about most. In Natalora they are traditional themes, not promises.

Read the text for each star and ask yourself whether it fits your life. If it doesn't, skip it.