In episode 503 of the Astrology Podcast, astrologer Rod Chang joins me to discuss the long and fascinating history of comets in astrology, how astrologers saw them as omens in ancient times, and how they are now breaking new ground for interpreting them.
Comets are a remarkable astronomical phenomenon, and although they have been popular since ancient times as powerful omens in mythology, little has been discussed about their meaning or use in modern astrology. One of the reasons for this is that they appear very rarely, are difficult to calculate, and are not included in most astrology programs, which has made them neglected by modern astrologers.
We begin our discussion by exploring the long history of comets in astrology, noting the contrast between the Western tradition and the Chinese tradition. In the West, the study of comets was set back for centuries by Aristotle’s mistaken belief that they were merely atmospheric phenomena. However, in Chinese tradition, comets have been meticulously documented for thousands of years, often referred to as “broom stars” that can sweep away an old government or signal the need for reform. This eventually led to a rich history of astrological interpretation that we are only now recovering and understanding.
During the episode, we talk about what comets are from an astronomical perspective, and how their erratic and unpredictable nature has become a key part of their astrological interpretation. Comets have traditionally been interpreted as symbols of great disruptions, deaths of prominent people, and important turning points in history. Their meaning is often derived from their visual appearance, such as their color or the shape of their tail. Although often seen as negative omens corresponding to natural disasters or the death of rulers, there are also cases where they are interpreted positively.
At the end of the episode, we discuss how modern astronomers are in a better position to study comets, with new tools that allow us to calculate their positions and go back and research what happened in the world when large comets appeared in the past. This is the main part of Rod’s new book Comets in astrologyhere he identifies the most important “Great Comets” in history and documents the events leading up to their formation. We hope that this discussion provides a good foundation for what will become an exciting new area of research in astrology in the years to come.
Rod’s book just came out on August 13th and you can get it now:
You can find out more about Rod at his website:
This episode is available in audio and video versions below.
Time signs
00:00:00 Login
00:01:05 Rod’s trip to study comets
00:02:40 Why comets are neglected in modern astrology
00:07:09 What is a comet?
00:10:04 Short period and long period comets
00:16:55 The erratic and unpredictable quality of comets
00:19:18 Aristotle’s error and Chinese documents
00:24:30 Edmond Halley, Brahe and Kepler
00:28:58 The Last Comets: Pons-Brooks
00:33:52 The decline of astrology hindered comet research
00:36:39 Study of historical comets and secular phenomena
00:39:01 What defines a “Great Comet”.
00:51:04 China’s “broom stars” and their political significance
01:01:06 Comets as omens
01:11:47 Death of famous people
01:15:02 Mark Twain and Halley’s Comet
01:25:52 Observational astronomy
01:36:18 Comet tail and direction
01:40:03 Positive interpretations of comets
01:43:27 Creating a basis for comet research
01:48:11 Rod’s upcoming work, website and classes
01:51:29 Final words
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Transcription
Here is the full transcript of this episode: Section 503 Transcript
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