posted February 03, 2009 12:10 PM              

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:TheKuiperBelt_42AU_Centaurs.svg

This graph depicts the relative sizes of the centaurs and their general orbital areas. As can be seen the largest centaurs are some of the best known: chiron, pholus, chariklo. These are all over 200 km in size. The rest are between 35 and 75 km.

The fourth largest centaur is up for grabs but this scheme parallels the inner asteroid belt which has 4 large minor planets - ceres, vesta, pallas and hygiea - a few intermediate sized asteroids - juno, psyche, bamberga, iris of more than 200 km and many smaller asteroids of 100 km of less. There is a major geological differentiation bet these dif types and astrology's lack of understanding of this fact has led to major misunderstandings of their general roles.

Ceres and vesta show major planetary properties with hydrostatic equilibrium (they are round, not jagged), they have an inner core, mantle and outer crust and astrologically they are more important in relationships than smaller asteroids. The smaller astroids seem to be large rocks or the primitive remains of planetary cores which never formed (like psyche and metis). They are not full fledged mature bodies. Juno and iris are attractive energies but are not relational in a fundamental sense. Juno is extremely charming and alluring but does not have a strong bearing on a relationship once it is up and running. It pulls and attracts and leads to relationships but does not act on the relationship itself the way ceres and vesta do in contrast.

What I think is very clear at this point is that the largest asteroids parallel the large outer planets in concept with a much more feminine energy.

Ceres is the largest and has an obvious jupiter quality - it is friendly, tribe and group oriented. It is bluish in color like jupiter.

Vesta - is extremely dense and flattened like saturn. It is also greenish in color.
Astrologically it is about trust and personal confidences. People who confide in each other will almost always have strong vesta aspects between them (to the other persons inner planet - the sun, moon, mercury, venus or mars - not the asteroids).

Pallas - is a feminine uranus. It has a very inclined orbit. One of the steepest of the asteroids. Strong pallas aspects always go with someone with a natural original energy which is not as erratic or shocking as uranus but is difinitely one of a kind.

Hygiea - is the furthest out of the asteroids. It turns very slowly which suggests a meditative quality. It is the most speculative here and the one I am still getting a sense of - has to do with larger spiritual goals with a this worldly quality to it - a feminine neptune.

The centaurs can be seen in a similar light.

Chariklo - being the largest would have jupiterean qualities. There is definitely something generous, beautiful and beneficent about chariklo. Often to a fault in hard aspect. These have not been established clearly yet astrologically. Perhaps its lesson is about how authentic generosity - when one is true to oneself and true to others in relationships - anything is possible. It is close to uranus and likely has strong uranian qualities of uncompromising truth and freedom. Its largest size though would suggest it fits in the jupiter/ceres family.

Chiron - the teacher and guide has a strong affinity for saturn and shows how limits can be used to ironically transcend life. It is like an applied and more transcendent saturn. Saturn's most distinctive and beautiful quality is its ring system. Chiron's most unique and beautiful quality are its long coma. Both of which suggest a kind of sphere of influence or outer radiating energy potential where one becomes a teacher and responsible cosmic citizen and role model for others when its lessons are internalized. Both saturn and chiron teach about responsibility to oneself and the world. Saturn in a more material, disciplined sense. Chiron in a more psychological, awareness, intuitive sense.

Pholus - with its extremely erratic orbit that goes between neptune and saturn suggests an applied neptunian quality. It is often about turning points and doors opening which seem incidental but end up being major. There is something mystical, fated, comedic and beyond human understanding about it - similar to neptune. It has been said to feel like suddenly being on new ground but without a clear understanding of how one got there. Its action is gradual and shows how identity is fluid and changable. Identity is a tool, a means to an end, not an end in itself. These ideas are fundamentally neptunian.

While size isnt everything, I do think it speaks to prominence and importance in considering the overall picture. It is a highlighter and helps focus astrological understanding amidst a sky full of thousands of tiny bodies.
Pluto is one of the largest and brightest of the dwarf planets in its orbital area and although it has been seen as the "king" of the centaurs bec of its boundary crossing (neptunes orbit) very eliptical and eccentric orbit, as well as dif declination system than the classic planets - all of which are properties of the centaurs - it is over 20 times the size of chiron and is a binary planet - clearly a very dif type of body than the centaurs and like chiron - the first of another class and grouping.

In my experience, the centaurs are similar to the asteroids in that their energies in transit and in a chart are up to the person in how they are used. They do not follow typical trajectories and require significant effort. They open doors and show the way but leave the rest up to us. Uranus, neptune and to a large degree saturn and jupiter are inevitable. Their effects are clear and need to be accepted and worked with. They dramatically change life and bring situations and events in bold font. We respond to them. The energies do not require effort to be seen - they require navigation and work in applying them and working with them.