posted August 04, 2010 11:42 AM            

Centaurs

Occasionally, one of these icy asteroid-like objects gets booted inside the orbits of the outer planets steered inward by the gravity of Neptune. At this point the KBO (Kuipet Belt Object) becomes a Centaur Object, per the previously provided astronomical criteria.

The etymology of centaur translates to, “those who round up bulls.” Thus, the Taurus-taming beings achieved a cowhand reputation for their exuberant party lifestyle complete with drunkenness, lechery and general uncontainable rowdiness, not necessarily in that order. There were, of course, exceptions. Chiron, Pholus, Asbolus and Chariklo stood out as exceptions worthy of emulation.

Generally though, centaurs are crazed cousins that you do not want coming to the family reunion. Surely they will drink too much, take physical liberties with everyone and certainly destroy the festivities. It is but little wonder that traditional Christianity often assigned the concept of sin to centaurs.

It is interesting that centaurs appear at this time in our collective culture. Electronic and instantaneous communication methods presumably bond people better than ever before in the history of messages, telegrams and communiques. Yet, nuance and feeling remain imperceptible. Human bodies (and everything consisting of atoms on Earth - which would be everything) receive unending and ever-increasing blasts of radiation from computers, cell phones, assorted electronics and who knows what secret behavior-modifying emanations from secret devices of nefarious sources. A desensitizing effect results. Amazingly, in this techno age people seem more
emotionally and physically detached than ever. The centaurs ride in as the cavalry of
consciousness.

Centaurs possess acute urge-based physical senses, the most potent of which was the olfactory sense. In fact, any centaur worth her/his horsepower could be intoxicated by the mere scent of wine. When this happened, all focus in life became that of physical gratification. Whether more drink, food or sexual activity, nothing could stop the momentum for fulfillment. This does not suggest that centaurs represent society’s seemingly debased behavior and wayward side. On the contrary, centaurs arrive to restore the sense-ability of human (and probably all other) kind. Reconnection with the five physical senses becomes imperative when the aura and energy field is constantly fractured by wayward electronic waves. Grounding works. Centaurs were sensualists. The term sensualist bears no suggestion of sexuality. It simply implies that all God-given senses respond to environmental stimuli with maximum efficiency and with no minimization. Being able to hear distant thunder, smell rain or a wild animal in the woods, feeling grass on bare feet, all fall into this category. Suggestively, life on Earth, an undisputed physical plane, becomes more agreeable with the inclusion of favorable sensory data. People get grounded. Grounded people are less likely to create havoc.

The centaurs, excepting Chiron, were the offspring of Ixion (and were sometimes called
Ixionodae). As will be seen in the Kuiper Belt Object delineation of this point, the dna passed along to the centaurs, was flawed at best. Yet, consider the image of the bull’s eye implied by the centaurian namesake. Focus, precision and aim all come together as centaur demands. Overcoming missing the mark, literally sin, is part of the centaur claim. They have the amazing capacity to resolve the difficult, seemingly non-healable, soul-torturing wounds of life. While each centaur possesses the ability to polarize on the downside of a human condition, more importantly each of these beasts encourages rising above and resolving susceptibility to depravity, wantonness and idle behavior. Of these, idle behavior and lack of a soul-driven spark appear to be the more serious transgression. And as will be seen in the myths following, the centaurs are best known for their ill-fated battles (centauromachy is the term for battle with centaurs).

Consider the story of Silenius, the father of Pholus and tutor of Dionysus. This partly horse figure rode an ass. Supposedly he couldn’t tell the truth and was inclined toward drunkenness. He spun many tales of Utopian cities faraway. One tale told of two streams meeting near a whirlpool.

Lush trees thrived on one side; on the other side the trees succumbed to withering and death. Whichever side a person chose, they felt the same effects of that realm and only that realm. The withering side experiences induced irreversible atrophy in life. Those on the life-rendering other side reversed age into literal nonexistence. So, the centaurs ask, where do you stand? Does life cause you to flourish? Or do you wilt a bit more day by day?

When exploring these feisty mavericks, remember, they only intend to reconnect you with the joy of the pleasures of living upon the planet you chose for incarnation. How wonderful is that? A few notes on the following glyphs. The sourcing astrologer(s) is indicated in under the glyph notation. The glyphs conjured by myself were graphically designed by a student, Amy Ford and are included in the font set in this package. Observe that most of the centaurian glyphs contain an ellipse as part of its structure. This represents the strongly elliptical nature common in the orbits of centaurs.

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Raymond Andrews,
President,Executive Director of Developmental Neurodiversity Association
Supporting the Neurodiversity Movement

posted August 04, 2010 11:48 AM            

Centaurs: Cosmic High Horses

Centaurs are a unique group of bodies more or less part of the Kuiper Belt, a region of icy dust and asteroid-like bodies near the edge of our solar system. There may be hundreds of thousands of Kuiper Belt Objects. A smaller subset of this collection, Centaurs, by definition, must possess a perihelion distance greater than that of Jupiter and a semi-major axis that does not exceed Pluto's aphelion distance from the Sun (originally defined as a semi-major axis less than that of Neptune, but ignored as definition of the bodies continued).

Chiron: The wounded healer who possesses insight, wisdom and grace. Orbital Period: 50.27 yr.

Positive - healing, just, wise, fair, insightful, knowledgeable, skilled in arts, medicine, healing, philosophy, focused, positively full of one’s self, sense of soul’s purpose

Negative - opinionated, teaching others the lessons needed by oneself, wounding, corrupt, illicit, irritating demeanor, clinging, feeling homely or unwanted, estranged from parents

Mundane - healing of all types from allopathic medicine and surgery to chiropractic and all forms of homeopathy and naturopathy, soul retrieval, justice, mentoring programs, cave exploration, illegitimate offspring, archery

Ceremonial - soul retrieval, any natural healing modality, chiropractors, retreats - especially in caves, ceremonial chambers or kivas, making a talking stick or ceremonial arrow

Pholus: Keeper of the sacred wine and host to Hercules. Orbital Period: 91.95 yr.

Positive - just, wise, nurturing, meeting the needs of others while keeping own needs in balance, conscious of choice, ceremonial, pacifism, self nurturing, attentive

Negative - opinionated believing rules of cosmic forces do not apply to oneself, addicted to food or alcohol, careless regarding weaponry (or security tools), ignoring spiritual needs, indulgent, reclusive, meddling

Mundane - food and drink - especially regarding celebrations, daily ceremony and ritual

Ceremonial - toasting, blessings and grace, celebrations, creating a daily hour of power

Nessus: Ferryman at the River Evenus. Orbital Period: 120.76 yr.

Positive - generous, benevolent, compassionate, willing to lend a helping hand, cooperative, respectful of boundaries, aware of the power of life force energy, healthy use of sexual energy

Negative - coveting, possessive, jealous, vengeful, manipulative, resorting to negative alchemy for personal gain, negative use of sexual energy

Mundane - bad blood between parties, feuds over money especially regarding relationship dissolution, diseases transmitted by blood, transport ferries over water, potions, tonics and elixirs designed to cast spells, therapy specifically designed for healing sexual or monetary issues

Ceremonial - prosperity ceremonies, sexual healing rituals, ceremonies involving Earth fertility

Asbolus: An intuitive Auger. Orbital Period: 75.78 yr.

Positive - intrepid, courageous, leading the charge, motivated to reach the top, intuitive, wise, common sense insightful, solid advice

Negative - lack of sensibility, blind action, failing to follow instincts, intuitions, omens or sensors, easily intoxicated, unable to receive advice from self or others

Mundane - common sense, intuitive forces, mountain climbing - specifically in the face of obvious danger, risk taking especially under the influence, abstract logic, extreme sense of smell

Ceremonial - meditation, visualization of tasks before setting to action, climbing to reclaim a sense of nature

Chariklo: (Female) Consort to Athena and healing assistant to Vesta in the temples. Orbital Period: 63.05 yr.

Positive - boundary sensitive, wise, just, non-assumptive especially regarding personal relationship, interrogative about touchy or delicate issues

Negative - judgmental, feeling of being victimized at a glance, assumptive, intolerant, biased by gender archetypes

Mundane - swimming in the nude, eyesight, hearing, flirting, sexual harassment, motivation oriented

Ceremonial - a see no evil, hear no evil scenario, energetic healing, work to clear intent and motive

Hylonome: (Female) Grief stricken at the loss of her mate in battle. Orbital Period: 125.25 yr.

Positive - relationship devotion, sense of self with or without relationship, accommodating

Negative - grief stricken, co dependent, sacrificial, self esteem based upon relationship, self destructive in the face of relational difficulty

Mundane - grief counseling, bereavement work, relationship healing

Ceremonial - bonding ceremonies between couples, cathartic emotional relief regarding lost love, lost money or missed career opportunities

Pelion: Self-confidence for effort and the climb to accomplishment in life. Sacred Space, professional status, gratitude and sense of destiny. Orbital Period: 89.05 yr.

Positive - driven by dharma, balanced ego in professional status, giving, nurturing and sharing with co-workers with an extraordinary generosity

Negative - Demanding, infantile in work relationships, flaunts social status as a result of accomplishments, showcases with past laurels

Mundane - job recognition, awards and accolades, merits, medals and certificates

Ceremonial - rites of passage, passing of baton, graduation ceremonies into higher spiritual orders

Elatus: Expression of self and ego through word and writing. Orbital Period: 42.16 yr.

Positive - Excellent communication, articulate, precise.

Negative - Verbose, boastful, shallow in conversation.

Mundane - creative writing, affirmations, self improvement courses, poetry

Ceremonial - reciting affirmations, chanting, writing spiritual treatises, ceremonial magic

Thereus: Relational and professional attitudes based upon others. I am what I am in this relationship because of my career status or the ornamentation of this relationship. Orbital Period: 34.63 yr.

Positive - Balance between relationship and work, money and sexuality.

Negative - Object oriented, status seeking, mercenary in work ethics, stunned by glamour and beauty of partner

Mundane - resumes, bios, promotional photos that project an image, any status object whether relational or professional

Ceremonial - tandem energy exercises, hiking for spiritual purpose with a partner, sitting in audience with an enlightened person

Okyrhoe: Daughter of Chiron and Chariklo she promotes principles of discernment and conscious life skills. Orbital Period: 24.38 yr.

Positive - affirming, supporting, common sense based, acute logic skills, organized, detailed

Negative - critical, judgmental, whining or whingeing, prophecies of doom, using logic to find fault, works in perpetual worst case scenarios

Mundane - mental attitude programs, tapes and other repetitive tools for reminding the psyche of a healthy state of mind, failure analysis in technology, spreadsheets and lists - especially those geared at mental health, affirmations, mantras, chants

Ceremonial - chanting, affirming, drumming (establishes cadence), Om exercises, cleaning to promote godliness.

Cyllarus: A handsome, devoted centaur, he represents positive sensual expression, willingness to fully embrace life in the physical plane. Orbital Period: 134.48 yr.

Positive - artistic, soothing, tactile, healing, comforting

Negative - shut down, defensive, protected, lack of creative outlet

Mundane - any body healing including massage, rebirthing, Shiatsu and those involving physical contact, artistic work that comes from full expression, such as painting with the hands, musical skill, culinary ability

Ceremonial - water rituals that include coming back on shore upon completion, rebirthing, creating ceremonies that involve contact with earth elements and water simultaneously

Bienor - This centaur offers a sense of creative spirit, belief in urge of the soul, confidence. His name means literally, “strong man.” Orbital Period: 66.81 yr.

Positive - creative, inspired, talented, motivated, burning with creative vigor

Negative - repressed, sullen, withdrawn, resentful that life does not respond and bestow rewards

Mundane - benefactors, creative sanctuaries, places of recognition (Halls of Fame, etc.), awards, grants and prizes for projects seeking funding support

Ceremonial - mediation upon the heart, Hatha yoga, meditation in general, creating while listening to or dancing with music, dance ceremonies.

Amycus - The longer period of this centaur seeks longevity and notoriety. Orbital Period: 126.38 yr.

Positive - intuitive, questioning, insightful, progressive, determined, reliable

Negative - doubtful, skeptical, withdrawn, often late, unreliable, lacking resolve, insecure

Mundane - doctrines and policies designed to produce a result (policy manuals, creeds), any mechanical device that enables a shift in energy, for instance a clutch for shifting gears, monuments, commandments (as in carved in stone), pictographs and petroglyphs

Ceremonial - stretching, yogas that shift fixed structures, chiropractic sessions, watching storms as a mediation, drumming, descent into the underworld (use of caves or kivas)

Crantor - Emotional declaration stands out as the quest for Crantor, not actually a centaur, but killed by one. A bit of the "What did I every do to you?" syndrome applies. Orbital Period: 86.09 yr.

Positive - sensitive, emotional expressive, strong sense of emotional boundaries, nurturing and passionate

Negative - emotionally abuse, manipulative through feelings, projects guilt, shame and blame upon others, substance abuse

Mundane - acute sense of emotional motivations, cathartic therapies and the ability to lead them, comprehension of emotionally based traumas and phobic responses, grief counseling

Ceremonial - cathartic ceremony, Wailing Wall-like rituals, water cleansing rituals, baptisms, fervent declarations of faith, ceremonies of emotional renewal

Echeclus - The mental balance between the abstract and linear logic. Swift decision making criteria resulting in polarized good idea/bad idea scenarios. Orbital Period 35.24 years.

Positive - mentally integrating, solution oriented, non-judgmental, abstract, conceptual, will shift opinion when new information or consciousness prompts a new set of beliefs

Negative - critical, opinionated, twisted logic, rationalizing, able to justify anything

Mundane - abstract art, conceptual theories, spatial relations, forced decisions under time pressure, close calls, head injuries

Ceremonial - celebration of the coyote or trickster, meditation on time/space warps

http://www.philipsedgwick.com/

------------------
Raymond Andrews,
President,Executive Director of Developmental Neurodiversity Association
Supporting the Neurodiversity Movement

posted August 04, 2010 03:39 PM            

Philip goes by not only the mythology but also its physical features,orbit as well as the zodiac sign placement of its heliocentric north node and perihelion at the time of discovery.

BTW..I sent you his books including the Soul of the Sky. All the information that was posted is in his book.

------------------
Raymond Andrews,
President,Executive Director of Developmental Neurodiversity Association
Supporting the Neurodiversity Movement

posted August 04, 2010 03:47 PM            

Amycus is conjunct my descendant from the 6th house, again less than half a degree orb.

lastly, i have an exact finger of god/yod formed with Asbolus sextile Echeclus both quincux my 12th house neptune! wow!

i feel like there are so many bodies in our solar system. i guess our level of consciousness decides how aware we are of their manifestations or effect on our lives...

posted August 04, 2010 04:40 PM            

As a centaur, I approve of this thread (LOL- just a little weirdo humor).

posted August 04, 2010 05:36 PM            

Other astrologers also came up with the keywords for centaurs based on their physical features and orbits

that's how Zane Stein,Melanie Reinhart,and and some other astrologers proposed the name for Nessus which got accepted for astronomers

They thought the astronomical properties fit with Nessus,and so they proposed that name.

They seemed to do a very good job with coming up with Nessus.

Philip Sedgwick was also an astrologer that proposed names for centaurs that got accepted.

------------------
Raymond Andrews,
President,Executive Director of Developmental Neurodiversity Association
Supporting the Neurodiversity Movement

posted August 04, 2010 05:55 PM            

Astrologers´ proposals on the naming of the third centaur were officially accepted
© Robert von Heeren, 5/21/1997

In April 1997 the International Astronomical Union (IAU) accepted a proposal on the naming of a small planet made by astrologers, for the first time in its history. The planet in question is the third centaur "1993 HA2" discovered in April 1993 (click here for the discovery-chart of Nessus). It has now officially been named "Nessus" (latin for greek "Nessos"). The suggestion having been made by Dieter Koch, Zane Stein and myself. The naming was officially announced by global email on the 22nd April 1997, 22h10 UT from the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory in Cambridge, USA-MA (diagram 1. Nessus is indicatively located exactly at the third cusp in this natal chart). Nessus is now the third named centaur - after the two formerly discovered centaurs Chiron and Pholus. The centaurs are a tiny group of (to date) seven small planets with unusual properties: neither conventional comets, nor typical asteroids. At the same time, they possess qualities prevalent in both. They travel along extremely differentiated and primarily particularly elliptical orbits in the outer solar sytem. Their origin most probably lies in the Kuiper Belt beyond the orbits of Neptune and Pluto. Torn out of the belt by the force of Neptune millions of years ago, they were thereupon catapulted into the inner solar system where they assumed their present orbit in time. They generally touch or cross the orbits of the main planets and thus have long orbital periods of 49 (Chiron) to c. 123 years (Nessus).

The origins and reasons behind the naming suggestion

During our work on the book about Pholus, Dieter Koch and I emailed its (as well as Nessus´) discoverers David L. Rabinowitz and Jim Scotti. Scotti answered our queries concerning the astronomical characteristics of Pholus and other recently discovered minor planets in detail. Scotti mentioned, in one of his emails, that he feared the stock of mythological centaur names may run out, as greater numbers of centaurs yet await discovery. We researched over 84 centaur names (which managed to dissipate these concerns) and mailed these to him on the 31st May 1995. We also mailed the names to the director of the Minor Planet Center (a department of the IAU and global centre for discoveries in astronomy) Dr. Brian D. Marsden, who is also responsible for namings.

In this e-mail we proposed that the name "Nessus" be given to the third centaur "1993 HA2" given that the following reasons seemed to predestine such a naming:

1. The orbit of "1993 HA2" runs extremely elliptically between Saturn and Pluto (diagram 2). It creates a bridge between the two planets. "1993 HA2" guides us from the ordered world of Saturn into plutonic spheres.
2. The mythology of Nessus has strong associations to plutonic themes: Nessos took revenge for the mortal wounding of his heart through Herakles´ poison arrow by causing great pain to overcome the Greek hero, even whilst fighting with death, through a mean trick. Herakles sees that his end is nigh and sacrifices himself at the stake. This finally leads to the cleansing (from earthly madness) and rise to heaven, saving and immortality of the hero!
3. Besides Chiron and Pholus, Nessus is the third and last centaur equipped with a substantial, famous mythology which has been a source of inspiration to artists throughout the ages.

The Reactions

Dr. Marsden thanked us for the list and naming proposal, passing it on to the "Working Group in Planetary System Nomenclature". Jim Scotti also thanked us for the list, but voiced concern over the savage behaviour and violent tendencies of the centaur so prevalent in mythology. We heard nothing from mid- 1995 until the beginning of 1997. It looked as though our proposal would be ignored. Zane Stein, the American Chiron specialist, took the initiative again in Febraury 1997 and sent literature about the mythology of Nessus to Dr. Marsden .The latter responded with a pledge to support the naming of the centaur in April 1997. "1993 HA2" is now officially Nessus.

Astronomers and astrologers have not previously co-operated on the issue of naming planets. Interesting, that it was the "bridge planets", the centaurs, which brought the two disciplines a small but significant step closer to each other. This would not have been possible without the openness and support of Jim Scotti and Dr. Brian Marsden.

The latter replied to my email of thanks, subsequent to the event, explicitly thanking us for our support in the research of centaur names and mythologies. He encouraged us to submit proposals for the four yet unnamed centaurs.

A special triad

Curious "coincidences" have often occurred in the history of the discovery and naming of planets. The astronomer Percival Lowell for example, calculated Pluto`s position at c.8° quite exactly, basing his calculations on the disturbances in the orbits of Uranus and Neptune. Lowell`s data were not in the least suited to such a task - as was later discovered. Moreover, the name "Pluto" was selected from a possible 100 proposals. The time had come for the discovery and naming of Pluto. Is the "coincidental" naming of the centaur Chiron not similar?

On observing the orbits of the three first discovered centaurs Chiron, Pholus and Nessus more closely, we note a further curious "coincidence": they first connect Saturn with Uranus (Chiron), then Saturn with Neptune (Pholus) and finally, Saturn with Pluto (Nessus), - one after the other - from Saturn`s gate in the inside to the transpersonal spheres of Pluto (diagram 3). Should we not consider these first three centaurs as a group in itself - a triad belonging together? Pholus and Nessus are maybe similar to Chiron, each one in its unique and unmistakeable way a "mentor" in opening up to the transpersonal. http://www.kentauren.info/menu/index.htm?page=/newness.htm

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Raymond Andrews,
President,Executive Director of Developmental Neurodiversity Association
Supporting the Neurodiversity Movement

posted August 04, 2010 06:02 PM            

Nessus connection to strong, powerful emotions, affects, passions and jealousy reveal a relation between Nessus and Pluto
- Nessus is probably the strongest Centaur among the first three
- the feeling to do something "righteous" even if it's cruel (assassins often think so) and totally inhuman, blind fanaticism
- to be forced to deep and sudden (this is non-Plutonian) transformation by intense shock and pain
- the boomerang-effect: bad actions done in the past, catch us up (some karma-circle)
- a clear tendency to over-react, to crack up, to have hysterics, to run amok
- panic attacks
- the theme-complex of intrigue and conspiracy: treachery, trick, to take advantage of somebody's weakness, revenge, lie and falsehood
- Nessus joins us with occult primordial forces and energies, which go far beyond our mental, conscious and intellectual capacity for understanding
- the border(-line) to madness, see movies like Mad Max, Lethal Weapon, Die Hard, where brute force in combination to super-natural self-control with madness is shown
- to overcome anxiety and force with the mean of super-natural strength (see above)
- there seems to be some relation between Nessus and long-term skin diseases: nettle rash, strong itching (-pain), burning of the skin, high sensitivity against sunrays, pustules, growth (often connected with troubles in relationships)
- Nessus opens us the door to Hades, the death, towards the shadow-world of ghosts, lost souls. But: Tales of the beast and the beauty, the ghost of Canterbury and so on reveal the other, light and good side of the so-called "evil"
- There is an obvious parallelity between Nessus and the fairy man Charon, so I think Nessus is a leader and guide to hidden and deep energies of regeneration and therefore Pluto's helper
- maybe Nessus has a connection to psychosis and schizophrenia

These are the some of the keywords for Nessus that Zane Stein came up with. Please keep in mind that he is one of the astrologers that proposed its name that got accepted by astronomers:

Having to face deep pain and make choices as a result of, or while under the influence, of this pain

------------------
Raymond Andrews,
President,Executive Director of Developmental Neurodiversity Association
Supporting the Neurodiversity Movement

posted August 04, 2010 06:17 PM            

THE NAMING

Dr. Brian Marsden and I had been conducting a dialog about possible Centaur names for the new bodies. I first suggested a list of 17 Centaur names to Dr. Marsden in April 1995, which of course included Nessus. His reply, dated April 28, 1995, included the following response:

"Although the Minor Planet Center has traditionally not done so, the Working Group on Planetary System Nomenclature does operate by compiling a data base of possible names (we have not hitherto done so, mainly because the discoverer has the privilege to propose names, but this may change.) Thus I welcome your list. Resonating Neptunians will be named for "underworld" dieties, the more distant Kuiper Belt population for "creation" dieties."

On May 11 of that year I sent a similar list to Alan Stern at the Chiron Perihelion Campaign.

When I wrote to Dr. Marsden to let him know that several astrologers had independently arrived at the name Nessus for 1993 HA2, he wrote back that it would most likely be officially named in the Spring of 1997, and he would see what he could do about having the name Nessus accepted.

It seems, though, that I was not alone among astrologers in making suggestions to the astronomers. Here is a part of a note I recently received from Robert Von Heeren:

"I have found out that I sent Mr. Jim Scotti our naming recommendation for 1993HA2 on 14. April 1995 at 20h19m UT. Dieter said, he sent a letter with this recommendation to Jim Scotti at 21. April 1995 too. One week later I sent this same recommendation to Mr. Rabinowitz."

Then, on May, 31 1995, Robert sent Dr. Brian Marsden a name-list of 84 Centaurs via e-mail, and recommended to him the Name Nessus for "1993 HA2".

So, as Robert writes,

"The e-mail to Mr. Marsden on 31 May 1995 was actually the third e-mail, but the first "official" recommendation to IAU. Mr. Jim Scotti and Mr. Rabinowitz on the other hand are the discoverers of Pholus and Nessus."

This list of 84 Centaur names is available upon request.

Robert wrote to me about all of this....and I agree completely:

"But really important is: the coincidence or the synchronicity of OUR (three) most simultanous recommendation (and idea) of the SAME name for 1993 HA2."

In April 1997, 1993 HA2 was officially named Nessus.

As far as I know, this is the first time in modern times that astrologers have arrived at the name of a body in the solar system, and their input has resulted in the naming of said body.

This is truly a history-making event.

Robert confirms the exact naming:

"DATE OF OFFICIAL NAMING-PUBLICATION FOR NESSUS FROM MINOR PLANET CENTRE VIA E-MAIL M.P.E.C.-H10, on 4/22/1997, 22h10m UT, Cambridge, USA-MA 71w48, 42n14. (confirmed by Brian D. Marsden) (This puts Nessus is exactly at third cusp!)"

Now, in order to be named, a body's orbit must first be proven rather thoroughly. Then, it is given a minor planet number, and it is only a matter of time after that that it is given its name. For more information on the actual naming process, go to How Are Bodies Named?

On October 1, 1999, I received word that, on the previous day, two additional Centaurs had been given names: #8405 (1995 GO) has been designated Asbolus, while #10199 (1997 CU26) has been called Chariklo.

Interestingly, the Chariklo and Chiron have not been in conjunction since 1949....and the first time they united that year, on Feb. 13, was at 8 Sagittarius 01. At the time of the above naming, Pluto was 8 Sagittarius 13...and it had been stationary a few weeks earlier at 7 Sagittarius 44.)

The names Chariklo and Asbolus were arrived at by consensus by a group of astrologers that included yours truly. So the history making continued.

On May 14, 2000, acting as spokesperson for the astrologers from the Centaurs and CRP mailing lists, I emailed a suggestion to Dr. Marsden that #10370 (1995 DW2) should be named Hylonome. And on July 27, 2000, the official announcement was made naming #10370 just that. Again, history is made.

Since that time, other Centaurs have been named through proposals sent by members of the astrological community. 1998 SG35 was given the number #52872, and named Okyrhoe. 1998 TF35 was numbered #52975, and named Cyllarus. 1999 UG5 was numbered #31824 and given the name Elatus. 1998 QM107 was given #49036, and named Pelion. 2002 GB10 was numbered #55576 and named Amycus, while 2002 GO9 was numbered #83982, and named Crantor. Most recently, 2000 EC98 was numbered #60558 and given the name Echeclus. (Echeclus has also showed a little bit of cometary behavior, yet no decision has been made to redesignate it a comet. It therefore stands in the same category as Chiron as a comet with centaur status.) There are many more yet to be named, and as they are numbered, they will get their names.

Some other possible proposed names:

1994 TA = Pylenor. This one has been studied quite extensively, and Pylenor seems like the best name for it.
1999 HD12 = Eurytus
1995 SN55 = Helops
#33128 (1998 BU48) = Nastor
#44594 (1999 OX3) = Hylaeus
http://www.zanestein.com/page4_2.htm

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Raymond Andrews,
President,Executive Director of Developmental Neurodiversity Association
Supporting the Neurodiversity Movement

posted August 04, 2010 06:24 PM            

Following the June 1997 announcement of the discovery of a new heavenly body orbiting beyond Pluto and Neptune (currently the furthest known planet from the Sun), another relatively new and closer planetary discovery has been officially named Nessus.

Originally Nessus was given the distinctly unromantic and unmemorable name of 1993 HA2. With the posting of the name by the International Astronomy Union (IAU) on 22 April 1997 (at 22.10 at Cambridge, MA) on the internet, the proposed name is now official.

The naming of planetary bodies is one of the strangest and most mystical aspects of astrology and astronomy. Sometimes the events surrounding the naming can say a great deal about the the nature of the planet. Was Pluto really named after Disney's cartoon dog or was there a link to the name of the head of the discovery team Percival Lowell (PL)? Should the planet Uranus really be Herschel or as recently proposed Prometheus?

With Nessus, the story is still rather vague. However, astrologer Melanie Reinhart has from the first proposal of the name, been convinced of it's significance from numerous example charts. Having taken a stand on this, Melanie is delighted with the recent confirmation. [Melanie is most well known for her outstanding work and accompanying book and lectures on Chiron.]

What is interesting in this case is that the IAU were not in full agreement with the name. Input from astrologers (Robert von Heeren, Dieter Koch and Zane Stein) and Brian Marsden of the Minor Planet Centre, led to the final confirmation.

Could it be that this planetary body encompasses the idea of science and the metaphysical approach working together for higher knowledge?

Following the naming of Chiron and Pholus, Nessus is the third Centaur to bear a mythological name.

Footnote: thanks to astrologer, Nick Campion editor of Transit, the astrologer's newsletter for this item of news.

Plus a comment from Robert von Heeren co-namer of Nessus:
The centaurs are a tiny group of (to date) seven small planets with unusual properties: neither conventional comets, nor typical asteroids. At the same time, they possess qualities prevalent in both. They travel along extremely differentiated and primarily particularly elliptical orbits in the outer solar sytem. Their origin most probably lies in the Kuiper Belt beyond the orbits of Neptune and Pluto. Torn out of the belt by the force of Neptune millions of years ago, they were thereupon catapulted into the inner solar system where they assumed their present orbit in time. They generally touch or cross the orbits of the main planets and thus have long orbital periods of 49 (Chiron) to c. 123 years (Nessus). -
http://www.astrology.co.uk/news/Nessus.htm

------------------
Raymond Andrews,
President,Executive Director of Developmental Neurodiversity Association
Supporting the Neurodiversity Movement

posted August 04, 2010 06:45 PM            

I couldn't find anything.

She wrote this article:

PLUTO RE-CLASSIFIED
Reflections on the re-definition of our solar system

August and September 2006 saw a highly controversial series of sweeping changes in the definition of our solar system,resulting in the much lamented ‘demoting’ of the former planet Pluto to ‘dwarf planet’ status. Before exploring the meaning of these decisions, let’s review what actually happened.

In the world of scientific astronomy, the International Astronomical Union is the committee responsible for naming and classifying newly discovered celestial objects. It is composed of eminent astronomers from many countries who meet periodically in different places, with the huge task of 'ordering' the multitude of new objects being discovered daily, thanks to recent advances in technology. The recent meeting in Prague was a particularly controversial one.

The re-classification of Pluto, however, is not a new theme. It has an interesting history: already in the late 1990s, the move to ‘demote’ Pluto was afoot, but hotly contested, and eventually quashed, around the Millennium.

The Kuiper Belt

Meanwhile, many new categories of objects were being discovered and named. In the early 1990s, a large disk of matter was discovered all round the outer edge of the solar system, and named the Kuiper Belt. Where older textbooks showed ‘nothing’ beyond the orbit of Pluto, we suddenly had a sky teeming with objects, categorised with bizarre names like Plutinos, Cubewanos and Centaurs. It is this latter group which is of most interest for our purposes. (See also the article on this site 'All Change Please')

Healers in the Sky

In 1977, the anomalous object Chiron was discovered. In the Greek mythology Chiron was a wise Centaur who represents the shamanic figure of the Wounded Healer. So unlike anything in the solar system was this new object that it was re-classified several times, and indeed still retains ‘membership’ of the categories of asteroid and comet. However, once the Kuiper Belt was discovered, a whole ‘herd’ of celestial Centaurs began to appear and were gradually named, after Centaurs in the mythology. So Chiron found his ‘tribe’! Astronomically, these objects share their key features with Chiron: all have very elliptical orbits, steeply inclined to the ecliptic, and they mostly cross over the orbits of one or more planets from Saturn outwards to Neptune.

Homeward Bound

The Centaurs tend inwards to the Sun, then move outwards again to the Plutonic realm in the further reaches of the solar system from whence they are said to have originated. The Sun symbolises the Light Within, the central integrative factor around which all else revolves. Pluto’s realm is the Underworld, the faraway place of fertile darkness, which represents the place where the shades of the departed go, for a time of purification and preparation for re-birth. It is also metaphorically ‘underground’, where the seeds of new life germinate, where the unborn nestle in safety until called forth by their need to emerge.

The Centaurs are said to be the archaic remnants of our origins, the pristine remains of the log-past beginnings of our own Solar System. They symbolise the archaic fragments within ourselves, the 'primal human' archetypal within which we will meet on our journey to our own centre. This is a reflection of our own developmental process, as well as the theme of our human continuity through the on-going chain of ancestral connections. This is the 'stuff' of our incarnation, which may either support or sabotage our sense of purpose. From the Centaur point of view, bearing witness to these inchoate beginnings is an important aspect of the process of individuation. In ignoring our 'animal selves' we become unable to be custodians of the natural world, our home. This is the condition in which we find ourselves today.

Lord of the Underworld

Pluto actually shares all characteristics with the Centaurs, including the fact that it actually crosses the orbit of its inner neighbour, Neptune! Poignantly, Pluto last emerged from the waters of Neptune in 1999, when the first move to 'demote' him was roundly defeated. So we can consider Pluto as the ‘Lord of the Centaurs’, who are in turn his emissaries, agents or perhaps escapees. The symbolic connection between Pluto and the Centaurs is apparent when one observes their psycho-spiritual processes at work – the symbolism is perfect! In the mythology Pluto was the Lord of the Underworld, and in the sky Pluto is the King of the Kuiper Belt. As above, so below. They represent those initiatory experiences that are truly of ‘another order’ beyond the personal ego. Lo and behold, the astronomers have actually expressed this symbolism!

The Metalogue

The Greek word ‘metalogue’ means ‘that which we are speaking about is also arising', denoting the co-arising of event and language. The timing of the IAU re-classifications was truly breathtaking. The period before the first flurry of revisions (later undone and changed) saw the uncovering of an alleged international terrorist plot to blow up several aeroplanes. In political terms ‘The Underworld’ comprises ‘The Enemy’ and its unseen activity – currently Terrorism, as defined by the Bush administration. We speak also of the ‘Criminal Underworld’. So the global ‘Underworld’ raised its head again, and the spectre of Al Qaeda, Osama Bin Laden, and International Terrorism was paraded before the eyes of the Western world. Hardly surprising then, that as a knee-jerk reaction, the ‘powers-that-be’ in the world of scientific astronomy would seek symbolically to rid the world of the scourge of the ‘Lord of the Underworld’, as they demoted the planet Pluto to the status of dwarf planet. What a delicious piece of astrological theatre!

Afterwards, right on cue, another Bin Laden video was aired, as if to remind that banishing the Lord of the Underworld is no simple matter. Like the Hydra, he has more than one head. In the month that followed, many stories in the international press reminded us of the mythology being enacted. A young woman called Natascha Kampusch emerged from a long period as hostage to a man who committed suicide after she escaped.(1) Nick Yarris, released after more than 20 years on Death Row in the USA, gave a moving interview on Radio Four.(2) Diaries from Guantanamo Bay became public…. the list goes on ……..

The State of Play

Initially, it was proposed that the solar system be expanded to 12 planets. Pluto plus his Moon Charon were counted as two separate bodies, and the asteroid Ceres and the ‘scattered disk object’(3) called UB313 were also included. This ‘early version’ was abandoned,(4) but has interesting symbolic resonances. All the bodies initially included have connections with the Underworld, as we shall see …..

So what are we left with now? Essentially, a solar system that consists of the Sun and Moon, plus the usual visible planets, plus Uranus and Neptune. There has been created a category called ‘dwarf planets’ into which Pluto + Charon(5) have been placed, along with Ceres and UB313. Pluto is still considered as the largest object in the Kuiper Belt,(6) and thus our symbolism holds up well.

A Solar System with Neptune at its edge is poetically appropriate. Neptune's orbit is the most nearly perfectly circular of all the planets' orbits, apart from Venus. It is said to be the 'higher octave' of Venus, and it does seem that at least on Earth the longing for value, love and relationship with ourselves and others is a central theme of what it means to be incarnated here. Also, our dreams, longings, illusions and addictions are all Neptunian in quality, and this is indeed the 'edge' ......

Ceres – The Asteroid Queen

Ceres was discovered in 1801, and although initially classed as a planet, this was changed as thousands more asteroids were discovered. Ceres, the Roman goddess of grain (cereal/Ceres) and fertility, is the same Earth-mother figure as Demeter, mother of Persephone, abducted by Hades (Pluto) for a sojourn in the Underworld. Thus she sustains an intimate connection with the Lord of the Underworld, and moreover, the sequence of events around her discovery repeated …….like the scythe which is her symbol, she was herself cut down. Ceres has a profound connection with the UK, because her discovery occurred within hours of the 1801 proclamation of the unity of England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland. These islands are blessed with many crop circles, mostly in fields of cereal. There is the Ceres connection again, in the exquisite symbol language of geometric forms appearing on the land. I think of them as the ‘Voice of Ceres’ for whoever can hear.

Our Lady of Discord

The ‘scattered disk object’ UB313 was named Eris on 13.9.2006 after the Greek goddess of Strife and Discord. Her orbit length is 560 years (Pluto’s is 240 years) and her trajectory is inclined a massive 44 degrees to the ecliptic. The mythic figure of Eris stirs up jealousy and envy and her story is thus reminiscent of the ‘13th fairy’. When excluded from a wedding, Eris spitefully provoked the quarrels and strife that led to the Trojan War. She serves as a reminder that what we exclude from our lives and hearts may return to 'give us trouble'! Eris has a moon, named Dysnomia, or the spirit of Lawlessness. Apparently, there was a choice as to whether to call this moon Dysnomia or Eunomia (= 'she who promotes harmony'). The IAU decided on the former.

The Goddess ERIS - 'Discordia' ca 575-525 BCE **

This naming is not prophecy, but metalogue, the celestial reflection of what is already occurring on our beleagured home planet Earth. The simple reflection of ‘What Is’ can be profoundly healing , and this is the function which I believe is served by this dramatic naming. Dare we hope that including Eris this time might herald the ending of the current ‘Trojan War’ in which we seem ever-deeper embroiled ? Interestingly, in the work of the ancient Greek philosopher Hesiod, Eris also symbolises the inner strife that it can sometimes require in order to align oneself with what is noble, good and worthwhile. This notion is perhaps what lies at the heart of what is meant by a ‘Crusade’ in Christianity, or a ‘Jihad’ in Islam - the inner struggle with one's own difficulties, 'demons' and disappointments. In zodiac terms, Eris is currently located in the sign of Aries, bringing into the centre of our awareness the fact that the real ‘battle’ is not 'out there' with others, but with our own lack of true will.

And what about the astrology?

Astrology began with naked eye observation of the planets (Gk. ‘wanderers’) crossing the night sky, and the visible planets still form the core of what astrologers use in their work. Beyond these ‘Classical’ planets, there are the ‘invisible’ planets Uranus and Neptune and Pluto, used by most astrologers. Beyond that, one works with ‘what is burnished into the soul’.(7) Meaning that the issue of classification has less significance than our inner relationship with the celestial phenomena we refer to and build our inner connection with. 'What' something is defined as may be less relevant than whether or not it 'speaks' to our imagination, heart, mind and soul.

We have recently had a marvellous display of planetary symbolism working itself out even in the very process of ‘scientific’ classification! This is not the first time in history that the topography of the solar system has been revised, and we can be sure it will not be the last. The IAU decision still remains controversial, as the picture below demonstrates!

ENDNOTES

(1) Note that she emerged on 23.8.2006, the very day when the IAU confirmed their definition of ‘What is a planet?’ (See also Note 5 below) Her abductor was buried in an unmarked grave at a secret location, like Pluto being demoted to ‘dwarf planet’

(2) See www.nickyarris.com for his story.

(3) See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scattered_disc for full description of this category.

(4) See the following site for a full discussion of the astronomy: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2006_redefinition_of_planet

(5) Pluto and Charon are actually a binary system. Note that the positions of Pluto in the Ephemeris actually represent the ‘mean average’ of the orbital distance of the pair. i.e. the void, gap or hole in-between them. This fits the symbolism perfectly.

(6) See http://www.ifa.hawaii.edu/~jewitt/kb/pluto.html.

(7) Richard Tarnas, at the Astrological Association Conference in Canterbury in 1994. http://www.melaniereinhart.com/

------------------
Raymond Andrews,
President,Executive Director of Developmental Neurodiversity Association
Supporting the Neurodiversity Movement

posted March 27, 2014 04:01 PM            

zsusanna griga, LIST OF NAMED CENTAURS www.the-dreamweaver.net/ListOfNamedCentaurs.html

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