Visual Astrology
by Michael Erlewine

Look up your RAMC or LST on the equatorial star maps and locate the right-ascension meridian that was overhead at your birth and the direction in space to which your birth location was pointed or oriented. All stars and points along the line of right ascension running from top to bottom on this map were in line with the geographic meridian for your birth.

The diagram in Figure B will illustrate this:

• Ann Arbor is located along the 42nd parallel of Earth latitude.
• The North/South geographic meridian (F,c,e,s) passes through Ann Arbor at 'F'.
• This meridian equals points Z, C, E, and S, when projected on the Equatorial Celestial Sphere.
• All points located along this celestial meridian will be aligned and in conjunction with the North/South geographic meridian for Ann Arbor.
• However, only star 'Z' is also conjunct by declination (= latitude) for Ann Arbor.
• The planet Mars (at C) would be overhead, but to the South of Ann Arbor and directly overhead a city at point 'c'.
• Points Z, C, E, and S would all be conjunct the midheaven for this chart, as we will explain in a moment.

At this point, it is hoped the reader has some feel for how the geographic sphere fits or matches the equatorial sphere. Perhaps it is clear to you why the equatorial coordinates right ascension (RA) and declination are so important in mundane astrology (politics, etc.). For one, any planetary position can be matched to a spot on the Earth by both longitude and latitude and this is what is done when we trace eclipse paths on the globe. There is not space to go into great detail with this subject, but if the reader understands the simple relationship between the geographic and mundane (equatorial) spheres, many interesting ideas may occur.

© Copyright © 1997 Michael Erlewine