There is a big difference between the intersection points in space and the physical bodies we call planets. A planet occupies a specific location and has mass, orbit, speed, energy, influence, and orb. An intersection point in space has none of that. There is no body, no mass, no orbit, no energy of its own, yet astrologers and astronomers award such a point with both movement and influence. Why? As astrologers, how would you feel if you didn’t have the ascendant, midheaven, or lunar nodes to work with? That caught your attention, didn’t it? I cannot imagine a chart without a precise ascendant because I am not a sun chart astrologer. I can’t imagine a chart without a precise midheaven, nor can I imagine a chart without lunar nodes. Most astrologers use those three points regularly and they are not physical objects, they are simply intersection points in space.
The ascendant on a chart is an intersection between the ecliptic (Earth’s orbit around the Sun), which is the center line of the zodiacal belt, and the eastern horizon of the Earth at the time of birth. We look toward the eastern horizon at the time of birth to determine the degree and sign of the ascendant. Usually there is no object there. Most of the time it is a point of empty space. Occasionally a planet will rise along with the rising degree and the planet and the empty point will be considered individually. Each individual body or intersection has value and each can overlap in influence. For example, Gemini is the ascending degree, so communication and information will have a strong influence on the individual. If Mars is also rising at this time, Mars will add its influence and communication and information indicated by rising Gemini will become quicker, more active, and can be belligerent or assertive at times. Most astrologers use the rising sign as if it were a planet and it is not a planet. It is, however, an important personal sensitive point, which we would not want to lose by interpretation.
The same goes for the midheaven. The midheaven represents the highest point a planet can ascend to at birth. It is that point before the planet begins to move towards the point of descent or setting. The midheaven is commonly confused with the zenith. Zenith is the 90 degree angle to the horizon (directly overhead). The midheaven may or may not be at that 90 degree angle at the time of birth. Sometimes the zenith and midheaven coincide. If you were locating the zenith or the midheaven, either one would be an empty point in space. Each of these points has influence and movement even without a planet at that location or point in space. The distinction is important because every successive four minutes of birth time brings a subsequent degree of the zodiac in the midheaven. The zenith moves with a slight variation depending on the actual movement of the ascendant.
In my astrological study and practice, the Ascendant and the Midheaven are primary locations. Slightly less prominent are its fellow axis, descendant, and 4th house cusp (IC). I use all of these points in my readings. What about the lunar nodes that I mentioned earlier? The intersection points used for the north and south node of the Moon are trajectory points of the ecliptic crossing. The north node travels in a south to north direction and the south node uses a north to south direction. I use these lunar points a lot in my readings and I don’t want to lose your guidance just because they are intersection points rather than physical bodies.
The ascendant, the midheaven, the lunar nodes, the zenith and many other points are also used astronomically and the tables astrologers use come from the astronomical tables. Scientifically and allegorically, these points of empty space are useful for measurement and meaning. The ascendant and midheaven are determined by large circular intersections such as the horizon, the ecliptic, or the main vertical. There are other great circles that are not so well known.
If you are a practicing astrologer, you should be familiar with the Vertex and Anti-Vertex in a wheel. You can choose not to use them, but study, learn and choose if the information is useful to you. Do not deny or ignore such positions simply because they are unfamiliar or do not involve actual physical bodies. Ignorance is never your friend and these points, and their study, will greatly enhance your knowledge and understanding of astrology.
The vertex is usually (not always) located on the western (left) side of a wheel. I use it as a point for relationships, karma, and environmental expectations: my choice of meanings is based on years of study, research, and application. The Anti-Vertex is the opposite axis of the Vertex. Less is known about the position other than that it seems to cause the vertex. Once again, any point is just that, there is no physical body. The intersection point itself is sensitive and can be read.
These are just some of the personal sensitive points and there are several other points, definitely less known, but astrologers are working diligently to discover their meaning and application. Like I said, ignorance is never our friend, so we’ll take a brief look at some other PSPs. If you were just starting your studies or choosing which tools to study, I suggest you focus on the Ascendant, Midheaven and Lunar Nodes. Once you feel comfortable with your knowledge and application of those personal points, turn your attention to the Vertex and your partner. You can then decide if the PSP balance is of interest to you.
The Aries Point is so easy to determine, simply find 00 Aries on any wheel and you have your Aries Point. It is always 00 Aries and is considered quite useful by cosmobiologists and trans-Neptunian practitioners. The other three PSPs are called Co-Ascendant, Polar Ascendant, and Equatorial Ascendant, and all three are intersection points determined by specific combinations of great circles. Most current astrology programs will inform you or insert these positions automatically, but you will have to do your own research to apply them. I will limit myself to the points mentioned, but keep in mind that there are more.
I have researched two projects about all PSPs including the Aries dot. The two studies were the 43 presidents of the United States and my research project on serial killers. The common PSPs, the ascendant, midheaven, and lunar nodes seemed to be more specific than the less common PSPs. These are ongoing projects and I am far from a conclusion on any, but I am diligently researching all PSPs across those two main projects and will report on them once conclusions are reached.
There are clear differences when it comes to a planet and a point. The planet has the ability to affect or be affected by the energy of another planet. Venus and Saturn will act and be acted by each other. For example, Venus will influence and learn from Saturn and Saturn will influence and learn from Venus. A personal natal point can also be influenced or modified by a planet, but the point does not influence the planet in the same way that a body would. There may be influences that have not yet been formally studied, but for the purposes of this article, the point is simply a location in space.
What about the orb of influence for these points? Would the same planetary orb be justified or should some modification be made? I use traditional orbs, eight degrees on majors, but I have a tendency to reduce those orbs of influence if there’s a point involved. I am a person with two planets squaring my ascendant and I can see them both at work in my life and each orb is six degrees. I can clearly see how the planets affect my ascendant but I cannot see the effect of my ascendant on the two natal planets as clearly. That to me is the distinction between planets and points.
Think of the home planet (A) influencing or being influenced by the home planet (B). Then do the same mental exercise using the natal planet (A) with the personal natal point (C) to note any differences in expression and participation. Be sure to look at all the possible combinations, such as planet A with planet B and planet B with planet A, and determine the effect each has on the other. If a natal planet aspects a personal natal point, it influences that point, suggesting planet A to point C as an example. To me that is very readable. Does point C (point of intersection in empty space) also influence planet A? This reminds me of the old adage of a tree falling in the woods with no one around to hear…does it make a sound?
