TWH – On February 15, two astronomers from the Catalina Sky Survey found a stray asteroid orbiting the earth. Earth’s gravity had pulled this car-sized asteroid into the earth’s orbit. It has orbited the earth for about three years. Its astrological meaning, if any, is unknown.
The orbit of 2020 CD3 around the Earth. The gray band is the orbit of the Moon. Image credit: Tony873004 – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0
The Wild Hunt spoke with astrologer Ivo Dominguez Jr. about this asteroid-moon. He discussed its possible astrological significance, how astrologers assign meaning to newly found objects and asteroids in general. Dominguez is an Elder in the “Assembly of the Sacred Wheel, a tradition that draws on Astrology, Qabala, the Western Magickal Tradition and the folk religions of Europe”. He also wrote Practical Astrology for Witches and Pagans.
Dominguez had great skepticism about any astrological meaning to this asteroid-moon. He doubted if anyone could figure out its Zodiacal position. He explained, “This asteroid is moving in a chaotic path around the Earth with each pass. Moreover, this asteroid’s orbit is so erratic that it does not remain in the band of degrees that mark the Zodiac. It will leave the vicinity of Earth by the end of April, so it is a moot point.”
How astrologers assign meaning to new astronomical bodies
Astrologers have had to assign meaning to newly discovered astronomical objects before. They had to do this for Uranus (first seen in 1781), Neptune (first seen in 1846), and Pluto (first seen in 1930).
Dominguez described the process of assigning meaning as occurring in stages. In the first stage, astronomers calculate the object’s orbit. Dominguez said that “Astrologers take the astronomical data and plot it into the sacred geometry of the 30-degree segments that are the signs. ” Astronomers work with the physical solar system. Astrologers work with its aura.
Birth and transit charts already exist for many famous people with well-documented lives. In the second stage of assigning meaning, astrologers place the location of the found object into those charts. Comparing critical points in the known lives with the sign and aspects of the found objects allows for patterns to emerge.
Some general principles of astrology help in this matter. According to Dominguez, “The closer [that] an object orbits the Sun, the more the object is associated with individual traits, inherent qualities, and quickly changing events. The farther out, the more that it is about settings such as families, societies, cultures, and collective concerns. Of course, large patterns like societies, cultures, and history-changing events affect our lives, but as external events that are internalized.”
More spiritual astrologers may meditate or commune with some higher power. Dominguez said, “Astrology is a sacred science that uses observation, inspiration, and testing.”
Astrologers tweet, email, talk face-to-face, write articles and attend conferences. They discuss their findings of possible astrological meaning of the newly found object. No single astrological authority exists, but gradually a consensus develops over time.
Does the size of an astronomical body matter?
According to Dominguez, a “planet’s” size has minimal meaning for astrologers. Just as some parts of the body have greater sensitivity than others, some parts of the solar system have a greater sensitivity. He went on, “Astrology is more about resonance, sacred geometry, and subtle forces than physical matter.”
Polar view of the orbit of asteroid 2020 CD3, generated by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s JPL Small-Body Database Browser. Image credit: NASA/JPL – , Public Domain, WikiCommons
Astrology and Asteroids
Dominguez said that “Asteroids tend to straddle the line between the inner and outer, personal and collective, the seen and the unseen.” Asteroids have much greater specificity in their themes and their areas of influence than the planets do. He continued, “The planets are more insistent and make their power known in the birth chart, [and] transits.”
Asteroids remain in the background until something triggers their area of influence. Then, they have great power.
According to Dominguez, “Not all astrologers work with the asteroids, and the ones that do, choose the ones that match their practice and interests. I often work with Chiron, Ceres, and Vesta.” He considers the writings of Demetra George to be a great introduction to the asteroids.
Asteroid Goddesses which Demetra George wrote with Douglas Bloch is a well-known work on asteroids and the role they play in astrology. It goes into detail on how the discovery of the asteroids Ceres, Pallas Athena, Juno, and Vesta coincided with the re-emerging feminine, and furthers the understanding of their influence.
Dominguez described the astrological meaning of each of the three asteroids that match his practice and interests.
“Chiron, named after the centaur, is concerned with integration of the animal, human, and divine aspects of the self. In particular, Chiron focuses on healing or managing our wounds for ourselves, and so we may help others,” Dominguez said.
He continued, “Ceres is an indicator for how we give and receive nurturing and support. It is also related to our relationship with food, and what feeds us emotionally and spiritually. Ceres is also about attachment, separation, love, and loss.”
Dominguez concluded, “Vesta is about purpose, commitment, and focus. Vesta can also be about finding your center and the balance between work and family. Vesta [is] also about our relationship to the sacred fire of magick and sexuality.”
While this new, if temporary and small, asteroid-moon surprised many, it has minimal astrological meaning based on current understanding.
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