Cadent House
The houses of an astrological chart are classified into three groups - angular houses (the first, fourth, seventh, and tenth), succedent houses (the second, fifth, eighth, and eleventh), and cadent houses (the third, sixth, ninth, and twelfth). The cadent houses have been referred to as the mental houses, although this applies best to the third house and the ninth house (the houses of the "lower" and "higher" mind). In classical astrology, cadent houses were regarded as the least powerful houses in which planets could be positioned.
Campanus System
A Campanus system of house division is generated by equally dividing the prime vertical. During the twentieth century, this system was not used much, but was partially revived by famous western astrologer Dane Rudhyar.
Cancer
Cancer is the forth sign of the Zodiac. It is indicated by a Crab. The symbol of Cancer is indicates by the breasts. In heavens it starts from 90 degrees and extends up to 119 degrees. The Sun stays in Cancer from 16 July to 16 August as per sidereal zodiac which is followed by Vedic Astrologers and from 22 June to 22 July as per Tropical Zodiac followed by Western Astrologers. The entry and exit dates of the Sun for any particular zodiac sign dose vary by one day during some years. Cancer is ruled by the Moon, it is cardinal, watery, feminine sign, governs stomach, breasts, nutrition, digestion, uterus and the fourth house of the horoscope.
Capricorn
Capricorn is the tenth sign of the Zodiac. It is indicated by a Sea Goat. The symbol of Capricorn is indicates by goat with a twisted horn. In heavens it starts from 270 degrees and extends up to 299 degrees. The Sun stays in Capricorn from 14th January to 12th February as per sidereal zodiac which is followed by Vedic Astrologers and from 22nd December to 20th January as per Tropical Zodiac followed by Western Astrologers. The entry and exit dates of the Sun for any particular zodiac sign dose vary by one day during some years. Capricorn is ruled by the planet Saturn, it is cardinal, earthly, feminine sign, governs teeth, bones and the tenth house of the horoscope.
Caput Draconis
It is Latin for "Dragon's Head", is an older term for the North Lunar node or Rahu as per Vedic Astrology.
Cardinal (Moveable) Signs
The 12 signs of the zodiac are subdivided according to three qualities: cardinal, mutable, and fixed. The four cardinal signs are Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn. The entrance of the Sun into each of these four signs begins a new season: Aries, spring; Cancer, summer; Libra, fall; and Capricorn, winter. They have various alternative names like initiating, moving, or movable signs. Cardinal signs tends to initiate new activities and to act on the present situation.
Cauda Draconis
It is Latin for "Dragon's Tail", is an older term for the South Lunar node or Ketu as per Vedic Astrology.
Cazimi
Cazimi is an Arabic term meaning "heart of the Sun". It refers to a very close conjunction within 17 minutes between a planet and the Sun. In contrast to the wider combust conjunction, which supposedly weakened a planet, the Cazimi position was traditionally said to strengthen the influence of the planet involved.
Celestial Body
A natural object which is located outside of Earth's atmosphere, such as the Moon, the Sun, an asteroid, planet, or star.
Celestial Coordinates
Celestial or sky coordinates are most easily understood by comparing them to terrestrial or earthly coordinates. Terrestrial coordinates allow a location to be specified in terms of degrees of longitude and latitude. Celestial coordinates similarly specify location in terms of two measurements of distance, expressed in terms of degrees of a circle. Rather than measuring degrees along the surface of planet Earth, however, celestial coordinates are measured against the celestial sphere, which is the sphere created by imagining that all of the objects in the sky are stuck against the inside of a gigantic, hollow sphere, with Earth located at the exact center.
Celestial Equator
The celestial equator is the terrestrial or Earth's equator imaginarily projected outward from Earth and onto the background of the stars (against the backdrop of the celestial sphere). Because of the tilt of the Earth on its axis, the celestial equator intersects the ecliptic at an angle of 23 and half degrees.
Celestial Latitude
Celestial latitude is defined with respect to the ecliptic and ecliptic poles. Celestial latitude = degrees measured above or below the ecliptic starting from the March equinox.
Celestial Longitude
Celestial longitude is defined with respect to the ecliptic and ecliptic poles. Celestial longitude is measured eastward from the ascending intersection of the ecliptic with the equator, a position known as the "first point of Aries," and the place of the Sun at the time of the vernal equinox about March 21. Celestial longitude = degrees measured along the ecliptic, starting from the March equinox.
Celestial North Pole
The north celestial pole is the imaginary point in the sky where the Earth's axis of rotation, indefinitely extended, intersects the imaginary rotating sphere of stars called the celestial sphere. The north celestial pole appear permanently directly overhead to an observer at the Earth's North Pole.
Celestial South Pole
The south celestial pole is the imaginary point in the sky where the Earth's axis of rotation, indefinitely extended, intersects the imaginary rotating sphere of stars called the celestial sphere. The south celestial pole appear permanently directly overhead to an observer at the Earth's South Pole.
Celestial Sphere
The celestial sphere can be understood by imagining that all the objects in the sky are stuck against the inside of a gigantic hollow sphere, with Earth located at the exact center.
Ceres
Ceres is an asteroid; it is a small planet-like body that orbit the Sun in a belt that lies mostly between Mars and Jupiter. Ceres was discovered in 1801 and is named after the Roman goddesses of agriculture, grain crops, fertility and motherly relationships.
Chaitradi System
The ancient calendar system prevalent in North India
Chakra
Another name for Horoscope Chart used in Vedic Astrology
Chaldean Astrology
A system of Astrology developed by Chaldeanians or the people of Mesopotamia, the area now known as modern day Iraq.
Chandra
Vedic Astrology name for the Moon.
Chandra Bala
Strength of Moon. Generally used for Muhurtha chart or Election chart for finding auspicious time for any important event.
Chapa
One of the Upa Grahas or asteriods as per Vedic Astrology.
Chara Dasha
A sign based dasha system where the length of each dasha period is variable, dependant on the particular location of the planets in one's chart. (Chara means movable or changeable)
Chara Rashi
Movable sign: Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn.
Chaturthamsha
The 4th divisional chart, or varga of 7 degrees 30 minutes; used for residence, property, and destiny.
Chaturvimshamsha
The 24th divisional chart, or varga of 1 degree 15 minutes; used for knowledge and education.
Cheshta
Used in the Shayanadi Avasthas to determine the amount of effects the Shayanadi Avastha gives. Chesta gives the full effects of a Shayanadi Avastha.
Cheshta Bala
The motional strength of a planet used in calculating Shad-bala.
Chinese Astrology
The Chinese astrology is different and entirely independent of Mesopotamian astrology on which Western astrology and Hindu astrology were formed. However like the 12 sun signs, Chinese astrology is confined to the 12 animal "year signs." The Chinese group the stars into different constellations; they locate heavenly bodies with respect to the celestial North Pole and the celestial equator rather than with respect to the ecliptic. While Western systems emphasize the placement of the planets along the ecliptic, the Chinese traditionally give primary importance to the Moon's placement in the daily lunar mansions.
Chiron
Chiron was discovered in 1977, between Saturn and Uranus, associated with the archetypal theme of the wounded healer. He was the son of Kronos (astrological Saturn) and a sea nymph called Philyra.
Chitra
The fourteenth constellation as per Vedic Astrology governed by Mars, located from 23.20 Virgo to 6.40 Libra. The sign ruled by Mercury (Virgo) for first half part and by Venus (Libra) for the next half.
Chronocrators
It means the "markers" or "rulers" of time, this term was used by ancient astrologers and it signified the conjunctions of Jupiter and Saturn occurring every 20 years. Since Jupiter and Saturn were the slowest-moving planets known in ancient times, their conjunction was regarded as very significant in indicating important mundane or world events. Birth of Christ occurred during such conjunction.
Chronos
Chronos is an ancient name for Saturn. Mythologically, Chronos was a Greek god which is equivalent to the Roman god Saturn.
Collection of Light
This term is used in Used in Horary Astrology. When a planet is in aspect to two other bodies which are not within aspecting orbs of each other, a collection of light is said to occur through the action of the intermediary planet. It denotes that the results signified by the two bodies whose light has been thus collected, will be forwarded by a third object, described by the intermediary planet, providing both bodies receive the intermediary planet in one of their dignities.
Combust
A planet is combust when it is placed very close to the Sun. It was regarded as having a negative or weakening effect on the planet involved. This principle was used in ancient times by both western and Vedic astrologers, the former do not use it much in modern times however Vedic astrologers still uses it. The range in which a planet will get combust depends specifically on the planet involved. For example Mercury most of the times remain closer to the Sun and its range is 3 degrees while for other planets it varies to 8 degrees 30 minutes.
Comets
The word comet is derived form the Greek word kometes, meaning "longhaired". It is a celestial body composed of ice, rock, and frozen gases. They wander through space, or circulate around the Sun in an elongated orbit and return at fixed intervals, visible from Earth only when they approach the Sun. Their sighting is considered to be evil omens for the nation as a whole and consider giving rise to war, famine, floods, death of ruler etc.
Common Planet
The planet Mercury is sometimes referred to as a common planet, because of its having the physical characteristics of both sexes (hermaphrodite).
Composite Chart
A composite chart is a form of synastry in which the horoscopes of two individuals or of a business entity is compared. The midpoints between the planets and the house cusps are calculated and a third chart or a composite chart is generated. It is a method of chart comparison and is supposed to reveal how two different people or entities interact or will interact. Mostly used in relationships, marriage or business partnership.
Commanding Signs
Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, and Virgo are known as the Commanding Signs because they are supposed to be more powerful because of their nearness to the zenith.
Common Signs
The Mutable signs Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces are said to be common or flexible signs.
Conceptive Signs
The conceptive signs are the four fixed signs: Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, and Aquarius.
Configuration
Traditionally, the term configuration was used to refer to any aspect but in modern astrology, it is used for interrelated aspects involving three or more planets or house cusps such as T-squares, grand trines etc. It is also used to denote the entire pattern presented by the horoscope.
Conjunction
A conjunction is an aspect in which two points such as two planets or one planet and one point or house cusp are close as per their longitude position. A conjunction is a major aspect, regarded as harmonious or inharmonious depending on the planets involved.
Constellation
A constellation is a collection of stars that the ancients grouped together, identified with a figure from mythology. Vedic Astrology has divided the heavens among 27 constellations or Nakshatras apart form commom 12 astrological signs.
Contra-Parallel
The orbits of most of the planets in our solar system lie in approximately at the same geometric plane, which is why we are able to draw an astrological chart using only a two-dimensional representation. However, there is a variation in the tilt or angle of these orbits, and most planets are positioned either north and south of the celestial equator. This variation is measured in degrees of declination. Two planets are contraparallel when they lie on opposite sides of the celestial equator but have the same degree of declination (e.g., one planet at 10° declination and the other at –10°). Planets with opposite declinations are said to have a relationship similar to an opposition.
Contrascion
If we draw a straight line from 0° Aries to 0° Libra so as to divide the circle into equal halves. If a planet is located at an angular distance of 45° away from this dividing line (e.g., at 15° Taurus), its contrascion would be 45° in the opposite direction from the line (i.e., at 15° Aquarius). If another planet happens to be located very near the contrascion of the first planet, the two planets are said to have a relationship with each other comparable to an opposition aspect.
Converse Directions
The term "converse directions" refers to progressing planets backward rather than forward in an ephemeris during prognostication.
Co-Significator
Co-significator, a term used particularly in horary astrology, refers to a planet or sign that in some way relates to the matter under consideration by virtue of certain traditional astrological associations.
Cosmobiology
Cosmobiology is a contemporary form of scientific astrology. Cosmobiology utilizes modern methods of scientific research, such as statistics, analysis, and computer programming.
Culmination
Culmination usually refers to the arrival of a celestial body at the midheaven, the highest point in a chart. It may also refer to the arrival of a celestial body at a point where an aspect becomes exact.
Cusp
The imaginary line which separates a Sign from adjoining Signs, a House from its adjoining Houses.
Cuspal Chart
Same as the Bhava Chart or Vedic Astrology.
Astrology Terms starting with letter:
Written by Sanjay Sharma, © 2011, revised March 2021
