The Fixed Stars in Astrology

Over the years I've not paid much attention to the fixed stars in my astrological analysis. Astrolog of course makes it easier to include a large number of them, so many in fact as to be overwhelming. There are four so-called royal stars that "were regarded as the guardians of the sky in approximately 3000 BCE during the time of the Ancient Persians in the area of modern-day Iran. The Persians believed that the sky was divided into four districts with each district being guarded by one of the four Royal Stars" (Wikipedia).

The four stars with their modern and ancient Persian names are:

• Aldebaran (Tascheter) – vernal equinox (Watcher of the East)
• Regulus (Venant) – summer solstice (Watcher of the South)
• Antares (Satevis) – autumnal equinox (Watcher of the West)
• Fomalhaut (Haftorang/Hastorang) – winter solstice (Watcher of the North)

At the time of my birth, these stars were situated as shown:

As can be seen, Saturn (0d01m Virgo) is conjunct Regulus (29d07m Leo) while Chiron (8d57mR Sagittarius) is conjunct Antares (9d03m Sagittarius) and opposite Aldebaran (9d05m Gemini). Regulus entered Virgo in late 2011 and is now in 0d05m of that sign. Antares and Aldebaran have moved forward about a degree, to 10d01m Sagittarius and 10d03m Gemini respectively. A peculiarity of the Astrolog program when viewing transits is that it only shows the progressed positions of the stars in the inner circle where the natal planets are located. 

It would seem then that three out of the four royal stars are influential in my natal chart. It might be time to explore the significance of their positions. The following notes are from ASTROTHEME but largely based on Vivian Robson's book "Fixed Stars":

Aldebaran, Alpha Tauri, 9°55' Gemini, in the left eye of Taurus (Oculus Tauri australi), from Al-Debaran, the follower, or the Eye of God, or Pallilitium, or the Small Torch, Facula, or Stella Dominatrix: according to Ptolemy, Aldebaran is of the nature of Mars and brings about firmness, courage, integrity, and strength. Honours and wealth may be favoured, but Aldebaran usually tends to withdraw what it offers since durability is not its feature. Robson mentions danger, violence, and illnesses. Like Algol, when Aldebaran is in conjunction with the Sun, the Moon, the ruler of the Ascendant, sometimes when it is on the Ascendant or ruler of the 8th House, it may cause a violent death, according to Garcoeus. 

Regulus, Alpha Leonis, 29°57' Leo, the Lion's heart (cor Leonis) from El-Maliki, the Royal one, Regulus or Basiliscos, the little king, or Regia Stella, or Monoualos: according to Ptolemy, Regulus is of the nature of Mars and Jupiter, according to Fludd, of the nature of Jupiter and Mars, and according to Julevno, of the nature of Mars. Regulus brings violence, destruction, and short-lived martial honours, prison and violent death, if it is not well-aspected. It endows with courage and the will to reign, ambition, and the thirst for power, and it may bring about might and independence. This star is very active and strengthens the planet it touches, for better or for worse... 

Antares, Alpha Scorpii, 9°53' Sagittarius, in between two other stars in the body (media in corpore trium), or Kalb Akrab, the Scorpio's heart (cor Scorpii), Mars' rival: according to Ptolemy, Antares is of the nature of Mars and Jupiter, according to Fludd, of the nature of Saturn and Mars, and according to Julevno, of the nature of Mercury and Mars. According to Fludd, Antares gives violence, ambition for power, and greed. According to Robson, it brings about self-destruction through one's own obstinacy. According to Julevno, it causes success through efforts, followed by ruin and death. This star is almost as evil as Algol, and it is dangerous when it is in conjunction with the Sun, the Moon, the ruler of the Ascendant, the ruler of the 8th House, or when it is dominant on the Ascendant. It is all the more so if it is not well-aspected. If Antares is in very good celestial state, without dissonance, it may nonetheless bring about honour through courage and efforts. 

Fomalhaut, Alpha Piscis Australis, 3°59' Pisces, the star of the mouth at the beginning of the water (in ore, atque eadem, quae in extrema aqua), from Fom-Al-Hut, the mouth of the fish: according to Ptolemy, Fomalhaut is of the nature of Saturn and Mercury, according to Fludd, it is of the nature of Saturn, whereas according to Leowick, it is of the nature of Saturn and Jupiter, and according to Argol, it is of the nature of Venus and Mercury. Fomalhaut may bring wealth, power, fame, and honour. It may also endow with a not too materialistic temperament and gives a spiritual orientation if it is well-aspected. When it is adversely-aspected, Fomalhaut may give a malicious character in order to achieve a sublime objective: the end justifies the means becomes one of the individual's rules.

These descriptions are clearly dated and not all that helpful but it's a start. I suspect the influence of these stars on the planets with which they are conjunct is subtle and far less dramatic than the above descriptions assert. What can be said is that Saturn is closely linked to Regulus in my chart and Chiron to Antares and Aldebaran.