A Closer Look at Chiron

As Chiron will be entering Aries next week, on the 17th April, and will spend more than eight years in that sign, I deemed it time to look at the planet more closely. There is quite a comprehensive analysis of Chiron, from both an astronomical and astrological perspective, at the website Chiron and Friends by Zane Stein.

The first page (page 2, I don't know what happened to page 1) deals with the astronomical aspects of Chiron and the next page (page 3) looks at the astrological side of things. A subsequent page is a table of contents relating to the Centaurs (page 4) and following that (page 4a), there is a table of contents relating to the minor planets.

Looking back, Chiron last entered Aries when I was almost exactly 19 years of age, on April 1st 1968 and it didn't leave the sign until May 28th 1976. Even after that it retrograded back into Aries. Thus Chiron spent over eight years in Aries. However, it spends far less time in other signs. This is to be expected from its highly eccentric orbit (e=0.38108).

When it is furthest from the Sun and close to Uranus, Chiron is in Aries and takes about eight years to traverse that sign. However, when it is in Libra and within the orbit of Saturn, it takes less than 1.5 years to traverse that sign. Its orbital period is 50.76 years. The aphelion (furthest point from the Sun) will be reached in 2021. Here is a nice diagram that shows the orbit from a 3-D perspective:

Taken from http://www.lunarplanner.com/asteroids-centaurs/index.html

Astrologically, part of its significance is well explained in a quote from this site:

Chiron is acknowledged to create a link between the realms of Saturn and Uranus—from the old, established, concretised, stoic realm of Saturn to the new, unconventional, radical, electrical, spontaneous realm of Uranus. As we move outward in our solar (system's) consciousness, we move from Saturn to Uranus. Uranus breaks us from the conformity of the past, opening us to new realms of possibility. Thus Chiron escorts us in this process, often helping to create the way across the Saturn-Uranus abyss. Conversely, Chiron helps to bring the new Uranian revelations to the concretised world of Saturn.

Because of its close relationship to both Saturn and Uranus, Chiron's aspects to both these planets are important. Chiron also seems to have a strong link to genetics due to advances being made in that field around the time of its discovery on November 1st 1977. Below is a glyph of Chiron showing the template used for its original design:

Here is a little more about Chiron's astrological significance:

Chiron's role is often associated with new discoveries in the health field and medicinal arts; and classically, Chiron is often called "the wounded healer", a term coined by Carl G. Jung, having been accidentally shot with a poisoned arrow by Heracles. Chiron works with the subtle resonances of neurological communication that make not only neurological functions possible, but also medical and healing modalities and technologies that incorporate subtle resonances, those transcendent to physical phenomenology (Radionics is a good example). Chiron is found to be significant in astrological charts associated with new medical discoveries, inventions, and new technologies or modalities in the heath-care field; and is often prominently placed in the charts of people involved with such discoveries and of those involved in the healing art-sciences.

In the astrological chart, Chiron can indicate where personal healing is required, where we must create and cross a vibrational bridge, where transmutation is required, and where we will find our way from our Saturnian past to our Uranian future, or to bring vibrational resonance of Uranus to change our calcified Saturnian structure. It is always helpful to look at the placement of Saturn and Uranus, and where they are in their synodic cycle, to help understand Chiron's role in an astrological chart. 

There is a good account of the mythology of Chiron at https://mythology.net/greek/greek-creatures/chiron/. Here is an excerpt:

Chiron’s lineage is different from the other centaurs, which may explain some of the differences between them. His father was Cronus, one of the original titans who ruled before the gods, and his mother was Philyra, a beautiful ocean nymph. Unfortunately, Cronus and Philyra were caught in the middle of their tryst by Rhea, Cronus’ wife. Disgraced, the Titan turned himself into a stallion and galloped away. Months later, when Philyra gave birth to their son, the baby’s form was half horse. Philyra was revolted by her child’s monstrous form; she abandoned him and begged the gods to transform her into another form, so that she could forget her disgrace. The gods turned her into a Linden tree. 

Poor Chiron was effectively orphaned, but luck quickly turned in his favor. The radiant god Apollo found the baby and decided to take him in as his own son. He taught the orphan how to repress his animal urges and live nobly, in a way that would highlight his humanity, even his divinity. Apollo also taught the young centaur about music and medicine. Apollo’s twin sister, Artemis, approved of his project and decided to come aboard as the orphan’s foster mother. She taught him about archery and hunting. 

After he grew up, the orphan made his foster parents proud by becoming a revered teacher. He was always eager to return the kindness that Apollo and Artemis had shown him, and he took on many young students of his own, including Achilles, Ajax, Heracles, Jason, Peleus, Perseus, and Theseus. In addition to his students, the centaur had biological children of his own. He was married to a nymph named Chariclo, and with her he had three daughters, Melanippe, Endeis, and Ocyrhoe, and one son, Carystus.