Good evening,

Reference is made to a prior thread about "Traditional orb factors":

http://www.skyscript.co.uk/forums/viewt ... highlight=

For astrological purposes, the ecliptic is viewed not only as a line but as a band. How wide is this band?

If one assumes the skies visible to normal, unaided human sight experienced in observation of celestial phenomena, one often reads that the maximum ecliptic latitude of Venus determines the width of the ecliptic, about 17 degrees of latitude, 8.5 on each side.

However, this does not take the 'halo' of Venus into consideration and assumes that the centre of this planet marks the boundary. On the other hand, one can read that for example Fomalhaut, more than 20 degrees north of the ecliptic, should be considered to belong to the constellation of Aquarius for astrological purposes.

If for example one adds Monsieur le Dr Jean-Baptiste Morin de Villefranche's 'small' orb for Venus (see the referenced thread), one arrives at 2 X (8.5 + eight) = 33 degrees width. Applying his 'large' orb for Venus of 23 degrees, one can calculate an ecliptic band of 62 degrees latitude.

Many divisions and images have been assigned to the groups of bright fixed stars near the ecliptic in the course of civilisations. If one wishes to divide it into 12 equal segments, one might ask which set(s) of solutions maintain the greatest number of groups of bright fixed stars integrally within the equal segment boundaries. By 'bright' one could assume all fixed stars within the ecliptic band (to be defined) exhibiting maximum apparent magnitude of 2.9.

Best regards,

lihin

Good morning,

The question posed is not rhetorical.

Further research has meanwhile shown for example that the zodiacal constellations of Scorpius and Pisces extend south respectively north about 25 degrees of ecliptic latitude, both in antiquity and today.

Applying the equator analogically, maximum visibility of fixed stars extending from + 90 to - 90 degrees of declination from the location of observation, 180 degrees in all, one can assume an ecliptic band of 60 degrees of latitude, 30 on each side of the ecliptic. The north zone thus extends from 30 to 90 degrees of ecliptic latitude, the south zone from 30 to 90 degrees south. Comparable to Klaudios Ptolomaios' division of the constellations into three zones, one has a simple, easy to remember, observable base for further research.

So far, so good?

Best regards,

lihin