Answers to lesson 1

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Here are my responses to Lesson 1

 

Sincerely,

 

Vinod

 

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1. Changing of seasons

 

This occurs because earth's axis of rotation is not perpendicular to the

ecliptic but tilted at an angle of 23 deg 30 min. So as the earth revolves

around the Sun through the year, either the northern or the southern

hemisphere of the earth will be closer to the Sun, corresponding to whether

the north pole is tilted towards the sun or away from it. When a hemisphere

is closer to the sun the sun's rays hit that parts of the earth more

directly causing it to be warmer. We have summer when the sun's rays are

most direct. As the rays become more oblique we gradually move into fall

and then winter when the suns rays are the most oblique. As the sun starts

becoming more direct we move into spring and then summer again.

 

2. Sunrise and sunset in certain parts of the globe.

 

The phenomenon of the sun not rising or setting occurs in extreme northern

and southern latitudes. When the north pole is tilted towards the sun

around the time of summer solstice, parts close to the north pole receive

sunlight at all times and thus the sun does not appear to set at all. At

the same time parts close to the south pole do not receive any sunlight at

all times and thus the sun does not appear to rise at all. The opposite

occurs around the times of winter solstice when parts close to the north

pole do not receive any sunlight and parts close to the south pole are

under constant sunlight.

 

3. Moving and non-moving bodies

 

According to Parasara the nakshatras are the non-moving bodies and the

grahas (planets) are the moving ones. The nakshatras are the divisions of

the zodiac against the background of which the grahas travel. The

nakshatras/rasis are fixed divisions of the zodiac and their

characteristics are fixed. Each graha also has its own characteristics but

the effect of a graha on the native is a combination of the characteristics

of the graha and that of the nakshatra/rasi in which the graha is

present. Since the grahas are constantly moving they also give effects

based on their relative positions with respect to the zodiac as well as

other grahas. The grahas can be thought of as colored lenses through which the

characteristics of the nakshatras/rasis get transformed resulting in a

combined effect on the native.

 

4. Self chart

 

Birth data: June 18, 1975, 11:45pm, Chennai, India

 

Lagna is 24 Aq 52 which means that the sign of Aquarius was on the eastern

horizon at the time of my birth. The opposite point of the zodiac, 24 Le

52, was on the western horizon. So 5 deg 48 min of Aquarius, Pisces, Aries,

Taurus, Gemini, Cancer and 24 deg 52 min of Leo were below the horizon and

the remaining portion of the zodiac was above the horizon.

 

The lat/long is 13 N 04 and 80 E 17. It was the summer season, very close

to the summer solstice (~ Jun 21st) when we have the longest day and

shortest night in the northern hemisphere. The sun was in its northward

travel (Uttarayana), but nearing the end of its Uttarayana on summer

solstice.

 

Sunrise was at 5:43am and sunset at 6:37pm. Moonrise was at 1:41pm and

moonset at 1:43am on the 19th. The lunar tithi was Dasami and it was the

waxing phase of the moon.

 

Jupiter, Mars, Ketu, Mercury, Saturn, Sun and Venus were below the horizon,

while Rahu and the Moon were above the horizon.