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Astro*Dictionary by Michael Erlewine

 

 

 

 

9 article for "Day"

Day [Astro*Index]

Generally, a unit of time between successive transits of one body over the same point.

See also:
♦ Apparent Sidereal Day ♦ Apparent Solar Day ♦ Astronomical Day ♦ Civil Day ♦ Julian Day ♦ Lunar Day ♦ Mean Sidereal Day ♦ Mean Solar Day ♦ Perpetual Day ♦ Transit
Day [DeVore]

The interval of time between two successive passages of a star over the meridian is a Sidereal day 23h, 56m of mean solar time). The interval between two successive passages of the Sun's center over the same meridian is a solar day (24 hours); of the Moon's center a lunar day (24h, 50m). In old astrological texts the Lunar Day refers to the day of the Full Moon. Because of the Earth's motion in orbit the mean solar day is 4 minutes longer than the sidereal day and because of the Moon's daily motion in orbit the lunar day is 50 minutes longer than the solar day. The term natural day is a misnomer, loosely applied to the 24-hour period of the Earth's rotation. The mean solar day becomes the civil day when reckoned from the hour affixed by law. In most countries this is from midnight to midnight. With the Hindus and Babylonians it was from sunrise to sunrise; with the Athenians and Jews from sunset to sunset; with the ancient Egyptians and Romans at midnight. This is divided into 24 hourly divisions from 1 to 12 noon, and 1 to 12 midnight.

Army and Navy time during recent years has been largely superceded by numbering the hours straight through from 0h at midnight to 24h of the next midnight; which also is 0h of the next day.

Astronomical Day.
Until January 1, 1925, this day was reckoned as beginning 12 hours later than the civil day. Now all calendars and almanacs begin the day at midnight.

Julian Day.
On January 1, 1925, the astronomical day was superseded by the Julian day, numbered consecutively beginning from 4713 B.C. To avoid confusion in the comparison of ancient and modern dates the Julian day was made to begin at noon, twelve hours later than the civil day. January 1, 1934, was J.D. 2,427,439.

Civil Day.
The civil day begins at midnight at 180 east or west from Greenwich. It then continues one hour later with every 15° of the Sun's westward travel. Thus when one passes this International Date Line he begins a day that will not end until 24 hours later, with the result that when it becomes Tuesday to the west of the Line it has just become Monday to the east thereof, and circumnavigating travelers gain or lose a day according to their direction of travel; losing a day if westbound, gaining it when eastbound.

Loosely speaking, a day is the period of light between sunrise and sunset, the period of daylight or sunshine. In the Far East it is the distance that can be traveled in 24 hours.

In astrological parlance a Day Horoscope is one cast for a birth moment in which the Sun was above the horizon, hence in one of the Houses numbered from 7 to 12; a Night Horoscope one in which the Sun is below the horizon, in a House numbered between 1 and 6.

See also:
♦ Apparent Sidereal Day ♦ Apparent Solar Day ♦ Astronomical Day ♦ Civil Day ♦ Julian Day ♦ Lunar Day ♦ Mean Sidereal Day ♦ Mean Solar Day ♦ Perpetual Day ♦ Transit
Day House [Astro*Index]

Also called solar house. The sign that a planet rules by day. By day, each of the traditional planets rules an odd-numbered or masculine sign, except for the Moon, whose day house is always Cancer. By night, each planet rules an even-numbered or feminine sign, except for the Sun, whose night house (also called lunar house) is always Leo.

 

Night HousePlanetary RulerDay House
(Lunar Sign)  (Solar Sign)
  Cancer  MOON  n/a
  n/a  SUN  Leo
  Gemini  MERCURY  Virgo
  Taurus  VENUS  Libra
  Aries  MARS  Scorpio
  Pisces  JUPITER  Sagittarius
  Aquarius  SATURN  Capricor

 

See also:
♦ Sign ♦ Masculine Sign
Day House [DeVore]

v. Ruler.

See also:
♦ Ruler ♦ Sign ♦ Masculine Sign
Day of Week, to determine [DeVore]

v. Dominical Letter.

See also:
♦ Dominical Letter
Day Triplicity [Astro*Index]

A form of essential dignity used mostly today in horary astrology. The planets are favorably placed in certain signs according to element sympathy.

 

PLANETDAY TRIPLICITY
  Sun's  Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius
  Venus  Taurus, Virgo, and Capricorn
  Mars  Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces
  Saturn  Gemini, Libra, and Aquarius

 

See also:
♦ Essential Dignity
Day Triplicity [DeVore]

Older authorities deemed that in the daytime some planets are stronger when posited in Signs of a certain element; i.e. Saturn in an Air-Sign, the Sun in a Fire Sign, Mars in a Water Sign, and Venus in an Earth Sign.

 

See also:
♦ Essential Dignity
Days Between Two Dates [Astro*Index]

 

DAY JANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDEC
1  1326091121152182213244274305335
2  2336192122153183214245275306336
3  3346293123154184215246276307337
4  4356394124155185216247277308338
5  5366495125156186217248278309339
6  6376596126157187218249279310340
7  7386697127158188219250280311341
8  8396798128159189220251281312342
9  9406899129160190221252282313343
10  104169100130161191222253283314344
11  114270101131162192223254284315345
12  124371102132163193224255285316346
13  134472103133164194225256286317347
14  144573104134165195226257287318348
15  154674105135166196227256288319349
16  164775106136167197228257289320350
17  174876107137168198229258290321351
18  184977108138169199230259291322352
19  195078109139170200231260292323353
20  205179110140171201232261293324354
21  215280111141172202233262294325355
22  225381112142173203234263295326356
23  235482113143174204235264296327357
24  245583114144175205236265297328358
25  255684115145176206237266298329359
26  265785116146177207238267299330360
27  275886117147178208239268300331361
28  285987118148179209240269301332362
29  296088119149180210241270302333363
30  306189120150181211242271303334364
31  316290121151182212243272304335365
For leap years, add one to each day after February 28.

 

See also:
♦ Civil Time
Days of the Week [Astro*Index]

The days of the week were named after planets during Augustus' reign in Rome.

 

PlanetaryDay Rulers
  Moon  Monday
  Mars  Tuesday
  Mercury  Wednesday
  Jupiter  Thursday
  Venus  Friday
  Saturn  Saturday
  Sun  Sunday

 

See also:
♦ Week ♦ Planetary Day

 

Astro*Index Copyright © 1997 Michael Erlewine