2 articles for "Rays"
Rays [Astro*Index]Casting of Rays. Projection of Rays.
In ancient times, planets were thought literally to interact through intersections of the spheres of influence corresponding to the power they had to project their light. Stronger planets had larger spheres. The faster is said to cast its rays at the slower, literally engaging it, as was once the thinking. When the faster casts its rays against the order of the signs, the aspect is said to be dexter (rays are thrown to the right); when it casts it with the order of signs, the aspect is said to be sinister (rays are thrown to the left). Planets casting their rays toward each other eventually mingled those rays when within orb of an aspect, thereby creating a mutual effect. The influence was especially powerful with conjunctions. In IV.9 Ptolemy speaks of the "projection of rays" in terms of cause and effect: "whether the destruction be accomplished by the projection of a ray." In I.24 Ptolemy entertains a debate apparently current in his day about whether latitude is a factor in the meeting or rays, that is, whether two planets though they have met longitudinally do not actually meet because they are at different latitudes. Ptolemy, geocentrist through and through, says latitude doesn't matter because irrespective of how planets are separated by latitude they ultimately "converge from every direction upon the same point, that is, the center of the earth."
See also:Rays, Under the [DeVore]
♦ Aspect ♦ Orb ♦ Application ♦ Dexter Aspect ♦ Sinister
In astrology a planet is "under the rays" of another when it is within orbs of an aspect. Rarely used by modern authorities.
See also:
♦ Aspect ♦ Under the Sunbeams
Astro*Index Copyright © 1997 Michael Erlewine