Methodology:

The methodology used by Starscine for the calculation of readings is based on extensive research conducted by the Starscine team over the last seven years. We investigated the history of astrology and astronomy, including a number of their variants. Our research concluded that there are three major components to the creation of horoscopes.

Correlation between solar elements and the human condition

Most people know their Star Sign, and most accept that the personal characteristics that are ascribed to their particular sign, applies to them.

The study of this relationship highlights the fundamental distinction between the study of astronomy and astrology as we know them today. For over 2,500 years astrology was automatically included in any study of the solar system, however over the last 500 years, the schools of astronomy have moved away from the study of this relationship. Despite this, the acceptance of astrology in western society has continued undiminished to the present day. Starscine has researched a wide range of astronomical and astrological sources and filtered and condensed a wide variety of interpretations to arrive at those relationships which are widely held and well founded over a long period of time. An example of this filtering process is that all attributes given to Pluto have been discarded by the Starscine team.

Correlation between Star Signs and an individual's sensitivity

It has long been accepted within the practice of astrology that an individual person's sensitivity to the solar elements is determined by:

1. The relative location of the Earth in its orbit at the time of birth (which translates to the day of the year, grouped into Star Signs); and
2. The relative location of the other solar elements at a given time.
3. The traditional method of calculating the relative locations of the planets was to use astrological charts. However, thanks to major advances in astronomy over the last century, these can now be precisely calculated using mathematical formulae. An example of this can be found at www.fourmilab.ch/solar/solar.html

The relevance of this advance can be better understood by using the analogy of navigation at sea. This was once done by using maps, a sextant, and, from the late 17th Century, an accurate clock. These are the equivalent of the traditional methods used to create the astrological chart. In contrast, the latest astrological methods used by Starscine can be thought of as analogous to the use of a GPS (Global Positioning System) as an alternative navigation system. The 17th Century sailors who sailed far beyond the Mediterranean on their voyages, often found themselves thousands of miles off-course, whereas today's GPS systems are accurate to within a few meters. Today's Starscine methodology has this same pin-point accuracy, while the traditional astrological charting techniques may be likened to the lack of accuracy experienced by the 17th Century sailors.

The traditional method can be further explained for those familiar with orienteering or with simple navigation using a map and a compass. First, let's look at the tools:

The Compass: astrologers use the solar equinox as the equivalent of north. This was originally aligned with the start of Aries, but like magnetic north, it is constantly moving, and is now 30 degrees from that point. The 12 Star Signs are like points on the astrological compass. Although like true north and magnetic north, the visual and absolute astrological references are not the same thing, and at present there is approximately a 30 degree difference between the visual reference and the absolute reference.

The Map: the astrological map is the astrological chart, and it is both simple and complicated. Simple because it has only 10 items on it, and complicated because they all appear to move. However, once one simple rule is applied, the whole thing becomes quite simple. The rule to apply to the astrological map is that everything is relative to the line between the Sun and the Earth.

Astrological Navigation: astrologers 'navigate' using a system they describe as the Houses. Some astrologers use a 12 House system and others use an 8 House system. However, to return to our orienteering analogy, they all use the same principles of trigonometry. They determine the relative position of the self (the Earth) to point A (the Sun) using a compass (the Star Signs), and from there, the relative positions of the Moon and the planets to that position. Once these things are known, an astrological chart for that moment can be created.

Thanks to the numerous advances in modern astronomy it is now possible to not only determine the relative direction of the solar elements at a particular time, it is also possible to determine the actual distance between them and us. Starscine has adapted these ancient trigonometric-based chart interpretations so that the precision of today's astronomic calculations can be incorporated into this ancient craft.

This enables Starscine to create a generic horoscope (denoted by a Star Sign such as Taurus or Gemini), which is indicative of people born into that Star Sign. This generic reading for a Star Sign is based on behavioral attributes and the established sensibilities to astrological forces of all people born when the Earth was in a particular phase of its orbit. It is the combination of all these sensitivities and the relative astrological forces present on a given day which culminate in the Starscine reading.

The Birth Reading

The purpose of the birth reading is to establish the relative location, and therefore the influence, of the solar elements at the time of an individual's birth. This is done by combining the astrological sensitivities of those born during that period of the Earth's orbit (designated by Star Sign), and their level of exposure to the solar elements at the time of birth.

The traditional astrological birth chart is based on the directional positioning of the solar elements as viewed from the moment of birth. This worked in ancient times when those practicing this technique were located near the Mediterranean. However, it became increasingly difficult as Europeans migrated to other parts of the world. Indeed in the higher latitudes of the northern hemisphere, and in many parts of the southern hemisphere, it is quite impossible. Subsequently some very complex tables have been developed to translate one's birthplace to an equivalent time and place from which astrological elements could be seen. This transfer is further complicated by some disagreement between astrologers on the number of Houses that should be used to interpret the chart.

Starscine uses the much more reliable method of relative distance, rather than relative direction, as a means of determining a planet's level of influence. This is also consistent with the methods used by scientists for determining the relative strength of other solar forces such as light, radiation, gravity and electromagnetic fields. These, like the Starscine astrological force calculations, are all based on the application of the Inverse Square Rule.

In order to ensure that these calculations are consistent with traditional methods, the Starscine team have correlated the traditional trigonometric birth chart interpretations with the equivalent distance values where possible. It is not possible, for example, for the Earth to be located between the Sun and either Venus or Mercury, and therefore the astrological interpretations for such an event have been discarded.

The benefit of a birth reading is that it provides an insight into an individual's unique sensitivity to the solar elements. This can then be used in place of the non-specific generic sensitivities to a Star Sign, thus providing the individual with their own specific individual reading in the form of a Personal Horoscope.

Personal Horoscopes

Starscine generates personal horoscopes by replacing the generic astrological sensitivities of a Star Sign with the astrological sensitivities of the individual when calculating a horoscope for a given day.

Depending on the relative influence of the solar forces at the time of an individual's birth, a Personalized Horoscope can vary markedly from the generic horoscopes on a given day. This is because the relative influence of the solar elements which were prominent at an individual's time of birth will be enhanced in a personal reading, while the influence of those solar elements which were more distant at the time of birth will be diminished.