Bellatrix: Astronomical and astrological properties

[alshainofthenorth]

No: HPFGUIDX 93060

Since Carol asked and others might be interested as well, I picked 
the Internet and here's what I came up with. Credit where credit is 
due, first, here are the sources:
Prof. Emeritus Jim Kaler has a great website on astronomy at
http://www.astro.uiuc.edu/~kaler/sow/
Anne Wright's site has to be the best on fixed star astrology I've 
seen. Bookmark it. http://www.winshop.com.au/annew/

Some basic astronomy first: Bellatrix (AKA the Amazon Star) is a blue-
white giant star in the constellation Orion, with the apparent 
magnitude of 1.63, placing it as the twenty-fifth brightest of the 
fixed stars. Its distance from the Earth is 240 light years, much 
closer than the rest of the stars in the constellation.  

I've managed to trace the name Bellatrix (which indeed means female 
warrior) as far as the Alfonsine Tables of Toledo (compiled in the 
thirteenth century), where it is a translation of Arab Al Najid, `the 
conqueror'.

Astrological properties: Ptolemy said the star is similar to Mars and 
Mercurius and can give great civil or military honor. Also danger of 
sudden dishonor, renown, wealth, eminent friends and liability to 
accidents causing blindness and ruin. In a woman's horoscope, it 
makes her loquacious and shrewish, and gives a high-pitched, hard and 
sharp voice (though other astrologers considered it a lucky star for 
women.)

Later astrologers have connected Bellatrix with strong will, strong 
passions, fighting spirit and courage, but also a tendency towards 
hatred, fanatism and recklessness, and also violent death. It might 
create some interesting theories about Bellatrix and Rudolphus that 
the Larousse Encyclopedia of Astrology connects the star with 
marriage for money or honour followed by reversed fortunes.

Hope something of this is of general interest.

Alshain (has so little faith in astrology that couldn't move a speck 
of dust)