He was, as he described himself to his mentor, Michael Maestlin, a ‘Lutheran astrologer’. He cared deeply about it and he saw the world through his own unique Pythagorean, harmonic paradigm. Kepler poured twenty years of his life’s work into this grand synthesis of geometry, arithmetic, music, astrology and astronomy, which also contained his third law of planetary motion.Īstrology was not something that Kepler did merely to make money. In 1619 he published his masterpiece, Harmonices Mundi, which was also not translated into English.
In this classic of astrological reform, he presents himself between the two extremes of those who practice superstitious star-gazing and those who want to throw astrology out altogether. He published Tertium Intervens, or the Third Man in the Middle, in 1610. In 1601 Kepler published De Fundamentis Astrologiae Certioribus, or, On the More Certain Fundamentals of Astrology, in which he explains his opinions on how, and to what extent, astrology works. It is surprising how, even today, many English-speaking astronomers and physicists will adamantly deny that Kepler had any genuine interest in astrology. His astrological works have only just recently been translated into English – again, some would say, they were deliberately suppressed. Kepler also published extensively on his passion for reforming astrology: something of a hot topic in his time. His calendar for 1618 said that ‘if a true comet should appear in the heavens’ then the other calendar writers would have to ‘sharpen up their pens.’ Three comets in all appeared that year, including one with a spectacularly bright tail. For instance, in 1595, he predicted a peasant uprising, an invasion by the Turks, and an especially cold winter, all of which came to pass and bolstered his reputation. In the course of his work for the Imperial Court, as ‘district mathematician and calendar maker’ in Graz, and later as astrologer for the famous General Wallenstein, Kepler made some interesting and accurate predictions that have been preserved in his publications and biographies. Amazed, the people asked themselves what was happening. In due course, on the day in question, came a fierce gale, driving black clouds, so that at noon it was as dark as half an hour before sunset. “Kepler swore 15 days before, in front of doubters, that there would be wind and rain on that day.
Kepler’s biographer Caspar relates an incident which occurred as a series of sextile aspects were shaping up in the heavens: As the Imperial Mathematician, he not only interpreted horoscopes for the emperor and his court, he published regular almanacs and predictions and made himself available for questioning on astrological and meteorological matters by the people of Prague, about which he complained, “…those of the lower classes with straight-forward and active minds…I get such a working over that I might as well call them my teachers.” Like Phillip Melanchthon, his astrology was part and parcel of his Christianity. Kepler was a deeply religious man who had originally aspired to become a Lutheran minister.
Ibn Yunus Muslim Astrologer and Astronomer.Muhurata Astrology or Electional Astrology.John Gadbury the Doctrine of Horary Questions.Sepharial primary directions in Astrology.Max Heindal Simplified Scientific Astrology.Concerning the more certain fundamentals of astrology Anthony Griffin excellent Astrology book on theft.Electional Astrology by Vivian E Robson.Alberuni, Sahams, Arabic Parts and Arabic Lots.A new look at Planetary Strength in Jyotish.