Astrocartography questions

[Lisha]

1. I want to upload another map to use with the names of countries on it. but using the instructions in "HELP" I still can't figure out how to do it?

2. What are the green horizontal lines?

3. What do you think about adding trans-Neptunian planets into the planetary selection?

[Jean]

1. From the help (you read that, don't you  ): If you want to create your own maps, save them in c:\planetdance\ab\horoscope as a jpg file beginning with the word 'world'.
2. Planets at birth.
3. It's Ed's module but it's not very likely.

[Lisha]

1. "If you want to create your own maps, save them in c:\planetdance\ab\horoscope as a jpg file beginning with the word 'world'."
I did read help, but this I don't understand. How do I save a map image of my own choice into planet dance?

2. Right  You know the degrees (-180, -90, 0, 90, 180) I take it these are corresponding to the hard aspect opposition, square, conjunction? So the way I'm understanding this, is if a planet falls within the area of -180° to -90° this is opposition energy. If it falls in the area of -90°- 0 it's square energy?

3. Yes it's fine, I just thought I'd ask.

[Jean]

1. had another look, save a pic (jpg) into c:\planetdance\ab\horoscope and you can set it.
2. i'd have to ask Ed.

[ABer]

Hi Lisha - thanks for your interest in this module. To answer your questions:

The three green horizontal lines are (from top to bottom): the Tropic of Cancer, the equator, the Tropic of Capricorn.

The scale running through the centre of the display represent lines of longitude east and west of the Greenwich meridian.

I am not actively developing this module at present so I don't see that I would be adding the TNPs in the future.

All the best. Ed

[Lisha]

I've come across a youtube video where the guy is looking at the US pluto return on the A*C*G map, but the pluto lines are different on his map than they are on your map. 

Is there something I'm doing wrong, or is it just because it's different software being used?

[ABer]

Hi there - it's difficult to answer without the chart data. Could you post the date/time etc of the two charts.

Also, it would be helpful to know the data you are using for the US chart.

The other factor is that Pluto is a slow moving planet and, hence, pinning down the exact moment of the return is much more difficult.

Thanks. Ed

[Lisha]

As you don't have the Pluto return option, for my data I've used Feb 20th at 5.30 am, as that's the time Pluto first hits the exact degree and min.

The guy is using the same date but with a time of 6.27 am. I've now just changed my chart to 6.27 am and it does actually change it slightly.

I'm using Philadelphia as the location though, maybe the guy is not?

https://youtu.be/0Fxs37prUa4

The image attached is the pluto lines when I've changed to a 6.27 am time, which is now almost exact as the guys. I just don't know why he's using a 6.27am time.

[ABer]

Hi Lisha - first thing to check is that we are using the same natal chart. See attachment.

I get Pluto in this chart at 27 CP 33 18.

[ABer]

Using the 6.27AM time for the return, I get the same as the alternative software. My is that this is not about the software, whichever you use, but variation in the time for the natal chart and the time for the return.

[Lisha]

I've been using the 17.10 pm time from Astrodeneist I've edited my chart now to 2 pm.

I personally think the pluto return should be for 5.30 am which is the first exact min hit. I can't work out why the guy has used the time he has, but then again he seems to know his stuff, so maybe I shouldn't doubt it.

Thanks ED, the ACG chart is an improvement from how I first had it.

Actually one last thing, I still can't work out how to add a different map. Jean tried to help me but I'm still confused. I've downloaded a map from google images but I really don't know how to get it into planet dance?

[ABer]

HI Lisha - the 'correct' chart for the US has been contested by astrologers for years. It is an area of great controversy. The 17:10 chart is known as the Sibly variant. It is a popular one. I am less familiar with the variant used in the video. If you want to know more about the range of charts for the US, I refer you to Nicholas Campion's Book of World Horoscopes, where he covers the subject in great detail. I also refer you to the volume Astrological American (AFA Research Bulletin no. 3), where a number of topics relating to the astrology of the US are covered. In this volume they describe this 2.00PM horoscope as the Gaillard Hunt variant.

A further difficulty in calculating the orbit of Pluto, and hence it's return to any particular degree, is that it has a highly elliptical orbit and has only been observed since 1930, so there is some uncertainty in the algorithms used to calculate its position. Planetdance uses the Swiss Ephemeris, which is very accurate, but in relation to Pluto the programmers say: With the outer planets, Standish's diagrams show that there are large differences of several ” (seconds) around 1600, and he says that these deviations are due to the inherent uncertainty of extrapolating the orbits beyond the period of accurate observational data. The uncertainty of Pluto exceeds 1” before 1910 and after 2010, and increases rapidly in more remote past or future.

So the further one goes back into the past, or further into the future, the more inaccurate the position of Pluto becomes, and more uncertainty surrounds calculations of things like return positions.

It's a very complicated subject.

With respect to adding maps to PD, it's also complicated because they have to use a certain projection. A map is the sphere squashed into two dimensions, and the way that this is done influences the way the landmasses are shown and the relationships between places. The PD astro-mapping module is really designed to be a basic introduction to the subject and it would be extremely complicated to develop the script further.

Ed

[Jean]

@Lisha
To add another map, just copy a .jpg to c:\planetdance\ab\horoscope\ and choose it with Map but as Ed says it's picky because it has to fit the desired dimensions.

[Jean]

Myself i think a return of a planet as slow as pluto at some 'exact' moment is not suitable for divination to begin with. Even without the issues there are with calculation that Ed mentions.

[volker]

A little guide on how I created my own maps.

The easiest way without a lot of conversion of the projection is to do it with the KDE Marble globe in Linux. There is also an older version for Windows, I don't know if it works with it.

For the map, the flat Plattkarte, in English Equirectangular projection, must be selected. For the crop, choose the exact borders I marked on the example image.

Then crop to 1080x720 and save as jpg and place in the Planetdance-ab-horoscope folder.


Regarding the question of the Pluto line:

There are two ways of projecting the lines. In Mundo, i.e. projected onto the horizon, and Zodiacal, i.e. projected onto the Ecliptic, just as it is with the horoscope calculation.
 
This leads to differences especially at the Pluto line, because Pluto can be up to 17° away from the ecliptic.
 
Both ways have their merits, depending on what you prefer.