Constellation Eridanus Astrology

Constellation Eridanus the River, is a southern constellation under constellation Taurus constellation, between Cetus and Orion. Eridanus spans 90 degrees of the Zodiac in the Signs of Pisces, Aries, Taurus and Gemini, and contains 15 named fixed stars.

Eridanus represents the river Padus or Po into which Phaeton fell when slain by Jupiter for having set the world on fire by misguiding the chariot of his father Phoebus.

According to Ptolemy all the stars with the exception of Achernar are like Saturn (disgrace, ruin, calamity. It rising, grave, thoughtful, melancholy, liable to disgrace, much care and anxiety, connected with building, mines and minerals. If on 7th cusp and Moon afflicted by Saturn ruler of 7th, a slovenly wife. If culminating, trouble through old people, disgrace, trade losses, deceitful associates, rise followed by fall. With the luminaries, lean and infirm, many miseries. If afflicting Mercury, deafness.)

Eridanus gives a love of knowledge and science, much travel and many changes, a position of authority, but danger of accidents especially at sea and of drowning. [1]

Eridanus, the River, is divided into the Northern and the Southern Stream; the former winding from the star Rigel of Orion to the paws of Cetus; the latter extending thence southwards, southeast, and finally southwest below the horizon of New York City, 2° beyond the lucida Achernar, near the junction of Phoenix, Tucana, Hydrus, and Horologium. Excepting Achernar, however, it has no star larger than a 3rd-magnitude, although it is the longest constellation in the sky, and Gould catalogues in it 293 naked-eye components.

Although the ancients popularly regarded it as of indefinite extent, in classical astronomy the further termination was at the star theta (Acamar) in 40° 47′ of south declination; but modern astronomers have carried it to about 60°. [2]

It issues forth, in all the pictures, from the down-coming foot of Orion. While others see in it, from the ignorance of fabled story, only “the River Po,” or the “River Euphrates,” we see in it, from the meaning of its name, and from the significance of its positon, the river of the Judge.

In the Denderah Zodiac it is a river under the feet of Orion. It is named Peh-ta-t, which means the mouth of the river. It is an immense constellation. According to the Britannic catalogue, it consists of 84 stars; one of the 1st magnitude, one of the 2nd, eight of the 3rd, etc.

The brightest star, α (at the mouth of the river), bears the ancient name of Achernar, which is in, as its name means, the after part of the river. The next star, β (at the source of the river), is named Cursa, which means bent down. The next, γ (at the second bend in the river), is called Zourac (Arabic) flowing. Other stars are Pheat, mouth (of the river); and Ozha, the going forth. [3]

References

1. Fixed Stars and Constellations in Astrology, Vivian E. Robson, 1923, p.44.
2. Star Names: Their Lore and Meaning, Richard H. Allen, 1889, p.215.
3. The Witness of the Stars, E. W. Bullinger, 30. Eridanus (the River).