Constellation Orion Astrology

Constellation Orion the Hunter is a southern constellation sitting below constellation Taurus and above constellation Leups. Orion spans nearly 20 degrees of the Zodiac in the Sign of Gemini, and contains 13 named fixed stars.

(Star positions for year 2000)

The giant Orion was created out of an ox-hide by the Gods, Jupiter, Neptune and Mercury, at the request of Hyreus who had entertained them. He was blinded by Oenopion (the name means “wine-faced”) for having raped Merope, Oenopion’s daughter, but recovered his sight by exposing his eyes to the rising sun. In consequence of his boast that he could slay any beast bred upon the earth the scorpion (Scorpius) was brought forth and Orion died from its sting.

According to Ptolemy the bright stars with the exception of Betelgeuze and Bellatrix are like Jupiter and Saturn. It is said to give a strong and dignified nature, self-confidence, inconstancy, arrogance, violence, impiety, prosperity in trade and particularly by voyages or abroad, but danger of treachery and poison. It was thought by the Romans to be very harmful to cattle and productive of storms. By the Kabalists it is associated with the Hebrew letter Aleph and the 1st Tarot Trump “The Juggler.” [1]

Orion, the Giant, Hunter and Warrior admired in all historic ages as the most strikingly brilliant of the stellar groups, lies partly within the Milky Way, extending on both sides of the celestial equator entirely south of the ecliptic, and so is visible from every part of the globe…In Egypt, as everywhere, Orion was of course prominent, especially so in the square zodiac of Denderah, as Horus in a boat surmounted by stars, followed by Sirius, shown as a cow, also in a boat; and nearly three thousand years previously had been sculptured on the walls of the recently discovered step-temple of Sakkara, and in the great Ramesseum of Thebes about 3285 B.C. as Sahu…

The head is marked by lambda, phi1, and phi², the stars alpha (Betelgeuse) and gamma (Bellatrix) pointing out the shoulders, beta (Rigel) and kappa (Saiph) the left foot and right knee. But Sir John Herschel observed from southern latitudes that the inverted view of the constellation well represents a human figure; the stars that we imagine the shoulders appearing for the knees, Rigel forming the head, and Cursa of Eridanus, one of the shoulders.

In astrology the constellation was Hyreides, Bayer’s Hyriades, from Ovid’s allusion to it as Hyriea proles, thus recalling the fabled origin from the bull’s hide still marked out in the sky. This, formerly depicted as a shield of rawhide, is now figured as a lion’s skin; and it perhaps was this Hyriean story that gave the stellar Orion the astrological reputation, recorded by Thomas Hood, of being “the verie cutthrote of cattle “; at all events, it certainly gave rise to the tripatros and Tripater, applied to him.

Saturnus has been another title, but its connection here I cannot learn, although I hazard the guess that as this divinity was the sun-god of the Phoenicians, his name might naturally be used for Uruanna-Orion, the sun-god of the Akkadians. [2]

Near neighbor to the Twins, Orion may be seen stretching his arms over a vast expanse of sky and rising to the stars with no less huge a stride. A single light marks each of his shining shoulders, and three aslant trace the downward line of his sword: but three mark Orion’s head, which is embedded in high heaven with his countenance remote. It is Orion who leads the constellations as they speed over the full circuit of heaven.

Orion will fashion alert minds and agile bodies, souls prompt to respond to duty’s call, and hearts which press on with unflagging energy in spite of every trial. A son of Orion’s will be worth a multitude and will seem to dwell in every quarter of the city; flying from door to door with the one word of morning greeting, he will enjoy the friendship of all. [3]

This picture is to show that the coming one is no mere animal, but a man: a mighty, triumphant, glorious prince. He is so pictured in the ancient Denderah Zodiac, where we see a man coming forth pointing to the three bright stars (Rigel, Bellatrix, and Betelgeuse) as his. His name is given as Ha-ga-t, which means this is he who triumphs. The hieroglyphic characters below read Oar. Orion was anciently spelt Oarion, from the Hebrew root, which means light. So that Orion means coming forth as light. The ancient Akkadian was Ur-ana, the light of heaven.

Orion is the most brilliant of all the constellations, and when he comes to the meridian he is accompanied by several adjacent constellations of great splendor. There is then above the horizon the most glorious view of the celestial bodies that the starry firmament affords; and this magnificent view is visible to all the habitable world, because the equinoctial line (or solstitial colure) passes nearly through the middle of Orion.

It contains 78 stars, two being of the 1st magnitude, four of the 2nd, four of the 3rd, sixteen of the 4th, etc. A little way below ι (in the sword) is a very remarkable nebulous star. A common telescope will show that it is a beautiful nebula. A powerful telescope reveals it as consisting of collections of nebulous stars, these again being surrounded by faint luminous points, which still more powerful telescopes would resolve into separate stars. Thus beautifully is set forth the brilliancy and glory of that Light which shall break forth when the moment comes for it to be said, “Arise, shine, for thy light is come.”

The picture presents us with “the Light of the world.” His left foot is significantly placed upon the head of the enemy. He is girded with a glorious girdle, studded with three brilliant stars; and upon this girdle is hung a sharp sword. Its handle proves that this mighty Prince is come forth in a new character. He is again proved to be “the Lamb that was slain,” for the hilt of this sword is in the form of the head and body of a lamb. In his right hand he lifts on high his mighty club; while in his left he holds forth the token of his victory–the head and skin of the “roaring lion.” We ask in wonder, “Who is this?” and the names of the stars give us the answer.

The brightest, α (in the right shoulder), is named Betelgeuz, which means the coming (Mal 3:2) of the branch. The next, β (in the left foot), is named Rigel, or Rigol, which means the foot that crusheth. The foot is lifted up, and placed immediately over the head of the enemy, as though in the very act of crushing it. Thus, the name of the star bespeaks the act. The next star, γ (in the left shoulder), is called Bellatrix, which means quickly coming, or swiftly destroying.

The name of the fourth star, δ (one of the three in the belt), carries us back to the old, old story, that this glorious One was once humbled; that His heel was once bruised. Its name is Al Nitak, the wounded One. * Similarly the star κ (in the right leg) is called Saiph, bruised, which is the very word used in Genesis 3:15, thus connecting Orion with the primeval prophecy. Like Ophiuchus, he has one leg bruised; while, with the other, he is crushing the enemy under foot. * The star ζ (in the belt) is called Mintaka, dividing, as a sacrifice (Lev 8:2).

This is betokened by other stars named Al Rai, who bruises, who breaks (as in Cepheus); and Thabit (Hebrew), treading on. Other (Arabic) names relate to His Person: Al Giauza, the branch; Al Gebor, the mighty; Al Mirzam, the ruler; Al Nagjed, the prince; Niphla (Chaldee), the mighty; Nux (Hebrew), the strong. Some names relate to His coming, as Betelgeuse and Bellatrix, as above; Heka (Chaldee), coming; and Meissa (Hebrew), coming forth. [4]

References

1. Fixed Stars and Constellations in Astrology, Vivian E. Robson, 1923, p.55.
2. Star Names: Their Lore and Meaning, Richard H. Allen, 1889, p.303-308.
3. Astronomica, Manilius, 1st century AD, p.35, 305.
4. The Witness of the Stars, E. W. Bullinger, 29. Orion (the Glorious One).