I was browsing through Charles Burnett's translation of Abu Ma'shar's Abbreviation of the Introduction to Astrology and came across this intriguing section

''As for the Moon , there are eight conditions of it from it. The first is when it is in the heart. The second is when it is distant from it by 12 degrees. The third is when it is 90 degrees from it and it is in its body half-lit, increasing. The fourth, is when it is 12 degrees short of opposition. The fifth, is when it is at the precise point of opposition. The sixth is when it has passed opposition by 12 degrees.The seventh is when it is 90 degrees between it and the Sun and it is increasing. The eighth is when it when there are 12 degrees between the Sun and it, and it is on the border of its rays , going towards it.''

I found that interesting as it indicates that Abu Mashar considered the Moon moving out of the Sun's rays at 12 degrees rather than the standard 15 or 17 of later medieval or renissance astrology. In astronomical terms this does relate I believe to when the Moon first becomes visible after the new moon? I assume ''the heart'' is what we call 'cazimi'.

What really interested me though was the footnote to Charles Burnett's translation:

The conditions of the Moon can be found in Vettius Valens, Book II, chapter 36, p71, although in a different form to Abu Ma'shar's. The eight conditions here seem to relate to her aspects with the Sun: in the heart, beginning of conjunction, waxing square, beginning of opposition; partile opposition; end of opposition; waning square, beginning of conjunction.

Does any know more about Valens ideas on the conditions of the Moon? I dont have that text myself.

Hi, Steven Birchfield make a discussion about it in the issue 2 of his magazine "foundations". As I don?t know how and if he made it available by other means than email, I took the liberty of putting the file in the link below

http://www.box.net/shared/gj4o7dmchc

Y

yuzuru wrote:Hi, Steven Birchfield make a discussion about it in the issue 2 of his magazine "foundations". As I don?t know how and if he made it available by other means than email, I took the liberty of putting the file in the link below

http://www.box.net/shared/gj4o7dmchc

Y

tell me yuzuru does one have to be registered to that site (box.net) to be able to see the contents of the file you uploaded? cause I can't see anything...

well, suposedlly not !

I put it in another link:
http://www.mediafire.com/?1m5wm2k2n13

yuzuru wrote:well, suposedlly not !

I put it in another link:
http://www.mediafire.com/?1m5wm2k2n13

thank you very much yuzuru, got it through mediafire.com

Hi, Steven Birchfield make a discussion about it in the issue 2 of his magazine "foundations". As I don?t know how and if he made it available by other means than email, I took the liberty of putting the file in the link below

Hi Yuzuru,

Thats perfect. Just what I was looking for.

Thanks

Mark