What are the ephemerides? How do they help us?
Dharmik Team
An ephemeris (plural:
ephemerides; from the Greek word „φήμεροςephemeros” "daily") is a table of
values that gives the positions of astronomical objects in the sky at a given
time or times. Different kinds are used for astronomy and astrology. Even
though this was also one of the first applications of mechanical computers, an
ephemeris will still often be a simple printed table.
The position is
given to astronomers in a spherical polar coordinate system of right ascension
and declination or to astrologer in longitude along the zodiacal ecliptic, and
sometimes declination. Astrological positions may be given for either noon or
midnight.
An astronomical
ephemeris may also provide data on astronomical phenomena of interest to
astrologers and astronomers such as eclipses, apparent retrogradation/planetary
stations, planetary ingresses, sidereal time, positions for the Mean and True
nodes of the moon, the phases of the Moon, and sometimes even the position(s)
of Chiron, and other minor celestial bodies. Astrologers also use other
ephemerides that include tables of imaginary celestial bodies, such as Lilith,
a term they use variously for the apogee of the Moon or the second focus of the
Moon's orbit. Some ephemerides also contain a monthly aspectarian, while others
often include the declination of the planets as well as their longitudes, right
ascensions or Cartesian coordinates.
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