well astrologers used fixed stars before the outer planets were discovered. Their interpretatations were a bit on the extreme,fatalistic side. They were like the outerplanets in a way.
as we become more humanistic,psychological in Astrology, many astrologers don't use the fixed stars. They are used more by astrologers that are into traditional, classical astrology.
Bernadette Brady uses a totally different fixed star system that is called parans
a star paran
a star and a planet are on an angle on the day of birth
the heliacal rising and the heliacal setting stars are used too.
Bernadette Brady doesn't believe in using star ecliptic longitude projections like Diana Rosenberg uses.
she also doesn't use the term,conjunction when it comes to conjunctions with ecliptic longitude projections because many of the stars aren't on the ecliptic, and so aren't in true conjunctions to the planets,angles which are on the ecliptic.
there are stars that are near the ecliptic like Aldebaran,Regulus,Antares, Ancha,and others
stars like Fomalhaut,Sirius, Betelgeuse are far from the ecliptic
I like the paran system, and so I got the Starlight program. It shows the star parans and does actual skymaps...shows what constellations the planets,angles are in.
Bernadette Brady believes that the myths behind the stars and constellations are essential into finding the meaning of the stars,constellation influences.
She uses them in a psychological way.
However, if a star is in a certain phase, it can be interpreting in an extreme, black and white way.
there are astrologers that do believe that it doesn't matter if a star is on the ecliptic or not. Diana Rosenberg definitely doesn't believe that it doesn't matter. Reinhold Ebertin didn't see any difference either.
Raymond
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“It is absolutely the perfect name,” Dr. Brown said, given the continuing discord among astronomers and the public over whether Pluto should have retained its planetary status.
In mythology, Eris ignited discord that led to the Trojan War.
“She causes strife by causing arguments among men, by making them think their opinions are right and everyone else’s is wrong,” Dr. Brown said. “It really is just perfect.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/15/science/space/15xena.html?_r=1