Fixed star

Ancient Myths

History of the star: Alpha Aurigae, Capella is the Lucida of the constellation Auriga and the 6th largest star in the sky. Capella means "small goat" or the Little She-goat. A previous name of this star was Amalthea, which was the goat that suckled the baby Zeus. There are many ancient stories relating to the star, as every culture in antiquity found a place for this bright companion to Taurus, its closest neighbor. "Capella's course admiring landsmen trace, but sailors hate her inauspicious face".

This star known for its stormy character throughout classical days and called the 'rainy Goat-star'.
Amalthea came from the name of the Cretan goat, the nurse of Jupiter and mother of the Haedi (the two stars depicted as kid goats - Zeta and Eta Auriga), which she put aside to accommodate her foster-child, and for which Manilius wrote: The Nursing Goat's repaid with Heaven.

The nurse was the nymph Amalthea, who, with her sister Melissa, fed the infant god with goat's milk and honey on Mount Ida and this star is appropriately positioned in the Milky Way. Others said that the star represented the Goat's horn broken off in play by the infant Jove (Jupiter) and transferred to the heavens as Cornucopia, the Horn of Plenty.

Capella's place on the Egyptian Denderah zodiac is occupied by a mummied cat in the outstretched hand of a male figure crowned with feathers; while, always an important star in the temple worship of the great Egyptian god Ptah, the Opener (of the year), it is supposed to have borne the name of that divinity and probably was observed at its setting 1700 BCE from his temple, the noted edifice at Karnak near Thebes, the No Amon of the books of the prophets Jeremiah and Nahum. A sanctuary of Ptah at Memphis also was oriented to it about 5200 BCE.

There's believed to be at least five temples oriented to its setting. It served, too, the same purpose for worship in Greece, where it may have been the orientation point of a temple at Eleusis to the goddess Diana Propyla. In India it also was sacred as Brahma Ridaya, the Heart of Brahma.

It was the Akkadian Dil-gan I-ku, the Messenger of Light, and Dil-gan Babill, the Patron star of Babylon, known in Assyria as I-ku, the Leader, i.e. of the year; in Akkadian times, previous to 1700 BCE, the commencement of the year was determined by the position of this star in relation to the moon at the vernal equinox. Capella perhaps has increased in luster during the present century.

Spectroscopists say that Capella is virtually identical with the sun in physical constitution, and furnishes the model spectrum of the solar type, yellow in tinge and ruled throughout with innumerable fine dark lines. In astrology Capella portended civic and military honors and wealth. So, there is a reasonably possibility to organic life´s growth in any planet around Capella, as affirmated by brazilian espiritists and in many phylosophic publication, as Edgard Armond´s book: The Exileds from Capella.

Astrological Influences

Influence of the constellation: According to Ptolemy the bright stars are like Mars and Mercury. The constellation is said to give self-confidence, interest in social and educational problems. Happiness, but danger of great vicissitudes (changes of circumstances effecting one's life). The native is fond of country life and may be a teacher or have the upbringing of young people. By the Kabalists Auriga is associated with the Hebrew letter Samech and the 15^th Tarot Trump "The Devil". (Robson).

General influence of the star: According to Ptolemy it is of the nature of Mars and Mercury; and, to Alvidas, of Mercury and the Moon. It gives honor, wealth, eminence, renown, a public position of trust and eminent friends, and makes its natives careful, timorous, inquisitive, very fond of knowledge and particularly of novelties. (Robson).

Capella has a Mercury-Mars nature. The Mercury properties are more eminent and show in a love of learning, studiousness and interest in research. These properties are accentuated if Capella is connected with Moon, Mercury or the Ascendant. In plain people, these properties make themselves known by persistent, annoying and inquisitive curiosity. According to tradition, this star also makes people somewhat odd, a tendency for such natives to cut capers. This could be counted as another manifestation of a weak Neptunian influence. Connected to beneficial stellar bodies, natives will become popular, receive honors and have success in material enterprises. (Ebertin).

Rising: "The' Olenian goat (Capella, Olenian either as being on the left arm of the Charioteer, or as the daughter of Oleniss), keeping watch over the Kids which stray ahead, enstarred on the right in the cold north sky for her services as foster-mother of mighty Jove (Jupiter). She gave the Thunderer (Jupiter) sound nourishment, satisfying with her own milk the infant's hungry body and giving him therewith sufficient strength to wield his bolts. Of the Goat are born anxious minds and trembling hearts which start at every noise and are apt to flutter at the slightest cause. Inborn in them, too, is a longing to explore the unknown, even as goats seek fresh shrubs on mountain slopes and rejoice, as they browse, to move ever further afield". (Manilus book 5 of Astronomica, 1st century AD).

When Rising its natives will be curious about all things and have an impatient eagerness to hear anything new. But care must be taken lest the native be overly anxious and take terror at even trivial bits of new information.

When Setting; the curiosity of the native may lead him to reject and insult the underlying mores of the society in which he lives. The result could be ill will of the populace, leading to death or injury from actions of the people, or even (especially if aspected by malefics) death by public execution. (Noonan).

If culminating: Military, naval or ecclesiastical connections and preferment, waste dissipation, envy and trouble. If at the same time with Sun, Moon or Jupiter, ample fortune and great honor. (Robson).

With Sun: Vacillating, changeable, too loquacious, quick speech, misunderstood and criticized, martial honor and wealth. (Robson).

With Moon: Inquisitive, loquacious, indiscreet speech, sarcastic, quarrelsome, many journeys and voyages, domestic disharmony, danger to sight, liable to accidents. (Robson).

With Mercury: Disagreeable experiences, legal action over writings and success after much difficulty. (Robson).

With Venus: Literary and poetical ability, unfavorable for gain. (Robson).

With Mars: Intellectual, learned, talents wasted on low subjects. (Robson).

With Jupiter: Legal or ecclesiastical connections, slander and criticism, too enthusiastic or zealous, many voyages, trouble with relatives. (Robson).

With Saturn: Shrewd, tidy fond of luxury, many detrimental habits, makes much money but does not keep it, trouble from opposite sex and domestic disharmony, bad health at end of life and afflicted in arms, legs or eyes necessitating restricted movement. (Robson).

With Uranus: Eccentric, mentally unbalanced or insane, clever inventor especially in connection with electricity, dependent upon others, little gain, peculiar religions views, unfavorable for domestic affairs; children, if any, weak in intellect. (Robson).

With Neptune: Prominent psychological writer, high ambitions and moderate success, courageous, rash, studious, connected with inventions to do with methods of transit, many journeys, peculiar hygienic ideas, disharmony with brothers, unfavorable for children, accidents in early life, health collapses in middle age necessitating confinement but mental faculties remain active. (Robson).

*Fixed star:* CAPELLA Albajoth/Amalthea
*Constellation:* Auriga - Alpha
*Longitude 1900:* 20GEM28	*Longitude 2000:* 21GEM51
*Declination 1900:* +45.54'.	*Declination 2000:* +46.00'.
*Right ascension:* 05h16m.	*Latitude:* +22.51'.
*Spectral class:* GG.	*Magnitude:* 0.08.
*Suggested orb:* 1' 14"	*Planetary nature:* Mar-Mer

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