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Translation of Light in Horary Astrology
Translation of light is when a third, faster planet separates from one significator and applies to the other, carrying their connection forward even though the two significators never aspect each other directly. It's one of the ways a horary chart can still perfect without a direct aspect between the two principal planets.
Horary astrology is a traditional, rule-based symbolic practice with no empirical scientific basis -- treat this page, and Querens itself, as entertainment and a genuinely interesting historical system, not fact.
What Lilly says
Christian Astrology, p.110-113 (1647 ed.)
Lilly treats translation of light as a legitimate way for a matter to come to pass even when the significators themselves form no aspect -- the connecting planet effectively hands one significator's light to the other, in the order it visits them.
How Querens reads this
Querens looks for a third planet that is faster than both significators, has just separated from one of them, and is now applying to the other -- in that order. When found, this is treated as a full perfection between the significators, on the same footing as a direct applying aspect, and reported in the rule trace by name.
See it in a real chart
See it in Lilly's Library: “If she should marry the man desired” →
Frequently asked questions
- What is translation of light?
- A third, faster planet separating from one significator and applying to the other, carrying their connection forward without the significators aspecting each other directly.
- Does translation of light count as a real perfection?
- Yes -- Querens treats a detected translation the same as a direct applying aspect between the significators.
- How is translation of light different from collection of light?
- Translation carries light from one significator to the other, in sequence. Collection is when both significators apply to the same third planet at once.