Bernadette Brady

 University of Wales, Trinity Saint David, Wales

Abstract

Star Phases, Mortal Gods and Angels

Horizon astronomy and the annual movement of the sun produce the phenomena of star phases, where certain stars will appear to be circumpolar, only to descend and become involved with the horizon. Alternatively, other stars will be involved with the horizon, only to disappear completely for a set period of time before returning once again to visibility.  In the 3rd millennium BCE, observation of such phases provided the Egyptians with the basis for their Sothis calendar which Neugebauer (1942) noted was probably the longest running calendaric institution known and endured into the first few centuries of the Christian era.  Parallel with this calendar was the ascension myth of the Egyptian king whose life, according to Davis (1977), reflected the pattern of star phases: the Egyptian king belonged to the realm of the immortal gods, was born into the earthly realm and, upon his death, ascended to retake his place amongst the stars.  This paper proposes that the influence of star phases extended beyond Egyptian theology and is one of the inspirations for the belief in the descent of divine beings and their interaction with humans, from the early incorporation of angels to the coming or return of the Messianic gods. 

 

PowerPoint of Bernadette's presentation

Biographical Details

Bernadette Brady holds an MA in Cultural Astronomy and Astrology from Bath Spa University. She is a tutor for the MA in Cultural Astronomy and Astrology at The University of Wales, Trinity Saint David, and tutors for Schumacher College, in partnership with the University of Plymouth, in their MSc programme on Holistic Science. She is currently reading for her doctorate in determinism in western astrology at The University of Wales, Trinity Saint David, UK.  Her publications include ‘Chartres Cathedral and the Role of the Sun in the Cathedral’s Christian Platonist Theology’ in Sky and Psyche, Floris Books 2006; ‘Four Galilean Horoscopes: An Analysis of Galileo’s Astrological Techniques’ in Galileo’s Astrology, Cinnabar Books, 2003 and ‘Some philosophical roots of determinism in astrology’ in Jupiter, Astronomy, Mathematics and Anthroposophy 2009.