What is Astrolog ?

Description of Astrolog (last version is 5.40) you will find in Astrolog Homepage, created by Walter D. Pullen, where you can see different outputs of Astrolog and much more. Excellent description of Astrolog (also in HTML format) you can find in Tobias Ferber's Astrolog Page. Here you can see complete feature list of original Astrolog 5.40.

Alois Treindl modified Astrolog 5.30 and 5.40 and named new versions 5.31 and 5.41. They contains the new Swiss Ephemeris, more precise and quick than older Placalc ephemeris. The responsibility for this modification is with Alois Treindl.

Original Astrolog 5.31 and 5.41 with all related files are available at ftp://ftp.astro.com/pub/astrolog/

You can download here original Astrolog 5.30, 5.31, 5.40 and 5.41 files. If you need additional ephemeris files, look to original sites.

Christope Gros created Kastrolog, a port to KDE with other customizations. Downlaods on Kastrolog home page.

What's new in last changed version(s) ?

Astrolog sources are accessible to all users, and it allows me to add some features, which seems useful. Here is full list of changes, I have made, where you can also compare some outputs of original and changed Astrolog. Below changes in last versions.

Last version Astrolog 5.41G

• Fixed original Astrolog bug, where Local Horizon data (and also Prime Vertical) were off by up to several arc-minutes.

• Fixed original Astrolog bug (Windows version), where "Time / Space Midpoint" chart is correct, but it was not possible to return back to "No relationship chart" - there was still previous "midpoint" chart.

• In "Rising and Setting" chart fixed bug, where "Print Nearest Second" worked unproperly - seconds weren't shown for risings and settings.

  In this context more correct termin instead of "zenith" and "nadir" is astronomical termin "culmination" that means transit over meridian. There are two culminations: "upper culmination" when planet has highest position and "lower culmination" when planet has lowest position. So in the chart termins "zeniths" and "nadirs" are replaced by "culm.(up)" and "culm.(lo)" respectively.

• Incorrect object name "Nadir" has been replaced by corret "IC". Nadir has different meaning than IC, Nadir is the point on the sky opposite to Zenith.

• Slightly improved Astrolog's behaviour in case of progressed and relationship charts. Earlyer Windows versions allowed to do progression and then do some relationship chart like Natal-Progressed. Or vice versa, when looking say Natal-Progressed chart switch also Progression "on". That all confused Astrolog and results were often unpredictable.

  Now any use of relationship charts (in menu "Info") switches off "Do Progression" (in "Chart" => "Progressions"). And vice versa, switching progression on (in "Chart" => "Progression") switches off any comparison. As result Astrolog is displaying just what it has to dasplay, no confusion.

• Fixed orignal astrolog bug (appeared only in Windows version). When natal chart was opened from file with saved planets positions (not birth data), there only first output was correct, all next charts (as aspect list, transit searches, all comparison charts etc) had wrong planets positions.

  NB! Use such input files carefully! They are treated by astrolog as files "with no time and space", so a lot of chart types can't be used with them. An examples are all progression charts, because they needs birth-chart time to calculate progressions.

• Fixed bug of changed versions, where in case of use of data with saved planet positions (just as above), data-border of graphics charts dilsplayed info "no time or space" twice.

• Time and location have new format - with seconds, both for chart's data inputs and outputs. Only outputs with old data format are events searching outputs, because with reasonably low division value they anyway can be off by a few minutes, so seconds seems unnecessary there.

  "Rising and setting" chart is only exception among searching charts that shows time with seconds. Even with default setting d: 48 times are off by only a few seconds, and it is quick enough to show precise (by seconds) times with d: 96 in reasonably short time. Note, that values of azimuth angles in rising/setting moment are extremely sensitive of time changes (very small change of time causes big change in azimuth) and can be off by a few seconds. To improve azimuth precision one has to increase division value up to hundreds.

  All input files with old time/location format can be used, but all outputs are saved only in new time/location format.

• Calculations precision improved - time-dependent obliquity of ecliptic is used instead of fixed value.

• Added new switsh to change local horizon text output from default ENWS to NESW. One has just to add line

  =YZ

  to astrolog.dat file and it will be deafult setting.

• Slightly changed Prime Vertical text chart output: Altitude and Azimuth in header have been replaced by Amplitude and Prm-Vrt. One can see this chart by choosing "Local Horizon" and setting "Horizon Chart with Polar Center / Prime Vert. (text)" in "Chart settings". Note, that this switch has different meanings for text and graphics charts: in text mode it switches between Local Horizon <=> Prime Vertical outputs, in graphics it switches between "normal wiew" and "view vith Polar Center". However, one can switch also between Polar Center and Pime Vert. also in graphics by hitting 'i' on the keyboard (switch to bonus mode).

• Changed calculations of Solar Arc. Original Astrolog calculates there actually directions, where all planets and house cusps positions are moved forward to an amount equal in degrees to the number of years that have passed between the specified date and the chart in question. Because real (even mean or average) motion of Sun isn't 1 degree per day, resulting Solar Arc Sun position doesn't match with secondary progressed Sun position (but they must match).

  To correct this situation, there has been added another calculation of Solar Arc - first secondary progressed Sun's position is determined and then all chart components are moved accordlingly.

  To avoid misunderstanding, existing Solar Acr calculations remains, but have now corrected name "Degree Per Day/Month", as earlyer one can change amount of degrees per year (more strictly, amount of days for 1 degree direction. See description of -p0 and -pd switches in helpfile.540). Added calculation is named "Solar Arc Directions" and there Sun's position follows secondary progressed Sun positions, all other point in chart are moved accordlingly.

  Existing switches -p0, -p0n remain as previously. For new correct "Solar Arc Directions" calculations new switches -p1 and -p1n are used. In Windows version all can be done through menus: "Chart" => "Progressions..."

• Slightly changed chraphics charts' infoborder and text charts' headers - secondary progressed charts are still named as "progressed", Solar Arc and "Degree per Year/Mont" are marked as "directed" with name of direction.

• Graphics chart's infoborder has additional information: Obliquity of ecliptic, Sidereal time, Delta T (in seconds) and in case of sidereal chart Ayanamsha (sidereal offest).

  Note, that Ayanamsha has negative value and dafaults to Fagan Bradley. Ayanamsha control in "Calculation Settings" has a dropdown to allow quick selection of some common systems of sidereal astrology. The values are additions to default value and they are 0.0 for Fagan Bradley, 0.883333 (or 0 degrees 53') for N.C. Lahiri, 0.983333 (or 0 degrees 59') for Krishnamurti, and 2.333333 (or 2 degrees 20') for B.V. Raman. On the screen has shown resulting value.

• Date/time and Julian Day in the graphics charts' infoboredr has been colored:

  1. First (or single) data/time is always bright white.

  2. Second date/time is always yellow.

  3. JD (which is actually also time/date) has color of corresponding date/time above (as yellow in case of transit comparison or direction charts). If JD doesn't correspond to neither date/time above (as in case of progressions where JD corresponds to date/time of planets' positions on the screen), color is green. Note, that in case of Synastry and Comparison charts JD will be yellow, becsuse it corresponds to second date/time above (data of second chart).

• Windows version controls of progressed charts have been polished. They looks more clear now. As default 365.2422 (tropical) year has used.

  In "Degree per Days" dropdown are also available:
  

  365.25636 (sidereal year)
  27.321582 (tropical month)
  27.321661 (sidereal month)
  29.530588 (synodic month)

  Other more exotic (like Draconic) years/months aren't included.

• Astrolog computes position of Lilith (Dark Moon) using external ephemeris. When ephemeris are set off, Astrolog will display the position of the South Node instead (see helpfile.540, description of -HO switch). For users, who wants to use South Node always, there has been added new switch =YN which forces Astrolog to do it. This switch can be entered through "Edit" => "Enter Command Line" (Windows version) or simply added to astrolog.dat file to make this behaviour default.

• By default Astrolog calculates mean Lilith. For users who wants to use osculting position of Lilith, new switch -YL has been added. As above, this switch can be added to astrolog.dat file, which makes such behaviour default.

• Dispositors' glyphs on the graphics wheels can be switched off using switch -YD (default on). To choose appropriate default behaviour of the program, this switch can be added to astrolog.dat file.

Astrolog 5.41F

• Fixed original astrolog bug. POF (in main objects) was wrong in case of equatorial coordinates (but in arabic parts list it was correct).

• Colors of all main objects can be changed from default. New switch added:
  -Yq <object> <color>

  Just by standard Astrolog rules there are object and color numbers or names (see helpfile.540), so all examples below will give you blue Mars :)

  -Yq 5 12
  -Yq 5 blue
  -Yq mars 12
  -Yq mars blue

• Alternative stars restriction works now also with parallels. So if (with active "alternative restriction") you switch to parallels (View => Parallel Aspects), unrestricted will be stars which parallels some object (if you increase apect numbers for alternative restriction, there will be unrestricted stars with contraparallels too).

• To switch to parallels in command line (DOS or Unix) version (in Win version it's simple), there is new switch -YSP. It's useful also in some other cases (like in combination with -d switch to see parallel-contraparallel events during day/month etc).

• Added automagic restriction of stars also by prime vertical. There are new switches:
  -YUP <value>

  where value:
  

  0 - switch this off
  1 - unrestricted are stars, which conjuncts some object (except cusps, POF etc).
  2 - unrestricted are stars with PV = 0, 45, 90, etc degrees
  3 - unrestricted are both above
  

  -YUO1 <orb1>
  -YUO2 <orb2>

  These switches are obvious, they sets orbs for automagic restrictions above (for YUP 1 and YUP 2 respectively), default orbs are 1.166666667 deg (1deg10').
  When you use -YUP <value>, don't worry about switching on/off "alternative stars restriction", it will be automatically back to previous value when you get -YUP 0.
  I dindn't add anyhing to Windows version menus, all can be comfortably done by macros like
  {M0 1 "_v -Z0 -U -Up -YUP 1"}
  DOS version supports all new switches above.

• Added alternative date format for some outputs (like events search with -d switch), where abbreviature of month is printed instead of number of month (i.e. "12 Jan 2000" instead of original "12- 1-2000"). That can be switched by new switch -Yn. Default setting is Astrolog's original one (numeric month), =Yn switches to abbreviatures.

• Names and abbreviatures of aspects can be customized. New switches:
  -An <n> <name>
  -AA <n> <abbreviature>

  There n is number of aspect, name and abbreviature are new name and abbreviature for this aspect. Best way to use is put them to astrolog.dat file.

  NB! <abbreviature> MUST be three characters. Astrolog doesn't check lenght of new abbreviature, and in other case most outputs where aspect abbreviatures are used, will be distorted.

• Astrolog computes position of Lilith (Dark Moon) using external ephemeris. When -b setting is off, Astrolog will display the position of the South Node instead (see helpfile.540, description of -HO switch). Position of Lilith is calculated by Swiss Ephemeris only if central planet is Earth, and in version 5.41F if central planet isn't Earth, Lilit is analogiously replaced by South Node even if -b switch is on.

• Original Astrolog doesn't replace central object in comparison grid charts. In version 5.41F changes of central planet are reflected also there.

Astrolog 5.41E

• Added restriction set for progressed charts (for natal-progressed comparison charts only!). To set restrictions for progressed charts a new switch -YRP is used in the same way as restrictions and transit restricitons are set by -YR and -YRT switches (see helpfile and astrolog.dat).

• Modified power calculations. There are significant changes:
  • 1) Positional power calculations revised and cleaned. This caused changes in some settings in the astrolog.dat file (see power.txt). Initial powers are revised. Of course, one can play with these values to find his own preferred power levels.
  • 2) User can set powers of parallels relative to conjunctions (new switch -YOP <value>, default 0.25). In earlier versions this default value was fixed.
  • 3) In all planet power calculations only unrestricted aspects are used (earlier versions used in some outputs just the 5 main aspects).

• Small changes in headers for comparison text charts - for synastry and dual charts the name from the second chart is added.

• All older versions of Astrolog showed parallel/contraparallel aspects as separating. To find out whether a parallel/contraparallel is applying, it's necessary to know speeds in latitude but Astrolog did not use them, and could not calculate these aspects at all.

  Fortunately the Swiss Ephemeris calculates speeds in latitude, so in version 5.41E real appplying/separating parallel/contraparallel aspects are calculated. Note that it's necessary to use the Swiss Ephemeris to calculate them. With _b switch (don't use ephemeris files) Matrix routines are used and speeds in latitude aren't calculated, and these aspects won't be calculated in that case - as in original version, aspects are then always shown as separating.

• Fixed a bug in the Windows version, where restrictions of Alnilam and Elnath were garbled. Restriction of Alnilam caused the restriction of Elnath and vice-versa.

• Fixed a bug in the Windows version, where it wasn't possible to use the "Null" house system.

• Aspects between fixed stars are removed from all outputs.

Astrolog 5.41D

• Fixed bug in Windows and Unix/Linux versions 5.41C, where use of alternative interpretation files causes crach of program.

• Calculations of Uranianas are also moved from Matrix routines to Swiss Ephemeris. No need in additional ephemeris files, these ephemeris are in standard SWEPH package. Note, that Proserpina was added earlyer by myself and is calculated as previously by Matrix routines. So Proserpina is moved to last place and is now Uranian #9 (not #8 as earlyer).

• Improved fixed stars ephemeris file fixstars.ast:
  • In previous file all omegas and omicrons had same canonical name - om. Now all omegas are clearly ome, all omicrons omi. That caused small changes in printout formats where canonical names of fixed stars are used.
  • Stars are reordered by constellations, which helps seek of necessary stars.
  • Added names to lot of stars.
  • Added some stars, used in astrology, but not listed earlyer. Now file contains data of over 1000 fixed stars.

• Added stars ordering by Prime Vertical. In Windows version it can be choosen in Chart settings, in command line versions is added new switch -Up.

• Added new graphics output - local horizon chart in Prime Vertical coordinates. In original Astrolog -Z0 switch has different meanings in text and graphics modes. In text mode it gets output with prime vertical coordinates, in graphics mode it's local horizon output (same with -Z), but with other point of view, named in Windows version "Horizon Chart Displays With Polar Center" (choose it in "Chart" => "Chart Settings", then "Local Horizon" chart and then Graphics).

  • Original Astrolog output. You lie faced to zehith, head to Nord. Zenith is just in centre of screen, upper half is nordic hemisphere, internal circle represents local horizon, external dashed circle represents "stretched" opposite point Nadir. Planets, which are under horizon, are outside internal circle. Original Astrolog covered sky up to -90 deg in corners of picture and up tp -37 deg latitude in N, E, S and W directions (so area inside 53 deg to nadir in these directions is invisible). I rescaled picture, so now in these directions is invisible only area inside 9 degree from Nadir (visible is part between +90 and -81 degree latitude), and in corners is visible "stretched" Nadir.

  • To switch to added Prime Vertical mode, hit i (bonus mode). This system is exactly perpendicular to previous. You are faced to South - horizontal line in centre of screen is local horizon, just in centre of screen is southern point of horizon. Part inside of internal cicrcle is just in front of you, outside of cicrcle behind you. So Zenith is just upper crossing point of vertical line and circle, nadir lower one. This picture is scaled just as previous one, dached outern circle is "stretched" northen point on local horizon.

Astrolog 5.41C

All changes in last version are connected with fixed stars. Main change - also fixed stars are now calculated by Swiss Ephemeris routines.

• Stars calculations moved to Swiss Ephemeris, which improved precision of calculations. Additional file fixstars.ast is necessary. That's specially modified file fixstars.cat from SWEPH, which contains data of about 800 fixed stars (actually fixstars.ast is last version of fixstars.cat, where data of stars, used by Astrolog, are copied to first 74 lines). There are traditional name of star (like Aldebaran), canonical name (like alTau), ephemeris and magnitude. Without this file all stars calculations are made as in previous versions.

• If fixstars.ast file is used, name and maginitude from file overwrites these internal data of Astrolog and are printed out in listings etc. In some printouts are used also canonical names of stars.

• Stars are searched by line (star) number in fixstars.ast file, so copying of lines in astrolog.ast to first 74 positions gives possibilty to use all stars from this catalogue (in blocks by 74 stars, allowed by changed Astrolog).
  • Note, that most stars in catalogue hasn't traditional name but only canonical name. If you want to use such a stars, I suggest to write canonical name also into traditional name field (like i'ts made with zeRet in fixstars.ast). In other case you will see blank starname(s) in all listings and if such stars are more than one, it's difficult to distinguish them (in some printouts they can be distinguished by canonical name).

• Changed stars restrictions menu in Windows version. Internal names of stars, used by Astrolog, are overwritten by names from fixstars.ast file. Canonical names aren't used there, so if you will use stars with blank traditional name filed, it will be blank also in menu.
  • Note, that when Astrolog starts first time with disallowed fixed stars, internal stars names are used (because fixstars.ast file isn't used in this case). If you use modified fixstars.ast file, you have to cast once any chart with all fixed stars unrestricted. Then all stars names will be overwritten and with next charts you can see there new names from fixstars.ast and use them for restriction.

  • In case of alternative stars restriciton you don't need stars restriction menu, stars are restricted and unrestricted automagically. But after first chart with fixed stars there will be names from fixstars.ast.

• Changed some text outputs:
  • In chart listing object name field is increased to 10 characters, (important for stars!), for stars added canonical names instead of blank field for velocity.

  • In Local Horizon and Prime Vertical text charts added recpective line to header, object names increased to 7 characters.

• Stars colours can be customized. New switches:
  -YUb1 <value> for stars with magnitude below 1.0
  -YUb2 <value> for stars with magnitude between 1.0 and 2.0
  -YUb3 <value> for stars with magnitude over 2.0

  Colors: ( <value> )

  0 - black, 1 - maroon, 2 - dk. green, 3 - orange, 4 - dk. blue, 5 - purple, 6 - dk. cyan, 7 - lt. gray, 8 - dk. gray, 9 - red, 10 - green, 11 - yellow, 12 - blue, 13 - magenta, 14 - cyan, 15 - white.

  "Save settings" in Windows version saves also these stars colours settings.

• To Windows version "Help" menu added new item - Open Fixed Stars, which opens WEB browser and connects to infoserver http://www.winshop.com.au/annew/. URL is placed into file stars.url, added to package.

Astrolog 5.41B

• Added alternative interpretation of TRANSIT-NATAL comparison charts, analogious to earlyer alternative interpretation of natal charts. For details see file interalt.txt. Sample interpretation files with descriptions are in file interalt.zip.

• Added three new switches (YSa, YSj, YSs) for use in astrolog.dat file, which allows to change some default settings:
  =YSa - sets aspects in listings by default as applying-separating.
  =YSj - influence text chart shows by default also house's influence.
  =YSs - aspect listing shows by default also aspect summary.

• To most text outputs added headers, where are described type of chart, in case of comparison charts also data of both charts. In case of multiply charts header is printed only once.

• To Aspects Configurations list added also "Kite" (described for example in lesson about aspects by L. M. C. McPherson.

• Fixed original Astrolog bug, appeared between versions 5.30 and 5.40 - positions of planets and Houses in Gauquelin graphics chart infoborder was wrong.

• To Windows version "Help" menu added new item - Open World Atlas, which opens WEB browser and connects to infoserver http://www.astro.ch/atlas/. (I use it often to find coordinates and timezones of different towns). URL is placed into file watlas.url, added to package.

• Fixed original Astrolog omission - Windows version "Help" menu looks for necessary files only in local directory. Now these files are searched through all directories, connected with astrolog (see helpfile for details of setting of environment variables) with searching order:
  • 1) Local directory
  • 2) Environment directories, set in autoexec.bat, one of them version specific (names of directories as examples, names of environment variables must be strict and in upper-case:
    • a) set ASTR5.41B=C:\aaaaa\541
    • b) set ASTROLOG=d:\abbbb
    • c) set ASTR=H:\miscfile
  • 3) Default directory, compiled in: C:\ASTROLOG

  If Astrolog doesn't find file, it doesn't attempt to start wordpad or WEB browser but prints only warning, that it can't find file.

• Improved configuration file astrolog.dat, saved by Windows version - all switches of changed versions are in separate section:
  ; SWITCHES, NOT SUPPORTED BY ORIGINAL ASTROLOG

  That simplifies use of the same astrolog.dat file for both changed and original versions - for original version simply comment out all switches, described in this section.

• Fixed bug in stars restriction window, appeared in 5.41a (star Sheat was always shown as unrestricted).

Astrolog 5.41a

Astrolog 5.40 and then 5.41 with Swiss Ephemeris was released.

• Here I moved all my previous changes from Astrolog 5.31g to new original version 5.41. Because Swiss Ephemeris are more precise and quick than older Placalc ephemeris, I moved to 5.41 and don't will change versions with Placalc anymore. So Astrolog 5.40a doesn't exist.

Astrolog 5.31g

Alois Treindl modified Astrolog 5.30 and named new version 5.31. It contains the new Swiss Ephemeris, more precise and quick than older Placalc ephemeris. The responsibility for this modification is with Alois Treindl. Look above for details.

The use of that source code is subject to the Swiss Ephemeris Public License, available at http://www.astro.ch/swisseph/

• Just same modification is made with Astrolog 5.30g1, new version name is 5.31g. This version hasn't any additional modifications from my side, so 5.30g1 and 5.31g are functionally same, differnce is in ephemeris files. As with original 5.31, Windows version has planetary ephemeris built into code.