Often called lunar mansion, a lunar station or lunar house is a segment of the ecliptic through which the Moon passes in its orbit around the Earth. The concept was used by several ancient cultures as part of their calendrical system.
Stations in different cultures In general, though not always, In different traditions, the sky is divided into 27 or 28 lunar mansions, corresponding approximately to the Moon’s 27.3-day sidereal orbit. (A sidereal month lasts about days.) The Moon's position is charted with respect to those fixed segments. Lunar stations track the Moon’s position against the background of stars or along the zodiac; in some traditions, their positions can also be related to the annual cycle of the Sun and the seasons.
Various cultures developed systems of lunar stations, including the Jyotisha nakshatras of India, the Arabic manāzil al-qamar, and the Twenty-Eight Mansions of Chinese astronomy. Ancient Egyptian decans were a separate system of 36 stellar groups, and the 36 decans of Egyptian astronomy. Modern Western astrology generally does not use lunar mansions, although they were used in some historical Western and Arabic astrological traditions; in a 28-mansion system, each 30-degree zodiac sign contains parts of two or three mansions. The Chinese system groups the 28 lunar mansions into four groups associated with the four directions, seasons, and their corresponding celestial animals.
The concept of lunar stations is thought to originate in Babylonian astronomy. Tester (1987) explains that they appear in Hellenistic astrology in the 2nd-century list of fixed stars in the Katarchai by Maximus, the Arabic lists by Alchandri and Ibn Abī l-Rijāl, and a similar Coptic list with Greek names.
Tester believes that though they were known in the Vedic period of India, all lists "seem to betray" transmission through Greek sources. Though pointing out that the Babylonians had well established lunar groupings by the 6th century BC, he also notes that the 28 station "scheme was derived via Egyptian magic by the linking of the lists of lucky and unlucky days of the lunar month with the hemerologies and with the zodiac."
Somali 'god' In traditional Somali astronomy and weather-lore, the lunar calendar was divided into 28 "stations of the moon" known as god, which were used to track weather and seasonal changes across the Somali Peninsula.Muusa H. I. Galaal (1970). ''Stars, Seasons and Weather in Somali Pastoral Traditions''. Indiana University. pp. 29–30. According to Galaal, the Somali peninsula itself was traditionally divided into seven distinct weather districts, each with regional variations in the names and interpretation of these stations.
Chinese 宿 xiù
The 28 Lunar Mansions, or more precisely lodgings () are the Chinese and East Asian form of the lunar stations. They can be considered as the equivalent to the Western zodiac, although the 28 stations reflect the movement of the Moon through a sidereal month rather than the Sun in a tropical year; (cf. Solar term). In their final form, they embodied the astral forms of the Four Symbols: two real and two legendary animals important in traditional Chinese culture, such as feng shui.
Indian nakshatra
The nakshatras (or more precisely nákṣatra, lit. "stars") are the Indian form of lunar stations. They usually number 27 but sometimes 28 and their names are related to the most prominent constellations in each sector. In modern practice they start from a point on the ecliptic precisely opposite the star Spica (Sanskrit: Chitrā) and develop eastwards but the oldest traditional method was to use the Vernal Equinox point as the starting point of Ashvini Nakshatra. In classical Hindu mythology, the creation of the nakshatras is attributed to Daksha. The nakshatras were wives of Chandra, the moon god. The nakshatras of traditional Hindu astronomy are based on a list of 28 asterisms found in the Atharvaveda (AVŚ 19.7) and also in the Shatapatha Brahmana. The first astronomical text that lists them is the Vedanga Jyotisha. The stations are important parts of Indian astrology.
+ List of 27 Nakshatras in Hindu Astrology No. Name (Sanskrit) Deity Ruling Planet 1 Ashvini Ashvins (twin horsemen gods) Ketu 2 Bharani Yama (god of death) Venus 3 Krittika Agni (fire god) Sun 4 Rohini Brahma Moon 5 Mrigashira Soma (Chandra/Moon god) Mars 6 Ardra Rudra (storm god) Rahu 7 Punarvasu Aditi (mother of gods) Jupiter 8 Pushya Brihaspati (guru of gods) Saturn 9 Ashlesha Naga (serpent deities) Mercury10 Magha Pitrs (ancestors) Ketu11 Purva Phalguni Bhaga (god of delight) Venus12 Uttara Phalguni Aryaman (noble companion) Sun13 Hasta Savitar (solar deity) Moon14 Chitra Tvashtar (celestial architect) Mars15 Swati Vayu (wind god) Rahu16 Vishakha Indra and Agni Jupiter17 Anuradha Mitra (god of friendship) Saturn18 Jyeshtha Indra (king of gods) Mercury19 Mula Nirriti (goddess of destruction) Ketu20 Purva Ashadha Apah (water deities) Venus21 Uttara Ashadha Vishvadevas (universal gods) Sun22 Shravana Vishnu (preserver god) Moon23 Dhanishta Eight Vasus Mars24 Shatabhisha Varuna (god of cosmic waters) Rahu25 Purva Bhadrapada Aja Ekapada (one-footed goat) Jupiter26 Uttara Bhadrapada Ahir Budhnya (serpent of the deep) Saturn27 Revati Pushan (protector of travelers) Mercury
Arabic manzil In the traditional Arabic astrological system, the new moon was seen to move through 28 distinct manāzil (singular: manzil "house") during the normal solar year, each manzil lasting, therefore, for about 13 days. One or more manazil were then grouped into a nawaa (plural anwaa) which were tied to a given weather pattern. In other words, the yearly pattern was divided in the following manner: A year was divided into anwaa, each of which was made up of one more manazil, which were associated with a dominant star or constellation. These stars and constellations were sometimes, but not always, connected in some way to constellations in the Zodiac. Moreover, as the anwaa repeat on a regular, solar cycle, they can be correlated to fixed points on the Gregorian calendar.
The following table is a list of the 28 manāzil.
Manzil Meaning Stars Western constellation(s) Begins on ash-Sharatan () The Two Signs α Ari, β Ari (Sheratan) Aries 17 May al-Butayn () The Little Belly of the Lamb 41 Ari, 39 Ari, 35 Ari Aries 31 May ath-Thuraya () The Little Abundant One Pleiades Taurus 13 June ad-Dabaran () The Follower of Thuraya Aldebaran Taurus 26 June al-Haq’a () The Hair Whorl λ Ori, φ1 Ori, φ2 Ori Orion 9 July al-Han’a () The Neck Mark γ Gem (Alhena), ξ Gem Gemini 22 July adh-Dhira’a al-Mabsuta () The Extended Forearm Castor and Pollux Gemini 4 August an-Nathra () The Tip of the Nose M44, γ Cnc, δ Cnc Cancer 17 August at-Tarf () The Eyes λ Leo (Alterf), κ Cnc Leo 30 August al-Jabha () The Forehead Regulus, η Leo, γ Leo (Algieba), ζ Leo Leo 12 September az-Zubra () The Mane δ Leo, θ Leo Leo 25 September as-Sarfa () The Weather Change Denebola Leo 8 October al-‘Awa’ () The Howling Dogs β Vir, η Vir, γ Vir, δ Vir, ε Vir Virgo 21 October as-Simak al-A’zal () The Unarmed Sky-Raiser Spica Virgo 3 November al-Ghafr () The Concealment ι Vir, κ Vir, λ Vir Virgo 16 November az-Zubana () The Two Claws of the Scorpion β Lib, α Lib Libra 29 November al-Iklil () The Crown of the Scorpion β Sco, δ Sco, π Sco Scorpius 12 December al-Qalb () The Heart of the Scorpion Antares Scorpius 25 December ash-Shawla () The Raised Tail λ Sco (Shaula), υ Sco Scorpius 3 January an-Na’a’im () The Ostriches γ Sgr, η Sgr, ε Sgr, δ Sgr, λ Sgr, φ Sgr, ζ Sgr, τ Sgr, σ Sgr Sagittarius 16 January al-Balda () The Wasteland an empty region near π Sgr (Albaldah) Sagittarius 29 January Sa’d adh-Dhabih () The Auspice of the Slaughterer α Cap, β Cap (Dabih) Capricornus 11 February Sa’d Bul’ () The Voracious Auspice ε Aqr (Albali), μ Aqr Aquarius 26 February Sa’d as-Su’ud () The Auspice of Auspices β Aqr (Sadalsuud), ξ Aqr Aquarius 11 March Sa’d al-Akhbiya () The Auspice of Woolen Tents γ Aqr (Sadachbia), π Aqr, ζ Aqr, η Aqr Aquarius 24 March al-Fargh al-Awal () The First Spout α Peg, β Peg Pegasus 6 April al-Fargh ath-Thani () The Second Spout α And, γ Peg Andromeda and Pegasus 19 April al-Hut () The Great Fish β And, M31, ν And, μ And, υ Psc, φ Psc, χ Psc, ψ1 Psc, η And, ζ And, ε And, δ And, π And Andromeda and Pisces 2 May
The dates above are approximate; notice that there are 2 days missing from a solar year in the table above.
More information
+Lunar station - [Manazilu ʾl-Qamar منازل القمر] according to Islamic astronomical system (Arabic sources)StationPeriod(approx. by Arabic sources)Starting degreeof Sidereal Zodiac signConstellationʿAmal عمل(lit. "doer"/ "doer of the deed")(The Angel ruling the Manazil and ḥurūf)Lunar station[Manazilu ʾl-Qamar منازل القمر]Arabic alphabet [ḥurūf حروف] - Abjadī Order Transliteration Letter Name Letter Value(Abjad numerals) Letter(Isolated Form) 1st 5 April 0° 0' Aries ʾIsrāfīl إِسْرَافِيلʾAsh-Sharaṭayn / ʾAn-Naṭḥ ﭐلْشَّرَطَيْن \ ﭐلْنّطحā / ’ (also ʾ )alif 1أ2nd18 April12° 51' Jibrāʾīl
جِبْرَائِيلʾAl-Buṭayn ﭐلْبُطَيْنbbāʾ2ب3rd1 May25° 43' Kalkāʾīl* كلكائيلʾAth-Thurayyā
ﭐلْثُّرَيَّاj (also ǧ, g)jīm3ج4th14 May8° 34'Taurus Dardāʾīl* دردَائِيلʾAd-Dabarān ﭐلْدَّبَرَانddāl4د5th27 May21° 26' Dūryāʾīl* دوريَائِيلʾAl-Haqʿah
ﭐلْهَقْعَةhhāʾ5ه6th9 June4° 17' Gemini Fatmāʾīl* فتمَائِيلʾAl-Hanʿah ﭐلْهَنْعَةw / ūwāw6و7th22 June17° 9'Sharfāʾīl*
شرفَائِيلʾAdh-Dhirāʿ ﭐلْذِّرَاعْzzayn / zāy7ز8th5 July0° 0' Cancer Tankafīl* تنكفيلʾAn-Nathrah ﭐلْنَّثْرَةḥḥāʾ8ح9th18 July12° 51' Hīsmāʾīl* هيسمائيلʾAṭ-Ṭarf / ʾAṭ-Ṭarfah ﭐلْطَّرْف \ ﭐلْطَّرْفَةṭṭāʾ9ط10th31 July25° 43' Kīṭāʾīl* كيطَائِيلʾAl-Jab'hah ﭐلْجَبْهَةy , ī / ā , ỳyāʾ / alif maqṣūrah10ي \ ى11th14 Aug8° 34' Leo
بُرْجُ ﭐلْأَسَد Ḥarūzāʾīl* حروزَائِيلʾAz-Zubrah / ʾAl-Kharātān ﭐلْزُّبْرَة \ ﭐلْخرَاتَانkkāf20ك12th27 Aug21° 26' Ṭāṭāʾīl* طَاطَائِيلʾAṣ-Ṣarfah ﭐلْصَّرْفَةllām30ل13th9 September4° 17' Virgo Rūmāʾīl* رومَائِيلʾAl-ʿAwwāʾ ﭐلْعَوَّاءmmīm40م14th22 September17° 9'Ḥūlāʾīl* حولَائِيلʾAs-Simāk / ʾAs-Simāku ʾl-Aʿzil
ﭐلْسِّمَاك \ ﭐلْسِّمَاكُ ﭐلأَعْزِلnnūn50ن15th5 October0° 0' Libra Hamrākīl* همرَاكيلʾAl-Ghafr
ﭐلْغَفْرssīn60س16th18 October12° 51' Lūmāʾīl* لومَائِيلʾAz-Zubānā ﭐلْزُّبَانَى‘ (also ʿ )ayn70ع17th31 October25° 43'Sarhamākīl* سرهمَاكيلʾAl-Iklīl / ʾAl-Iklīlu ʾl-Jab'hah ﭐلْإِكْلِيل \ ﭐلْإِكْلِيلُ ﭐلْجَبْهَةffā80ف18th13 November8° 34'Scorpio ʾAhjamāʾīl* / ʾUhjamāʾīl* اهجمَائِيلʾAl-Qalb ﭐلْقَلْبṣṣād90ص19th26 November21° 26' ʿAṭrāʾīl* / ʿUṭrāʾīl* عطرَائِيلʾAsh-Shawlah ﭐلْشَّوْلَةqqāf100ق20th9 December4° 17' Sagittarius Burju ʾl-Qaws ʾAmwākīl* / ʾUmwākīl* امواكيلʾAn-Naʿāʾam
ﭐلْنَّعَائَمrrāʾ200ر21st22 December17° 9'Hamrāʾīl* همرَائِيلʾAl-Baldah
ﭐلْبَلْدَةsh (also š)shīn300ش22nd4 January0° 0'Capricorn ʿAzrāʾīl
عَزْرَائِيلSaʿdu ʾdh-Dhābiḥ / ʾAdh-Dhābiḥ سَعْدُ ﭐلْذَّابِح \ ﭐلْذَّابِحttāʾ400ت23rd17 January12° 51'Mīkāʾīl
مِيكَائِيلSaʿdu ʾl-Bulʿa / ʾAl-Bulʿa سَعْدُ ﭐلْبُلْعَ \ ﭐلْبُلْعَth (also ṯ)thāʾ500ث24th30 January25° 43'Mahkāʾīl* مهكَائِيلSaʿdu ʾs-Suʿud / ʾAs-Suʿud سَعْدُ ﭐلْسُّعُود \ ﭐلْسُّعُودkh (also ḫ, ḵ)khāʾ600خ25th12 February8° 34' Aquarius ʾAhrāfīl* / ʾUhrāfīl*
اهرَافِيلSaʿdu ʾl-ʾAkhbiyyah / ʾAl-ʾAkhbiyyah سَعْدُ ﭐلْأَخْبِيَّه \ ﭐلْأَخْبِيَّهdh (also ḏ)dhāl700ذ26th25 February21° 26'ʿAṭkāʾīl* / ʿUṭkāʾīl* عطكَائِيلFarghu ʾd-Dalū ʾl-Muqdim / ʾAl-Muqdim فَرْغُ ﭐلْدَّلُو ﭐلْمُقْدِم \ ﭐلْمُقْدِمḍḍād800ض27th10 March4° 17' Pisces Tūrāʾīl* تورَائِيلFarghu ʾd-Dalū ʾl-Muʾkhar / ʾAl-Muʾkhar
فَرْغُ ﭐلْدَّلُو ﭐلْمُؤْخَر \ ﭐلْمُؤْخَرẓẓāʾ900ظ28th23 March17° 9'Lūkhāʾīl* لوخَائِيلʾAr-Rashāʾ / Buṭnu ʾl-Ḥūt
ﭐلْرَّشَاء \ بَطْنُ ﭐلْحُوتgh (also ġ, ḡ)ghayn1000غ Also, the following letters has no alphabetical value in numerology of the Abjad system known as "Ilm ul-ʾAdad". Arabic alphabet [ḥurūf حروف] - Abjadī OrderTransliterationLetter NameLetter Name in Arabic scriptLetter Value (Abjad numerals)Letter (Isolated Form)’ (also ʾ / ʔ)hamzahهمزة0ءah or at / ah / aẗtāʼ marbūṭahتاء مربوطة0ة