Treatises on Arabic Astrology

Une such conjunctionoriginal: "qunction" — a variant of the astrological term for when two planets meet. is when the planet which is light and swift seeks the conjunction of another planet that is slow and heavy; and let the lighter planet be at fewer degrees than the slower one, and for as long as it moves toward it until it is joined to it, it is in such a state by regard. amithadulThe French scribe’s attempt at the Arabic al-muttasil, meaning "the applying" or "the reaching" planet. this means "conglutinative" joining together as if with glue. And it is so called until the moment it is separated from the other by the space of one degree. And thereafter it is called mutalifFrom the Arabic al-munşarif, meaning "the separating" or "the departing" planet., which means separated from it. ¶ And if the planets are joined bodily in a line, the planet is not said to be separated from the other until it has passed by the space of half of its roundness—that is to say, of its light. For each of the planets has a roundness of light and individual parts, and half of those parts are in front of that planet and the other half behind it. And when the planet at least passes the other by that space, it is separated from it. The science...

Snow that the roundness of these lights—or the surrounding radiance of the sun—[and] those of the 7 planets is 30 degrees, of which half is before it and the other half after it; that is, 15 degrees before the sun and 15 degrees behind. And when it happens that between the sun and any of the planets there are from one to 15 degrees, then it casts its light upon it and it is joined to it. ¶ And the light of the moon is 12 degrees before and 12 behind; the light of Venus and of Mars is, for each of them, 7 degrees before and behind. By the quantity of this light, one planet is joined to the other. ¶ The light of Saturn and of Jupiter is, for each of them, 9 degrees before and behind. ¶ And the light of Mars is 8 degrees before and behind The text lists Mars twice with two different values (7 and 8 degrees), a common inconsistency in medieval astronomical copies.. And when a planet looks upon another and its degree has been reached by its light, it is said that it is joined to it. ¶ And if it does not strike it with its light, one does not say that...