Isaac Starkman has studied astrology since 1974. He was a long time collaborator and co-author with Alexander Marr. Isaac specializes in rectification and he is the creator of Polaris software. He lives in Tel Aviv, Israel: stark@netvision.net.il

Rectification of a birth chart is always a difficult task, even if the approximate birth time is known and a large number of major events are supplied. It requires much experience, patience and time. However, in contrast with past decades of astrological practice, the true birth time can now be found much more easily and be corroborated with approved methods. For the first time, my program Polaris is designed to perform automatic rectification even when the birth time is unknown, given a certain minimum number of known life events.

We need accurate rectification in order to FIGHT COINCIDENCE. In other words, we must be able to demonstrate that the results we obtain could not have occurred just by chance.

We can do this only if

1. We use small orbs in our measurements;

2. We use striking, never changing symbolism;

3. The rectification shows an ample quantity of appropriate aspects, especially angular aspects.

4. And if we can corroborate the rectification with other proven systems. ONE SYSTEM ALONE IS NOT ENOUGH!

Primary Directions is a system of progressing a chart based upon the diurnal rotation of the earth. The calculations are quite complicated but nowadays one need not be a math wizard!

There are various systems of Primary Directions, but I have found Primary Direction in the Topocentric System to be the best. My vast experience clearly shows that only in this system do Angular and House Cusp directions reflect events in adequate number, with appropriate symbolism and to a very tight orb. This fact drastically reduces the number of viable rectified times and, in fact, made possible the construction and creation of Polaris.

How Polaris works. Polaris has a comprehensive built-in table which assigns a score to the correspondence between a particular event and a specific aspect. For example, for the event “successful trip abroad”, the highest score of 25 points goes to the aspect MC conjunct Jupiter and no score to MC square Saturn and so on.

As an example, let us use the chart of Elizabeth Taylor:

To rectify her birth time we will use 21 major events in her life. The search time spans 24 hours, from local midnight (00.00 UT, 27 Feb 1932) to the next local midnight (00.00 UT, 28 Feb 1932), the interval of time in which the primary measurements will occur. The program systematically scans all possible Primary Directions (Angles and house-cusp) to the maximum orbs of only 10.8’ (minutes) for conjunctions & oppositions and 5.6’ (minutes) for all the other aspects, associated with the input event-dated, at eight seconds increments. Polaris makes calculations for 10,800 moments for all the 21 events and displays the following birth time table:

27 Feb 1932 11.09.36 scores= 588
27 Feb 1932 14.08.56 scores= 551
27 Feb 1932 04.34.40 scores= 537
27 Feb 1932 01.54.24 scores= 523

The birth time given by the most secure sources is 02.00 GMT. Testing each available time reveals to us that only the fourth ranking time 01.54.24 UT is the correct one.
It is impossible to expect the correct time to always appear as the first ranking but extensive testing has shown that with an adequate number of major events the true birth time always appears as one of the first few birth times Polaris presents.

Each rectified time must be checked through the following Techniques:

1. Primary Directions, including the interplanetary aspects

2. Secondary Directions using the Solar Arc in Right Ascension for house-directions

3. PSSR-Progress of the Sidereal Solar Returns. This technique was discovered by Cyril Fagan. For each event two precessed Solar Returns are calculated: direct and converse. Secondary progressions (and regressions) of the planets and Nodes only are then derived from those two Solar Returns and we search for aspects with all factors of the chart, including the angles and house cusps.

4. Lunar Cycles direct and converse, precession-corrected.

5. Transits to Angles, both direct and converse.
As a general rule, each valid system is working both in direct and in converse mode.

Now, let me demonstrate the primary directions, supported by all the above systems in some important events in Taylor’s life:

You need not understand every technicality to trust a program like Polaris; you simply must appreciate all the work that is being done under the most stringent guidelines. This will give you a birth time practically set in concrete,

For primaries, maximum orb is 11′ for conjunction and opposition and 5.7′ for all the other aspects. For Secondaries and PSSR the orbs are 11′ & 9′ respectively. For the Moon in secondary and PSSR the orb is 28′ for conjunction and opposition and 16′ for all the other aspects.

d= direct or progress
c= converse or regress

Event 1: On 23rd March 1958 her husband Mike Todd dies in plane crash.

Primary Directions:

MC conjunct Neptune (orb 3′) (c)
Venus sesquiquadrate South Node (orb 0′) (d)
VIII cusp semisquare South Node (orb 5′) (d)
Uranus sesquiquadrate South Node (orb 3′) (d)
Secondary directions:
MC square Saturn (orb 4′) (d)
MC conjunct Neptune (orb10′) (c)
Moon square Mars (orb 14′) (c)

Event 2: on 6th August 1957 gives birth to daughter Elizabeth

Primary Directions:

IC conjunct Sun (orb 2′) (c)
Mars conjunct IC (orb 4′) (d)
IC conjunct Mercury (orb 7′) (c)
IC conjunct V cusp (orb 9′) (d)
PSSR:Jupiter textile V cusp (orb 9′)

Event 3: On 17th April 1961 she received the Oscar award

Primary Directions:

Sun trine MC (orb1′) (c)
Venus square Jupiter (orb 2′)
Secondary:
Sun trine ASC (orb 4′) (d)
Moon sexitle Jupiter (orb12′) (c to c)
Transits:
Jupiter trine MC (orb 28′) (d)
Jupiter 135 MC (orb 18′) (c)

Event 4: on 7th November 1982 she divorced John Wamer

In the converse Lunar Return casting for Bel-Air: Mars, Saturn, Neptune & Moon are all on MC-IC axis.
PSSR: South-Node trine MC (orb 4′)
Venus opposition Neptune (orb 9′)

Event 5: on 8th December 2002 she received JFK Center Honors

Primary directions:

MC trine Jupiter (orb 3′) (d)
Asc opposition to Venus (orb 1′) and to Uranus (orb 4′) (c)
Jupiter square Mercury (orb 1′) (c)
Secondary: Venus sextile cusp V (orb 1′) (d)

Event 6: on 11th September 1994 her mother died

Primary Directions:
MC opposition Saturn (orb 3′) (c)
Secondary:
MC sextile South-Node (orb 4′) (c)
Converse transit: South-Node sextile Asc (orb 27′)

Event 7: on 21st July 1968 she underwent a hysterectomy operation

Primary Directions:

Asc trine Neptune (orb 2′) (d)
PSSR: In the current Solar Return, precession corrected, calculated for 26th Feb 1968 23.24 PST the Moon is in 26Aquarius01′. Progressing it to 21 July, we will get 1Pisces14′ conjunct radical Mars with orb of 19′.

In the converse Solar Return cast for 25TH February 1896 12.13 PST, the Moon is 25Cancer 40′. Regressing it to 21st July 1968 the Moon will be 20Cancer02′ conjunct Pluto orb 11′.

Such conjunctions and oppositions of the Moon are one of the best proofs for rectification.

Checking all the events we have for her will reveal that there is only one moment is perfect in its overlapping support of all the above techniques.

As experience shows, all events are showing the correct house cusp directions. This is an important facilitation for forecast. Luminaries, Planets and the Node have to be always interpreted by their true symbolism and not by ruler, sub-ruler or dispositorship. This is always without any exceptions shown in my analysis of over 16,000 events for 600 rectifications.

END OF PART I.

Part II will be continued June 30, 2008 with the explanation for detecting the true Pre-Natal Epoch and using the Dual Test.