Lunar station

Often called lunar mansion,^[a] 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.

In general, though not always, the zodiac is divided into 27 or 28 segments relative to the vernal equinox point or the fixed stars – one for each day of the lunar month. (A sidereal month lasts about ⁠27+1/3⁠ days.) The Moon's position is charted with respect to those fixed segments. Since the Moon's position at any given stage will vary according to Earth's position in its own orbit, lunar stations are an effective system for keeping track of the passage of seasons.

Various cultures have used sets of lunar stations astrologically; for example, the Jyotisha astrological nakshatras of Hindu culture, the Arabic manzils (manazil al-qamar), the Twenty-Eight Mansions of Chinese astronomy, and the 36 decans of Egyptian astronomy. Western astrology does not use stations, but each zodiac sign covers two or three. The Chinese system groups houses into four groups related to the seasons.

The concept of lunar stations is thought to originate in Babylonian astronomy.^[1][2][3] Tester (1987)^[4] explains that they appear in Hellenistic astrology in the 2nd-century list of fixed stars in the Katarchai by Maximus^[b], 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."^[4]

The 28 Lunar Mansions, or more precisely lodgings (Chinese: 二十八宿; pinyin: èrshí bā xiù) 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.

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. According to the modern tradition 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. They were wives of Chandra, the moon god. The nakshatras of traditional bhartiya 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.

In the traditional Arabic astrological system,^[5] 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:^[6] 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 breakdown of the anwaa and their position on the Gregorian calendar.

Manzil	Associated Nawaa	Significant Stars/Constellations	Zodiac Constellations	Begins on
Sharaṭān	Al Thurayyā	Sheratan in Aries	--	17 May
Pleione	Al Thurayyā	Pleione in the Pleiades	--	31 May
Al-Buṭayn	Al Thurayyā	Albatain in the Pleiades	--	13 June
Al-Tuwaibe'	Al Tuwaibe'	Aldebaran	--	26 June
Al-Haq‘ah	Al Jawzaa/Gemini	Haq‘ah in Orion	Gemini	9 July
Al-Han‘ah	Al Jawzaa/Gemini	Alhena in Gemini	Gemini	22 July
Murzim	Murzim	Canis Major	--	4 August
An Nathra	Kulaibain	An Nathra	--	17 August
Alterf	Suhail	Alterf in Leo	Leo	30 August
Dschuba	Suhail	Dschuba	Scorpio	12 September
Azzubra	Suhail			25 September
Assarfa	Suhail			8 October
Auva	Al Wasm	Auva	Virgo	21 October
Simak	Al Wasm	Spica	--	3 November
Syrma	Al Wasm		--	16 November
Az Zubana	Al Wasm	Acuben	Cancer	29 November
Akleel "The Crown"	Murabaania	Corona Borealis	--	12 December
Qalb al Akraab	Murabaania	Antares	Scorpio	25 December
Shaula	Murabaania	Shaula	Scorpio	3 January
Al Naam	Ash Shabt	Ascella and Nunki	Sagittarius	16 January
Al Baldaah	Ash Shabt	Pi Saggitari	Sagittarius	29 January
Saad Al Thabib	The Three Saads	Beta Capricorni	Capricornus	11 February
Saad Balaa	The Three Saads	Saad Balaa	--	26 February
Saad Al Saud	The Three Saads	Saadalsud	Aquarius	11 March
Saad Al Akhbia	Hameemain	Sadachbia	--	24 March
Almuqaddam	Hameemain	Almuqaddam	--	6 April
Al Muakhar	Al Tharaeen	Pollux	Gemini and Aquarius (in the Arab system)	19 April
Alrescha	Al Tharaeen	Alrescha	Gemini and Aquarius (in the Arab system)	2 May

The dates above are approximate; notice that there are 2 days missing from a solar year in the table above.

Lunar station - [Manazilu ʾl-Qamar منازل القمر] according to Islamic astronomical system (Arab sources)

Station	Period (approx. by Arab sources)	Starting degree of Sidereal Zodiac sign	Constellation	ʿAmal 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 Arabic: بُرْجُ ﭐلْحَمَل, romanized: burjuʾl-Ḥamal	ʾIsrāfīl إِسْرَافِيل	ʾAsh-Sharaṭayn / ʾAn-Naṭḥ ﭐلْشَّرَطَيْن \ ﭐلْنّطح	ā / ’ (also ʾ )	alif	1	أ
2nd	18 April	12° 51'		Jibrāʾīl جِبْرَائِيل	ʾAl-Buṭayn ﭐلْبُطَيْن	b	bāʾ	2	ب
3rd	1 May	25° 43'		Kalkāʾīl* كلكائيل	ʾAth-Thurayyā ﭐلْثُّرَيَّا	j (also ǧ, g)	jīm	3	ج
4th	14 May	8° 34'	Taurus Arabic: بُرْجُ ﭐلْثُّور, romanized: burjuʾl-th-Thūr	Dardāʾīl* دردَائِيل	ʾAd-Dabarān ﭐلْدَّبَرَان	d	dāl	4	د
5th	27 May	21° 26'		Dūryāʾīl* دوريَائِيل	ʾAl-Haqʿah ﭐلْهَقْعَة	h	hāʾ	5	ه
6th	9 June	4° 17'	Gemini Arabic: بُرْجُ ﭐلْجَوْزَاء, romanized: burju ʾl-Jawzā	Fatmāʾīl* فتمَائِيل	ʾAl-Hanʿah ﭐلْهَنْعَة	w / ū	wāw	6	و
7th	22 June	17° 9'		Sharfāʾīl* شرفَائِيل	ʾAdh-Dhirāʿ ﭐلْذِّرَاعْ	z	zayn / zāy	7	ز
8th	5 July	0° 0'	Cancer Arabic: بُرْجُ ﭐلْسَّرْطَان, romanized: burju ʾs-Sartan	Tankafīl* تنكفيل	ʾAn-Nathrah ﭐلْنَّثْرَة	ḥ	ḥāʾ	8	ح
9th	18 July	12° 51'		ʾIsmāʿīl* إِسْمَاعِيل	ʾAṭ-Ṭarf / ʾAṭ-Ṭarfah ﭐلْطَّرْف \ ﭐلْطَّرْفَة	ṭ	ṭāʾ	9	ط
10th	31 July	25° 43'		Kīṭāʾīl* كيطَائِيل	ʾAl-Jab'hah ﭐلْجَبْهَة	y , ī / ā , ỳ	yāʾ / alif maqṣūrah	10	ي \ ى
11th	14 Aug	8° 34'	Leo Arabic: بُرْجُ ﭐلْأَسَد, romanized: burju ʾl-Asad بُرْجُ ﭐلْأَسَد	Ḥarūzāʾīl* حروزَائِيل	ʾAz-Zubrah / ʾAl-Kharātān ﭐلْزُّبْرَة \ ﭐلْخرَاتَان	k	kāf	20	ك
12th	27 Aug	21° 26'		Ṭāṭāʾīl* طَاطَائِيل	ʾAṣ-Ṣarfah ﭐلْصَّرْفَة	l	lām	30	ل
13th	9 September	4° 17'	Virgo Arabic: بُرْجُ العَذْراء, romanized: burju aleadhra'	Rūmāʾīl* رومَائِيل	ʾAl-ʿAwwāʾ ﭐلْعَوَّاء	m	mīm	40	م
14th	22 September	17° 9'		Ḥūlāʾīl* حولَائِيل	ʾAs-Simāk / ʾAs-Simāku ʾl-Aʿzil ﭐلْسِّمَاك \ ﭐلْسِّمَاكُ ﭐلأَعْزِل	n	nūn	50	ن
15th	5 October	0° 0'	Libra Arabic: بُرْجُ ﭐلْمِيزَان, romanized: burju ʾl-Mīzān	Hamrākīl* همرَاكيل	ʾAl-Ghafr ﭐلْغَفْر	s	sīn	60	س
16th	18 October	12° 51'		Lūmāʾīl* لومَائِيل	ʾAz-Zubānā ﭐلْزُّبَانَى	‘ (also ʿ )	ayn	70	ع
17th	31 October	25° 43'		Sarhamākīl* سرهمَاكيل	ʾAl-Iklīl / ʾAl-Iklīlu ʾl-Jab'hah ﭐلْإِكْلِيل \ ﭐلْإِكْلِيلُ ﭐلْجَبْهَة	f	fā	80	ف
18th	13 November	8° 34'	Scorpio Arabic: بُرْجُ ﭐلْعَقْرَب, romanized: burju ʾl-ʿAqrab	ʾAhjamāʾīl* / ʾUhjamāʾīl* اهجمَائِيل	ʾAl-Qalb ﭐلْقَلْب	ṣ	ṣād	90	ص
19th	26 November	21° 26'		ʿAṭrāʾīl* / ʿUṭrāʾīl* عطرَائِيل	ʾAsh-Shawlah ﭐلْشَّوْلَة	q	qāf	100	ق
20th	9 December	4° 17'	Sagittarius Burju ʾl-Qaws Arabic: بُرْجُ ﭐلْقَوْس, romanized: burju ʿl-Qaws	ʾAmwākīl* / ʾUmwākīl* امواكيل	ʾAn-Naʿāʾam ﭐلْنَّعَائَم	r	rāʾ	200	ر
21st	22 December	17° 9'		Hamrāʾīl* همرَائِيل	ʾAl-Baldah ﭐلْبَلْدَة	sh (also š)	shīn	300	ش
22nd	4 January	0° 0'	Capricorn Arabic: بُرْجُ ﭐلْجِدِّي, romanized: burju ʾl-Jiddỳ	ʿAzrāʾīl عَزْرَائِيل	Saʿdu ʾdh-Dhābiḥ / ʾAdh-Dhābiḥ سَعْدُ ﭐلْذَّابِح \ ﭐلْذَّابِح	t	tāʾ	400	ت
23rd	17 January	12° 51'		Mīkāʾīl مِيكَائِيل	Saʿdu ʾl-Bulʿa / ʾAl-Bulʿa سَعْدُ ﭐلْبُلْعَ \ ﭐلْبُلْعَ	th (also ṯ)	thāʾ	500	ث
24th	30 January	25° 43'		Mahkāʾīl* مهكَائِيل	Saʿdu ʾs-Suʿud / ʾAs-Suʿud سَعْدُ ﭐلْسُّعُود \ ﭐلْسُّعُود	kh (also ḫ, ḵ)	khāʾ	600	خ
25th	12 February	8° 34'	Aquarius Arabic: بُرْجُ ﭐلْدَّلُو, romanized: burju ʾd-Dalū	ʾAhrāfīl* / ʾUhrāfīl* اهرَافِيل	Saʿdu ʾl-ʾAkhbiyyah / ʾAl-ʾAkhbiyyah سَعْدُ ﭐلْأَخْبِيَّه \ ﭐلْأَخْبِيَّه	dh (also ḏ)	dhāl	700	ذ
26th	25 February	21° 26'		ʿAṭkāʾīl* / ʿUṭkāʾīl* عطكَائِيل	Farghu ʾd-Dalū ʾl-Muqdim / ʾAl-Muqdim فَرْغُ ﭐلْدَّلُو ﭐلْمُقْدِم \ ﭐلْمُقْدِم	ḍ	ḍād	800	ض
27th	10 March	4° 17'	Pisces Arabic: بُرْجُ ﭐلْحُوت, romanized: burju ʾl-Ḥūt	Tūrāʾīl* تورَائِيل	Farghu ʾd-Dalū ʾl-Muʾkhar / ʾAl-Muʾkhar فَرْغُ ﭐلْدَّلُو ﭐلْمُؤْخَر \ ﭐلْمُؤْخَر	ẓ	ẓāʾ	900	ظ
28th	23 March	17° 9'		Lūkhāʾīl* لوخَائِيل	ʾAr-Rashāʾ / Buṭnu ʾl-Ḥūt ﭐلْرَّشَاء \ بَطْنُ ﭐلْحُوت	gh (also ġ, ḡ)	ghayn	1000	غ

Also, the following letters has no alphabetical value in numerology of the Abjad system known as "Ilm ul-ʾAdad".

Notes of the table above in accordance to strict traditional Arab Islamic astronomy and theology:

(1) the Arabic alphabet resonates the alphabetical value in numerology of the Abjad system known as "Ilm ul-ʾAdad".

(2) the ʿAmal (Islamic view of angels, equivalent to rank of the "Watcher" or "Guardian Angel") is the Angel that rules the corresponding Arabic alphabet (rhythm of the alphabet in numerology of the Abjad system), manazilu-l-qamar (lunar houses) and constellations (i.e. zodiac signs). Generally speaking, the four Archangels in Islam ace Jibrāʼīl, Mīkāʼīl, ʼIsrāfīl and Malaku-l-Maut (ʿAzrāʼīl).

(3) the alphabetical orders follows the sequence of the original abjadī order (أَبْجَدِي), used for lettering, derives from the order of the Phoenician alphabet, and is therefore similar to the order of other Phoenician-derived alphabets, such as the Hebrew alphabet. In this order, letters are also used as numbers, Abjad numerals, and possess the same alphanumeric code/cipher as Hebrew gematria and Greek isopsephy.

(4) those angel name with an "asterisk" needs source citation upon Arabic transliteration but the given is the closest pronunciation based upon uttering the consonants.

A few of the numerical values are different in the alternative Abjad order. For four Persian letters these values are used:^{[citation needed]}

Transliteration	Letter Name	Letter Name in Persian	Letter Value	Letter (Isolation Form)
p	pe [Voiceless bilabial stop p]	په	2	پ
č / ch	če / che [Voiceless palato-alveolar affricate t͡ʃ]	چه	3	چ
ž / zh	že / zhe [Voiced palato-alveolar sibilant ʒ]	ژه	7	ژ
g	gāf [Voiced velar stop ɡ]	گاف	20	گ

• Astrotheology

• "The Lunar Mansions". constellationsofwords.com. The fixed stars and constellations in astrology.

• "W.B. Yeats and "A Vision": The Arab mansions of the moon". yeatsvision.com.