New Moon of the Year

noo moon uhv thuh yeer

greek: νουμηνία τοῦ ἔτους (noumēnia tou etous)

Definition

The New Moon of the Year is Ptolemy's name for the first new Moon after the Sun reaches — or comes nearest to — the vernal-equinox point of Aries. He takes it as the operative start of the year's solar circuit for mundane forecasting. By extension, the new or full Moons nearest the other three cardinal points open summer, autumn, and winter in turn. It is the chart-anchor for the year ahead.

In Tradition

Ptolemy lays this out in the mundane part of the Tetrabiblos: at each yearly turn of the Sun, the year's first new Moon is taken as the point where his circuit begins. The Moons nearest the summer-tropic, the autumnal equinox, and the winter-tropic mark the seasonal beginnings of summer, autumn, and winter. The Sun-and-Moon positions at the four cardinal points furnish the operative charts, with eclipses weighing heaviest of all. The angles of those charts, together with the planets ruling each lunation, set the general effects on weather, harvests, and public affairs.

In Practice

For yearly mundane work, cast your anchor chart on the first new Moon after the Sun enters Aries. Treat its angles and ruling planets as the keynote for the season ahead. Carry the same method around the wheel: the new or full Moons nearest the summer solstice, the autumn equinox, and the winter solstice head their respective seasons. Read these lunation-charts for the affairs of the world rather than of one person — the weather, the harvests, the temper of public life. Weight an eclipse falling near a cardinal point most heavily of all.

Historical Origin

The doctrine is given in Claudius Ptolemy, Tetrabiblos Book II (chapter 11; trans. J. M. Ashmand, pp. 103-105). Ptolemy takes the first new Moon of the year as the commencement of the Sun's circuit and assigns the cardinal-point lunations to the four seasonal beginnings. The doctrine grounds the atmospheric-prognostication framework of the surrounding chapters.

Etymology

Origin: Greek. Meaning: new Moon of the year; festival of the new Moon.

Further Reading

  • Claudius Ptolemy, Tetrabiblos
  • Chris Brennan, Hellenistic Astrology