The Secret Language of Stars and Planets: A Visual Key to the Heavens (Paperback)

~ (Author) "This book begins with an illustrated account, for the lay reader, of those key aspects of astronomy, and of the technicalities of the zodiac, that..." (more)
Key Phrases: sacred alignments, sarsen ring, major standstill, Milky Way, Celestial Sphere, Full Moon (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

In this stunning guide--the first illustrated book of its kind--science, mysticism, and ancient beliefs intertwine to explore the conundrums of the cosmos. Drawing from astronomy, astrology, archaeology, and the occult, The Secret Language of the Stars and Planets delves into the celestial enigmas that have beguiled laypeople and scientists for centuries. 175 color photos. 70 color illustrations.

About the Author

Geoffrey Cornelius is an expert in astrology and co-author of Chronicle Books' The Secret Language of the Stars and Planets.

Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Chronicle Books (May 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0811812006
• ISBN-13: 978-0811812009
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 8.1 x 0.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #597,089 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The sky belongs to no one. The sky belongs to everyone., May 5, 2000

By	DJ Rix (NJ USA) - See all my reviews

A fine generalist introduction to the metaphors of the sky. Generalist because it is concerned with more than western astrological symbols. At this stage in human history, with our emerging global viewpoint & understanding of the Earth itself as a living being, astrologers, too, must allow their knowledge to expand & deepen. We are slowly passing out of the Piscean Age & into Aquarius, & that means irresistable changes. Those with pagan or wiccan inclinations need a less Eurocentric comprehension of sky spirituality. The Secret Language of Stars and Planets, while rooted in the Western Zodiac, takes a multicultural path beyond those borders. So all of the Planets are provided with some identifications from Chinese, Egyptian, Incan, Indian & Pre-Columbian cultures, though not in especially great detail. Still, the artwork is lovely (if a bit less so than Dr. Fontana's "The Secret Language of Symbols") & the information is accurate.

The really outstanding part of this book is the section on Sacred Alignments. The astronomical designs and spiritual purposes of twenty seven ancient sites are explored. In addition to the obvious ones like The Great Pyramid, Stonehenge & Avebury, the book explains the layouts of such far flung power centers as Hashihaka in Japan, Vijayanagara in India, the Cahokia mound complex in Illinois, the Chaco Canyon "Ancient Ones" area in the Four Corners region, and several South American sites including Machu Picchu. Just enough to stimulate one's curiousity for more learning.

These wise, ancient peoples experienced the world in ways that are difficult for us to know. But we must try. To do so, we have to get past our limited geo-political views. Gaia deserves no less. The sky belongs to no one. The sky belongs to everyone.

Bob Rixon

4 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting and informative, September 24, 2002

By A Customer

Full of history and mythology, I especially liked the section on archaeoastronomy. For a more detailed look at this subject, take a look at the books by A.F. Aveni.

The authors do seem to be supporters of the pseudoscience astrology, although they never make a case for it in this book.
Astrology is supposedly based on the movements of the heavens, but I have never met an astrologer who even begun to understand Kepler's laws or Einstien's relativity equations, all which describe the movements of the heavens.

Two technical errors in the book: They say (p72) that Pluto is bigger than Mercury. No, Mercury is over twice the size of Pluto.
P. 43 says there were 3 kings in the Christmas story - a common misconception. Technically, it doesn't say how many, which is why some traditions hold many more.

A note on p 105: They mention the "unknown God" that Paul refers to in Acts. They are apparently unware of the historical records which suggest this monument to the unknown god was dedicated to the God of Christianity years before Paul arrived after this God performed miracles for people in the area. An interesting look into biblical authencity that the author's overlooked.