Superior Planetary Cycles
The Superior Planetary Cycles study traces the full synodic cycle of a superior planet from one retrograde station to the next.
Creating a Superior Planetary Cycles Study
To create a Superior Planetary Cycles study:
- Click Mundane Studies → Planetary Cycles → Superior Planetary Cycles on the menu bar.
The new study is added to the Studies list and opens with your workspace's default settings, ready to configure. You can also create it from the study-group dropdown button on the main toolbar.
Events Captured
This study records an event for each synodic cycle of a superior planet. Each event begins at a retrograde station and follows the planet through its opposition with the Sun, its direct station, and its conjunction with the Sun, up to the next retrograde station.
Because one event summarizes an entire cycle, the table includes columns for the positions and dates of each milestone along with the time periods between them.
Events Table Columns
The events table can display the following columns for this study. Many are hidden by default; to show or hide any column, right-click a column header (see Event Column Visibility). Column headers that name longitude or latitude are relabeled to right ascension and declination when the study's Reference System uses an equatorial reference plane.
| Column | Description |
|---|---|
| Date Time | Local date/time of the retrograde station that anchors the cycle. |
| Body | The superior planet undergoing the cycle. |
| Retrograde Station Longitude | Longitude (or right ascension) of the retrograde station. |
| Retrograde Station Sign | Zodiac sign of the retrograde station. |
| Pre Opposition Period (days) | Days from the retrograde station to the solar opposition. |
| Solar Opposition Date Time | Date/time of the opposition with the Sun. |
| Solar Opposition Longitude | Longitude (or right ascension) at the opposition. |
| Solar Opposition Sign | Zodiac sign at the opposition. |
| Post Opposition Period (days) | Days from the opposition to the direct station. |
| Direct Station Date Time | Date/time of the direct station. |
| Direct Station Longitude | Longitude (or right ascension) of the direct station. |
| Direct Station Sign | Zodiac sign of the direct station. |
| Pre Conjunction Period (days) | Days from the direct station to the solar conjunction. |
| Solar Conjunction Date Time | Date/time of the conjunction with the Sun. |
| Solar Conjunction Longitude | Longitude (or right ascension) at the conjunction. |
| Solar Conjunction Sign | Zodiac sign at the conjunction. |
| Post Conjunction Period (days) | Days from the conjunction to the next retrograde station. |
| Event Interval | Interval (days) since the previous event. |