Introduction
As I have stated in other twin papers, twin births are especially useful to this astrology. Why? Parents of twins usually know before birth they are having twins, so they pay especial attention to birth time. They do so because later those time differences are a conversation piece as well as forming part of the identity of the twins. So, birth time for twins is likely correct to the minute and the charts cast from them are also close to exact. Comparisons made between them are then based on correct astrology. That means twin births are especially good for testing a major principle of this astrological method, that planets on (≤2° orb) Angles are of primary importance in describing all our lives.

When one twin has a different sign on an Angle, their births are also useful for demonstrating the principle that astrological sets (aspects) ruling an Angle are of far more importance than those which do not.

Examples of this are shown in the samples below and in all of the twin papers on this site.

Here we are going identify the astrology which sponsored the driveway death of one twin while his brother, missed by inches, lived. Born two minutes apart, their internal charts are almost entirely identical, and their Angles—the swiftest changing part of their charts—are only slightly different. Two minutes difference in birth time equates to about ½° difference in their Midheavens and Ascendants. That two minutes, nonetheless, was astrologically significant and separated the experience of the one twin from the other.

Astrodatabank had about three sentences describing each twin.

Below is the biographical information of Twin No. 1, more specifically identified as Twin No. 14336 :
American first-born twin, a loving kid and leader who made friends and would translate for his brother.

Died of injuries as a result of the car accident on 3/23/1972, 5:45 PM, Encino, CA, age 3-1/3 years.

Here is the biographical information on Twin No. 2, also identified as Twin No.14337, the second-born, surviving twin:
American second-born twin, a breach birth. As a child he didn’t want to be held and was quiet. He escaped being hit by a neighbor’s car, which killed his twin brother, by just a few feet on 3/23/1972.

I have written other papers on twins with the goal of identifying the differences in their astrology which accounted for the differences in their experienecs. Below are links to each of them :

The 7th chart is the one that showed the death of Twin No. 1 (14336). Below is a short summary of the area of life covered by that chart :

The 7th chart, the main chart of this method, contains a great deal of information about our lives. Theoretically, it is concerned only with matters pertaining to the 7th house, such as our relations with significant others, including marriage and business partners and close friends. However, it contains information about just every aspect of our life, including health, finances, death, career, talents, and so on. It just doesn't contain all the information on these subjects

Before going any further, I should introduce information about the astrological method used here.

Astrological Method
Before looking at their charts, I have to explain how this astrological method, which is not traditional, works:

This astrology uses the sidereal positions of the planets based on the Fagan-Bradley’s SVP.

Harmonics are taken from the sidereal position of the planets. The Egyptian harmonic, discussed in the paper “About This Method” (link below), is used.

”Lights” include suns, moons, and moons nodes.

This method uses only conjunctions, applying and separating squares, and oppositions. Orbs for planets with lights is 5°; without lights, about 2.5°. Orb for MC/planet or Asc/planet is 2°. Planets so related to each other are referred to as in the same “set.” A set, then, is two or more planets (or an Angle) connected to each other through conjunction, square, and opposition within the defined orbs. The set is more active if it contains a light, and less active without one. Learning to look in terms of “crosses” can be helpful in rapidly finding planets that are in the same set.

Because this approach uses both a birth and conception chart and they share the same axis, birth houses usually overlap different houses of the conception chart. These are called “house overlaps.” House overlaps play an important part in this astrology as investigation of the charts below (and in other papers) will show. Throughout this paper I use the convention when writing about house overlaps of putting the birth house first, then the conception house. So, for instance, a “5th/1st” overlap refers to an overlap of birth 5th house with conception 1st house in that order.

Birth planets (including their harmonics) rule only birth houses. Conception planets (including their harmonics) rule only conception houses.

For a more thorough explanation of this astrological approach, refer to the following papers

About This Method

Chart Reading Rules

In the partial charts shown below, birth planets and their harmonics are inside the circle. Conception planets and their harmonics are outside the circle. Conception sidereal planets are red; conception harmonic ones, black. Birth sidereal planets are blue; birth harmonic ones, green. Occasionally, because of space limitations, I have had to violate this inside/outside arrangement, but the color coding remain constant.

Abbreviations used are b = birth, c = conception, and t = transiting. Even though the harmonic used for each chart is always two more than the chart’s number, in these papers I write the harmonic number the same as the chart number. For example, the 5th chart uses the 7th harmonic, but I have established the convention of writing harmonic planets for the 5th chart as, e.g., c5 mars, which reads, “the harmonic for the 5th chart for conception mars.

Now we can look for the astrology which separated these twin boys as toddlers into one who died and one who survived.

But this method also uses harmonic charts. As the number of the harmonic chart increases, so does the difference between its faster moving planets. The fastest moving planet is usually the moon. In the 14th harmonic for the 12th chart, Twin No. 1 (who survived) has c12 harmonic moon at 28 Pisces 12, while Twin No. 2 (who died) has it at 28 Pisces 29 That is a difference of 17 minutes. Again, this small difference promises little in terms of explaining why one twin lived and one died.

Still looking for a way to differentiate between them, Twin No. 1 (died) could have had a malefic (mars, saturn) harmonic fall on an Angle that did not occur in the chart of Twin No. 2 (lived). That would already has put Twin No. 1 (died) at a distinct life disadvantage.

As it turned, out, both twins had the malefic, conception harmonic (c7) saturn, conjunct C MC. Each conjunction involved an orb of less than 1°. However, the twin who lived had his c7 saturn closer to C MC than the one who died.

The distance of c7 saturn from C MC for Twin No. 2 (lived) was 7’, with C MC progressing toward c7 saturn. The distance of c7 saturn from C MC for Twin No. 1 (died) was 47’, again with C MC progressing toward c7 saturn. Below I show each.

First, let’s take a look at those sets in the diagrams below. After that, we will get into the peculiarity of progressions that lead to the death of Twin No. 1 while leaving Twin No. 2 physically unharmed.

Set (0) above is exactly the same in the charts of both twins. C7 mercury, at 11 Aries 53R, will eventually join Set (0) and make up the main supporting set for death.

Set (1) above is exactly the same in the charts of both twins except for the value of C MC, which is different.

However, the occurrence of C MC with a node (a light) in both sets makes both sets clearly well within acceptable orb as valid sets. Set (1) shows C MC conjoined with c7 saturn, ruler of c 8th house and co-ruler (14 of 21°) of c 7th house, and b7 North Node all in Pisces.

Also in Set (1), both twins have that same C MC opposed by b uranus, co-ruler (12 of 33°) of b 4th house.

So, both have a lighted (by the node) Angle/saturn/4th/8th. This path describes half the path--necessary but not necessarily sufficient-- required for death to occur. Half means that by itself it would not cause death.

Set (1) does suggest that the twins have started out at birth, so to speak, with one foot in the grave. That does not mean the surviving twin will die young. An individual can live quite a long life that way, taking years to complete the other half of the significators.}

Not shown in the drawing above is (non-harmonic) c saturn at 14 Pisces 29 conjunct b NN at 14 Pisces 20. The twins have three NN in Pisces conjunct saturn in Pisces in their 7th charts. North Node conjunct saturn is not easy because NN has a jupiter-like, expanding quality, and saturn has an constricting, limiting quality. At its best it represents growth (NN) through saturnine traits, hard work, simplicity, and essentiality.

We can also see in the partial charts above that both have b mars in Virgo, ruler of b 2nd and 7th houses, in c 4th house. It is also technically in Set (1). I write “technically,” because it easily fulfills the orb of 5° or less to be part of an internal set. But, it does not fulfill the 1° degree or less from each other and C MC for a progressed set. Between two South Nodes, it is definitely lighted. But in terms of progressions, b7 SN has already passed it. Progressing b SN will eventually conjunct it to create a lighte/mars/4th condition. That occurs long after the death of Twin No. 1, and is not germane to this paper.

Actually, initially it looks like Twin No. 2 (lived) is the twin most likely to die. His C MC is closer to c7 saturn than that of his brother’s—40’ closer. Closer almost always means stronger, which, in the case of affliction, usually means more life threatening.

If that is the case, then why was Twin No. 1 the one who died?

To answer that question, we have to get more into the astrology of Set (1) as it behaves through progressions.

But first, we are going to take a look at the progressions for Twin No. 1 (died) on the date of his death. Once we have established the astrology for Twin No. 1’s death, we are going to take a look at how the astrology for Twin No. 2 (lived) differed from that, and produced a different fate.

The necessary, but not necessarily sufficient significator for death is Angle/(light)/mars/saturn/4th and possibly 8th. That is, the individual must have a progressed Angle/mars/saturn, and s/he must also have lighted mars and lighted saturn (in the same set or in separate sets), influencing a 4th house.

The significant astrology for the death of Twin No. 1 is shown below in Set (2). It comprises the main set, while Set (3) comprises a necessary supporting set.

The midpoint between birth mars and progressed birth mars is 12 Virgo 55, putting it squarely into Set (2).

We have seen the midpoint of two of the same planet used effectively before when they were only a few degrees apart. For example, the progressions of J.F. Kennedy, Jr. for death include the following forefront set: pb saturn at 25 Sagittarius 28, pc saturn at 23 Sagittarius 14 (their midpoint equals 24 Sagittarius 25), pB MC at 24 Gemini 24, and pb mars at 24 Gemini 20. (Link to paper is on Home Page.) So, we know such midpoints are effective.

Set (2), then, gives us an Angle/mars/saturn. The full path is Angle/mars/mars/saturn/2nd/5th/7th/8th/9th because the planets involved are on an Angle, and they either rule one of those houses or rule an Angle in one of those houses. For instance, C MC is in b5th house. Since C MC is part of the path, then, so is b 5th house.

Note that the 4th house is not in the path. This set, however, includes a lighted mars/4th because the two lighted mars are in c 4th house. It lacks the influence of a lighted saturn/4th. The latter, then, is the part of the significator for death that is still missing. So, it must be in another set. And it is. It is shown below in Set (3).

As a progression, I would initially have discounted b saturn as part of Set (3) because its orb from the other planets is too large for a progression. Looking more closely at the set, however, we see that it contains three lights (pb7 sun, c NN, and pc7 mercury, which acts like a light because it rules C Asc) and two Angles (which also act like lights with a 2° orb). So, Set (3) contains a lighted saturn with influence, through their rulers, to both birth and conception 4th houses.

Therefore, Set (3) adds the necessary light/saturn/4th part of the total primary significators, and completes the necessary significators for death.

Jupiter as part of Set (3) does not nullify the effect of saturn. It could represent the fact that Twin No. 2 lived (mercury/jupiter—sibling/protected) if we divided the set into that and mercury/saturn (sibling/died). It also appears to represent the good relationship of the twins. Jupiter rules b 3rd house (of siblings) and is in b 9th (higher mind) and c 1st houses, suggesting a benevolent (jupiter), spiritual (9th, jupiter) relationship between the brothers (Gemini/3rd) early (1st house) in life.

Their returns were not significantly afflicted to merit inclusion here. Transits (for 5 p.m. PST), however, showed an increase in lights to Angles. T sun was at 9 Pisces 09, in the same set with Set (2) above. Transiting NN was at 9 Capricorn 09, t7 saturn a 9 Cancer 07, in the same set with both twins B MC, but closer to the B MC of Twin No. 1 (died).

It could be that harmonics of Angles in the twins' charts played into describing the death of one twin. Before we look, I should say more about them. This is only the second time in 27 years with this method that I have used them. I did so the first time with twins also. They were born only one minute apart. Nonetheless, harmonics of Angles can be very undependable and should only be used when birth time is known to be absolutely correct.

Below, harmonics of their Angles are shown in brackets to distinguish them from regular or progressed Angles.

Sets With Harmonics of Angles for the 7th Chart for Twin No. 1 (died):

Set (c) above of Twin No. 1 is very similar to Set (f), shown below, of Twin No. 2.

Loosely, summarizing influences to Angles for Twin No. 1 (died), we see Angle to: sun, to mercury, to moon, to mars, to uranus (on 4th house cusp within one minute of orb from C MC) , and to pluto.

The sun/mars/pluto part represents life-threatening (sun) violence (mars/pluto, transformative force). The uranus part suggests a sudden, unforeseen end to his life because it is not only on the cusp of c 4th house, but it also co-rules b 4th house.

Since Set (c) is the same for both twins, it presents a small problem in this form of interpretation using emphasis of planets to harmonic Angles because it contains mercury, which can also be used to refer to his sibling. But, since it does not contain mars or saturn, its interpretation cannot be toward the death of either twin.

Sets With Harmonics of Angles for the 7th Chart for Twin No. 2 (lived):

Again, influence of planets to harmonic of Angles shows Angle: to moon, to saturn, and to mercury.

Loosely interpreted, it may show the death (saturn and 4th influence) of a sibling (mercury). Perhaps the moon plays a part through its influence to c 2nd house. At that age, to Twin No. 2 the loss of his brother was loss of an important “possession” (2nd house).

Now, we want to look at progressions for Twin No. 2 (lived) at the time his brother died. Since the positions of the planets are the same for both, we need only return to Sets (2) and (3) above and put in the changed progressed Angles for Twin No. 2.

Looking at Set (2) above, Twin No. 2 (lived) had his pC MC at 13 Pisces 27, exactly 30’ (1/2°) beyond pc7 saturn at 12 Pisces 56. And it is 31’ beyond the midpoint of b mars and pb mars. Since we are fairly certain birth time is correct, we can say that in this set for Twin No. 2, pC MC has passed beyond the influence of pc7 saturn and the midpoint of both mars. With a truly correct birth time, in the absence of lights which increase orb, probably 15’ (¼°) past exact is close to being out of orb. Certainly, 30’ is out of orb.

In addition, however, to establishing that pC MC in Set (2) is out of orb for Twin No. 2, we have the very interesting phenomenon of his progressed C MC as it travels along with progressing c7 saturn. Fortunately, in the biographical description above of the twins, Twin No. 2 (lived) was described as “a child who did not want to be held, and was quiet” while his brother (who died) was described as a “loving kid and leader who made friends…” In the table below we are going to see why Twin No. 2 was so stand-offish. Simultaneously, we are going to verify the importance of that difference of 40’ of Twin No. 1’s C MC to saturn compared to that of Twin No. 2.

I started out looking for progressions only a month apart, but in doing so, discovered, somewhat to my surprise, that progressing c7 saturn was moving right along much faster than I had supposed (it was in the middle between a stationary retrograde and a stationary direct). Upon discovering that, I changed to measuring values for pC MC and pc7 saturn every five months from the birth of the twins to ten months after the death of Twin No. 1.

Positions of pC MC and pc7 saturn for Twin No. 2 (lived) from birth to ten months after death of Twin No. 1:

The table above shows that progressing C MC did move more quickly than progressing c7 saturn, but not as quickly as I would have expected. It took about three years, four months, for their difference to reach 1/2 ° (30 minutes). (I am not sure why the values for November, 1971 suddenly exceeded 30 minutes and thereafter returned to 30 minutes. I don’t think it significant.

On the date of his brother’s death, the difference between pC MC and pc7 saturn for Twin No. 2 (survived) had reached 30 minutes. Thirty minutes (of the 60 minutes per degree) is the actual as well as approximate difference between his C MC and his brother’s, who was born 2 minutes later.

By the time of his brother’s death, Twin No. 2 had the set which contained his progressing C MC and pc7 saturn firmly behind him. At that time, his brother, Twin No. 1 (died), born two minutes earlier (equal to about ½° of longitude), was just coming into his own set involving pC MC and pc7 saturn.

In the table, the date of August 19, 1970 shows pC MC at 11 Pisces 50, pc7 saturn at 11 Pisces 33, and (not in the table) b mars at 11 Virgo 55. That is a progressed Angle/mars/saturn with lighted mars influence to c 4th house. But, it does not complete significators for death because it lacks the lighted/saturn/4th influence.

For Twin No. 1 (died), that lighted/saturn/4th influence occurred through Set (3) above on March 23, 1972, when he died. It occurred then also for Twin No. 1, but then he did not have the progressed C MC/saturn/mars/mars. And when he did have that progressed Angle/mars/saturn, he did not have the lighted/saturn/4th influence.

Same thing for when his progressed C MC was opposed to the midpoint of b mars and pb mars. That occurred on the date his brother died, at which time he did not have the lighted/saturn/4th influence.

Another 4th ruler could have formed a lighted set with saturn to yield a light/saturn/4th influence in August, 1970, but it didn’t.

Set (3) as a progression completing light/saturn/4th influence occurred only once—on the date of Twin No. 1’s death. It will occur again when progressing mercury turns direct and returns to that position. (I did not look for the date. At any rate, unless he also has progressed Angle/mars/saturn with light/mars/4th influence at the same time, it will not astrologically represent his death.).

The astrology of these twins includes one more intriguing fact. It identifies the difference in behavior between the twins. It also confirms the importance of the very small orb.

Looking at the position of C MC relative to c7 saturn in the 7th chart is, in this case, just a little misleading. Conception planets and Angles start progressing at conception, which for these twins was February 6, 1968.. The table above, quite naturally, shows the position of C MC and c7 saturn at the time of conception, not at the time of birth. That is why there is such a big jump in values for pC MC and pc7 saturn from date of birth to the first month after birth, December 19. 1968. All charts for conception show the values for the time of conception. So, by the time an individual is born, some of the faster moving planets are no longer where they were at conception. As we have just seen, even some of slower moving ones, like harmonics of saturn, may have moved a significant distance between conception and birth.

However, when he was born on November 19, 1968, Twin No. 2’s (lived) C MC and c7 saturn had been progressing for about nine months. Their values when he was born were p C MC at 10 Pisces 04, and pc7 saturn at 10 Pisces 03. In other words, when he was born he had a very close Angle/saturn with an orb of 1’. His behavior was the behavior of some one significantly under the influence of saturn—depressed, closed, not popular, appearing not too bright, and so on. His lack of connection to others was further supported by the fact that c saturn rules c 8th house (feelings shared with others) and co-rules (14 of 21°) c 7th house (relations with significant others).

His brother, on the other hand, had pC MC at 9 Pisces 23, with pc7 saturn at 10 Pisces 03 when he was born. It took another 3 years and four months before he experienced the difficulty of that progressing set in Pisces. Unfortunately, when he did, his chart (alone) had also completed the other significators for death.

Conclusion
Using astrology, we were able to separate Twin No. 1, who died age 3 years four months, from his brother, who lived.

At the same time, this particular study was excellent in showing the difference between an Angle conjunct a planet (here saturn), and one only ½° away. Orbs for static Angles-to-planets are 2°, but for progressed Angle-to-planet, 1°. My allowance of a one degree orb for the latter takes into consideration the fact that normally the astrologer does not have a rectified birth time. So, even observed birth times can be off a minute or so. One very well known astrologer I had the good fortune to know slightly allowed an orb of 5° for Angle-to-planet, which would not work for this method. With completely dependable birth times, even orbs for static Angle-to-planet would likely decrease from 2° to 1°. Those for progressing Angle-to-planet, now at 1°, would likely go down to less than ½°, depending on whether a light was also present. The latter also somewhat depends on the planet. Angles to mars and uranus, for instance, are supposed to be more accurate in timing than Angles to saturn. The first two represent something like a synapse firing, while saturn often represents something that does not happen.

The two degree orb for un-progressed Angle-to-planet appears to work for two reasons. (1) Birth time is often off slightly, so part of the time it works and part of the time it doesn’t, but it works enough to convince me that two degrees is an acceptable orb. (2) Two degrees works when several lights, either through progression, transits, and/or return, join the Angle in lighting a planet that is close by.

Discussion
I am not a parent so I will not comment on the horror of losing a child. I imagine the neighbor was also absolutely devastated.

There is something particularly sad about the life of the surviving twin. MC/node/saturn, all in Pisces, is not easy to live with. He also has two more North Nodes conjunct saturn in Pisces in his 7th chart. This is one instance where it seems unlikely that more is better.

Given his age when he lost his brother, and the fact that saturn rules c 8th house (showing lack—saturn, of ability to form close relationships—8th house), it looks like Twin No. 2 (lived) never really recovered from his brother’s death.

For me, however, it is sad that when he was born, and up until his brother’s death, he was under temporary strongly adverse astrology which severely challenged his ability to connect with others. When he was just about to get out from under that enormous strain, he lost his dear brother, the sibling who “translated” the world for him. With that kind of trauma, he may have felt he had permanently lost his connection to the world. Did he blame himself? Did his parents struggle with the forbidden, likely repressed, wish that he should have been the one who died? If they did, did he feel it anyway?

We can, through their astrology, look at this tragedy another way. North Node conjunction saturn conjunction C MC all in Pisces is difficult. But it also looks like a life experience Twin No. 2 chose before birth. Involving the North Node, it suggests soul growth (NN) through suffering (saturn), limitation (saturn), and essentiality (saturn) that is hard to value properly at this level of existence. Limitation itself causes much more suffering when it is fought against—that is where essentiality can come in to reduce the pain.

Seen that way, then his twin brother would be seen as a loving spiritual friend who helped set up the required conditions, then left. Seen that way, at least the surviving twin’s sorrow and sense of separation would not be contaminated with guilt about having been the one who lived.

Twinflower, a member of the honeysuckle family
From Wildflowers of Michigan Field Guide, by Stan Tekiela

Data Acknowledgments
Letters following each name show the Rodden rating for data reliability.


Twin No. 1 (Male, Killed, #14336) (AA)
Birth: 11/19/1968, 4:22 p.m. PST, Burbank, CA. From Astrodatabank by Lois Rodden and Mark McDonough. Mollie Sommer quotes birth certificate in Modern Horoscopes, January, 1985.
Conception:2/06/1968, 2:59:12 p.m. PST, Burbank, CA.

Twin No. 2 (Male, Survived, #14337) (AA)
Birth: 11/19/1968, 4:24 p.m. PST, Burbank, CA. From Astrodatabank by Lois Rodden and Mark McDonough. Mollie Sommer quotes birth certificate in Modern Horoscopes, January, 1985.
Conception:2/06/1968, 3:01:40 p.m. PST, Burbank, CA.






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Contact the author at sleeweidner@yahoo.com