Why “Arcturus Rising”?

We called our group “Arcturus Rising” because of the chart of the group, which is set for 29 April 2003, 19:15 BST (18:15 GMT), at Bristol, 51N27, 2W36. This chart has the fixed star Arcturus close to the Ascendant.

Arcturus is the fourth brightest star in the sky and is part of the constellation Bootes, the hunter and farmer. In astrology, this star represents riches, honours and is a leader and pathfinder.

Who are we?

We’re an informal group; we have a committee of four: Amanda (treasurer), Chris, Eric and Jane. We run the group between us, and organise speakers, venues and so on. We’re always open to new suggestions, so get in touch!

Where do we meet, and when?

Arcturus Rising meets on the last Wednesday of every month (there are a couple of exceptions to this) at the Friends’ Meeting House at 126 Hampton Road, Redland, Bristol and the meetings will be from 19:45 - 21:45. The programme page shows the dates of forthcoming meetings, and the topics. Click here to see a map of how to get to the Friends’ Meeting House.

What format are the meetings?

Some of our meetings are presented by guest speakers, others are discussion evenings. For discussion evenings, the meeting has a topic, and somebody will start the meeting by introducing the topic and giving a brief talk, and then the discussion is opened up. We want to share ideas and get a useful discussion going - so the purpose of the initial talk is to set the ball rolling to initiate a dialogue.

Do I need to be a skilled astrologer to come along?

No! Arcturus Rising meetings are open to anyone with an interest in astrology. To get the most out of the meetings, it’s useful to know the basics of astrology - what the planets and signs represent, and to have an idea of terms like “conjunction” and “opposition”. Check out Getting Started and Chris’s Astrology Primer (this is on a separate website) for the basics.

How much does it cost?

There is a charge of £4 for each meeting, which includes tea or coffee, and biscuits - and the money raised is used to pay for the rental of the room and paying for speakers. We are a non-profit making organisation.