| Fixed star: DABIH | |
| Constellation: Beta (β) Capricornus | |
| Longitude 1900: 02AQU39 | Longitude 2000: 04AQU03 |
| Declination 1900: -15.06′ | Declination 2000: -14.47′ |
| Right ascension: 20h 20m | Latitude: +04.35′ |
| Spectral class: FB | Magnitude: 3.2 |
The history of the star: Dahib
from p.140 of Star Names, Richard Hinckley Allen, 1889.
[A scanned copy can be viewed on this webpage
Beta (β) Capricornus, and beta (β), Dahib, each very closely double, orange yellow and sky blue, marking the head of the Goat, the components are about 3 minutes distant from each other.
Dabih Major and Dabih Minor are the names of this so-called double, but telescopically multiple, star, taken from the title of the Arabic 20th manzil (Arabic Moon Mansion) of which, with alpha (α), it formed part.
Dabih is from Arabic Sa’d adh-dhabih (), “The lucky star of the slaughterer”, manifestly referring to the sacrifice celebrated by the Arabs at the helical rising of Capricorn. And of similar signification was the Euphratean Shak-shadi and the Coptic Eupeutos, or Opeutus, for the same lunar asterism of those peoples. This name indicates that the Moon Mansion served to signal the beginning of a winter ritual.
In China it was in some way intimately connected in religious worship with the rearing of the silkworm in that country.
Star Names, Their Lore and Meaning, Richard Hinckley Allen, 1889].
The Lunar Mansions
Al Sa’d al Dhabih, the Lucky One of the Slaughterers, the title of the 20th manzil (Arabic Moon Mansion) of which the two alphas; alpha (Giedi Prima), alpha² (Giedi Secunda), and this star beta (β Dahib) were the determinant point.
Influences of the 20th Arabic Moon Mansion Al S’ad al Dhabih: Helps the escape of servants and captives and the curing of diseases. [Robson, p.74.]
With Moon transiting here: take medicine, travel, but do not lend money or marry. [Robson, p.74.]
The astrological influences of the constellation Capricornus
Legend: During their war with the giants, the Gods were driven into Egypt and pursued by Typhon. In order to escape, each was forced to change his shape, and Pan, leaping into the Nile, turned the upper part of his body into a goat and the lower part into a fish, a shape considered by Jupiter worthy of commemoration in the heavens. [Robson, p.35.]
Influence: Ptolemy’s observations are as follows “The stars in the horns of Capricorn have efficacy similar to that of Venus, and partly to that of Mars. The stars in the mouth are like Saturn, and partly like Venus: those in the feet and in the belly act in the same manner as Mars and Mercury: those in the tail are like Saturn and Jupiter.” By the Kabalists this constellation is associated with the Hebrew letter Yod and the 10th Tarot Trump “The Wheel of Fortune.” [Robson, p.36.]
The constellation Capricorn has a great influence over human affairs portending major changes in such areas as climate and political customs. Along with the sign, the constellation is also noted as the “Mansion of Kings.” Unfavorably situated with regards to lunar eclipses, it indicates major storms, especially at sea. [Fixed Stars and Judicial Astrology, George Noonan, 1990, p.36.]
The astrological influences of the constellation Capricorn given by Manilius:
“In her shrine Vesta tends your fires, Capricorn: and from her you derive your skills and callings. For whatever needs fire to function and demands a renewal of flame for its work must be counted as of your domain. To pry for hidden metals, to smelt out riches deposited in the veins of the earth, to fold sure-handed the malleable mass—these skills will come from you, as will aught which is fashioned of silver or gold. That hot furnaces melt iron and bronze, and ovens give to the wheat its final form, will come as gifts from you. You also give a fondness for clothes and wares which dispel the cold, since your lot falls for all time in winter’s season, wherein you shorten the nights you have brought to their greatest length and give birth to a new year by enlarging the daylight hours. Hence comes a restless quality in their lives and a mind which is often changed and floats this way and that; the first half of the sign is the slave of Venus, and that with guilt involved, but a more virtuous old age is promised by the conjoined fish below.” [Astronomica, Manilius, 1st century AD, book 4, p.241.]
The astrological influences of the star Dahib
According to Ptolemy it is of the nature of Saturn and Venus; and, to Alvidas, of Uranus and Saturn conjoined in square to Mercury. [Robson, p.157.]
Venusian and Saturnian in nature; indicating a tendency to melancholy. [Larousse Encyclopedia of astrology].
With Sun: Reserved, suspicious and mistrustful, loss through friends, responsible public position of trust and authority. [Robson, p.157.]
With Moon: Successful in business but retires under a cloud, favorable for wealth, influential position but scarcely realizes ambitions, trouble through opposite sex, deserved criticism and censure. [Robson, p.157.]
With Mercury: Reserved, suspicious, envious, self-centered, prominent position in public affairs or companies, favorable for gain, bad for domestic affairs, peculiar home conditions. [Robson, p.157.]
With Venus: Secret love affairs, sorrow and disappointment, easily led astray, enmity of women. [Robson, p.158.]
With Mars: Great ambition, energy, high position but danger of reversal, domestic disharmony. [Robson, p.158.]
With Jupiter: Hypocrisy, dishonesty, high legal or ecclesiastical preferment but danger of reversal, domestic disharmony. [Robson, p.158.]
With Saturn: Melancholy, studious, recluse, restless and nervous, writer, accumulates wealth in a miserly fashion, often lives alone but danger of separation and divorce, wrapt up in some great sorrow, long life. [Robson, p.158.]
With Uranus: Strange and peculiar experiences, many ups and downs, much suffering, loses friends through deception, disappointed ambitions, losses of a Mercurial nature, unfavorable for domestic affairs, terror of death, dies after a lingering illness. [Robson, p.158.]
With Neptune: Active mind, shrewd and selfish in business, pessimistic, critical, many enemies, occupied with secret undertakings, serious accidents in middle age, disappointing love affairs, unfavorable for early marriage but favorable for one in middle age, prominence in public affairs, sudden death. [Robson, p.158.]
References:
Fixed Stars and Constellations in Astrology, Vivian E. Robson, 1923].