Minderwiz
We occasionally have recommendations or requests for information about Apps for phones and tablets. Astro Gold has been available on iPad and iPhone for some time but now there is an Android version. So as an Android user, I decided to give it a go.
I've attached two charts from it. The first, Astro Gold Full, shows all the points that can be displayed, each one of them is individually selectable. The second shows just the seven classic planets with no aspect lines and Whole Sign Houses, instead of Placidus. There are 30 house systems to choose from and all the expected ones are there plus being able to put any planet on the Ascendant. For me, studying Hellenistic Astrology, one great feature here is the ability to put the Lot of Fortune on the Ascendant, which was a regular turning of the chart.
Astro Gold allows predictions through Secondary Progressions, Solar Returns, Solar Arcs, Current Transits, and it allows for Composite Charts for Synastry. It also has a great feature where by the chart can be rolled forward or backward by increments from minutes up to years. Very useful for rectification or finding your Jupiter Return.
For Solar Fire users, it's possible to export charts from Astro Gold to Solar Fire through email and to import them by the same method. This is great for later analysis.
The process of settings and adjustments follows the lines of Solar Fire, although it's a much simplified process, naturally.
There are of course things that are missing. Traditional Astrologers won't find access to Essential Dignities, or other lots besides Fortune. Both of those features I'd like to see in future releases. As Astro Gold comes from the Solar Fire team, I would hope that these would be incorporated for horary readers in the near future.
I understand the Apple version has interpretations. I have grave reservations about that as a feature in any Astrology program, unless it is totally self designed. Each Astrologer has their own methods and approaches. A 'standardised reading' would be as useless to Dave as it would to me.
Finally the big disadvantage. By App standards, this is extortionate at £19.97. So I can't see sales being great except for professionals, serious amateurs and some folks who already have Solar Fire and want to exchange charts. For me, it's worth the price but I can't see that being a unversal response. Certainly not when Planetdance is nearly as good but only a small fraction of the cost.
I've attached two charts from it. The first, Astro Gold Full, shows all the points that can be displayed, each one of them is individually selectable. The second shows just the seven classic planets with no aspect lines and Whole Sign Houses, instead of Placidus. There are 30 house systems to choose from and all the expected ones are there plus being able to put any planet on the Ascendant. For me, studying Hellenistic Astrology, one great feature here is the ability to put the Lot of Fortune on the Ascendant, which was a regular turning of the chart.
Astro Gold allows predictions through Secondary Progressions, Solar Returns, Solar Arcs, Current Transits, and it allows for Composite Charts for Synastry. It also has a great feature where by the chart can be rolled forward or backward by increments from minutes up to years. Very useful for rectification or finding your Jupiter Return.
For Solar Fire users, it's possible to export charts from Astro Gold to Solar Fire through email and to import them by the same method. This is great for later analysis.
The process of settings and adjustments follows the lines of Solar Fire, although it's a much simplified process, naturally.
There are of course things that are missing. Traditional Astrologers won't find access to Essential Dignities, or other lots besides Fortune. Both of those features I'd like to see in future releases. As Astro Gold comes from the Solar Fire team, I would hope that these would be incorporated for horary readers in the near future.
I understand the Apple version has interpretations. I have grave reservations about that as a feature in any Astrology program, unless it is totally self designed. Each Astrologer has their own methods and approaches. A 'standardised reading' would be as useless to Dave as it would to me.
Finally the big disadvantage. By App standards, this is extortionate at £19.97. So I can't see sales being great except for professionals, serious amateurs and some folks who already have Solar Fire and want to exchange charts. For me, it's worth the price but I can't see that being a unversal response. Certainly not when Planetdance is nearly as good but only a small fraction of the cost.
