English-language astrology books on Sun and Moon sign combinations

Bibliography of Sun and Moon sign combinations in Astrology

A Brief chronological list of English-language Astrology Books Delineating Character from them

– Updated 20 May, 2025 from the original short web article of 26 May, 2009 

The delineation of human personality with reference to the 144 different combinations of tropical zodiacal signs occupied by the Sun and Moon became popular in the late 19th century.

When this article was first published in May 2009, it gave a simple chronological list of books I was then aware of that had pursued this theme as a major (though not necessarily exclusive) focus.

It has now been updated and sorted alphabetically to bring it in line with the rest of the topical bibliography section of pages at Astrolearn, and extended with a short appendix covering books on the Sun and Ascendant sign combinations. But for continuity with the historically instructive purpose of the original version, I have retained a summary chronology of the order in which the respective authors’ works of relevance first appeared immediately below:

1. Butler, Hiram (1887)
2. Leo, Alan (1899)
3. Emley, Alan (1929)
4. Parchment, S. R. (1933)
5. Lewi, Grant (initially as Scorpio) (1935)
6. Hughes, Robert (1977)
7. Andersen, Jefferson (1978)
8. Jayne, Vivia (1986)
9. Harvey, Charles & Suzi (1994)
10. Parker, Derek and Julia (1996)
11. Ridder-Patrick, Jane (2004)

Ten of these authors wrote on the Sun and Moon sign combinations in their respective books. The exception is Vivia Jayne, whose book instead delineates based on the 144 combinations of horoscopic houses tenanted by the Sun and Moon; yet, her work seemed relevant enough to the theme to be worth including in this book list.

Most of the above remain either in print or easy to obtain second-hand. There may yet be others.

I find this whole literary genre interesting for various reasons. One is that it is based upon a level of astrological technique so very simple and elementary that, as with Sun sign guides, it has been argued by some astrologers not to constitute real astrology at all. Nor does it appear to have a strong basis in astrological tradition prior to the work of Butler and the Esoteric Fraternity. Yet on the other hand, its exponents have included serious-minded astrologers such as Charles Harvey, who himself sought to use it as a demonstration of the truth of natural astrological influences of the Sun and Moon in isolation from all other more complex astrological considerations.

If Harvey could be shown by analysis of his portraits against real life to have been correct, could this not be argued to constitute a vindication of at least one of the innovations of modern psychological astrology, however murky (an esoteric order in the 1880s) the source of the idea?

Please note that this bibliography is copyrighted material, and do not copy and paste its contents or republish them elsewhere. If wishing to cite this bibliography as a source, please link to the URL where it is housed at the Astrolearn website.

Thank you!

Philip Graves, 20th May 2025

 

Books on the Sun and Moon Sign Combinations in Astrology

Andersen, Jefferson ‘Sun Signs Moon Signs’ Dell Publishing Co., Inc., New York, New York, 1978

Butler, Hiram E. ‘Solar Biology: a Scientific Method of Delineating Character, Diagnosing Disease; Determining Mental, Physical and Business Qualifications, Conjugal Adaptability, etc., etc., from Date of Birth’ Stated Second Edition^[1] – Esoteric Publishing Company, 478 Shawmut Avenue, Boston, [Mass.], 1887

Butler, Hiram E. ‘Solar Biology: a Scientific Method of Delineating Character; Diagnosing Disease; Determining Mental, Physical and Business Qualifications, Conjugal Adaptability, etc., from Time and Place of Birth’ Stated Thirty-ninth Edition – Esoteric Fraternity, Publishers, Applegate, California, 1967^[2]

Emley, Alan M., LL.B. ‘Solar Psychology’ William H. Andre, Publisher, Denver, Colorado, 1929

Harvey, Charles & Suzi ‘Sun Sign, Moon Sign: Discover the Key to Your Unique Personality Through the 144 Sun-Moon Combinations’ Aquarian, HarperCollinsPublishers, 77-85 Fulham Palace Road, Hammersmith, London W6, 1994

Hughes, Robert A. ‘The Sun and Moon Polarity in Your Horoscope’ American Federation of Astrologers, 6535 South Rural Road, Tempe, Arizona, 1977. This copy signed by the author to title page: ‘With all best wishes Bob 8-10-77’

Hughes, Robert A. ‘The Sun and Moon Polarity in Your Horoscope’ Current Printing – American Federation of Astrologers Inc., Tempe, AZ, 1988^[3]

Jayne, Vivia ‘By Your Lights’^[4] Stated First Printing – American Federation of Astrologers, Inc., Tempe, Arizona, 1986

Leo, Alan ‘Astrology for All: To Which Is Added a Complete System of Predictive Astrology for Advanced Students’ Published at 9, Lyncroft Gardens, West Hampstread, London, N.W., dated 1899^[5]

Leo, Alan ‘Astrology for All Part I. Individual and Personal Characteristics as Represented by the Sun and Moon (“Astrology Without Calculations.”)’ Second Edition (Revised, partly re-written, and very greatly amplified) – Published at 9, Lyncroft Gardens, West Hampstead, London, N.W., 1904

Leo, Alan ‘[“Astrology for All” Series, Volume I.] Astrology for All Part I. Individual and Personal Characteristics as Represented by the Sun and Moon (“Astrology without Calculations”)’ Third Edition. Revised – Published at The Office of Modern Astrology, 9, Lyncroft Gardens, West Hampstead, London, N.W., 1908 / Wholesale Agents: L. N. Fowler & Co., 7, Imperial Arcade, London, E.C..^[6]

Lewi, Grant ‘Heaven Knows What’ Reprinted – Llewellyn Publications, St. Paul, Minnesota, 1968^[7]

Lewi, Grant ‘Heaven Knows What: How to Cast Horoscopes in Just 15 Minutes for Anyone Born from 1850 to 2050’ Tenth Edition Revised, Second Printing – Llewellyn Publications, St. Paul, Minnesota, 1995

Parchment, S. R. ‘Astrology Mundane and Spiritual: A text-book giving a brief resumé of cosmogenesis and anthropogenesis; complete instructions for casting, progressing and reading the horoscope, with twenty-six example horoscopes illustrating the diagnosis of disease by means of star chemistry’ Stated First Edition – Distributed by Rosicrucian Anthroposophic League, San Francisco, California, 1933

Parchment, S. R. ‘Astrology Mundane and Spiritual: A text-book giving a brief resumé of cosmogenesis and anthropogenesis; complete instructions for casting, progressing and reading the horoscope, with twenty-six example horoscopes illustrating the diagnosis of disease by means of star chemistry’ Stated Second Edition – Distributed by Rosicrucian Anthroposophic League, San Francisco, California, copyrighted 1933^[8]

Parchment, S. R. ‘Astrology Mundane and Spiritual: A text-book giving a brief resumé of cosmogenesis and anthropogenesis; complete instructions for casting, progressing and reading the horoscope, with twenty-six example horoscopes illustrating the diagnosis of disease by means of star chemistry’ American Federation of Astrologers, 6 Library Court, S.E., Washington, D.C.,  unclearly dated^[9]

Parker, Julia & Derek ‘Sun & Moon Signs: an Indispensable Illustrated Guide to Astrological Characteristics’ Dorling Kindersley Inc. New York, NY, 1996

Ridder-Patrick, Jane ‘The Aquarius Enigma: Cracking the Code’ Mainstream Publishing Company (Edinburgh) Ltd., Edinburgh, 2004

Ridder-Patrick, Jane ‘The Aries Enigma: Cracking the Code’ Mainstream Publishing Company (Edinburgh) Ltd., Edinburgh, 2004

Ridder-Patrick, Jane ‘The Cancer Enigma: Cracking the Code’ Mainstream Publishing Company (Edinburgh) Ltd., Edinburgh, 2004

Ridder-Patrick, Jane ‘The Capricorn Enigma: Cracking the Code’ Mainstream Publishing Company (Edinburgh) Ltd., Edinburgh, 2004

Ridder-Patrick, Jane ‘The Gemini Enigma: Cracking the Code’ Mainstream Publishing Company (Edinburgh) Ltd., Edinburgh, 2004

Ridder-Patrick, Jane ‘The Leo Enigma: Cracking the Code’ Mainstream Publishing Company (Edinburgh) Ltd., Edinburgh, 2004

Ridder-Patrick, Jane ‘The Libra Enigma: Cracking the Code’ Mainstream Publishing Company (Edinburgh) Ltd., Edinburgh, 2004

Ridder-Patrick, Jane ‘The Pisces Enigma: Cracking the Code’ Mainstream Publishing Company (Edinburgh) Ltd., Edinburgh, 2004

Ridder-Patrick, Jane ‘The Sagittarius Enigma: Cracking the Code’ Mainstream Publishing Company (Edinburgh) Ltd., Edinburgh, 2004

Ridder-Patrick, Jane ‘The Scorpio Enigma: Cracking the Code’ Mainstream Publishing Company (Edinburgh) Ltd., Edinburgh, 2004

Ridder-Patrick, Jane ‘The Taurus Enigma: Cracking the Code’ Mainstream Publishing Company (Edinburgh) Ltd., Edinburgh, 2004

Ridder-Patrick, Jane ‘The Virgo Enigma: Cracking the Code’ Mainstream Publishing Company (Edinburgh) Ltd., Edinburgh, 2004

Scorpio ‘Heaven Knows What’ Stated First Edition – Doubleday, Doran & Company,  Inc., Garden City, N.Y., 1935

Scorpio ‘Scorpio’s Horoscope Book: Heaven Knows What’ The Sun Dial Press, Inc., Garden City, New York, 1937^[10]

 

Books on the Sun and Ascendant Sign combinations in Astrology

King, Teri ‘Sunrise Sunset: an Astrological Guide to Sun Signs, Rising Signs and Your Personality’ Allison & Busby, W. H. Allen & Co. plc, London W1X 8LB, 1988. Cloth in dj

King, Teri ‘Teri King’s Complete Guide To Your Stars: a Unique Combination of the Ascendant and the Sun Sign’ Element Books Limited, Shaftesbury, Dorset SP7, 1995^[11]. Card covers

McEvers, Joan ’12 Times 12: 144 Sun / Ascendant Combinations’^[12] Second Printing – ACS Publications, San Diego, CA, 1984

McEvers, Joan ‘Interpreting Your Sun-Ascendant’ Second Printing – Astro-Analytics Publications, 16440 Haynes Street, Van Nuys, California, June 1980^[13]

 

[1] This is stated on the spine; yet internally there is no evidence of it being so, suggesting that it may be an unaltered second printing or binding from the original sheets

[2] This edition appears a monochrome facsimile of an earlier printing and exhibits relatively poor quality print in places. The main distinguishing feature from the original edition is that the ephemerides now run from 1863 to 1969, instead of 1820 to 1899. The publisher’s notice that ran from pp. 289-290 of the original edition has been excised.

[3] After original printing of 1977

[4] This book delineates the 144 possible combinations of Sun and Moon house placements without looking at signs

[5] This date, however, appears misleading, as it relates only to when the first parts of the eventual book began to be serialised in “Modern Astrology” magazine. Serialisation was finished only with the June, 1900 issue, and the completed book advertised as ‘now ready’ on the rear cover of that of July, 1900, so the true year of publication was clearly 1900

[6] A list of ‘Foreign Agents’ in America, France and Holland follows – too long to include here

[7] After the original edition of 1935, second of 1937, third of 1947, reprint of 1949, fourth edition of1962, and fifth edition of 1967, of which this appears to be the first reprint

[8] The exact printing date of this stated second edition is not apparent but presumed soon after 1933. I cannot at a quick glance find any difference from the first edition. There is also a much smaller-format A.F.A. reprint falsely retaining the 1933 date, but in fact printed in the 1970s. The A.F.A. edition is notably less fine in its imitation of the original gilt design to the front board as well as being slightly smaller and lighter

[9] This edition retains only the original coyright date of 1933, but can confidently be dated to 1970-1975 in view of the publishing history of the A.F.A.. The book was designed to resemble the original editions even outwardly, employing a facsimile of the original illustrated cover design, but with a less fine detail resolution. The book is noticeably somewhat smaller in size format than those of the original editions

[10] Second edition of the above, seemingly unaltered in content but for the addition of the dials and horoscope blanks at the end. The cloth is red, as compared with dark blue on the first edition

[11] A retitled low-cost reprint of ’Sunrise Sunset’, q. v. above, in a much smaller mass-market-paperback size format

[12] A retitled, reset new edition of the title shown below, reduced in size format to a paperback, from the original large-format edition

[13] After the first of February 1980