Altair star meaning: the flying eagle
The Altair star meaning is in its Arabic name, al-Nasr al-Ṭāʾir, "the flying eagle" (or vulture); the English name keeps only the last word, al-ṭāʾir, "the flying". In Altair astrology Canopy keeps the whole phrase, printed beside the Altair fixed star on the Chart tab, the Today card and its window pages, and the natal reading glosses it "The Flying Eagle".
The name has a partner: Vega is al-Nasr al-Wāqiʿ, the falling or swooping eagle, and with Deneb the two eagles make the Summer Triangle. Altair is not one of the fifteen Behenian stars; it is one of the twenty others among Canopy's 35.
Where the Altair fixed star sits: 2° Aquarius
By tropical longitude Altair stood near 2°08′ Aquarius in 2025. Its star page in Canopy shows the position for the day you open it, 2°09′ in late October 2026, and its brightness, magnitude 0.77. A birth chart uses the star's place in the birth year: near 1°13′ Aquarius for 1960, 1°47′ for 2000.
The star, the brightest in Aquila, lies about 29 degrees north of the ecliptic, so the Moon and planets never pass over it.
Altair in astrology: a Martial star of Mars and Jupiter
Canopy files Altair as Martial, of the natures of Mars and Jupiter: the badge on its star page says Martial, the Chart tab's chip "Star: Martial", the Today card "Star nature: Mars–Jupiter". Of the six Martial stars outside the Behenian fifteen, only Altair is given Jupiter as well as Mars.
On a day when Altair is the Today card's leading fixed-star contact, the card lists "Seek: bold action, ambition" and "Avoid: reckless haste, hubris". The star page's Traditional Uses line reads: "Talismans for ambition, courage, and rapid advancement."
Altair conjunct the Sun, Moon, Ascendant or Midheaven
Canopy calculates your chart from your birth date, time and place and reads Altair by conjunction. When the star, precessed to your birth date, lies within three degrees of a classical planet, the Ascendant, the Midheaven, the Vertex or a lunar Node, the Chart tab lists the contact under Other Conjunctions, and the star page gives the reading, drawn from the classical sources: "Al-Nasr al-Ṭāʾir (The Flying Eagle) brings bold action, confidence, and sudden rises followed by potential falls. When conjunct a natal planet, you have ambitious drive and adventurous spirit. Success requires maintaining ethical conduct during rapid ascent."
That one reading serves Altair conjunct the Sun, the Moon, Mars, Jupiter or any classical planet, and Altair on the Ascendant or the Midheaven. Canopy does not test Neptune, Pluto or the asteroids. The Sun reaches the star's degree about January 22, so a natal Sun in orb belongs to births from about January 19 to 25. The Today card and Full Reading report its transits.
How to make an Altair talisman: amber and hyssop
Canopy pairs Altair with amber and hyssop, the Gemstone and Herb rows of the Correspondences card on its star page. The classical Behenian lists do not include Altair, so the pairing is Canopy's. A window's page does not repeat it; its About Altair row leads to the star page.
So in Canopy an Altair talisman is a stone, an herb, the natures of Mars and Jupiter, and a moment; the app prescribes no method of making. The planets keep their own windows, under the Mars talisman and the Jupiter talisman.
When to make an Altair talisman: the Altair election
The Altair talisman and the Altair election are one search: a moment qualifies only while Altair's degree is within one degree of the Ascendant or the Midheaven; Canopy tests the degree, not whether the star is above the horizon. The Moon must apply to Altair by conjunction, sextile or trine within two degrees, which puts her in the opening degrees of Aquarius for the conjunction, Sagittarius or Aries for a sextile, Libra or Gemini for a trine. A moment with the Moon in her detriment or fall is set aside, but neither reaches this star: from Capricorn it lies just beyond two degrees, and from Scorpio she could only square it.
As for every star, a moment is set aside when the Moon is within 8.5 degrees of the Sun or applies by square or opposition to one of the five planets, by conjunction to an afflicted one, or to the South Node, and when Mars, Saturn, the South Node or an afflicted planet lies within three degrees of the star. For Altair that bites three ways. From about January 12 to 30 a Moon conjoining it is combust. Saturn, ruler of Aquarius, and Mars, exalted in Capricorn just behind it, each set every window aside while within three degrees of the star, dignity or not. Jupiter does the same at the very end of Capricorn, his fall, but not in Aquarius, if direct and clear of the Sun.
A passing moment scores out of ten: 6 for a conjunction or 3 for a sextile or trine, 2 for the angle, and a point each for a waxing Moon and one not void of course. The star's Martial nature does not count. A waxing Moon at 1° Aquarius, not void, conjoining Altair as its degree rises scores 100 percent, Excellent; a waning Moon at 1° Libra, not void, trining it at the Midheaven scores 60, Good.
A Midheaven window lasts about eight minutes anywhere, but Aquarius rises fast in the north: an Ascendant window lasts about six and a half minutes at 40°N and nearer ten at 35°S. In Canopy's purpose searches, such as a wedding, its Martial nature sets aside any moment with its degree on the Ascendant or the Midheaven (see electional astrology). The shared rules are under fixed-star talisman windows in Canopy.
Finding an Altair window in Canopy
Open the Talismans tab and choose Fixed Star Talismans, or Fixed Stars under the Elections tab, the same search in election wording. The picker lists all 35 stars with their Arabic names and opens with the fifteen Behenian ones selected: tap None, choose Altair, set the place and dates up to about six months apart, and tap Search Stars.
Every conjunction falls in the lunar mansion Saʿd al-Suʿūd, the Luckiest of the Lucky, so setting the mansion filter to it leaves only conjunctions, the highest-scoring windows. Each opens on a page headed Altair Talisman or Altair Election, with its score and the reasons under "Why this time?". Canopy keeps only the best few windows per star.
See whether Altair touches your chart, and when its degree next holds an angle.
Free to download · 7-day free trial where offered · then a subscription · Supports iPhone Duo
Questions
What is the meaning of the Altair star?
The name comes from the Arabic al-Nasr al-Ṭāʾir, the flying eagle (or vulture); the English name keeps the last word, al-ṭāʾir, the flying. Its partner is Vega, al-Nasr al-Wāqiʿ, the falling eagle.
What does Altair mean in astrology?
In Canopy it is a Martial fixed star of Mars and Jupiter near 2° of tropical Aquarius, whose reading, drawn from the classical sources, speaks of bold action, confidence, and sudden rises followed by potential falls.
What does Altair conjunct the Sun, Moon, Ascendant or Midheaven mean?
Canopy gives one reading for every contact within three degrees, to a classical planet, the Ascendant, the Midheaven, the Vertex or a lunar Node: ambitious drive and adventurous spirit, with success that requires ethical conduct during rapid ascent.
What gemstone goes with Altair?
Amber, with hyssop as its herb, both on the Correspondences card of Altair's star page in Canopy. The classical Behenian lists do not include Altair, so the pairing is Canopy's own.
How do you make an Altair talisman?
In Canopy it is amber, hyssop, the natures of Mars and Jupiter, and a moment: the minutes when the star's degree holds the Ascendant or the Midheaven while the Moon applies to it. The app gives no method of making.
When is the best time to make an Altair talisman?
When its degree, about 2° Aquarius, is within one degree of the Ascendant or the Midheaven and the Moon applies to it within two degrees, unafflicted, with Mars, Saturn and the South Node clear of the star. A waxing Moon's conjunction scores highest.
What do Vega, Deneb and Altair mean in astrology?
In Canopy, Vega, al-Nasr al-Wāqiʿ, is a Benefic Behenian star of Venus and Mercury; Deneb, Dhanab al-Dajājah, the tail of the hen, a Benefic star of Venus and Mercury; and Altair a Martial star of Mars and Jupiter.
