Asteroid Iris is the rainbow messenger goddess. From Iris comes the word iridescent. Iris is the carrier of an urn filled with water from the river Styx that she uses to put asleep all those who commit crimes against justice, that is, lying under oath. Iris is the attendant of Hera (In Roman, Juno wife of Jupiter who is associated with law.) “Her quality of attendant of Hera was particularly appropriate to the circumstances of discovery, as she was spotted following 3 Juno …” [1]
The river Styx formed the boundary between the earth and the Underworld, the word Styx means “hate” in Greek, yet the waters are supposed to be miraculous, making anyone who bathed in them invulnerable.
Iris’s job was to fetch the water from the Styx for use in court to swear on, the gods would then drink it and if the god/dess was lying, they would not breathe for a year.
Like Mercury, Iris bridges two worlds, carries the Caduceus, and connects to the underworld. Iris is the marriage of water with air, since her father was a marine god and her mother a cloud nymph, she could travel through air and water with ease and is depicted with wings. Iris 7 was discovered on August 13, 1847 in London. I will use 10pm for the time because it will have been dark in the UK by then, we will not look at the angles but can assume the moons position is accurate within a few hours.
Asteroid Iris Discovery Chart
It’s a striking chart with two yods! Saturn the lord of karma being the apex of Yod 1, Mercury the messenger is the apex of Yod 2. What I love is that the North Node is on Algorab in Yod 1, the notorious lying and cheating crow! This powerful yod shows up the lies from Saturn in Achernar, the mouth of the river! The murky Saturnian water spits lies from it’s rotten mouth.
The Moon is on Alkes in the crater, the Holy Grail. Again we have the symbolism of the vessel and again the crow. Apollo sent the crow off with this special cup to get water for Jupiter’s party. The crow failed in his mission and made up some story to cover himself.
The grail was thought to be where Icarus stored his sacred wine and we know that sometimes alcohol can loosen ones tongue and incriminate you later. Alcohol, like the waters of the river Styx can sometimes work as a truth serum, but it can make you tell wild stories too.
I love the way Jupiter the judge pulls all the strings while he sits on powerful fixed star Sirius opposite his wife Juno. Jupiter tightly aspects both Yods and squares the Algorab North Node. Jupiter on Sirius: “Business success, journeys, help from relatives, ecclesiastical preferment.” [2] Iris in the discovery chart is at 28º Cap. At 10.33pm that night she would have been on the London MC which is very apt. The MC is on the fixed star Altair in the Eagle, Iris has wings!
Asteroid Iris Astrology
Asteroid Iris astrologically shows up liars through the element of water. This could be through cleansing, tears that well up out of nowhere or even alcohol. Iris is not really the one who punishes, that would be Jupiter’s and Juno’s job, but she is the goddess of revelation.
In ones chart, Iris will show where you cannot succeed in lying. If you act sneaky, success in this area will be literally “put to sleep” until you learn to be more honest in your dealings. The rainbow has a yearning, hopeful quality to it. Indeed justice will be done and the sunshine will prevail if you conduct your business in Iris’s house with integrity. The position of Iris will be where you can find your pot of gold, but only if you act with a pure heart.
Find Asteroid Iris in Your Chart
1. Create your chart HERE.
2. Choose “Extended Chart Selection”.
3. In “additional asteroids or hypothetical planets”, add 7.
References
1. Iris – Wikipedia
2. Fixed Stars and Constellations in Astrology, Vivian E. Robson, 1923 p.209.