The combust path. As employed by the ancients this doubtless referred to a cluster of fixed stars in the early degrees of the constellation Scorpio. A birth Moon in that arc was considered to be as afflicted as if it was in an eclipse condition - at or near one of the Nodes. If so, the description would have to be revised by 1° every 70 years, to compensate for the Precessional arc. This would probably place the Via Combusta in the region occupied by Antares and opposed by Aldebaran, an arc now centering around 10° Sagittarius. A birth planet or birth Moon in that arc would thus be described "in Via Combusta." Some of the older authorities gave its location as the last half of Libra and the whole of Capricorn; others, from Libra 15° to Scorpio 15°.
ASTROLABE ENCYCLOPEDIA
