Asteroid Evolution: This Time It's Personal

Alex Miller

© Alex Miller - published by The Evolving Astrologer, June 2025 / 20.10.2025

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When astrology’s universe expanded with the discovery of Uranus in 1781, no one could have imagined what further revelations would unfold. At a single throw, the size of the known solar system had doubled, and we began to understand that there was more to existence than what was represented by the seven visible planets. A whole new world beckoned: unseen, internal, but incredibly powerful.

Often overlooked in the chronicle of our continued evolution in astrology is the fact that the next major development would come, not from the outer reaches of our system, but from a region much closer to home: the asteroids. With the appearance of Ceres on our star maps in 1801, astrologers were given the message that yes, they could seek far afield for further insights, but attention needed to be paid to our backyard as well, with what turned out to be a host of minor bodies in the space between Mars and Jupiter. Ceres’ classifications over time read like a resume of our unfolding consciousness, and evolution in our awareness – first labeled a planet, when its relative smallness was realized, the new term “asteroid” was coined for it and its companions, and in 2006 it was upgraded to the status of “dwarf planet” to create a whole new class of points, including Pluto and other outer system bodies.

As the decades rolled on, more and more asteroids were discovered, though mostly these were discounted by astrologers, beyond perhaps the Big Four, the first quartet to enter our consciousness. But there are an estimated 1.9 million of these bodies, with approximately 500,000 cataloged, of which a mere 29,000 have been named. Initially astronomers followed the planetary convention of naming these points for figures from classical mythology, but their sheer numbers eventually rendered this unworkable. Asteroids began to be named for everyday people, places, and things, and today, pretty much anything goes.

Those with mythic backstories (MNAs – Mythic-Named Asteroids) have built-in interpretations based on their namesakes’ deeds, which can be helpful in further refining significant character traits in the lives of individuals for whom they are prominent. But what about those with more personal attributions (PNAs – Personal-Named Asteroids)?

Personal-Named Asteroids

At this point, the vast majority of asteroids are named for people, either in specific or more generally. National Math and Science competition winners are routinely given asteroid designation, as are working scientists, researchers, and others who have contributed to their fields in memorable ways. Often friends, relations or coworkers are honored, and a host of place names, from cities and countries to rivers, lakes and mountains, have found their way into the heavens.

Once the name becomes part of the cosmic register, it applies to all persons with that, or a similar, name, regardless of the original designee. Remarkably, these act as cosmic placeholders, continuing to represent individuals and locales which resonate to their names, both in biographies and current events. This phenomenon is not limited to modern-day charts, but extends over centuries, accurately depicting vital relationships and historic events from ages past.

Perusing the lists of asteroid names, one uncovers many that will be familiar to the astrologer, and useful in a variety of contexts. First names such as Kevin, James, Mary or Anna, or surnames such as Smith, Jones, Pearson or Taylor, can be used generically for anyone with matching, or similar, names, albeit they were not named specifically for these individuals. Typically, PNAs that relate to the individual him- or herself can be found interacting with the native’s Sun, Moon, Ascendant or Mercury (as ruling the naming function). And the names of those with whom the native forms significant relationships will be found in the birth chart, too, in ways which further illustrate the tenor of their interactions, and describe, not necessarily the veracity of these others (that is, their true nature or essence), but rather, how the individual perceives them.

But there’s another class of PNAs, which are designated for specific individuals, most notably celebrities, and a review of their placements in the birth charts of their namesakes, as well as the significant moments in their lives, makes for a truly mind-blowing experience of just how deeply immersed we are with the cosmos, on a daily level.

Celebrity Asteroids

It’s astonishing to think that these asteroids, which were discovered decades after the births of the celebrities they honor, can be retroactively added to their birth charts, and fit snugly, even seamlessly, into them. How can it be that astronomers, with no knowledge or awareness of the astrological implications of their decisions, can randomly designate a bit of space debris for a celebrity, only to have that body show up significantly in the birth chart of the honoree, born decades before its discovery? That is just another of the endless mysteries of the cosmos…

Robin Williams

Comedian and actor Robin Williams is an excellent case in point. Born 21 July 1951, Williams already had his celestial bases covered, with generic asteroid referents for both names: Robyn 5183 (an alternate spelling) and Williams 1763. This pair appears together in the birth chart, at 9 and 6 Leo respectively (effectively combing both names in one tiny sector of the zodiac), with Robyn just moving out of orb with his 28 Cancer Sun, and both squared the 12 Scorpio Ascendant, also inconjunct the 9 Pisces Moon (and thus conforming to the typical pattern). With Robyn and Williams is asteroid Thalia 23, named for the Greek Muse of comedy, at 14 Leo, making for a picture-perfect cosmic bundle of energies that defined him as a Funny Man. A semisquare from Thalia to Saturn at 27 Virgo points to his comedic gifts being focused toward a career, not just the jokester always making his intimate circle laugh.

But as powerful and telling as this combination is, it’s nothing compared to the phenomenal placement of the asteroid named for him. Asteroid Robinwilliams 12820 wasn’t discovered until 1996, when the actor was 45 and at the height of his career, deemed worthy of celestial nomination. Incredibly, when added to the birth chart, Robinwilliams appears at 11 Scorpio, just one degree shy of his Ascendant! The “coincidence” is even more startling when we reflect that the Angles are the fastest-moving points in the chart, shifting degrees every four minutes – had Williams been born just an hour later or earlier, there would have been no connection. Not only that, but at its discovery on May 11th, 1996, Robinwilliams in the sky was at 6 Scorpio, about to return to its natal degree, a period of renewal and reinforcement of the natal potential.

But the story doesn’t end there. After a start as a standup comic, through his early days on TV’s “Mork and Mindy,” Williams eventually embarked on a movie career, winning accolades for his talent as a serious actor as well. Nominated three times for an Academy Award as Best Actor (prefigured in the birth chart by a conjunction of asteroids Nike 307 (Greek goddess of victory) and Oskar 750 (alternate spelling of the award’s nickname) at 10 and 15 Libra, with Neptune (films) at 16 Libra), Williams was routinely passed up for the top honor by his peers, until he finally won through to the gold statuette as Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Sean Maguire in 1997’s “Good Will Hunting.”

When the 70th Academy Awards were presented on 23 March 1998, asteroid Robinwilliams at 28 Pisces was conjoined the 2 Aries Sun, making this his moment to shine, on the fulcrum of a T-Square with asteroids Williams at 4 Capricorn and Victoria 12 (named for the Roman goddess of victory) at 3 Cancer. Not to be outdone, asteroid Oskar at 11 Aquarius is semisquare Robinwilliams, and part of a bundle of points including Uranus, also at 11 Aquarius, and a pairing of Venus with asteroid Sean 7051 (his winning role) at 16 Aquarius. The cosmos brings it all full circle with Sean having just made its Return to its natal degree of 14 Aquarius, from where it formed a Grand Trine with the natal Nike/Oskar/Neptune grouping and natal asteroid Actor 12238 at 11 Gemini. Sean is the key to enacting the pattern’s potential, the missing link which finally allowed Williams’ Oscar win, once he took that role, completing a circuit not fully realized formerly.

Sadly, Robin Williams committed suicide on 11 August 2014; he was founding hanging in a closet at his home. Asteroid Robinwilliams at 20 Cancer is squared asteroid Arachne 407 at 26 Aries, named for a mythic Greek figure who hanged herself, and trine Saturn, ancient lord of death, at 17 Scorpio. Natal Arachne at 26 Gemini lies on the fulcrum of a T-Square with asteroid Atropos 273 (named for the mythic Greek Fate who severs the thread of life at death) and Saturn, at 21 and 27 Virgo, and asteroid Lachesis120 (named for the Fate who determines the span of life) at 26 Pisces, offering an inherent disposition to self-destruction via that means.

Brad Pitt

Brad Pitt is another asteroid-designated Oscar-winning actor who took some time reaching his goal. Born 18 December 1963, with asteroid Bradpitt 29132 at 21 Sagittarius conjoined his 25 Sagittarius Sun and opposed asteroid Actor at 16 Gemini, there was little doubt of Pitt’s vocation for acting. Add in a T-Square to Neptune, ruling films, and asteroid Academia 829 (for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, which sponsors the Oscars) at 14 and 18 Virgo, and we see his goal of Oscar gold quite clearly. Asteroid Oskar at 22 Capricorn is part of a powerful planetary grouping, exactly conjunct the Moon, also conjoined Mercury at 16 Capricorn and Venus at 23.

Like Robin Williams, Pitt was nominated for three Oscars before winning Best Supporting Actor as Cliff Booth in 2019’s “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.” That this would be the role that finally clicked for him in an Oscar context is no surprise, given the presence of asteroid Clifford 4276 at 19 Capricorn, conjunct Oskar, and asteroid Booth 13825 at 13 Cancer, opposed it. The part was tailor-made for Oscar accolades.

When Brad Pitt accepted his award on 9 February 2020, asteroid Bradpitt at 17 Scorpio was closely aligned with asteroid Oskar at 16 Scorpio, both squared the spotlighting Sun at 20 Aquarius. As well, Jupiter at 15 Capricorn, bringer of fame and luck, conjoins natal asteroids Clifford and Oskar at 19 and 22 Capricorn and forms a T-Square with an opposition to natal asteroid Booth at 13 Cancer, and a square to transit Booth on the fulcrum, at 13 Aries.

And it's not just given names that show up in such dramatic proximity, stage names work as well.

Lauren Bacall

If the name Betty Joan Perske doesn’t ring a bell, don’t blame yourself – you likely know her as Lauren Bacall. Discovered at age 19 by the wife of Hollywood mogul Howard Hawks, the director threw her into the deep end of the pool in her first film role, opposite superstar Humphrey Bogart in Hawks’ adaptation of the Ernest Hemmingway novel “To Have and Have Not.” Hawks transformed Betty into the classic Old Hollywood icon of feminine pulchritude and grace that was Lauren Bacall, right down to the name change.

Born 16 September 1924, the new identity seemed to have been waiting for her all along, with asteroid Laurenbacall 5107 at 23 Gemini, exactly squared her natal Sun at 23 Virgo, making it the ideal self-defining referent (Laurenbacall is also sextile the 25 Aries Moon). Although a very popular film star of her era, Bacall was nominated for her acting work only once, and didn’t win, despite asteroid Laurenbacall in trine to asteroid Oskar at 18 Libra, and sesquiquadrate asteroid Actor at 9 Aquarius.

But cosmic potential can’t be completely denied, only deferred – in 2010, Bacall won her predestined Oscar, in a Lifetime Achievement Honorary Award. Presented at the 82nd Academy Awards on 7 March 2010, asteroid Laurenbacall appears at station for this momentous turning point in reaching a lifelong career goal. Asteroid stations signal pivotal crossroads, turning points, or major events, just as planetary stations do, but with much more finely focused outcomes. At 20 Scorpio, Laurenbacall also receives a double dose of “winning” energies, conjoined asteroid Victoria at 25 Scorpio, and squared asteroid Nike at 17 Leo, and is also trine the spotlighting Sun at 16 Pisces.

Lauren Bacall never really liked the name she’d been given, remaining “Betty” to family and friends to the end of her days, but it followed her to the grave. When she passed on 12 August 2014, asteroid Laurenbacall at 21 Leo joined a stellium of asteroid Lachesis (lifespan), the Sun, and Mercury, at 16, 19 and 23 Leo respectively, bringing news (Mercury) of the death (Lachesis) of the actress (Laurenbacall).

Kim Novak

Born 13 February 1933 as Marilyn Novak, Kim was another aspiring Hollywood starlet who resisted changing her identity. But her given name came into conflict with Marilyn Monroe, who had burst upon the scene just before her arrival, and studio execs weren’t confident that Americans would rush to see “a girl with a Polack name” (Novak was actually of Czech ancestry), so a compromise was reached. Novak was allowed to keep her surname, with grave reservations, but forced to switch her first name to “Kim.”

Once again, the skies revealed that a good choice had been made. Although asteroid Marilyn 1486 conforms to the typical PNA rules, appearing at 5 Gemini in a Grand Trine with the Moon at 1 Libra and the Ascendant at 9 Aquarius, Kimnovak 9339 was a better fit for business and career. At 15 Taurus, it squares Saturn on the Ascendant at 9 Aquarius, and is sesquiquadrate the Moon, also opposing asteroid Actor at 22 Scorpio. Actor further squares the 24 Aquarius Sun (widely squared by Kimnovak), making the profession a natural fit for Novak from birth.

Novak quickly made waves in Tinseltown, rising to the top box office spot in just four years. Master of Suspense Alfred Hitchcock soon took note, and drafted her as one of “Hitchcock’s blondes,” the platinum-coiffed heroines he preferred to cast in his films. The apogee of her career is likely his 1958 thriller “Vertigo,” arguably the film for which she is best remembered. Asteroid Hitchcock 7032, a point named for the British director, illustrates his importance in Novak’s career arc, appearing at 4 Leo, angular on the 9 Leo Descendant, and opposing career-minded Saturn at 9 Aquarius.

Stevie Wonder

Musician Stevie Wonder is another of those “created” personas, whose stage name is amply reflected from birth. Born Stevland Morris, amazingly, his adopted moniker of Stevie Wonder shows as an exact conjunction of asteroid Steviewonder 144296 and the natal Moon at 18 Aries. Wonder got a leg up on a musical career from the get-go, with asteroid Singer 10698 at station when he was born on 13 May 1950, indicating an inordinate importance for music in his life; from 24 Capricorn, Singer is trine the Sun and Mercury (the voice) at 22 and 23 Taurus, in a Grand Trine Kite pattern with Mars at 22 Virgo, the String formed by Mars’ opposition to asteroid Victoria at 24 Pisces. And indeed, Wonder is the “winningest” (Victoria) male (Mars) vocal artist (Singer) of all time, with 25 Grammy Awards to his credit. Asteroid Gramme 2666 (phonetic match for Grammy) at 2 Aquarius is widely conjunct Singer, and semisquare Victoria. A child prodigy who garnered his first Motown contract at age 11, Wonder went on to become one of the most prolific and bestselling musicians, singers and record producers ever.

When he won his first Grammy on 2 March 1974, for Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male, for 1973’s “Superstition,” asteroid Steviewonder at 29 Cancer was at station, turning direct the following day, and indicating the important shift in career. Steviewonder is also sesquiquadrate the 11 Pisces Sun, bringing recognition and the spotlight.

Freddie Mercury

Born Farrokh Bulsara on 5 September 1946, British pop icon Freddie Mercury bestrode the music scene of the 1980s like a colossus. The lead singer and songwriter of “Queen,” Mercury crafted such megahits as “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “Somebody to Love,” “We Are the Champions,” and “Crazy Little Thing Called Love.”

Mercury’s destiny was also written in the stars, with a close conjunction of asteroid Singer at 22 Scorpio and asteroid Queen’s 5457 at 23 Scorpio, spelling out his role in no uncertain terms. He changed his name to Freddie Mercury in 1971 as he formed the band, and even without a time of birth, his choice was clear, and cosmically-endorsed, with asteroid Freddiemercury 17473 exactly conjoined natal Mercury, ruling the naming function.

Signs of infection with HIV emerged as early as 1982, and Mercury was diagnosed definitively no later than 1987, but continued to deny that he had AIDS until the day before his death on 24 November 1991. Appropriately, Mercury took his last bow with asteroid Freddiemercury at 27 Scorpio, conjunct the spotlighting Sun at 1 Sagittarius. Also in the mix is Pluto, modern lord of death, conjunct asteroid Rip 7711 (a death indicator as the acronym “RIP”, “Rest In Peace,” a common tombstone inscription), both at 20 Scorpio; and Mars, reflecting the STD cause of death, at 26 Scorpio. Freddiemercury is also squared by asteroid Anubis 1912 (named for the Egyptian deity governing funerary rites) at 22 Leo. Conjunct at his birth, asteroids Singer and Queen’s now oppose each other, from 26 Libra and 29 Aries.

Conclusion

As humanity’s consciousness has expanded to include more rarified concepts, exemplified by the discoveries of the outer planets, it has also contracted to the pinpoint accuracy of the asteroids. These amazing rocky micro-worlds lend substance to an interpretation, putting flesh on the bone and bringing the cosmos down to earth with shockingly precise, granular definition, whether it be highlighting the finer points of an individual’s psychology, or seemingly tracking their biographical history. This is uncannily demonstrated by the placements of asteroids which were nominated specifically in honor of the well-known celebrities profiled in this article.

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References, chart data and images:

• Title image: Collage from 1) NASA/JPL-Caltech/WISE Team, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons, and 2) International Gemini Observatory/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA, CC BY 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
• Biographical details from Wikipedia
• All chart data from Astro-databank
• Robin Williams: 21 July 1951,1:34 PM CST, Chicago, IL (Rodden Rating AA); 2007: U.S. Air Force photo / Airman 1st Class Tabitha M. Mans, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
• Brad Pitt: 18 December 1963, 6:31 AM CST, Shawnee, OK (Rodden Rating A); 2017: Dick Thomas Johnson from Tokyo, Japan, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
• Lauren Bacall: 16 September 1924, 2 AM EDT, New York, NY (Rodden Rating B); 1945: Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
• Kim Novak: 13 February 1933, 6:13 AM CST, Chicago, IL (Rodden Rating AA); 1957, Columbia Pictures Corporation, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
• Stevie Wonder: 13 May 1950, 4:15 PM EST, Saginaw, MI (Rodden Rating A); 1973: Motown Records, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
• Freddie Mercury: 5 September 1946, no time available; 1984: Thomas Steffan, CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

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Author: Alex Miller

Alex Miller is a professional writer and astrologer with more than thirty years’ experience of unraveling the mysteries of the cosmos, from Deep Space to asteroids. He is the author of “The Black Hole Book,” past president of Philadelphia Astrological Society, former board member of the Philadelphia Chapter of NCGR, and current editor-in-chief of ANS, the Astrology News Service. Alex has chronicled the phenomenal effects of asteroids for two decades; much of this research can be found at his website, www.alexasteroidastrology.com.

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Published in: The Evolving Astrologer, June 2025.
© 2025 - Alex Miller - The Evolving Astrologer

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