Astronomy and astrology in Middle-Earth?

[The Might]

I recommend http://www.physics.ccsu.edu/larsen/tolkien.html for further information.
Especially http://www.physics.ccsu.edu/larsen/jrrt.html is quite interesting and provides some good quotes.
Clearly, Tolkien was interested in astronomy and so also used it to create a feeling for the reader that the action takes place in a real place.

And so why wouldn't people in M-e look to the stars as well. Why it is wise men...well simply because some peasant from South Gondor doesn't have the education needed to understand what really happens in the sky. You had to have learned something in Minas Tirith's library or in Rivendell.

Now, as far as astrology is concerned...I don't really think so. Of course maybe Malbeth the Seer made his prophecies after consulting the stars, maybe he just took a look at the shape of the clouds and the behavious of chickens as I think the Roman augurs did. As far as I am aware we don't know really.

This however again brings us to that topic I so dislike about providence, fate and luck in M-e. Somehow, it seems however that people there simply had this gift, as Aragorn is said to have gotten it from his mother's side.

So I guess that in Middle-earth prophecies were made without looking at other stuff, but simply be "feeling" wha was going to happen. Maybe some had this power to somehow sense Eru's plan or something like that.

My conclusion: Astronomy - yes, important; Astrology - no, possible

[William Cloud Hicklin]

Remember that the Numenoreans and to a lesser extent the Gondorians were great mariners: which implies that astronomy was cultivated for the purpose of navigation. This might conceivably have even included longitude as well as latitude: there are clock-independent ways of calculating long, such as tracking Jupiter's moons, provided you have sufficiently accurate instruments and the tables worked out correctly. Nor I suppose should we discount the possibility that the Numenoreans had developed the marine chronometer, since even the backwards Shire-hobbits had clocks.

[The Might]

Good idea WCH, that would definitely be a good reason.
Again, this goes well with the theory from the site linked above where astronomy is seen as part of the background of the story. The world needs to be feel real, and so to a certain extent (as this still is fantasy) mirror our own.

[Morwen]

In The Mariner's Wife Meneldur is said to have spent a lot of time contemplating the heavens (at least until he became king) and gathering information on that subject from the Eldar. I believe he also built a tower expressly for the purpose of star gazing.

I can't recall any references to astrology but the appearance of new lights in the sky was seen as significant, e.g. the appearance of the Gil-Estel shortly before the war that ended the first age. In FotR, in (I think) "The Ring goes South" reference is made to a red star, observed by Frodo, shining brightly in the sky. A reference to Mars perhaps, signifying impending war?

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Originally Posted by The Might

My conclusion: Astronomy - yes, important; Astrology - no, possible

I would agree with that. Though it will be still good to look more on what all could be studied in the skies... for example the problematics of meteorites and similar things (several swords were made of meteoritic iron, as it is mentioned even in the texts you provided links to... anyway, these links are very good, thanks for that, Miggy).

Originally Posted by Morwen

I can't recall any references to astrology but the appearance of new lights in the sky was seen as significant, e.g. the appearance of the Gil-Estel shortly before the war that ended the first age. In FotR, in (I think) "The Ring goes South" reference is made to a red star, observed by Frodo, shining brightly in the sky. A reference to Mars perhaps, signifying impending war?

Well, the case of Eärendil surely is not the "normal" astrology, as it was only one rare occassion. Similarly in Frodo's case, I always considered this star rather being there to evoke the image of the Eye of Sauron (it is said there that it seemed to Frodo like an eye), of course I don't think it was THE Eye, but rather Frodo's subconscious stirred after the recent events transformed this star in his mind to the sign of something scary (reminds me of Lovecraft's "Polaris" and things like "What the Moon brings" here - Frodo's state of mind clearly was not perfectly okay at that time).

[Morwen]

Well, the case of Eärendil surely is not the "normal" astrology, as it was only one rare occassion. Similarly in Frodo's case, I always considered this star rather being there to evoke the image of the Eye of Sauron (it is said there that it seemed to Frodo like an eye), of course I don't think it was THE Eye, but rather Frodo's subconscious stirred after the recent events transformed this star in his mind to the sign of something scary (reminds me of Lovecraft's "Polaris" and things like "What the Moon brings" here - Frodo's state of mind clearly was not perfectly okay at that time).

I'm not suggesting that the appearance of Gil-Estel was "normal" merely that it was thought significant (as it was).

The Hunter's Moon waxed round in the night sky, and put to flight all the lesser stars. But low in the South one star shone red. Every night, as the Moon waned again, it shone brighter and brighter. Frodo could see it from his window, deep in the heavens, burning like a watchful eye that glared above the trees on the brink of the valley.
FotR, The Ring Goes South

I agree that the comparison of the star to an eye is meant to evoke the image of Sauron's Eye. However, Frodo is actually supposed to be observing a bright red star, one that grows ever brighter and such a symbol has been used to signify times of turmoil. There may not be in Middle Earth a practice of observing the movements of the planets and stars to predict events on a personal level. But odd happenings in the heavens may be taken to predict general events and be seen as signs of hope (Gil-Estel) or war (bright red star).

[Estelyn Telcontar]

A "star" that changes in brightness can only be a planet, and the red color would suggest that it is Mars. That would be my assumption at any rate. Yes, it evokes the Eye, but since Middle-earth's stars are otherwise like ours (with the exception of the mythological elements like Eärendil; our "morning star" is normally the planet Venus), the most logical assumption would be that the light's source is from the same stars and planets.