Read what people are saying about Janus Astrology Software:
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Read what people are saying about Janus Astrology Software:
In the year and half since I reviewed Janus 5.0 in the Dec 2017/Jan 2018 and Feb/Mar 2018 issues of The Mountain Astrologer, its authors have released two major updates that are free to Janus 5.0 owners. Janus has become the most frequently updated professional astrology program, advancing in leaps and bounds. Janus runs on Windows 7, 8, and 10 (but not on a Mac using Windows) and is both simple to install and very solid.
My favorite new feature is the Fixed Star module. It can display wheels with the Fixed Stars that are conjunct chart points, animate the Fixed Star wheel (to see the changing Fixed Star connections), and best of all, see listings of Aspects to Fixed Stars, and Parans to Fixed Stars, complete with short but excellent interpretations. Bravo!
There's also an extensive Fixed Star table with a list of 135 star positions, giving their Common and Bayer name, type, color, temperature, magnitude, coordinates, Rise/Set/Culminate/AntiCulminate times, and Nature.
Traditional astrologers will relish the powerful Distributions/Circumambulations window, with an exceptional number options, including the ability to distribute custom points like Arabic Parts. They will also appreciate the Arabic Lunar Mansions chart and the animated biwheel for Age Harmonics, Primary Directions, and Profections.
Researchers will enjoy the tremendous enhancement of the chart search tool. Both AND and OR searches can be executed, using Traditional terms (like Sect, Face Rulers, VOC Moon, and placement in via combusta, and Eastern or Western Lunar Mansion,) as well as modern ones such as points by Sign, Element, Mode, House, Quadrant, Rulership, Out-of-Bounds, and Aspect or Midpoint (between two points).
You can also search for Chart Shapes, Aspect Patterns, Chart Types (e.g. Returns, Age Harmonic, Arc Transform, Composite, Decumbiture, Directed, etc.) and for a person's name, year or month or day or hour of birth, words in notes, the day of the week, etc. And you can preview each chart that passes the search. But what puts this way over the top is the range of points that you can search for: Planets, Angles, Plutoids, Asteroids, Uranians, Fixed Stars, Arabic Parts, Midpoints and Sums, House Cusps, and more. Wow!
One of Janus' extraordinary merits has been its rich and detailed interpretive reports. It's the only program with full natal, transit, synastry, and relocation reports built in. And the natal reports include well-written midpoint interpretations, and the relocation reports delineate the relocated Ascendant and MC, Stars on Angles, Midpoints of Planet Directions, Destiny Crossing, and so much more than any other relocation report. In the update, these reports have been improved considerably.
Those who use Astrodynes are in for a special treat. The Janus Astrodyne module report is incredibly comprehensive, and includes weightings of aspects, the power and harmony of planets, signs, and houses; evaluation of modes, elements, East/West, Above/Below, Trinities, and more.
Janus has the distinction of being the only Western astrology program that allows you to make changes to Vedic North and South Indian chart formats (font size, house numbering, colors, etc.) and it is the first one to be able to draw Vedic aspects lines in charts.
Among the many new features are a Gauquelin sector chart, Wynn-Key Returns, a Munkasey Midpoint Weighting Analysis module, and a Custom Arabic Parts Editor and Viewer (with over 500 parts already available).
One frequently requested function that Janus now has is the ability to export entire chart files to excel, choosing what birth data and planets to export. (Janus can also export predictive hit lists.)
Janus has always been a truly great value, and with all of the recent advances and its very many unique capabilities, Janus is clearly a program worthy of every astrologers' attention.
* The review was on Janus 5.2, however is functionally equivalent to Janus 5.3
Janus has always been a remarkable and incredibly low-priced astrology program. As the only software with full (and well-written) natal, transit, compatibility, and comprehensive relocation reports built-in (all licensed for resale), it has appealed to both beginners and those most interested in delineations.
Fans of the program's interpretations will be happy to hear that all of the delineations have been examined and improved, and Janus 5 has superb point-and-click popup Quick Interpretations (e.g. when you click on a planet), showing the planet by sign, house, Sabian symbol, aspects, and midpoints.
But Janus has always appealed to professional astrologers too. Its predictive searches (for SuperMoons, and Out-of-Bounds planets), astromap capabilities (e.g. the first program to depict Total Eclipse lines accurately, and to display multiple Solar Eclipses on one map), and ability to find the birth data for a chart by entering a few of its planet positions, for example, are some of Janus' unique strengths.
The Traditional Astrology module, designed with the help of Robert Zoller, has always been a big draw to astrologers using Hellenistic and Medieval methods. The new version has both new and enhanced functions, such as easier selection of points (planets, Fixed Stars, asteroids, and Arabic Parts aka Greek Lots), new wheels with Terms and Decans, and colored tables. It offers a vastly expanded set of Arabic Parts, many additional coordinates for Fixed Stars (including Novenaria, Duodecima, and Antiscia Longitude and Declinations), new detailed Sect and Reception screens (including mixed Receptions), Solar Return Distribution, Zodiacal Releasing, Decennials, and much more. The Dignity Table has Day and Night and Participating Triplicity Rules, and the Firdaria lists shows the age in years, months, and days.
Latinist and Medieval scholar, Practitioner of Medieval Astrology
The Janus Astrology Software is the most user-friendly astrological software I have encountered. I consider the Medieval Astrology Module to be the most accurate, authentic and easy to use Medieval Astrology software available.
In the latest version, Janus version 3.0, the practitioner of Medieval Astrology will find expanded tools such as my interpretation of both Ptolemy's and Bonatti's methods for finding the Hyleg, the calculation for the Part of Marriage in both men's and women's charts (which for accurate delineation must be treated separately) as well as the calculation of the Almuten of Marriage in men's charts. Also, the calculation for the Firdaria has been extended to 120 years.
I whole-heartedly endorse this software.
Horary astrologer - Author of 'The Real Astrology', pub. 2000, and 'The Real Astrology Applied' by Apprentice Books. Editor and publisher of acclaimed 'The Astrologer's Apprentice' magazine. Winner of the 2001 Spica Award: International Book of the Year for 'The Real Astrology'.
It hardly seems possible that the Janus software could be improved upon, but as Janus 3 prepares for its launch, its makers seem to have done just that. It is no small achievement to have found something to tinker with in this excellent program.
Yes, Janus does everything that you could possibly want - and just about everything that has never even occurred to you. But all the leading software packages boast an array of features that makes the head spin just to look through it, and most of which will rest untouched by almost all users. So why pick Janus, and why bother improving it?
The first consideration must be the price. Janus not only undercuts programs which offer a mere fraction of its variety, but is significantly cheaper than its obvious rivals at the top end of the market.
But where it really scores is in its ease of use and aesthetics. How easy to use is it? This astrologer, who had lived always in the cyber-kindergarden that is Apple, had never used a PC when he was first introduced to Janus. Despite this, he could immediately find his away around without any recourse to either the Help or human assistance. It just doesn't come any easier. This is not so much 'user-friendly' as 'user-madly in love'!
And as for the aesthetics: where do you prefer to work - a tastefully arranged room that makes you feel at home, or a concrete bunker? The concrete bunker may contain all that you need, but if you can have all that you need in warmth and comfort, why settle for the bunker? Janus is just a nice program to use, and if you are going to work with it on a regular basis, this is of the utmost importance.
The additions in Janus 3 have managed to gild the lily, adding even more features and making the package - which hardly seemed possible - even easier to handle. I recommend Janus to my students on the Apprenticeships in Traditional Astrology, and am happy to do the same to anyone else - whether their interest lies in classical horary or asteroid returns! This is la creme de la crème.
President of the Astrological Association Hamburg School, Germany
It is easy to handle, very comprehensive and multifaceted. It is the finest and best value for money programme that I know.
International astrologer with twenty years experience.
An elegant, well designed, beautifully coloured graphic wheel makes Janus a real pleasure to use. Simple to navigate and install (I managed it myself!) it has every feature the working astrologer needs - and a few more besides. The eclipse paths in Version 3 are a dream - back to 1900 and forward to 2099, detailed and loading instantly. The astro-locality maps look good, work fast and are a great blessing. Midpoints and composite charts are right there. The seemingly infinite ephemeris generator I found a huge help in writing a book on the past 2000 years. Janus manages to be a very comprehensive calculation and data generating system that is also a delight to have on screen. No small achievement. Congratulations.
Founder of the Federation of Australian Astrologers - 1970.
I have used many astrology software packages over the last 25 years and the Cosmobiology section in Janus 3 is by far the best I've seen. With its Ebertin style Cosmogram, unique and innovative Dynamic Quad Dial and excellent Graphic Ephemeris, it is the benchmark program for the serious cosmobiologist.
With Janus 3, the makers have taken astrological computing to a new level of excellence. The Cosmobiology section has been expanded and enhanced. There is the ability to drag and drop transits and Solar Arcs, place midpoints on the dials and to watch the planets move around the wheel with the new animation functions. This makes prediction of events easier and can assist with birth time rectification.
Other features I like in it are the ability to have multiple windows open simultaneously. This is very useful for looking at more than one thing at a time. For instance, you may wish to place a traditional wheel alongside an Astro Locality map and a graph or midpoint list. The possibilities are limitless.
I am also partial to the report writer in Janus 3. The professional astrologer has the ability to modify the texts to suit the particular needs of the client. This overcomes some of the weaknesses apparent in previous report writers where all clients were considered to be of the same age and gender.
Janus 3, like the original version, is simple to use whatever system of astrology you practice, be it modern or traditional. It will enhance skills in astrology. Janus is my first choice in astrology software and I highly recommend it.
PMAFA, DTASNZ Principal, Astrology Correspondence School of New Zealand.
Janus is the astrologer's dream come true.
The professional astrologer will love its versatility. The student astrologer its remarkable simplicity. Whether you are a traditionalist, a cosmobiologist, a medievalist, a siderealist or any number of other "ists" this is the program for you.
It leads the field and I heartily recommend it as the best astrology software available.
I love it.
Consultant astrologer Software reviewer for the Astrological Journal (of Great Britain).
Remarkably, the excellence of Janus version 2 has been eclipsed by the outstanding new version, Janus 3.0. Coupled with a flexible, intuitive interface and with a superior range of features Janus has emerged as the best PC astrology software available.
It beats all comers hands down and is clearly in a class of its own.
Buy it, use it and enjoy it.
Research Astrologer (England) Author of "The Cosmic Loom".
This very impressive program is worth exploring in depth, and there is plenty to explore, all of it friendly and accessible. Although an old hand myself, I learnt a few new things from the help facility, which effectively comprises a searchable textbook of astrological techniques.
Moderator, Regulus-Ebertin Study Group, Australia
Janus 3 is a major development with some key new features. The range of charting methods available and the contemporary readings offered in the report writer are excellent and these alone put Janus in a class of its own.
New Report Writer
The most significant of these far-reaching new features is the inclusion of a report writer with the option to do either quick or extensive reports for natal charts. In particular, the dynamic reports for solar arc directions, secondary progressions and transits to the radix chart are very detailed.
Of the several report writers I have seen I think this one is the best.
The interpretations are modern, having a clear grasp of the generational aspects of our time. What is exceptional about the reports is the capacity for the astrologer to edit them. They are easily imported into Microsoft Word and have full colour formatting.
Gone are the days when an astrologer had to tolerate the ludicrously of aspect reports on the active sex life of two year olds! With Janus the astrologer is in control. It allows you to tactfully modify the report for the client. This is equally so for the synastry reports, where space is provided for the astrologer to add his/her own interpretations.
This availability of choice is extended to the planets as well. This means that if a client presents you with a specific question, for example on health or marriage prospects, then you can focus on specific planets such as Mars and Uranus, Mars and Neptune, Mars and Saturn and the Sun and Jupiter without having to print the lot.
The features and interactivity of the report writer are a real first in the field.
Cosmobiology
For a cosmobiologist Janus has such a wide array of outstanding features that they are just too numerous to describe in detail.
One I have found most useful is the capacity to select midpoints for inclusion in both the cosmogram and in the 45-degree ephemeris.
Improved Chart Rectification
Another excellent feature of the cosmogram option is that it comes with a sliding scale at the top, so that the astrologer can focus on any year of a person's life and update the chart by clicking.
This is a fantastic aid for the rectification of charts where birth times are not known. In most other programs the astrologer is forced to cast chart after chart for rectification, which is a tedium and is overly time consuming. Also, not to be under-estimated, this feature in Janus means that the work of rectification can be done in consultation with the client on the spot.
Paste and "Go"
A further feature is that any of the charts can be copied to the clipboard and pasted directly into a text or Word document, either as full page charts with lists of aspects and midpoints, or as simple charts. This is an invaluable asset for those writing books and articles. It effectively makes the photocopying of charts for inclusion in books and articles a thing of the past.
Seamless Importing of Charts
Another feature of Janus 3 is the ease of importing old charts from earlier versions of the programme. The instructions are simplicity itself. Even if you were unfortunate enough, as I was, to have downloaded your old files to floppy disk (when upgrading your computer), the old files of client data will transfer from a floppy into the new programme with ease. This saves hours of repetitive work.
User-Friendly
Some of the world's best astrologers have contributed toward the production of this software and coupled with an expertise in computer programming Janus is user-friendly par excellence. Indeed, the programming behind Janus is almost invisible and makes many options available by a left or right click of the mouse.
Janus 3 is a groundbreaking programme for the New Millennium and I recommend it without reservation.
Principal, The Traditional Horary Course, England.
Installation and Customising the Program
Installation is simple and the manual easy to follow. It guides you through any preliminary changes you might wish to make.
The next step is to import any existing data files from earlier versions of Janus, although you can also import files from other astrological programs too. It's necessary to convert your old files. I wasn't looking forward to doing this because I have so many categories of charts each requiring its own file. But it didn't take long.
Traditional Horary and Medieval Modules
I am most interested in these modules and so spent considerable time on them.
The user-defined options have been greatly enhanced, now allowing flexibility with planetary scoring, which I really appreciate. The horary screen has been improved and now offers the same 'notes' facility that is offered with the main opening screen. Before having to close the horary screen to get to the chart notes was an irritation, now happily a thing of the past. This Horary Module is the best I've seen. Good and clear.
True or Apparent Sunrise Time - you choose
There is a choice between apparent and true sunrise for the calculation of the planetary hour. I originally plumbed for 'apparent' but am glad of the choice. I may well change back to 'true'. This is very useful when trying to calculate old charts where the problem of no mean time arises. In those days sunrise and sunset would have been calculated largely from observation.
Elections Module
This is a brand new module for erecting electional charts. A fabulous tool for calculating the several charts from which to choose the most auspicious time for beginning something.
Autoclock and Chart Animation Feature
The Electional and Horary modules both have an 'Autoclock'. This recalculates the chart using the clock on your computer. It has been improved with a 'nudge' facility. Using this, at the click of a mouse you can change the time and date increments with ease.
Also, it has a graph (more like a bar chart) whereby you can view all of the planets, relating to a chart and see how they are dignified. As it is graphical you can see very quickly how each planet compares degree by degree with special emphasis given to those periods when a planet is peregrine. A real time saver.
Fixed Stars - exceptionally detailed information and lists
I am particularly impressed by the amount of information that Janus supplies on Fixed Stars. It gives the apparent magnitude to decimal points, the constellation it belongs to, spectral class, NGC number, Right Ascension and Declination according to the chart date, star rise, setting and culminations, their Ptolemaic natures (this is excellent), various sorting options and of course, interpretation.
Planetary Cycles List - a must for Decumbiture
The Planetary Cycles list is very useful. It allows you to find all the planetary returns you could ever want. This is very helpful for decumbiture charts where crisis days are investigated. These are obtained from the transiting Moon's aspects to itself in the original chart for the illness, usually a longwinded process, but here made much easier.
Planet's Position List - precise and detailed
These comprehensive Planets Positions Lists are valuable. Apart from anything else they give very precise positions. Improved on the earlier version so that now you can have all this information (declination, latitude, azimuth, etc.) listed and printed. This is much better than having to keep switching between screens.
Natal Reports - gives a choice of Reports, which you can edit
Although it's not a facility I use, it is worth mentioning that the Natal Report writer is very good. There are several choices. I chose a report by planets ruling houses. It delineated the Ascendant by its sign, and then delineated the ruler of the rising sign, then the ruler's house and sign placement, then aspects to it and the Ascendant.
While I am no expert but this Report Writer function is much better than those I've seen in the past. Particularly so because it allows the report to be entirely editable on screen and then printed.
Sky Map - a brilliant new feature
Now here's a real gem. This is a fully featured graphical representation of the heavens. It has user definable options for including or excluding constellations, planets, great circles and so on. Also, it has a facility to choose a viewpoint and to allow it to replicate your own particular sky at night.
Colour changes imitate day, night and twilight. You can even, by selecting 'Moonlight' watch the changes to the background colour according to the Moon's phase and elevation. Under 'Star Info' you'll find all the astronomical information you require.
The Autoclock again allows the program to run in real time and you can watch the positions change, including the Ascendant and Midheaven. Or you can run the 'Animation' option, opt to track a particular planet and watch while it puts the whole thing into motion - fascinating.
Versatile Export Facility
Charts can now be used in your favourite word processor very simply. This is so very helpful when writing articles, presentations or client reports.
Covers most techniques of the Major Schools of Astrology
This latest version of Janus is a big program that covers most users' needs. Most of the techniques of the major astrology schools are accommodated - this is no mean feat. The Help facility is a real plus here because it allows you to learn about other techniques you may not be sure of. The Help files are good and clear, comprehensive and there when you want them.
I've found this to be a high quality, fully featured program, which is easy and pleasant to use.
Very highly recommended.
Software reviewer http://www.astrology.ca
A while ago I was approached by Janus Software with an offer to review their Janus 3.0 program. I have been going through a particularly challenging set of transits, and kept putting it off. I had a minor problem installing it because I work on a computer with no floppy drive, but the good folks at Janus got me fixed up. Now that I have had some time to play with it, I like what I see. What I first noticed about the program is its non-traditional, un-Windows-like interface. The different features are laid out in easy to find button-icons. Those who are used to the Windows interfaces will still be able to navigate around & the file/edit navigation is also there for you. It's just nice to see something a little different for a change.
The help file contains a valuable and comprehensive glossary. Chartwheels are easy to read, easily customized in full color and many functions can be customized within the viewing window. It is very easy to switch between different modules for the same chart. So if you are studying a natal chart and want to switch between graphs, reports, Horary and AstroLocality charts, you just click a button.
Janus 3.0 is also packed with features that will appeal to more advanced students of astrology. The ASC Electronic Atlas is included. It is very comprehensive, with linked time zones. I have reviewed other programs that did not have my birth town & so that is one of my little tests. I was happy to find it there, along with several hundred Canadian towns I have never heard of. I particularly enjoy the ability to link notes with charts. Now I don't have to fiddle around looking for the note I wrote for this chart or that, its right in the program, linked to my chart. There are built-in Horary, Electional, Astro-Locality Maps, MidPoints, Eclipse Tracker, Arabic Parts, and an interesting oddity for an astrological program (ironically enough) an actual astronomical star map. There is a built-in rectification that is extremely easy to use.
The Synastry chart is pretty good, though my favorite methods for doing couple compatibility is the combined chart. I did find this feature in Janus 3.0 as well with a little digging. About the only thing I can think of that is missing would be an ability to more easily switch between charts in the current session, but that is a bit of a nitpick really.
The reports are comprehensive and well-written, despite the fact that there are some missing elements like Chiron and the Asteroids, but this is still common in most commercial astrological software at this point. I found the report better than many I have read, few punches pulled on the challenges, yet these are explained in a positive way. I particularly enjoy the transit reports. Most enlightening, and accurate for my current circumstances. I especially like that you can set up and write your own interpretations for different kinds of charts. Say you want to do children's charts, or gay couple charts or business charts & you just set up a new file with your own interpretations, and you are off and running.
Overall, Janus 3.0 is an excellent option, either as a first program for the beginning student of astrology, or for the more advanced student or professional. If you are considering purchasing a report-writing program for your professional business, and want to write your own unique reports, this is the program I'd recommend.