Matthew Henson

Nanjemoy, Maryland, United States

August 8, 1866

Aspect Legend

Square

Quincunx

Sextile

Opposition

Trine

Minor aspects

Bio

Matthew Alexander Henson (August 8, 1866 – March 9, 1955) was the first African-American Arctic explorer, an associate of Robert Peary on seven voyages over a period of nearly 23 years. They made six voyages and spent a total of 18 years in expeditions. Henson served as a navigator and craftsman, traded with Inuit and learned their language, and was known as Peary's "first man" for these arduous travels. During their 1909 expedition to Greenland, Henson accompanied Peary in the small party, including four Inuit men, that has been recognized as the first to reach the Geographic North Pole (although this has also been subject to dispute). Henson was invited in 1937 as a member of The Explorers Club due to his achievement and was the first African American to be accepted. In 1948 he was made an honorary member, a distinction for 20 people annually. Based on research into Peary's diary and astronomical observations, Wally Herbert, a later Arctic explorer who reached the North Pole in 1969, concluded in 1989 that Peary's team had not reached the pole. This has been widely accepted, but some dispute this conclusion. Henson published his memoir, A Negro Explorer at the North Pole (1912), which included a foreword and praise by Peary. Since the late 20th century, Henson's contributions have received more recognition. By presidential order, in 1988, the remains of Henson and his wife were reinterred with a monument at Arlington National Cemetery, near that for Peary and his wife. Henson has received numerous posthumous honors since then. In the late 20th century, Henson's and Peary's elderly sons by their Inuit "country wives" were tracked down, and their descendants invited to the United States to meet other family members, as well as to attend the 1988 ceremonies.

Updated: 2023-10-11
Matthew Henson

Planets

You can think of the planets as symbolizing core parts of the human personality, and the signs as different colors of consciousness through which they filter.* Sidereal Planetary Positions enabled in settings.* Because the birth time information is missing for this chart, the Moon may range up to 6° before or after this position.

Aspects

The aspects describe the geometric angles between the planets. Each shape they produce has a different meaning.

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Patterns

Chart patterns are a collection of aspects that are grouped together to reveal a larger geometric pattern within the chart.

Special Features

The section describes some additional features of this chart. Note the inner planets refer to Sun to Jupiter, as well as the Ascendant and MC, and represent the core parts of the personality.

Declinations

Declinations are a rarely used piece of information in astrology. They reflect a planet's distance north or south of the celestial equator. Read more

Parallels occur when two planets are at the same declination, both in the north or south. They are considered to have the same effect as conjunctions. Contraparallels are when one star in the north and another in the south are at the same declination. They are considered to have the same effect as oppositions.

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