The name Algol derives from the Arabic رأس الغول "Ra's al-ghūl", meaning 'Head of the Devil' (al-ghūl). In the Hebrew folklore, Algol was called "Rōsh ha Sāṭān", meaning 'Head of Satan'; in Latin was called "Caput Larvae", meaning 'Head of the Spectrum'; and in Chinese was called 大 陵 'Dà Líng wu', meaning 'The Fifth Star of the Mausoleum'.
It is a stellar system formed by three stars (with a total mass of 6 solar masses), of which two of them (separated by only 0.06 AU) are eclipsing binaries because they are oriented in the same orbital plane as the Earth, which makes that the apparent magnitude of Algo oscillates periodically between 2.3 and 3.5 every 2 days. The third star is at an average distance of 2.69 AU from the pair and its orbital period is 1.7 years.
The Roche lobe is the gravitational zone between binary stars. The mass transfer from one star to the other occurs, if they are close enough each other, when the most massive star becomes a subgiant, expanding beyond the limit, so that most of its mass passes to be retained in the gravitational zone of the smaller star.
Photometric observations were carried out in the years 1667, 1783, 1881, 1957, 1980, 1985, 1989, 1993, 1995, 1998, 2006, 2010 and 2012.
It is located in the longitude 56.4º (26º26' Taurus; (penta)cuartioctile@56º15', 0º11' orb), and latitude 22.4º (22º26' Aries; semioctile 22º30', 0º04' orb).
And in the right ascension 47.0º (17º 3' 2nd House; (tri)trevigintile@46º57', 0º06' orb; golden aspect 47º30' [=golden aspect 137º30' > 0º Capricorn], 0º27' orb) and declination 41.0º (10º57' 2nd House; novile 40º, 0º57' orb).
Algol is a star that reminds the quality of the planet Uranus. The symbolic image 'head of the spectrum' refers to another plane of experience, beyond life. In science fiction or fantasy movies, this symbolism is expressed through portals to other worlds or to other epoch of history or to the future; either through the entrance into an avatar body, or through the exchange of bodies between two people.
Algol is related with an amazing ability to reorient oneself between two worlds, such as between two very different geographical places or between two very different lifestyles.
Julianna Margulies, actress of the TV series "The Good Wife" (2009), has Algol in Taurus (cusp of the 1st Moon-Node House) in conjunction with Ceres and the Lunar Node, and in sextile with Chiron in Pisces (3rd Moon-Node House).
Heather Locklear, actress of the movies "The Perfect Man" (2005) and "Flirting With Forty" (2008), has Algol in Taurus (cusp of the 4th Moon-Node House) in conjunction with Ceres; in quincunx with Mars in Libra (cusp of the 11th nodal house); and in square with the Moon-Node in Leo (cusp of the 1st Moon-Node House).
Robin Wright, actress of the movie "Message in a Bottle" (1999), has Algol in Taurus (cusp of the 1st Moon-Node House) in conjunction with the Moon-Node, and semisextile with Jupiter in Gemini (12th Moon-Node House).
Miley Cyrus, actress of the movie "Hannah Montana - The movie" (2009), has Algol in Taurus (7th Moon-Node House) in opposition to the Moon and Mercury, which are in trine with Mars in Cancer (5th Moon-Node House).
Alejandro Amenabar, director of the movie "Abre los ojos" (1998) [original movie of the remake "Vanilla Sky" (2001)], has Algol in Taurus (10th Moon-Node House) in conjunction with Venus.
