Greater Arcana Study Group—The Star

Abrac

In the Golden Dawn the seven-pointed star is the star of Venus and it is the seven-pointed star which is on their Star tarot trump. G.H. Soror Q.L. in her commentary on the GD majors, "The Tarot Trumps," says "This shows the seven-pointed Star of Venus shining above the Waters of Aquarius, the guiding force of love in all its forms and aspects. . ."

Waite appears to have retained the Venus symbolism but replaced the seven-pointed star with traditional eight-pointed ones. Why the GD used the seven-pointed star for Venus I'm not sure, they must've had their reasons. But this underscores the probability that when Waite says "star of Venus" he's referring to an eight-pointed star.
 

Abrac

After a more careful reading of Waite, I can see I overlooked something important. He's talking about the glyph symbol of the planet Venus, not the star; now it all makes more sense. J. W. Brodie-Innes gives a very good interpretation of this symbol:

"From these forms the circle, the cross, and the triangle appropriately grouped, many other symbols may be formed; thus take, for instance, the well-known symbol of the planet Venus. After the final and deepest fall of man into matter, his consciousness descended from the circle of infinity, his spiritual being into the cross of matter; hence passional desires, and all that is symbolised by Venus, and the cross below the circle became a most appropriate glyph for the power which was then dominant in his life, and for the part of his nature which is now subject to those desires."​

Waite's looking at it in reverse—crucifixion on the cross of matter leading to reunion with the infinite. Though he's not talking directly about the Venus star in this case, the symbolism on the card does still fit very well with what he says about the Venus glyph. And the eight-pointed star on the card seems in all likelihood that of Venus. :)
 

Richard

PKT Part 1 Section 2:

17. The Star, Dog-Star, or Sirius, also called fantastically the Star of the Magi.......​