Early astronomers witnessed the Sun passing through the Zodiac signs in a year’s time, spending roughly a month in each. As a result, they determined that each constellation covers 30 degrees of the ecliptic.
However, due to a phenomenon known as precession, the positions of the constellations we see now have changed.
The zero point of the Zodiac used to designate the beginning day of spring in the Northern Hemisphere. The vernal equinox happens when the ecliptic and celestial equator collide, according to astronomers.
The zero point existed in Aries around 600 BCE, and it was known as the “first point of Aries.” (See Figure 1). The constellation Aries covered the first 30 degrees of the ecliptic; Taurus covered the next 30 degrees; Gemini covered the next 60 degrees; and so on for all twelve constellations of the Zodiac.
The Earth wobbles around its axis in a 25,800-year cycle, which ancient astrologers were unaware of. The gravitational attraction of the Moon on Earth’s equatorial bulge causes this wobble, known as precession.
This wobble has led the junction point between the celestial equator and the ecliptic to migrate west along the ecliptic by 36 degrees, or nearly one-tenth of the way around, over the past two and a half millennia. This indicates that, in relation to the stars beyond, the signs have moved one-tenthor almost a month around the sky to the west.
For example, persons born between March 21 and April 19 are considered Aries. During much of that time, the Sun was no longer in the constellation of Aries. The Sun is actually in the constellation of Pisces from March 11 to April 18! (See Illustration 2) See also Figure 3, which depicts the equinox precession from 600 BCE to 2600 CE.
The dates when the Sun is truly within the astronomical constellations of the Zodiac, as defined by contemporary constellation borders and corrected for precession, are listed in the table below (these dates can vary a day from year to year).
When precession is taken into consideration, your zodiac sign will most likely be different. And if you were born between November 29 and December 17, your zodiac sign is one you’ve never heard of before: Ophiuchus! After Scorpius, the eliptic crosses across the constellation of Ophiuchus.
Visit the Birthday Sky program to view what the sky looked like on your birthday and to learn more about your “true zodiac sign.”
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What are the origins of the zodiac symbols?
The 12 zodiac signs, with which many people are likely familiar today, were created during this Ancient Greek period.
The signs of Aries (approximately March 21-April 19), Taurus (April 20-May 20), Gemini (May 21-June 20), Cancer (June 21-July 22), Leo (July 23-Aug. 22), Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22), Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22), Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21), Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21 These Western, or tropical, zodiac signs were named after constellations and paired with dates based on their apparent relationship to the sun’s position in the sky.
By 1500 BC, the Babylonians had divided the zodiac into 12 equal signs, with constellation names that were similar to those we know today, such as The Great Twins, The Lion, and The Scales, and these were later adopted into Greek divination. These 12 signs were popularized by the astronomer Ptolemy, author of the Tetrabiblos, which became a key work in the history of Western astrology.
“Ptolemy codified the idea that there were 12 signs of the zodiac that were 30 broad, and that the sun travelled through these signs on a regular basis throughout the year,” adds Odenwald. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the word “zodiac” derives from the Greek, from a term for “sculpted animal figure,” and the sequence in which the signs are normally enumerated also stems from that time period.
Who designed the zodiac signs?
The 12 zodiac signs, one of the earliest notions of astrology, were devised by the Babylonians around 1894 BC. The Babylonians lived at Babylon, which is roughly where modern-day Iraq is located. Babylon was one of the most prominent ancient Mesopotamian towns.
Is astrology used to determine zodiac signs?
The solution is actually rather straightforward. It’s all about the distinction between astronomy and astrology.
Astrology is an old art of interpreting the impact of the Sun and Moon while they are in a certain zodiac sign. According to astrology, the sky is divided into 12 divisions, each measuring exactly 30 degrees. The signs Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces are all named after significant constellations located within the astrological circle. The 12 zodiac signs are listed below. Astrologers think that the Moon’s and Sun’s positions within these twelve divisions have an impact on what happens on Earth, ranging from the personalities of persons born under a particular sign to the chance of certain types of endeavors succeeding.
Astronomy, on the other hand, is the study of matter in space from a scientific standpoint. Astronomers do not attempt to deduce the meaning of the Moon’s or Sun’s location in the sky; instead, they attempt to depict it as accurately as possible. As a result, instead of dividing the sky into 12 equal slices like a pie, astronomers simply identify the constellation in which the Moon appears closest on any given night. The Sun can even stray into constellations that aren’t part of the astrological zodiac, such as Sextans, the Sextant, or Ophiuchus, the Serpent Bearer, in astronomical terms.
That’s why, on an astronomical map, the Moon could be in Ophiuchus while on an astrological map, it could be in Sagittarius. Furthermore, because astrological placement is constant throughout history and ignores the precession of the equinoxes (the “wobble” that the Earth’s axis describes over a 26,000-year interval), the Sun’s position in astrology frequently differs significantly from its real position in astronomy.
How did the zodiac signs come to be?
Babylonian astronomers split the ecliptic into 12 equal “signs” at the end of the 5th century BC, analogous to 12 schematic months of 30 days each. The first known celestial coordinate system was created when each sign contained 30 degrees of celestial longitude. According to contemporary astronomical estimates, the zodiac was first used between 409 and 398 BC, during Persian dominance, and most likely within a few years of 401 BC. Unlike modern astrologers, who place the beginning of the sign of Aries at the position of the Sun at the Northern Hemisphere’s vernal equinox (March equinox), Babylonian astronomers fixed the zodiac in relation to stars, placing the beginning of Cancer at the “Rear Twin Star” (Geminorum) and the beginning of Aquarius at the “Rear Star of the Goat-Fish” ( Capricorni).
Since Babylonian times, the time of year when the Sun is in a certain constellation has altered due to equinox precession; the point of March equinox has moved from Aries to Pisces.
They formed a perfect system of reference for making predictions about a planet’s longitude since they were divided into 30 equal arcs. However, Babylonian observational measurement techniques were still in the early stages of development. They measured the position of a planet in relation to a group of “normal stars” near the ecliptic (9 degrees latitude) as observational reference points to aid in planet placing inside the ecliptic coordinate system.
A planet’s location in Babylonian astrological journals was usually stated in terms of a zodiac sign alone, rather than particular degrees within a sign. When degrees of longitude were given, they were stated in terms of the 30th degree of the zodiac sign, rather than the continuous 360 ecliptic. The positions of prominent astronomical phenomena were estimated in sexagesimal fractions of a degree in astronomical ephemerides (equivalent to minutes and seconds of arc). The daily locations of a planet were less important in daily ephemerides than the astrologically significant times when the planet moved from one zodiac sign to the next.
What religion are the zodiac signs based on?
The Chinese calendar, which is related with Chinese astrology and ancient religion, is the basis for the zodiac’s history. Taoism was one of the religions that impacted the zodiac. Constellations and space are used in Taoist beliefs to identify a person’s “future.” This is relevant to the zodiac because, according to Chinese astrology, the placements of objects in space can influence a person’s future. They used the sun to determine how all of the zodiac signs would function in relation to the dates and periods.
A yin-yang symbol is frequently incorporated in the middle of various zodiacs, which reflects any two opposing principles in the cosmos and how everything works. The religion Taoism is the source of the yin-yang. It’s one of Taoism’s most well-known symbols, which holds the belief that “a man is a microcosm for the universe.” The yin-yang is linked to the zodiac because it is used in conjunction with the five components of the Zodiac to read the ten stems, which are used to tally days, months, and years. The yin-yang influences the traits of the 12 zodiac animals when they are combined.
Buddhism is another example of how religion and the zodiac are linked, with one tradition claiming that Buddha invites all the animals chosen for the zodiac. This is significant in Chinese culture since this religion, which has had the biggest religious impact on China, is practiced by the majority of the population. The influence of religion has had a significant impact on how the zodiac is structured and what it has evolved into.
What does the Bible have to say about the zodiac signs?
I believe that God created astrology as a tool for us to better understand ourselves and to use as a spiritual tool. Numerous bible texts, in my opinion, support astrology. As a Christian, I try to remember what Jesus said. “There shall be signs in the sun, moon, and stars,” Christ predicted in Luke 21:25, referring to the importance of astrology. He explains the value of astrology with his pupils, as well as how it might be used as a sign of his return. Why would Jesus provide us this critical knowledge if we are not intended to understand the energies of the planets and signs, and if he was actually against it? Just as the three wise men knew Jesus would be born under the star in the sky that led them to him lying in the manger, Jesus warned us that when he returns, there will be signals in the sky.