According to Western astrology, there are 12 signs of the zodiac, which literally means the “a circle of animals, but the Sun passes through 13 constellations annually:
the following signs: Aries, Taurus, Gemini (where the Sun is right now), Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Ophiuchus, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces.
Unfortunately, astrologers give the inaccurate dates for each star sign in addition to neglecting Ophiuchus. Astrology’s line-of-sight is based on what it claims occurs in the night sky “insights into human emotions and fortunes:
In This Article...
The Sun’s position in the sky according to astrology (wrong)
Astrologers use the following locations and times to make the Sun appear in the sky to determine what the majority of people believe their birth star sign to be:
- December 22January 19 for Capricorn.
- January 20 to February 18 for Aquarius
- February 19March 20 in Pisces
- March 21April 19 in Aries
- April 20May 20 in Taurus
- May 21June 20 for Gemini
- June 21July 22, cancer
- Leo: 23 July to 22 August
- August 23September 22 in Virgo
- September 23October 22 in Libra
- Scorpio: 23rd October21st November
- November 22December 21 for Sagittarius
The Sun’s actual position in the sky (correct)
Your true “star sign,” with some overlap between astrology and overlap, but plenty of surprises, is at this time when the Sun is actually in the constellations:
- Capricorn: 20 January-16 February
- Aries: February 16March 11
- March 11April 18 for Pisces
- Aries: 18 April13 May
- Taurus: 13 May 21 June
- June 21July 20 Gemini
- Cancer: 20 July10 August (21 days)
- Leo: 10 August to 16 September
- September 16 to October 30 (45 days!)
- October 30November 23 for Libra.
- Scorpio: November 23November 29 (only one week from now!).
- Ophiuchus (not a zodiac sign according to astrology, but genuine nonetheless): November 29December 17
- December 17January 20 for Sagittarius
The Sun is most likely not in the zodiac sign that your horoscope claims it is because of this. Of course, it doesn’t matter a bit, but realizing why will help you appreciate your home planet more.
The zodiac signs last how long?
The Earth undergoes a precessional motion, which involves a modest periodic shift of the axis itself: around one degree every 72 years, in addition to its diurnal (daily) revolution upon its axis and annual rotation around the Sun. The precession of the equinoxes is the slow change over time in the Sun’s position relative to the ecliptic at the time of the vernal equinox, as measured against a background of fixed stars, as a result of this motion, which is mostly brought on by the gravity of the Moon.
The Earth behaves like a spinning top that is prone to wobbling when shown graphically. The daily (diurnal) rotation of the Earth is known as its spin. Over a period of just less than 26,000 years, the rotating Earth gently wobbles. The stars appear to be slightly shifting from west to east as seen from Earth, moving one degree every 72 years or so. As seen from Earth, one degree is almost twice as wide as the Sun or Moon. Any particular time of the year is the best opportunity to observe this stars’ sluggish motion. The most frequent fixed time occurs around March 21 each year, around the vernal equinox.
The constellation or superimposed sidereal zodiac in which the Sun actually appears at the spring equinox has traditionally been used in astrology to establish an astrological age. Hipparchus appears to have computed precession using this method in the year 127 BC. Each astrological era could be imagined to endure approximately 72 (years)30 (degrees) = roughly 2160 years because each sign of the zodiac is made up of 30 degrees.
This means that as the Sun crosses the equator at the vernal equinox, it moves backwards against the fixed stars at a rate of one degree every 72 years, one constellation every 2160 years on average, and the entire cycle of the zodiac every 25,920 years, also known as a Platonic Year. However, as the rate of precession increases, the length of the ages gets shorter with time. As a result, no two ages are the same length.
What time do the zodiac signs appear?
- Aries (March 21April 19)
- The Bull (April 20May 20)
- Gemini – (May 21June 20)
- a cancer (June 21July 22)
- Leo (July 23August 22)
- Virgo (August 23September 22)
- Libra (September 23October 22)
- a Scorpio (October 23November 21)
- In Sagittarius (November 22December 21)
- The Capricorn (December 22January 19)
- Water Bearer (January 20February 18)
- a Pisces (February 19March 20)
A zodiac cycle lasts how long?
Astronomy has nothing to do with the Age of Aquarius. An actual motion of the Earth known as precession causes an astrological age, which is why it exists. The Pole Star’s characteristics alter with time due to precession. Precessional cycles last 25,800 years. The zodiac also has 12 constellations. Therefore, at the time of the vernal equinox, the sun’s position in front of the background stars moves in front of a new zodiacal constellation approximately every 2,150 years. At that point, one could argue that a new era had begun.
The vernal equinox point, or occasionally the March or spring equinox point, refers to the spot on the sun in the sky at the vernal equinox. The vernal equinox point is reported to shift from in front of the constellation Pisces to in front of the constellation Aquarius, signaling the start of the Age of Aquarius.
When that will occur should have a definite answer. When will the sun be directly overhead in Aquarius during the equinox? When will the Aquarian Age start?
However, there are no simple solutions. This often asked question can be answered in a variety of ways.
Age of Aquarius in astronomy
Let’s look at the solution from an astronomical perspective. The International Astronomical Union (or IAU) took on the responsibility of officially naming and describing everything astronomical in the 20th century. In 1930, the IAU established “formal constellation borders. As a result, astronomers frequently use the IAU constellation borders to declare the start of the Aquarian Age. However, astrologists and New Age practitioners may or may not decide to use the same restrictions.
One who follows the IAU’s definitions is renowned Belgian astronomer and mathematical wizard Jean Meeus. His calculations show that in 68 B.C., during the March equinox, the sun moved from in front of the constellation Aries to in front of the constellation Pisces. The March equinox will enter the constellation Aquarius in 2597, according to Meeus once more.
These dates are astronomical in nature and were determined using 1930 IAU constellation limits.
The constellations have various sizes according to IAU definitions. However, astrologists frequently divide the zodiac into 12 equal parts. So, that is a significant distinction between how astronomers and astrologers view the constellations.
In order to determine when the Age of Aquarius starts, you must also take into account when the Age of Pisces began. It appears that there is no clear agreement among astrologers as to the exact start date of the Age of Pisces. Therefore, it is unclear when the Age of Aquarius officially starts. The approximate dates for the beginning of the Age of Aquarius, according to Nicholas Campion’s The Book of World Horoscopes, are between 1447 and 3597 A.D. Campion also examined published astrological-related material on the subject. He asserted that the majority of authors place the Age of Aquarius in the 20th century (29 claims). The twenty-fourth century comes in second (12 claims). By the way, Campion is the Sophia Center’s director and the M.A. program’s course director in cultural astronomy and astrology at the University of Wales, Lampeter. Here are Campion’s credentials.
Did it begin in 2012?
Some astrologers say that 2012 marked the beginning of the Age of Aquarius. They do this because they think Regulus, a star in the constellation Leo the Lion, marks the former boundary between Leo and Cancer. Regulus transitioned from the sign of Leo to the sign of Virgo in 2012 as this star moved to within 30 degrees of the September equinox point. The border between the constellations Pisces and Aquarius would be 150 degrees west of Regulus, or near the position of the March equinox, assuming that there were equal-sized constellations in antiquity. According to this calculation, the Age of Aquarius began in 2012.
You can see that many people have a reliable method for determining an age’s beginning. However, none of the numerous individuals performing the calculations are in agreement. For what various authors have asserted, see these Wikipedia lists.
Once again, EarthSky approaches the topic from an astronomical angle. If any experienced astrologers are willing to provide us with more methods for estimating the Age of Aquarius, please do! Your feedback is welcome.
A new zodiacal constellation, which rose above the eastern horizon before sunrise on the morning of the Northern Hemisphere spring equinox, was thought to herald the beginning of a new era in ancient Babylon, according to Terry MacKinnell, who answered to our call for comments. Visit An Age-Old Mistake That Still Haunts Astrologers to learn more.
>Definition of terms: Vernal equinox point
On the fictitious celestial sphere that surrounds Earth, there is a point known as the March, spring, or vernal equinox point. It is the point where the celestial equator, or the line circling the sky just above Earth’s equator, joins the sun’s eclipticor route across our sky. Because the sun used to be situated in front of the constellation Aries during the vernal equinox, it is frequently referred to as the First Point in Aries. The sun has, however, been in front of the constellation Pisces at this equinox for the previous 2000 years. The so-called Piscean Age has this importance. The sun at the equinox will eventually pass in front of Aquarius. The Age of Aquarius starts at that point.
How did the Age of Aquarius enter popular culture?
In the United States, the New Age movement and the hippies of the 1960s and 1970s are both connected to the Age of Aquarius. The beginning of the Aquarian age has been connected to both of these things: abundance of sympathy, understanding, and trust. This brings up the 1967 Broadway blockbuster musical “the movie Hair, which features the 5th Dimension’s song Aquarius as its theme. The first words of the song were:
It’s challenging to explain how “People were moved when Hair debuted on Broadway in 1968, a move that still seems risky today. Following that, it performed for 1,750 Broadway performances and 1,997 London performances, with simultaneous productions taking place in other locations around the United States and Europe and accompanied by recordings (the original Broadway cast recording sold three million copies). This Broadway musical virtually single-handedly popularized the Aquarian Age idea in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Though not the original, you can still get the idea from the video below.
In conclusion, the March equinox point leaves Pisces and enters Aquarius, signaling the start of the Aquarian Age.
However, it is unclear exactly when that will be.
Can you have two zodiac signs?
Not quite. People who are born on a zodiac cusp are distinct individuals whose date of birth combines the energy and characteristics of two different signs, rather than formally being born under two signs. This results in a unique astrological personality with a fusion of attributes.
The horoscope signs are they off by a month?
Astrology is the study of how the Sun, Moon, planets, and constellations in the zodiac relate to one another in order to explain and forecast occurrences on Earth. To be distinguished from astronomy. The constellations of the zodiac, which are arranged in a ring east of the vernal equinox, are Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpius, Sagittarius, Capricornus, Aquarius, and Pisces. Astrologers frequently use the constellations of the zodiac to explain and forecast happenings on Earth. The zodiacal constellations were established 2,000 years ago, but as reported in daily newspapers, precession of the Earth’s axis has altered the position of the Sun relative to the zodiac signs so that they are out by one month.
Is this the Pisces Age?
Astrologers generally agree that astrological eras last for around 2000 years, meaning that we have been living in the age of Pisces for roughly the last 2000 years.
What are my three primary symptoms?
Your Sun sign, Moon sign, and rising signalso referred to as your ascending signare the three most important positions in your birth chart. Your fundamental character and essence as a person are reflected in your Sun sign. Your Moon sign indicates your emotional side and who you are when you’re by yourself. Last but not least, your rising sign represents how you come across to others and how you look on the outside.
Are we living in the Aquarian era?
Officially, we are living in the Age of Aquarius. Although both years have been challenging, there has clearly been a change in energy from 2020 to 2021. Along with navigating the Covid era, a brand-new astrological era is also claimed to have begun.
Why is it unique? That’s where things get a little tricky, but psychic and astrologer Inbaal Honigman is here to assist us out with the details. However, be aware that the Age of Aquarius is frequently linked to social change, equality, and advancement. Finally. Here is all the information you require.
Zodiac signsare they true?
Astrology: Is it true? Although reading horoscopes is a well-liked past time, is there any scientific evidence that it has any significance?
When you are lured by a familiar interruption and your willpower wanes, problems may result.
Up to 70 million Americans consult their horoscopes every day. At least that is what the American Federation of Astrologers claims. A Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life research conducted twenty years ago found that 25% of Americans thought that the positions of the stars and planets had an impact on our daily life. According to the General Social Survey from 2012, 34% of Americans asked think astrology is “extremely” or “kind of” scientific. The percentage of those who think astrology is “not at all scientific” has decreased from two-thirds to roughly one-half.
The concept that astronomical phenomena, such as the stars above when you were born or the fact that Mercury is in retrograde, have the ability to affect the daily happenings in our lives and our personality traits is commonly referred to as astrology. The study of astronomy, which is the scientific study of celestial objects, space, and the mechanics of the cosmos, is obviously very different from this.
An element of astrology in particular that is gaining popularity is the ability to predict one’s future or provide advise on daily actions through horoscopes. Horoscope pages had 150 percent more visits in 2017 than in 2016, according to publications like The Cut.
It’s obvious that many individuals are looking for methods of star interpretation. Understanding the locations of the stars, the basis of astrology, seems to be a sufficiently scientific endeavor. But can science support the idea that astrology has an impact on our personalities and our lives?
But since I have you for the remaining five minutes of this six-minute-or-so podcast, let’s examine the precise methods by which astrology has been put to the test.