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I saw the sign and it opened up my eyes...

owls84

Moderator
Premium Member
Your Astrological Sign May Not Be What You Think It Is

By Pedro Braganca, Special to LiveScience
posted: 23 October 2007 ET


It's a great conversation starter: "What's your sign?"

But before you ask or answer that question, consider this: your zodiac sign corresponds to the position of the sun relative to constellations as they appeared over 2200 years ago!

The science behind astrology may have its roots in astronomy but don't confuse these two disciplines. Astronomy can explain the position of the stars in the sky but it’s up to you to determine what, if anything, their alignment signifies.

The Constellations of the Zodiac

The ecliptic, or the position of the Sun as it’s perceived from the revolving Earth, passes through the constellations that formed the Zodiac - Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius and Pisces. Zodiac signs were originally determined by which constellation the Sun was "in" on the day you were born.

Early astronomers observed the Sun traveling through the signs of the Zodiac in the course of one year, spending about a month in each. Thus, they calculated that each constellation extends 30 degrees across the ecliptic.

However, a phenomenon called precession has altered the position of the constellations we see today.

Precession and Astrology

The first day of spring in the Northern Hemisphere was once marked by the zero point of the Zodiac. Astronomers call this the vernal equinox and it occurs as the ecliptic and celestial equator intersect.

Around 600 BCE, the zero point was in Aries and was called the "first point of Aries." (Figure 1) The constellation Aries encompassed the first 30 degrees of the ecliptic; from 30 to 60 degrees was Taurus; from 60 to 90 degrees was Gemini; and so on for all twelve constellations of the Zodiac.

Unbeknownst to the ancient astrologers, the Earth continually wobbles around its axis in a 25,800-year cycle. This wobble—called precession—is caused by the gravitational attraction of the Moon on Earth's equatorial bulge.

Over the past two-and-a-half millennia, this wobble has caused the intersection point between the celestial equator and the ecliptic to move west along the ecliptic by 36 degrees, or almost exactly one-tenth of the way around. This means that the signs have slipped one-tenth—or almost one whole month—of the way around the sky to the west, relative to the stars beyond.

For instance, those born between March 21 and April 19 consider themselves to be Aries. Today, the Sun is no longer within the constellation of Aries during much of that period. From March 11 to April 18, the Sun is actually in the constellation of Pisces! (Figure 2) See also Figure 3, which demonstrates the precession of the equinoxes from 600 BCE to 2600.

Your "Real Sign"

The table below lists the dates when the Sun is actually within the astronomical constellations of the Zodiac, according to modern constellation boundaries and corrected for precession (these dates can vary a day from year to year).

You will most likely find that once precession is taken into account, your zodiac sign is different. And if you were born between November 29 and December 17, your sign is actually one you never saw in the newspaper: you are an Ophiuchus! The eliptic passes through the constellation of Ophiuchus after Scorpius.

Now you really have something cool with which to start that conversation!

Check out your “real” zodiac sign below and see what the sky looked like on your birthday by going to the Birthday Sky application.

Capricorn - Jan 20 to Feb 16
Aquarius - Feb 16 to Mar 11
Pisces - Mar 11 to Apr 18
Aries - Apr 18 to May 13
Taurus - May 13 to Jun 21
Gemini - Jun 21 to Jul 20
Cancer - Jul 20 to Aug 10
Leo - Aug 10 to Sep 16
Virgo - Sep 16 to Oct 30
Libra - Oct 30 to Nov 23
Scorpius - Nov 23 to Nov 29
Ophiuchus - Nov 29 to Dec 17
Sagittarius - Dec 17 to Jan 20

Source: http://www.livescience.com/strangenews/your-astronomical-sign.html
 
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Star Mztyk

Registered User
Brothers....

I see this thread is inactive but as it concerns a lifelong study of mine I felt the need to reply. First, I am a Texas Mason and I have been an astrologer much longer than I have been raised. There are many different disciplines and techniques used in astrology....from ecliptic tropical placidus, sideral and vedic to many more. I use Western astrology that is based upon the seasons ....that 0 Aries is the beginning of the astrological year. Tropical astrology uses the ancient constellations to lay out the houses for reading the chart. What is most important is having an understanding that the Cardinal chart of every Now Moment ....that is 0 degrees Aries rising in the east is a constant that is never changing.......and has not in the many thousands of years of astrological study. What this thread seems to point out is more to do with the recession of the equinoxes which over about 2500 years retrogrades us from one Age or Eon to another.....therefore we are backing from the Age of Pisces into the Age of Aquarius....and where the cusp between the two ages exist no one actually knows.

The next thing I want to point out is that a few hundred years ago astronomy and astrology were still Siamese twins conjoined at the hip per say. This study is one of the liberal A&S that I will now quote from my Monitor...

Astronomy


Is that divine art, by which we are taught to read (interpret) the Wisdom, Strenght and Beauty of the Almighty Creator in those sacred pages.......The Celestial Hemisphere. Assisted....I repeat ASSISTED by astronomy, we observe, measure, comprehend and calculate the (heavens) ......for the purpose of perceiving the unparalleled instances of wisdom and goodness (in order to) trace the glorious Author by His works.

I paraphrased this part of the long form lecture to show that if every Texas Mason would truly read his Monitor he would learn that our predecessors left us this Light.

The one book I read constantly is called - Spiritual Astrology -by C.C. Zain (Elbert Benjamin) who was a Mason that founded the Church of Light through the Brotherhood of Light. This book has a copyright in 1935.

Star
 

BryanMaloney

Premium Member
The ancients did know of the precession, they intentionally ignored it. Likewise, Ophiuchius, while a "Zodiacal" constellation, was also ignored, since the ancients did not like the number 13. Instead, they used 12 "constellations" and invented "virtual" constellations that each had an equal part of the sky, instead of following their real boundaries. These weren't "mistakes", they were intentional.
 

Star Mztyk

Registered User
Bro. Bryan...actually Ophiuchus is not ignored but it is used in advance astrology where the decanates of a zodiacal sign are considered and used in interpretation. Let me explain...each zodiacal sign has 3 ten degree decans that add up to 30 degrees....thus there are 36 (x10) decanates that also compose the 360 degree Zodiac. Ophiuchus is used in Spiritual, Hermetic, Karmic and other forms of astrology as the first 10 degrees of Scorpio....the next ten degrees 11-20 are Ara and the last ten degrees are Corona Australis. You are very correct in all you have said as to the boundaries. I explain to critics all the time with color wheels as to where one color starts and another stops? There are infinite degrees of color to the point we cant recognize them but they sure become obvious in HDTV and megapixel photographs.
The first 10 degrees (decan) of Aries is Triangulum and is the only geometric symbol used in any zodiac.....esoterically it suggest that the conscious Self triangulates reality by the angles of Mind,Bodyand Spirit. Even though the stars form an isosceles triangle in ancient Masonry this :square: of angles was that constellation in the zodiac where the point of reference most important in squaring and circumscribing an astrological chart established that Aries Point or beginning. The ancient Sumerians saw this triangle as the wedge of a plow where the handle extended back into Pisces to that constellation the Greeks called Cassiopeia. This is also the East Point where the sun rises to rule the day....and in Sumer was the plowing the ground to plant the seed that would be harvested as represented by Virgo. This sign is extremely symbolic if considered with Masonry. You are absolutely right ....and I applaud you.....people should consider what is implied rather than to take an attitude of looking for mistakes in Ancient Wisdom. Would we take that attitude to look for mistakes in the Ancient Wisdom of Masonry?
 
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