No, Your Astrological Sign Has Not Shifted: Why NASA’s Updated Zodiac Is Wrong
Astrology is a system that has been practiced for thousands of years, and up until the 18th century, there wasn’t really a division between it and astronomy..
The astrologers were the astronomers, but this gradually started to change during the ‘Age of Rationalism’ in the 17th century, which gave birth to the ‘Scientific Revolution.’ As modern day science emerged and took astronomy along with it, it has dismissed astrology simply because they could not come up with a ‘rational’ explanation for how it works. Fast forward to the 21st Century, and we now have NASA as well as other astronomers and scientists claiming that the Zodiac we are using today is ‘outdated’ because the stars have moved since its inception over 2000 years ago. To add even more confusion, they are also saying that there is a 13th constellation known as ‘Ophiuchus’ that astrologers were missing this whole time.
The most common method of astrology used around the world today is what we refer to as ‘Western Astrology,’ which uses a 12 sign Tropical Zodiac.
The division of this Zodiac was initially conceived over two thousand years ago by the Babylonians (influenced by earlier perceptions) and then established/developed further by the Greeks. This occurred when the constellations resembling zodiac signs were more roughly ‘aligned’ with the zodiac we are still using today. When this zodiac was in the process of being established, astrologers would observe the conditions of the different periods of the year, including people born during those periods.
They eventually divided the year up into 12 sections, what we now know as the ‘signs of the zodiac’. At that time, they correlated their real life observations of the 12 sections with their observations of the loosely aligned positioning of certain established constellations. Prior to the establishment of the ’12 sections’, the Babylonians recognized at least 17 constellations that had already been observed by astrologers for thousands of years prior, but it in a different way from the Tropical Zodiac. To be clear, the Tropical Zodiac was developed by the observation of the 12 sections of the year in combination with the loose positioning of certain established constellations at that period of time. It was sort of like a synchronicity. When addressing the origins of the qualities/characteristics of the 12 signs, one thing we need to consider is that what came first.
The experience of a real Lion on the Earth or a vague looking Lion formed by the stars in the night sky? Think about it. Humans associated the signs of the Zodiac based on their real life experiences of these animals/symbols.
The position of constellations have definitely played a part, but they do not dictate the layout of the Tropical Zodiac. Every 72 years, the positioning of the stars and constellations shift by 1 degree (from a geocentric perspective) due to the wobble of Earth’s axis. This is known as ‘precession.’ Astrologers have always been well aware of this but for some reason NASA, astronomers, and the scientific community seem to believe otherwise. Remember, up until three centuries ago, the astrologers were also the astronomers and they observed the sky obsessively. Of course they knew about the precession, and as a matter of fact, it was discovered in 127 BC by Hipparchus. During 2nd Century AD, the awareness of precession became popularized by the historical figure Ptolemy. He clarified that the Zodiac they (the Greeks) were using was a ‘tropical coordinate system.’ The Cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn) are to always stay aligned with the equinoxes and solstices, which is also the start of each season. This allowed the Zodiac to be evenly distributed and centered around Earth’s relationship to its Sun. We have 3 signs per season.
The ‘Cardinal’ signs are the first (Cardinal actually means first), then we have ‘Fixed’ signs which are locked in the middle of the seasons, and finally ‘Mutable’ signs as the last sign before transitioning to the next. Mutable signs have adaptable qualities, which makes sense for a sign that leads us to the next season. When we refer to the ‘Tropic of Cancer’ in the Northern Hemisphere, and the ‘Tropic of Capricorn’ in the Southern Hemisphere, this again is derived from the Tropical Zodiac. What’s so interesting to me is that the mainstream scientific community (including geographers and astronomers) actually use these terms, perhaps without even questioning their origins. During each of the Solstices, the Sun is at the exact latitude of one of the tropics. For example, during Summer Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere (Winter Solstice in the Southern Hemisphere), the Sun is aligned with the latitude of the Tropic of Cancer, which is when the Sun ‘enters’ the Zodiac sign of Cancer. This occurs in opposite fashion at the next Solstice six months later with the Sun’s ‘entrance’ into Capricorn. Yes NASA, you are right that Ophiuchus does exist as a constellation, but as stated above, constellations are not the same as signs.
The Tropical Zodiac is not meant to be aligned with the constellations, therefore the astrologers never had it wrong.
These signs are based around the Earth’s relationship to our own Sun, not alignments with other Stars (Suns). It is important to note that many advanced western astrologers do observe the influences of stars and constellations as a ‘backdrop’, but again, they are not viewed as signs. For example: someone born on May 31st would be a Gemini (Sun sign), but their Sun would be aligned with the star Aldebaran in the constellation of Taurus. On the other hand, if someone was born on June 8th, they would still be a Gemini Sun sign, but it would be aligned with the star Rigel in the constellation of Orion. All of these variables with stars/constellations can still be intepreted while placed in the lens of the Tropical Zodiac. See what I mean? I remember back in early 2011 when it was announced in the mainstream media that Ophiuchus was a ‘new sign’. Why would the ‘establishment’ publish that story when they never speak about astrology in any other way other then horoscopes in the entertainment section? I believe that it is part of a conspiracy to confuse everyone about the zodiac they have become familiar with and further discredit astrology. In my opinion, one of the biggest conspiracies of all time is the modern day suppression of the ancient practice of astrology. If you are more familiar with astrology beyond Sun signs, or have read my forecast articles, you’ll know that the Moon and planets ‘occupy’ signs as well. For example, as I am writing this article, Jupiter has recently entered Libra (and will be there for 13 months) while the Sun is in Virgo for the next 1.5 weeks.
The reason that Jupiter is in Libra is because of the distance it is from the Sun at this time of year.
The positions of all the planets and heavenly bodies, including the Moon, are calculated that way due to the calibration of the Zodiac based on the Earth-Sun relationship. To continue with this example, after finishing its time in Virgo (last sign of the Summer season) over the next 1.5 weeks, the Sun begins its 30 day passage into Libra on the Equinox as it does every year. Almost 4 days later it will be in a conjunction (alignment) with Jupiter because Jupiter is still in the beginning of the Libra section of the Tropical Coordinate System. — Receive future astrology articles by Carmen Di Luccio by clicking here to join his mailing list. Carmen also offers personalized astrology readings/consultations based on your exact birth date, time, and location. Click here for more information. .
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