Heresy, or You've Got Science in my Astrology!
Even though I have a Master’s degree in English, I am a science geek. My interest in the sciences prompted me to take two chemistry classes in high school (AP Chemistry as a senior) and two anatomy classes at the University of Illinois. My first love where science is concerned lay in astronomy. In fact, the only thing for sure on my “bucket list” is to see the southern night sky. That said, I have been reading with some amusement the apoplectic reactions to the news release made by the Minnesota Planetarium Society (MNPS for the sake of brevity) that there are actually thirteen signs in the Zodiac rather than the traditional twelve. To make matters more confusing and annoying, they say the dates associated with those signs have changed as well. This prompted people to post comments to the linked news stories and to social networking sites, crying defiantly, “I don’t care what they say! I’m a Taurus!” or, “What the hell is Ophiuchus? I’m not gonna be a sign I can’t pronounce!”
In my opinion, there is really no need to adopt these new dates or the “new” astrological sign Ophiuchus. There is a simple explanation why the dates have changed from what is familiar to most of us. The MNPS is correct that the Sun does enter these constellations in this order, starting from the northern spring equinox (either 20 or 21 March): Pisces, Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpius, Ophiuchus, Sagittarius, Capricornus, and Aquarius. This order is accurate for 21st century astronomy, but the order differs from ancient times when the Babylonians, Greeks, and other ancient cultures created astrology (astronomy’s mystic bedfellow).
Since the Earth’s axis has a 23˚ tilt and is constantly pulled by the Sun and Moon, the axis wobbles like a top, tracing out a circle that takes 26,000 years to complete one cycle. Because of procession, there was a different pole star in the days of ancient Egypt and Babylon 4500 years ago. Consequently, the order of the Zodiac was different as well; the spring equinox started when the Sun moved into Aries (the order remains the same). That is why we have the Zodiac order many people are familiar with: Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces. The ancients presumably omitted Ophiuchus for any number of reasons; the most likely explanation is there are approximately twelve lunar cycles in a year so having twelve Zodiac signs fit best. Since the Sun enters Scorpius first, they decided it best to omit Ophiuchus.
If the MNPS decided to make this observation, known to many astronomers (including me), public, I suggest they propose the following changes: change the names of the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn to the Tropics of Taurus and Sagittarius. It would be accurate and it works so well in their argument.
In my opinion, there is really no need to adopt these new dates or the “new” astrological sign Ophiuchus. There is a simple explanation why the dates have changed from what is familiar to most of us. The MNPS is correct that the Sun does enter these constellations in this order, starting from the northern spring equinox (either 20 or 21 March): Pisces, Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpius, Ophiuchus, Sagittarius, Capricornus, and Aquarius. This order is accurate for 21st century astronomy, but the order differs from ancient times when the Babylonians, Greeks, and other ancient cultures created astrology (astronomy’s mystic bedfellow).
Since the Earth’s axis has a 23˚ tilt and is constantly pulled by the Sun and Moon, the axis wobbles like a top, tracing out a circle that takes 26,000 years to complete one cycle. Because of procession, there was a different pole star in the days of ancient Egypt and Babylon 4500 years ago. Consequently, the order of the Zodiac was different as well; the spring equinox started when the Sun moved into Aries (the order remains the same). That is why we have the Zodiac order many people are familiar with: Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces. The ancients presumably omitted Ophiuchus for any number of reasons; the most likely explanation is there are approximately twelve lunar cycles in a year so having twelve Zodiac signs fit best. Since the Sun enters Scorpius first, they decided it best to omit Ophiuchus.
If the MNPS decided to make this observation, known to many astronomers (including me), public, I suggest they propose the following changes: change the names of the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn to the Tropics of Taurus and Sagittarius. It would be accurate and it works so well in their argument.
Comments