I like to point out that the main purpose of this page is to show the astronomical facts behind what we call zodiac signs, and I just did it for fun! It is not my intention to discuss in depth the validity of astrology or its predictions, however I give my personal opinion as an astronomer, if you're interested. Introduction The zodiac and astrology are common concepts among many countries in the Western civilization.
Astrology columns help to sell millions of newspapers and magazines; and are a popular topic in television and radio programs.
Although only a small percentage actually admit to take horoscopes seriously, the vast majority of the people do not know the astronomical concepts behind their birth sign. Astrology originated in Mesopotamia around years ago. The ancient Babylonians performed methodical observations of the night sky and built great observatories where priests would study the skies, and the celestial bodies that they believed controlled life and events on Earth.
In those times, objects in the sky were believed to be affixed to transparent celestial spheres and their motions were thought to be a result of the motion of these spheres as they revolved around the Earth. Groups of bright stars were observed to form prominent patterns in the night sky called constellations, which have been historically ascribed to mythological figures. The early astronomers recognized that constellations appeared and disappeared with the change of the seasons throughout the course of a year.
In the same way, the Sun, Moon and planets were observed to move in relation to the fixed background of stars, or constellations. The Earth travels in space as it revolves about the Sun in a planar orbit that is approximately circular. If one drew a line from the center of the Earth through the center of the Sun, that line would "draw" a large plane in the heavens as the Earth orbits the Sun. This large plane is called the ecliptic plane, as is shown in Figure 1.
Figure 1 The ecliptic plane and the ecliptical coordinate system. Figure 2 The equatorial plane, the annual seasons and the equinoxes. Figure 3 The band of the zodiac and the apparent position of the constellations with respect to the Earth-Sun system. Based on their observations of the night sky, ancient astronomers determined that during the daytime, the Sun would appear to "enter" or pass through different constellations throughout the year.
Because of their perspective from Earth, they observed that the Sun, the Moon and all the planets visible with the naked eye seemed to pass in the course of a year through a region in the sky occupied by twelve specific constellations. Those constellations are the ones that we would intersect if we extend the ecliptic plane out into space.
These twelve constellations were called the Zodiac. The origins of the sign go back to the myths of the Greeks. Cancer is a bit Hercules in the leg, which is why he killed him. After that, Hera, at war with the demigod, is placed in the starry sky.
Leo is under the protection of the Sun. According to Greek legend, Hercules defeated the Nemean lion, strangling him and rescuing the people captured by the beast.
Zeus decided to perpetuate this victory by placing a lion in heaven. Virgos are influenced by Mercury. According to legend, there was the goddess Astrea, the patroness of innocent and pure people.
She left humanity, mired in anger, and ascended into heaven. Libra is patronized by Venus. The Romans considered the scales as a sign of justice.
They are held by Astrea, mentioned above. Scorpio is ruled by Pluto. The Babylonians had male scorpions, the patrons of the sun god Shamash.
They released him to the ground during the day and closed the doors behind him at night. Sagittarius is ruled by Jupiter. The image of the sign is a centaur with a bow. He is associated with the Babylonian deity Nergal. Capricorns are patronized by Saturn.
The image of the sign is a goat. The Greeks believed in the existence of Amalthea, the adoptive mother of Zeus, who gave him the milk of a goat after being saved from Kronos, the devourer of his children. Aquarians are ruled by the planet Uranus. The image of the sign is a man with a jug. This is Ganymede, a young lad, carried away by an eagle and became the cupbearer of Zeus himself. The patron saint of Pisces is Neptune. The sign depicts the fish, which Aphrodite and her child Eros turned into in order to escape from the terrible monster Typhon.
Astrologers believe that the location of the Sun, Moon, planets, and other celestial bodies in the constellations is associated with events in human life. Without the zodiac signs, it would be impossible to know your horoscope. Having determined which of them you represent, you can get information about the characteristics of your character, temperament, temptations, and what strength is manifested in.
It is useful not only to find out the zodiac sign by month but also to get interesting information related to astrology:. Your zodiac sign can act as a cosmic compass when it comes to understanding yourself and relationships. Here's everything you need to know. This may sound obvious but there are 12 astrological signs , also known as signs of the zodiac. Some people believe that different signs of the zodiac reveal a person's different characteristics and talents. Aries, Leo and Sagittarius are "Fire Signs".
People born under these zodiacs tend to be impulsive, passionate and spontaneous. Water signs are Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces. People who have these star signs tend to have emotions which can swing back and forth between reality and imagination. The dates used by Mystic Meg for each sign are below, however, those are not exact as no one can fully determine the specific dates. Each zodiac sign is associated with different traits, strengths and weaknesses, and each is represented by its very own symbol.
Famously passionate, fiery and argumentative, it's no wonder Aries is symbolised by ram. Aries's 'V' glyph represents the horns of sign's ruling animal, though some also interpret the symbol to show a fountain squirting a stream of water upwards. Drag a word to its definition. You have answered 0 of 3 questions correctly and your score is:.
Want to add a little wonder to your website? Help spread the wonder of families learning together. We sent you SMS, for complete subscription please reply. Follow Twitter Instagram Facebook. What's your zodiac sign? What are the names of the 12 zodiac signs? What does your zodiac sign say about you?
The 12 signs of the zodiac and their symbols are as follows: Aries — the ram March April 19 Taurus — the bull April May 20 Gemini — the twins May June 20 Cancer — the crab June July 22 Leo — the lion July August 22 Virgo — the maiden August September 22 Libra — the scales September October 22 Scorpio — the scorpion October November 21 Sagittarius — the archer November December 21 Capricorn — the sea goat December January 19 Aquarius — the water bearer January February 18 Pisces — the fish February March 20 Many of the signs of the zodiac come from identifiable constellations that fall within their particular celestial division of the zodiac.
Wonder What's Next? Try It Out What's your sign? Grab a friend or family member and check out one or more of the following activities together: People seem to be fascinated with predictions about the future, especially when it comes to events that might happen to them personally.
It's only natural. You're probably a bit curious about what the future holds for you in the coming days, weeks, and months. One tried and true predictor of the future happens to be a tasty dessert that we learned about in a previous Wonder of the Day. So go back in time to learn more about your future when you explore Can Fortune Cookies Predict the Future? So what do the stars say about your personality? Do you know your zodiac sign? Grab a friend or family member and jump online to check out What Is My Sign.
Just enter your birthday and the site will tell you your zodiac sign. Do you agree with the characteristics that supposedly go along with your zodiac sign? If you're like most people, some of the descriptions may fit you, while others do not.
You can also find out the names of other famous people with the same zodiac sign. Who do you share a sign with? Do you think you're like those people? Why or why not? Could you write a horoscope? Why not?
Your guesses about behavior are just as good as anyone else's, right? Take some time today to think about a couple of different friends or family members. Write a horoscope for each of them, predicting what types of adventures they might encounter in the coming days, weeks, or months. Share your predictions with them and then keep track to see how many, if any, actually come true. You never know! Maybe you'll have a future as a horoscope writer or even a fortune teller!
Did you get it? Test your knowledge. What are you wondering? Wonder Words star sign future predict constellation coordinate astronomer astrology agricultural vernal equinox zodiac Babylonian ecliptic celestial Take the Wonder Word Challenge. Join the Discussion. Lily Mar 14, Rilynn Feb 13, Person Jan 30, Teagan Jan 29, Sophialiu Dec 31, Once I scared 8th graders away. I am in 6th grade! Maeli Dec 21, Allison Dec 5, Kenslee Nov 22, Sophia Dec 31, Nov 23, Thanks for sharing, Kenslee!
Joss Oct 30, Nov 5, Sagittarius Nov 6, Nov 11, Jaelyn May 8, Thanks i've been wanting to know mine because i forgot. May 9, Xavier Apr 23, Apr 23, It is! Thanks for stopping by, Xavier! This was an amazing story I loved it I figured out that I am a Taurus. Feb 20, That is really interesting. I had a lot of fun reading this article. Jan 24, Gracey Sep 14, Sep 17, Thanks for sharing, Gracey! We're glad that you liked this Wonder!
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