Zodiac Changes

[Descensus]

Note: I wasn't sure whether this belonged in The Lounge, R/S, or the Inner Sanctum. But I figured discussion about it wasn't fit for the lounge, and there's no way I'm venturing into IS due to its...well, nevermind. Per this story: Your zodiac sign may have changed - Local News - Indianapolis, IN - msnbc.com Many of us read our horoscopes everyday. But now, it turns out, you may be reading the wrong sign. A shift in the sky over the millenniums altered your zodialogical sign. The star doctors say Earth right now is in a totally different spot in relation to the sun and its equatorial alignment than it was 3,000 years ago. That's when the 12 zodiac signs were assigned. Those signs you were born into are now not really the same because the Earth's wobble on its axis means a nearly one-month bump in the stars alignment. Depending on whether you are on the cusp, your sign either changed or just moved a bit. Here is the updated list: Capricorn: Jan. 20-Feb. 16 Aquarius: Feb. 16-March 11 Pisces: March 11-April 18 Aries: April 18-May 13 Taurus: May 13-June 21 Gemini: June 21-July 20 Cancer: July 20-Aug. 10 Leo: Aug. 10-Sept. 16 Virgo: Sept. 16-Oct. 30 Libra: Oct. 30-Nov. 23 Scorpio: Nov. 23-29 Ophiuchus:* Nov. 29-Dec. 17 Sagittarius: Dec. 17-Jan. 20 * Ophiuchus is a rarely used astrological sign, not included in most versions of the Zodiac. It is also known as Serpentarius. There was a bit of an uproar about this, especially on Facebook. Most of my friends were upset, at least they appeared to be through their status updates. Now, my status was a reply to everyone complaining. It went a little something like this: People are so upset about the zodiacs being changed. Why? I understand that we've been assigned them and they're close and familiar. But do people actually think they mean anything? That being born at a time when the sun is in a certain constellation somehow means you develop certain personality traits? Or that horoscopes that are written so vaguely that they could mean anything and apply to anyone are actually true? The point of this thread is to discuss zodiacs, specifically the recent changes.

[Rev0896]

A lot of people become accustomed to their signs, and don't want it to change.

[kookyinc]

To the Facebook complainers, I posted: "Why does anyone care about the zodiac? It's bloody pseudoscience that has nothing to do with reality. It's like complaining about alchemy or something." Maybe I'm crazy, but the apparent alignment of the stars and planets on my birthdate has nothing to do with my personality. Sorry, but astrology is fake. I think the discovery of the change is an interesting look at history, especially when one takes into account this statement: [Ophiuchus, sign 13, was] Discarded by Babylonians B.C. because wanted 12 signs per year, not 13 even though there were 13 constellations (source). I didn't believe in astrology in the first place, but that drives the steak into the heart of the entire thing. The fact that the observations were changed and the 13th sign ignored, just for convenience, is ridiculous, and it goes to show that the entire thing is unscientific. That's my rant. I'm excited to see what some of the more superstitious folks will say to me for this post.

[Invader]

specifically the recent changes. Except that it changed several hundred years ago.. Or thousand? Whatever. I think it's funny. Nevertheless the deep impregnable fortress that is my imagination holds sea-goats in the highest regard.

[nina]

Sorry but this doesn't belong in Religion/Spirituality. You made an IS thread...deal with it.

[juroara]

Pffff...my signs exactly the same, and here I thought I could stop being a disease

[Black_Eagle]

So now I'm a Libra AND a Scorpio? Kick ass, double the fortune.

[cmind]

Anyone who's actually bothered by this "revelation" is also probably not a rational thinker to begin with.

[changed]

Damn my sign changed as well! I didn't really care to begin with...

[Xei]

What was the actual rationale behind the change? I'd be very surprised if an astrologer had such competence in astronomy.

[Descensus]

What was the actual rationale behind the change? I'd be very surprised if an astrologer had such competence in astronomy. From the article I posted: Many of us read our horoscopes everyday. But now, it turns out, you may be reading the wrong sign. A shift in the sky over the millenniums altered your zodialogical sign. The star doctors say Earth right now is in a totally different spot in relation to the sun and its equatorial alignment than it was 3,000 years ago. That's when the 12 zodiac signs were assigned. Those signs you were born into are now not really the same because the Earth's wobble on its axis means a nearly one-month bump in the stars alignment.

[HeavySleeper]

No change. Still a Pisces, oh yeah!

[Rev0896]

I found out unless you were born after 2009 it doesn't aply. And you can't say you've never thought there was something mystical about the stars, there are so many in the universe and besides the sun we don't actually see any of them where they actually are right now thanks to light years,. I mean I don't think it effects us but it is interesting to think about, one of truly great mysteries of the universe. And I personally was disappointed, I didn't want to be a crab, I am a lion and that's that.

[kookyinc]

And you can't say you've never thought there was something mystical about the stars, there are so many in the universe and besides the sun we don't actually see any of them where they actually are right now thanks to light years,. Just because something is amazing, beautiful, and awe-inspiring does not mean it is magical, mystical, magistical, or supernatural in any way. It's just pretty. Really really darn pretty, but not magic.

[HeavySleeper]

Just because something is amazing, beautiful, and awe-inspiring does not mean it is magical, mystical, magistical, or supernatural in any way. It's just pretty. Really really darn pretty, but not magic. Correct. We don't need to think of the stars, or mountains, or the sea as magical to see how stunningly beautiful they are. I think it's amazing that by looking at the stars, you're staring millions of years into the past. I don't think of it as mystical or supernatural, but I can see why people would think that.

[Xei]

From the article I posted: Many of us read our horoscopes everyday. But now, it turns out, you may be reading the wrong sign. A shift in the sky over the millenniums altered your zodialogical sign. The star doctors say Earth right now is in a totally different spot in relation to the sun and its equatorial alignment than it was 3,000 years ago. That's when the 12 zodiac signs were assigned. Those signs you were born into are now not really the same because the Earth's wobble on its axis means a nearly one-month bump in the stars alignment. Um yes I did read this, however I was hoping for a proper explanation rather than general waffle.

[undeadjellybean]

It might not affect the western countries that much, but I really wish I could hear the opinion of a hindi! They strongly believe in astrology, they marry according to it, so this may be a not so very good thing in India. I'm still a piscis & I do believe in astrology. It's overwhelming this whole lot of information in this era, all this new discoveries.

[Xei]

'Astrological discovery'... Heehee.

[Puffin]

To be honest, I've never read into the Zodiac signs much. I used to be Taurus, and now I'm Aries which fits my personality still, but not as much as Taurus did.

[tkdyo]

Im still a Taurus, not that I subscribe to this stuff, but I read that this only applies if you follow the eastern variation of the zodiac, not the western version which is actually based on the seasons instead of where the sun is in the constellations. No, your zodiac sign hasn't changed – This Just In - CNN.com Blogs

[nina]

No one's zodiac sign has changed. This is not a new discovery. It's a load of typical media hype and one of too many reasons why I both hate and love the internet.

[Xei]

No one's zodiac sign has changed. Except for the people whose Zodiac signs have changed..?

[nina]

Except for the people whose Zodiac signs have changed..? They haven't. Ophiucus is a constellation. Not a zodiac sign. I know you of all people would recognize the difference between astronomy and astrology. edit: should have been more specific...Tropical Zodiac signs have not changed. Which is what most Westerners ascribe to. True enough, Jawer says, the sun doesn't align with constellations at the same time of year that it did millennia ago. But that’s irrelevant for the tropical zodiac, codified for Western astrology by Ptolemy in the second century, he says. In the tropical zodiac, the start of Aries is fixed to one equinox, and Libra the other. "When we look at the astrology used in the Western world, the seasonally based astrology has not changed, was never oriented to the constellations, and stands as … has been stated for two millenniums," Jawer said. People who put stock in astrology can ask whether they should adhere to the tropical zodiac or the sidereal zodiac. Jawer argues for the tropical. "Astrology is geocentric. It relates life on Earth to the Earth’s environment, and seasons are the most dramatic effect, which is why we use the tropical zodiac," he said.

[Spartiate]

To be fair, each sign of the zodiac is a constellation that lies on the ecliptic (the imaginary line that the sun/planets follow across the sky). The dates of each zodiac sign are when the sun lies within the boundaries of each constellation. I think Ophiuchus wasn't used because it doesn't have any particularly bright/notable stars.

[Singularity125]

To be honest, I've never read into the Zodiac signs much. I used to be Taurus, and now I'm Aries which fits my personality still, but not as much as Taurus did. Hah, I'm in the same boat. Not that I ever cared about horoscopes. I believe that things only define you as much as you let them. Besides, the descriptions of the signs are vague enough that anyone can find something that sounds like them.