31% of Americans believe in astrological signs, and rely on horoscopes to predict aspects of daily life. To these 96,718,240 people, the recent news that they may have been basing their personality, love life, and future on the wrong sign could come as a shock. But, Believers, don’t panic yet— there is still hope that astrology up until this moment hasn’t been a complete farce.
Stars have always been a predominant aspect in the lives of human beings. Used thousands of years ago to determine planting seasons and to aid in navigation, stars were also valued by the Ancient Greeks, who believed destiny could be read by the positions of the sun, moon, and stars. This idea became more widespread, and by tracking the sun’s position through the sky, star signs were created (supposedly in Egypt or Babylonia). Each astrological sign is named after the constellation prevalent in the sky at that time; for example, during the month of March, the sun is in the house of Pisces. By relating the signs with a god or a hero, significant strengths and weaknesses are assigned to the horoscope based on its namesake. Now, birth dates relate to a person’s sign, which in turn determines their possible positive and negative characteristics.
- Aries(Ram) – Adventurous, thrives on attention, enjoys the pursuit of a goal March 21- April 19
- Taurus(Bull) – Tenacious, stubborn, resists change, has a temper April 20 – May 20
- Gemini(Twins) – Many different sides, complex, involved, fickle May 21 – June 20
- Cancer(Crab) – Mysterious, contradictory, needs to be loved June 21 – July 22
- Leo(Lion) – Proud, generous, self-absorbed, forgiving July 23 – August 22
- Virgo(Virgin) – Collected on surface, nervous underneath, perfectionist August 23 – September 22
- Libra(Scales) – Has perspective, diplomatic, intelligent, seeks admiration September 23 – October 22
- Scorpio(Scorpion) – Curiosity to understand everything, needs to be in control October 23 – November 21
- Sagittarius(Archer) – Intense curiosity, doesn’t dwell on past, views emotion as weakness November 22 – December 21
- Capricorn(Goat) – Patient, views things as black and white, uneasy when confused December 22 – January 19
- Aquarius(Water Bearer) Difficult to understand, likes to be alone, performs in social situations, eccentric January 20 – February 18
- Pisces(Fishes) – Spiritual, intuitive, very sensitive February 19 – March 20
However, Parke Kunkle from the Minnesota Planetarium Society recently dropped a bomb— the alignment of the stars has been changed over time as the gravitational pull of the moon moved the Earth’s axis. There is a 13th zodiac sign that has been neglected for two thousand years. The sun enters Ophiuchus, the Snake Holder, after Scorpio and before Sagittarius. This addition affects the dates of all of the other zodiac signs, and in turn affects the people who identify with their horoscope.
New Dates
Capricorn: January 20 – February 16
Aquarius: February 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 – August 10
Leo: August 10 – September 16
Virgo: September 16 – October 30
Libra: October 30 – November 23
Scorpio: November 23 – 29
Ophiuchus: November 29 – December 17
Sagittarius: December 17 – January 20
At this moment, almost 97 million Americans are wondering whether every horoscope they eagerly looked to for advice on family problems, financial troubles, or compatibility recommendations was a sham. As to the validity of these horoscopes, that’s up to the reader. However, horoscope readers everywhere will be pleased to know that Ophiuchus does not necessarily mean a zodiac sign identity crisis. Western astrology—the horoscopes in the Entertainment section and the back page of Cosmo—is based on the Tropical Zodiac, which is connected to the seasons. As a geocentric system, it relates life on Earth to the environment, which is most affected by the seasons, and unaffected by the stars. Only the Vedic Zodiac (traditionally an Eastern practice) is based on the constellations, and is consequently changed by the addition of Ophiuchus.
People now have a choice to make; those who proudly identify with their sign—or have it tattooed on their body—can continue their life without adjustment or regret. For the rest of you, maybe it’s time to embrace change and take a different path (the Ophiuchus sign attracts good luck in case you’re curious). Or, you could always read both horoscopes and double the possibilities.
Sources:
http://www.daily-horoscopes.