Luci Wilgus- Staff Writer
Many people say that their zodiac sign does not apply to them or that horoscopes are just generalized statements. A majority of people who take issue with their sign tend to not look at their entire chart and instead focus on their sun sign. Sun signs are the most well known, as the only necessary information is someone’s birthday. Astrology originates from the Babylonians around first century BC and was equivalent to modern astronomy. They used it to predict weather patterns and celestial events. Once the Greek philosophers got hold of this concept, it was regarded as a science. The word zodiac is actually Greek for “circle of animals”, and the name for each sign is Roman in origin. Early astrologers knew that there were twelve phases in a single lunar cycle. Each sign is associated with a constellation- starting with Aries in the northern celestial hemisphere, then Pisces in the west, and Taurus in the east. Astrology was thought of as an accurate way to predict weather and major events that kings began to have astrologers as their advisors. It gradually became more and more popular among “common people” and has remained a popular trend. Horoscope charts themselves are based on sidereal time, which is based around the sun’s position at the spring equinox. Once an astrologer has a birthdate, they use a table called an astronomical ephemeris, which is a list of planetary positions and their correlating dates. Constructing a chart consists of filling in blanks, but a chart interpretation is more complex. Professional astrologers look at what planets have the most control as well as the signs that were prominent when that planet came into rotation. Even still, chart interpretation can not run on an algorithm because of how many factors there are in an individual chart. So, for anyone who feels that astrology is inaccurate, consider a professional reading, or look past your sun sign. A good online resource for a visual of your chart is AstroDienst, which was created by an accredited group of astrologists.
Trojan Times 