Astrology vs Astronomy

Find the Real Plot

Astrology is out of alignment with the actual sky

A year is the time the Earth takes to complete an orbit of the Sun. From Earth, the Sun appears to move along the ecliptic across the Zodiac constellations. What moves during the course of a years is Earth's viewpoint of the Sun against a background of stars.

Astronomers devised the calendar by observing the course of the Sun and the seasons to keep the calendar accurate. The twelve Zodiac constellations, located along the ecliptic, were referred to by ancient people as a seasonal guide; the Sun takes about a month to move across a Zodiac constellation to the next.

The Sun is the star that determines your Astrology star-sign

The Sun appears to pass across the 12 Zodiac constellations during the cycle of a year. On your birthday, the Sun is at the same place in a particular Zodiac

Above: The Sun is in the constellation of Libra, November 12.

Astrologers and Astronomers use RA

The vernal equinox occurs on March 21, being the time of equal night and day. Astronomers allocated the vernal equinox as the zero degree point for the 360 degree, or 24 hour, equatorial coordinate system. Referring to the system's right ascension (RA) coordinates, symmetry is apparent. The September equinox aligns at RA 180 degrees. The summer and winter solstice align at RA 90 and RA 270 degrees. Astrology refers to the equatorial coordinate system, divided into 12, 30 degree segments, where the 12 Zodiac star-sign houses are located.

The chart above indicates the Zodiac astrology calendar star-sign periods in purple, with the actual periods the Sun moves through Zodiac constellations, indicated in pink. For a larger version to plot where the Sun was when you were born. View a larger chart.

Find the real plot

The original astrology calendar indicated the dates/houses when the Sun moved in each Zodiac constellation. The Sun rose in Aries, at the vernal equinox, when the astrology calendar was devised over 2000 years ago. This century, on the date of the vernal equinox, the Sun rises in Pisces at the zero degree coordinate. Due to precession, the astrology calendar and the zodiac star-sign dates are about a month out of sync with the location of the Sun.

By Ignoring precession, astrology lost it

Nowadays, astrologers do not check the sky, they simply refer to an outdated ephemeris and astrology calendar. Most people do not realize astrology has lost the plot and is no longer as accurate as it used to be. The priests of astrology in ancient times observed and reported what actually occurred in the sky. Astrologers were the first scientists, mathematicians and time keepers - they aimed to be accurate.

As long as astrologers continue to refer to the zodiac calendar, the further out of date and sync with the actual sky they become. When a reform occurs and the zodiac calendar is updated, astrology will be accurate and relevant to our time.

Through the Ages, from Taurus, Aries to Pisces, watching the dawn of Aquarius.

The reference to "dawning of the Age of Aquarius" applies to the constellation Aquarius. By the end of the next 300 years, Aquarius will move to the zero coordinate, when the Sun rises at the vernal equinox. At that time, the Age of Aquarius will be observed. The Egyptians who built the pyramids 4,000 years ago, observed the Sun rising in Taurus at the vernal equinox. Jesus lived 2,000 years ago, in the Age of Aries. We live in the age of Pisces, watching the dawn of Aquarius.

Precession

Precession causes a slow shift of the Zodiac constellations along the ecliptic by one degree every 72 years. Since the era when the zodiac calendar was devised over 2,000 years ago, the first point of Aries has shifted from the zero degree to RA 22 degrees. The Zodiac calendar is about a month out of sync with what actually occurs in the sky. Nowadays, in 2010, the Sun moves across Aries in April, not in March as the Zodiac calendar depicts. Overall, the zodiac constellations have shifted 22 degrees since they were initially plotted. The ancient Zodiac calendar is outdated due to precession.

Precession of the equinoxes is caused by gravitational forces of the Sun and the Moon on the Earth. The period when a precession cycle is completed is 25,700 years - called 'The Great Platonic Year'. Over thousands of years, each Zodiac constellations has a period when the Sun rises in it at the vernal equinox. In 23,000 years time, the Sun will complete a full circuit across the Zodiac to rise in Aries at the time of the vernal equinox. A Platonic year ends, a new one begins.

Sidereal principles are referred to in astronomy, timekeeping and navigation.

Sidereal astrology refers to the actual location of the Sun and planets in the sky

Observe the stars to plot their course.
Astronomers and astrologers were once a unified force.
Astronomers observed and kept sidereal.
While astrologers charts lost track to be ethereal.

Heavens above astrology find the real star sign.
Just look and watch the sky to keep the time.
Plot from day to night and chart what you see.
So once again astronomy and astrology can agree.

Written by Paul Brick © 2002