The word zodiac comes from the Latin zdiacus, which is derived from the Greek oo(zdiakos kuklos), which means ‘circle of animal.’
According to ancient sources, the Greeks learned about the sky primarily from the Mesopotamians, who learned about the heavens from the Sumerians.
Babylonian astronomers divided the skies into twelve equal signs and consequently twelve months of thirty days each towards the end of the 5th century BC. The first known celestial coordinate system was created when each sign contained thirty degrees of celestial longitude.
The Anaphoricus of Hypsicles of Alexandria is the first existing Greek literature to use this Babylonian zodiac division. The Tetrabiblos, the work of the astrologer and astronomer Ptolemy, laid the foundation of the Western astrological tradition in the creation of Western horoscopic astrology. The planets, Houses, and signs of the zodiac, as well as their roles, were laid out in a style that hasn’t changed much since then.
The zodiac signs are classified into four categories:
- Aries, Sagittarius, and Leo are the fire signs.
- Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces are all water signs.
- Libra, Aquarius, and Gemini are air signs.
- Capricorn, Taurus, and Virgo are earth signs.
While people nowadays do not trust or rely on astrology in the same manner that Babylonian monarchs and Roman Emperors did, fundamental knowledge of the zodiac is incredibly widespread over the world. The majority of people nowadays are aware of their zodiac sign, and many believe that Mercury, Venus, and other planets have an impact on the earth.
In This Article...
What does the Latin word zodiac mean?
Late 14th century, from Old French zodiaque, from Latin zodiacus “zodiac,” from Greek zodiakos (kyklos) “zodiac (circle),” meaning “circle of small animals,” from zodiaion, diminutive of zoion “animal” (from PIE root *gwei- “to live”).
What Greek God is associated with the Zodiac?
Which Greek God/Goddess Matches Your Zodiac Sign?
- Ares is the sign of Aries. This robust and ardent zodiac sign is symbolized by Ares, the god of war.
- Hestia is the sign of Taurus. Taurus is associated with Hestia, the Greek deity.
- Artemis is the goddess of cancer.
- Aphrodite is the sign of Libra.
What is the origin of the zodiac?
These civilizations employed constellations to anticipate seasonal shifts, climatic occurrences, and as part of their religious beliefs. The names of the constellations in the western zodiac are derived from Greek mythology’s 12 Olympian gods.
Who designed the zodiac signs?
The 12 zodiac signs, one of the earliest notions of astrology, were devised by the Babylonians around 1894 BC. The Babylonians lived at Babylon, which is roughly where modern-day Iraq is located. Babylon was one of the most prominent ancient Mesopotamian towns.
What is the significance of Jesus being a Pisces?
We’ve been under the astrological sign of Pisces since February 20th, so everyone you know who is a Pisces will have (or has had) a birthday very soon!
If you’re seeking for the ideal birthday present for a Pisces in your life, naming a star after them in the Pisces constellation could be the answer.
If you’re thinking about naming a star in the Pisces constellation, here are some science and mythology facts to help you out!
Science
Pisces is symbolized by two fish swimming in opposite directions, one to the north and the other to the west. A cord connects the two of them.
The fish are thought to be Aphrodite and Eros, the son of the Greek goddess Aphrodite, however we’ll get into how those two became identified with the two fish later.
Pisces is located in the Northern Hemisphere’s first quadrant and encompasses a wide V-shaped territory. Despite being a huge constellation, it is difficult to notice due to the large area it spans and the dim stars it contains. While the month of Pisces occurs in late winter/early spring in the Northern Hemisphere, it is only visible in the very early phases of autumn in the Northern Hemisphere.
The brightest star in Pisces is Eta Piscium, also known as Alpherg or Kullat Nunu. It’s 294 light-years away from Earth and 316 times brighter than the sun.
The ‘Van Maanen’s’ Star in Pisces is named after Adrian van Maanen, a Dutch astronomer who discovered it in 1917. It is the 31st closest star system and the closest solitary white dwarf to the sun, at only 14.1 light-years distant. (The practice of naming a star appears to date back many years.)
Surprisingly, the Hubble Space Telescope discovered a pair of dwarf galaxies dubbed Pisces A and Pisces B within the constellation. After monitoring the two, researchers discovered some intriguing information: they travelled to a nearby group of galaxies throughout time, speeding up the pace of star creation.
What the galaxies Pisces A and Pisces B can show us about what dwarf galaxies looked like in the past.
But why is Pisces associated with two different kinds of fish? To grasp this, we must return to the ancient Greeks and a fable from the past.
Myth
Legend has it that the mythological events surrounding this constellation occurred near the Euphrates River. This suggests that the story was modified from an even older story passed down from the Babylonians to the Greeks. But let’s get back to the story.
The Olympian Gods had won the battle. Even though the Titans had been defeated, there were still people plotting their demise while the Gods sat safely.
Typhon, son of the Titan Tartarus, and Gaia, enraged by the Olympians’ actions, set out to exact ultimate vengeance and finally overthrow the Olympians.
Typhon was the most terrifying creature the earth had ever seen; he was so dangerous and strong that even Gods were afraid to confront him.
Typhon came saw Aphrodite and Eros (Venus and Cupid in Roman mythology) as they were wandering along the Euphrates River.
Despite the fact that many other people died as a result of the Typhoon, the Olympians emerged victorious.
Zues set the fish among the stars to commemorate the victory, and they became the constellation of Pisces.
That’s a fascinating story. However, there’s an intriguing tale about Pieces that suggests a 2000-year-old cover-up!
Some believe that the constellation Pieces may hold the answer to Jesus Christ’s identity!
Conspiracy?
According to one idea, the Christ image may not have arisen from a Jewish Rabbi speaking in Galilee, but rather from pagan astrology.
According to one theory, Jesus was born as an avatar of the Pisces constellation, a figure who represented the movement of the sky at the commencement of the Age of Pisces. The activities of the early Christians, who utilized the fish as a symbol of Jesus, provide evidence for this.
It’s worth noting that, while intriguing (and divisive), it’s quite unlikely that this is the case. So, why does the fish figure appear so frequently in early Christian art?
Because early Christians were persecuted, they couldn’t openly declare their faith. As a result, a fish was utilized as a symbol for Jesus. This is because ICHTUS, the Greek word for fish, stands for Iesus CHristos Theou Uios Soter, which means ‘Jesus Christ Son Of God the Saviour.’
So there’s no big conspiracy here; just a misunderstanding of symbol origins and what they mean to different communities at different eras.
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So there you have it: some fascinating facts about Pieces! Let us know if you decide to dedicate a star, name a star, or adopt a star for a particular Piesces in your life on our social media!
Also, if you live in the UK, don’t forget that Mother’s Day is coming up in less than a week! (11th of March, 2018)
What does the Greek word for star mean?
There are so many star names for girls, from constellation names to words that signify star in several languages. This collection of female names has something for everyone.
29.Andromeda (Greek origin) is the name of a constellation in the northern sky that means “ruler of men.”
30.Ara (Arabic and Egyptian origin) is the name of a tiny constellation in the southern sky that means ‘rain bringer.’
33.Astraea (Greek origin), a derivation of Astra, is one of numerous names meaning “star.”
The Virgo constellation was named after Astraea, the Greek goddess of justice and innocence.
35.Bellatrix (Latin origin) is the name of a star in the Orion constellation that means “female fighter.”
37.Carina (Italian origin) is the name of the constellation that includes the brightest star in the sky and means ‘beloved.’
Gemini (Latin origin) is the name of a zodiac constellation. Its Latin name means “twins.”
56.Lyra (Greek origin) is the name of the constellation that contains the star Vega and means ‘lyre.’
57.Luna (Italian origin): Although Luna is sometimes mistaken for a star name, the name Luna really means’moon.’
58.Maia (Greek origin) is the name of a star in the Taurus constellation that means “mother.”
61.Norma (English origin) is the name of a minor constellation in the southern hemisphere that means “from the north.”
This Latin word indicates the explosion of a white dwarf star and is 62.Nova (Latin origin).
76.Starr (English): This English name is a variant spelling of the word’star.’
80.Stelara (Esperanto origin) is a derivation of Stella, which means “constellation.”
84.Tara (Sanskrit origin) is the name of a Hindu astral goddess and also means “star.”
93.Zvjezdana (Croatian): This name comes from the Croatian word ‘Zvijezda,’ which means’star.’