The zodiac is a belt-shaped area of the sky that stretches roughly 8 degrees north or south (as measured in celestial latitude) of the ecliptic, the Sun’s apparent passage across the celestial sphere throughout the year. The belt of the zodiac contains the paths of the Moon and the visible planets.
The zodiac in Western astrology and earlier astronomy is split into twelve signs: Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces. Each sign occupies 30 of celestial longitude and generally corresponds to a star constellation.
These astrological signs are used to create an ecliptic coordinate system, which uses the vernal equinox position of the Sun as the origin of longitude and the ecliptic as the origin of latitude.
In This Article...
What is the zodiac signs’ ranking?
Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces are the 12 zodiac signs, listed in order. Greek texts from the Middle Ages have a symbol for each sign of the zodiac. Let’s examine the zodiac signs, constellations, and characteristics in more detail.
Aries (March 21-April 19)
The constellation of the ram serves as a representation for Aries, the first of the twelve zodiac signs. You are viewed as being active, ambitious, and competitive if you were born under this sign. The “fire” element is to blame for Aries’ predisposition to be impetuous and direct as well as their quickness and leadership abilities.
Taurus (April 20-May 20)
The constellation Taurus symbolizes Taurus, the second of the Zodiac’s twelve signs. You are seen as being dedicated, dependable, focused, and creative if you were born under this sign. Tauruses are renowned for their wit, dependability, and stubbornness (the sign is a bull, after all). Taurus people enjoy seeking pleasure and have a tendency to challenge authority.
Gemini (May 21-June 20)
The constellation Gemini, which features Castor and Pollux, the Dioscurithe twins, serves as the symbol for Gemini, the third of the Zodiac’s twelve signs. You are seen as being enthusiastic, expressive, intellectual, and playful if you were born under this sign. Although they have a reputation for being contradictory, Gemini are recognized for their extroverted personalities and wide range of interests.
Cancer (June 21-July 22)
The constellation Cancer, which is most frequently pictured as a crab, is the zodiac sign for Cancer, the fourth of the twelve signs. If you were born under this sign, you are regarded as being brave, sympathetic, caring, and perceptive. Cancers are renowned for their ability to provide care and for having a propensity for being remote and passive-aggressive.
Leo (July 23-August 22)
The constellation of the lion serves as the symbol for Leo, the fifth of the Zodiac’s twelve signs. If you were born under this sign, people would describe you as fiery, lively, and outgoing. Leos are renowned for their warmth and high self-esteem, although they can occasionally be arrogant or envious.
Virgo (August 23-September 22)
The maiden constellation serves as the symbol for Virgo, the sixth of the Zodiac’s twelve signs. You are seen as being practical, analytical, and sophisticated if you were born under this sign. Virgos are renowned for their thoughtfulness and attention to detail, but they can also have a propensity for shyness and unreasonably high expectations for both themselves and their loved ones.
Libra (September 23-October 22)
The lone inanimate constellation, the scales, stands in for Libra, the seventh of the Zodiac’s twelve signs. If you were born under this sign, people view you as diplomatic, fair-minded, and balanced. Although Libras are renowned for their generosity and amiability, they can occasionally be overly practical and insecure.
Scorpio (October 23-November 21)
Scorpio is the eighth of the Zodiac’s twelve signs and is symbolized by the scorpion constellation. If you were born under this sign, people view you as dependable, resourceful, and determined. Scorpios are renowned for their courage and pioneering spirit, yet they may also come off as prickly and distant to outsiders.
Sagittarius (November 22-December 21)
The ninth of the Zodiac’s twelve signs, Sagittarius, is symbolized by the constellation of the Archer. If you were born under this sign, you are regarded as cheerful, self-reliant, and intelligent. Sagittariuses are renowned for being charming and giving, although they can occasionally have a propensity to be haughty and overly direct.
Capricorn (December 22-January 19)
Tenth among the zodiac’s twelve signs, Capricorn is symbolized by the sea goat constellation. If you were born under this sign, you are regarded as patient, diligent, and disciplined. Although Capricorns are renowned for their persistence and preference for boundaries and norms, they may occasionally be obstinate and overly perfectionistic.
Aquarius (January 20-February 18)
The constellation known as the “water carrier” represents Aquarius, the eleventh of the zodiac’s twelve signs. If you were born under this sign, people admire your creativity, loyalty, and originality. Aquariuses are known for their creativity and rebellious nature, but they can have a tendency to be aloof with loved ones and uncompromising.
Pisces (February 19-March 20)
The last of the Zodiac’s twelve signs, Pisces, is symbolized by the fishes constellation. You are regarded as intuitive, creative, and sympathetic if you were born under this sign. Although Pisces are renowned for their empathy and artistic talent, they can occasionally be too sensitive or delusional.
Aries is the first sign, but why?
On the first day of spring, also known as the vernal equinox, the Sun used to be “in” the constellation Aries. We should clarify that the Sun appears to move between the thirteen constellations that make up the “zodiac” as the Earth circles around it. The phrase “First Point of Aries” (or “Cusp of Aries”) was first used by the Greek astronomer Hipparchus of Nicea (190-120 BCE), who noted that the Sun was in the constellation Aries at the time of the spring equinox. However, because to precessional wriggling, the Sun’s apparent vernal equinox position has consistently moved along the ecliptic by nearly 1 degree every 73 years. Every 26,000 years, our planet’s pole describes a 47-degree circle in the sky due to the wobbling, which is mostly brought on by interactions with the Sun and Moon. As a result, during this 26,000-year cycle, the vernal equinox point will be “hosted” by each of the thirteen zodiac constellations. Astronomer Jean Meeus claims that around 68 BCE, the vernal equinox point crossed the Aries-Pisces boundary. Ironically, barely than a century after Hipparchus’ passing, this change took place. Since then, Pisces has been the western route taken by the vernal equinox point. The vernal equinox will pass through Aquarius, the Water Bearer, in AD 2597. Or, to be more precise, it will enter the rectilinear area known as the Aquarius “region” by the International Astronomical Union. The vernal equinox will probably still be referred to as the “First Point of Aries” by astronomers even then.
The vernal equinox point moves around the ecliptic as a result of the Earth’s precessional wobble once every 26,000 years. The term “First Point of Aries” refers to this point’s former position in Aries the Ram. The vernal equinox point is currently in Pisces and will move towards the Aquarius region in the late 26th century. Keep in mind that the astrological sign of Aries serves as the emblem for the vernal equinox point.
The first five zodiac signs are what?
The night sky contains 88 constellations, did you know that? Humans have catalogued and given each one a name over the period of several thousand years. However, only 12 of them are extremely well-known and are still actively involved in modern astrological systems. The 12 constellations that represent the various months of the year are known as the zodiac signs.
Starting at the vernal equinox, one of the points where the ecliptic and celestial equator connect, each of these takes up a sector of sky that makes up 30 of the ecliptic. Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces are the signs in that sequence in the horoscope. The dates for each zodiac sign are listed below. Your zodiac sign is determined by whether your birthdate falls inside one of those dates.
Granted, astrology is now known to be an old myth that attempted to link patterns in celestial movements to things that happen on Earth. However, given their ignorance of astronomy, human psychology, and the reality that Earth was not the center of the cosmos, such patterns were vital for ancient humans.
Who is the smartest sign?
Aquarius is the zodiac sign that is considered to be the smartest. Uranus, the planet of invention, creativity, and higher consciousness, is in charge of them. Because of this, this air sign does more with the information than just absorb it and spit it back out: they comprehend, grasp, and build upon it. Kovach describes them as “innovative, unconventional, and frequently ahead of their time.” They are aware of how emerging trends operate and may have a clearer view of the future than others.
Is October 22 a Scorpio or a Libra?
The sun spends a month in airy Libra before swimming into watery Scorpio on October 22 or 23 of every year. You may identify as a so-called Libra-Scorpio cusp if your birthdate is within a few days of these dates.
Planets can only be in one zodiac sign at a time, thus even if you were born in the very last minute of Libra season, you are still very much a Libra sun sign. Being born close to one of the sun’s zodiacal ingresses does not automatically make you a combination of two signs.
However, it doesn’t follow that a person born on the Libra-Scorpio axis couldn’t also have a healthy dose of both energies in their natal chart. There is a good likelihood that a late-October Libra would have some Scorpio planets in their horoscope because planets like Mercury and Venus often move close to the sun in the zodiac (or vice versa for an October Scorpio). Someone who exhibits both Libra and Scorpio features, or what some could refer to as Libra-Scorpio cusp traits, could be the result of this.
All zodiac signs can sense the shifting energies when the sun transits through this area of the sky, regardless of whether or not a person was born close to the Libra-Scorpio axis. Since Libra season always starts on the day of the autumnal equinox, it aids us in finding equilibrium and establishing social bonds as we set out on our autumnal journey. However, after the sun enters Scorpio, we tend to become more contemplative, and the casual connections we had throughout the Libra season have a potential to develop into more close-knit relationships. Each planet’s trip through the zodiac is represented by a path, and the energy of the Libra-Scorpio axis invites us to develop trust with those around us as we enter the heart of autumn.
Although being a cusp sign isn’t really an astrological notion, if you were born close to the sun’s shift between the two signs, you could still have a lot of Libra and Scorpio zodiac energy in your chart. If so, recognizing the characteristics of the Libra-Scorpio cusp might help you identify your most distinctive attributes.
What are my three primary symptoms?
Your Sun sign, Moon sign, and rising signalso referred to as your ascending signare the three most important positions in your birth chart. Your fundamental character and essence as a person are reflected in your Sun sign. Your Moon sign indicates your emotional side and who you are when you’re by yourself. Last but not least, your rising sign represents how you come across to others and how you look on the outside.
Zodiac signsare they true?
Astrology: Is it true? Although reading horoscopes is a well-liked past time, is there any scientific evidence that it has any significance?
When you are lured by a familiar interruption and your willpower wanes, problems may result.
Up to 70 million Americans consult their horoscopes every day. At least that is what the American Federation of Astrologers claims. A Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life research conducted twenty years ago found that 25% of Americans thought that the positions of the stars and planets had an impact on our daily life. According to the General Social Survey from 2012, 34% of Americans asked think astrology is “extremely” or “kind of” scientific. The percentage of those who think astrology is “not at all scientific” has decreased from two-thirds to roughly one-half.
The concept that astronomical phenomena, such as the stars above when you were born or the fact that Mercury is in retrograde, have the ability to affect the daily happenings in our lives and our personality traits is commonly referred to as astrology. The study of astronomy, which is the scientific study of celestial objects, space, and the mechanics of the cosmos, is obviously very different from this.
An element of astrology in particular that is gaining popularity is the ability to predict one’s future or provide advise on daily actions through horoscopes. Horoscope pages had 150 percent more visits in 2017 than in 2016, according to publications like The Cut.
It’s obvious that many individuals are looking for methods of star interpretation. Understanding the locations of the stars, the basis of astrology, seems to be a sufficiently scientific endeavor. But can science support the idea that astrology has an impact on our personalities and our lives?
But since I have you for the remaining five minutes of this six-minute-or-so podcast, let’s examine the precise methods by which astrology has been put to the test.
Aries: Is it a rare sign?
Aries and Sagittarius, both fire signs, are the second and third most uncommon zodiac signs, respectively, according to Stardust.
Stardust claims that Aries is the first sign of the zodiac and that this sign is known for having an inspirational jolt that “gets everyone going and moving. The third-rarest sign of the zodiac, Sagittarius, “falls during the autumn season and are renowned to be adventurous and free-spirited,” according to Stardust.
What god is a sign?
Ares is the god of war and the violent, physical aspects of warfare in Greek mythology. He is the son of Zeus and Hera. Some claim that Ares was Aphrodite’s lover and that Hephaestus, her husband, disapproved of them once the Olympians found out about their relationship. This could seem familiar given that Aries is an untamed, intensely passionate sign known for being overly sexual and physically violent.
