We are here on earth to do good for others. What the others are here for, I don't know. W. H. Auden

CONSTELLATIONS AND THE ZODIAC

THE ZODIAC HAS ITS ORIGINS WITH BABYLONIAN AND CHALDEAN ASTRONOMERS ABOUT 1,000 BC. A SERIES OF CONSTELLATIONS WERE NAMED ALONG THE APPARENT PATH THAT THE SUN FOLLOWS THROUGH THE SKY (THE ECLIPTIC PLANE). THE NAME ZODIAC MEANS CIRCLE OF ANIMALS AND DERIVES FROM LATIN AND GREEK. NOTE: THE ECLIPTIC IS ALSO THE PLANE OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM.

THE BABYLONIAN CALENDAR IN THE 7TH CENTURY BC ASSIGNED A CONSTELLATION TO EACH MONTH, STARTING WITH ARIES AT THE TIME OF THE VERNAL EQUINOX. THE CONSTELLATIONS ARE JUST A MEMORY DEVICE TO HELP REMEMBER STAR LOCATIONS. ON A GOOD, DARK NIGHT, YOU CAN SEE ABOUT 1000 STARS. CONSTELLATIONS HAVE BEEN USED FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS AND BY MANY DIFFERENT CIVILIZATIONS TO HELP WITH STAR LOCATION. THEY OFTEN HAD RELIGIOUS SIGNIFICANCE, AS THE ASTRONOMERS WERE OFTEN RELIGIOUS FIGURES.

THE ANCIENTS WOULD NOTE WHAT CONSTELLATION WAS IN THE SKY JUST BEFORE SUNRISE AND WHAT CONSTELLATION WAS IN THE SKY AT DUSK. THEY COULD THEN FIGURE WHAT CONSTELLATION THE SUN APPEARED TO BE IN DURING THE DAY. EACH MONTH, THE SUN WAS IN A SPECIFIC HOUSE OF THE ZODIAC.

BECAUSE OF PRECESSION OF THE EARTH ON ITS AXIS, THE SIGNS ARE ONE HOUSE OUT OF PHASE.

THE HOROSCOPES DO NOT CORRECT FOR THIS.

ZODIAC SIGNTRADITIONALACTUAL, 2009 ARIES 20 MAR-19 APR18 APR-19 MAY TARUS 19 APR-20 MAY14 MAY-21 JUNE GEMINI 20 MAY-21 JUNE21 JUNE-20 JULY CANCER 21 JUNE-22 JULY20 JULY-10 AUG LEO 22 JULY-23 AUG10 AUG-16 SEP VIRGO 23 AUG-22 SEP16 SEP-31 OCT LIBRA 22 SEP-23 OCT31 OCT-21 NOV SCORPIO 23 OCT-22 NOV21 NOV-29 NOV OPHIUCHUS N/A29 NOV-18 DEC SAGITARIUS 22 NOV-21 DEC18 DEC-20 JAN CAPRICORN 21 DEC-20 JAN20 JAN-17 FEB AQUARIUS 20 JAN-18 FEB17 FEB-13 MAR PISCES 18 FEB-20 MAR13 MAR-18 APR