Question:
I have heard a couple times that since the zodiac was created, the stars have shifted ever so slightly that the zodiac is now false.I heard that now you are the sign before the sign you think you are.
For example, I was born March 29 so I thought I was an Aries, but Pisces comes before Aries and I am much more like a Pisces than an Aries.
So if you thought you were Pisces you would be Aquarius, if you thought you were Aquarius you would be Capricorn, and so on.
But, my sister was born as an Aquarius and acts like an Aquarius, not a Capricorn, and with my friends it varies one way or the other. A little help on understanding what sign people are?
Brett
Answer:
Excellent question(s), Brett!Precession of the Zodiac
Yep! You're right! The positions of the fixed stars and constellations have changed their positions in the sky over the last 2,300 (or so) years.However, traditional Tropical Astrology (and the Tropical Zodiac) is the system of astrology most Westerners are familiar with (via the horoscope columns).
I, myself, remember it temporarily being something of a shock when I first discovered Tropical Astrology is (and has always been) based on the changing of seasons and is not based on current celestial locations of the constellations.
But what you've discovered ("the precession of the zodiac") really isn't some sort of tightly held secret that we naughty Tropical astrologers conspire to keep hidden away from the unsuspecting masses.
In fact, at this site, I already briefly touch on this sometimes heated "Tropical Zodiac versus Sidereal Zodiac" debate in the astrology section entitled Journey 1.
But it wouldn't hurt to address it again (in a different way) here....
Tropical Zodiac versus Sidereal Zodiac
Being born on the 29th of March, using the traditional Tropical Zodiac, your birth Sun is (approximately) located in 9 degrees of Aries.If one were using the Sidereal Zodiac (loosely based on the locations of the constellations), then your birth Sun would, indeed, be (approximately) located in 15 degrees of Pisces.
I hope you paid attention to those degree numbers. The current discrepancy between the two Zodiacs is approximately 24 degrees.
You see.... each of the twelve Zodiac signs is assigned 30 degrees (12 X 30 = 360. 360 degrees, of course, is a full circle).
So, if one were to use the Sidereal Zodiac in their calculations, it wouldn't always equal out to being the sign before.
For example: My Sun, Moon, Jupiter, Neptune and Pluto are in late degrees of their particular Zodiac signs. So whether I chose to use either the Tropical Zodiac or the Sidereal Zodiac, the signs for all those late degree planets would still in the same sign.But Here's the Bottom Line
While the "precession of the zodiac," is important to Tropical Astrology in respect to an astrological concept called the "Astrological Ages," (which I discuss in "The Age of Aquarius") -- it's not relevant to the practice of Tropical Astrology.Tropical Astrology (and the Tropical Zodiac) have always been based on the path of the Sun traversing the Earth (the ecliptic) in relation to the turning of the seasons. (Tropos -- in the Greek, "turning.")
Repeating the Bottom Line
I'll repeat that bottom line one more time just in case it somehow got lost in the shuffle.Tropical Astrology is based on the path of the Sun traversing the Earth in relation to the turning of the seasons.
Tropical Astrology (and the Tropical Zodiac) lay no claim to being based on the positions of the Fixed Stars and constellations in the sky.
Short (Watered Down) History Lesson
Around 300 BC, when the spring and autumn equinoxes (i.e. the seasons) were originally positioned on the path of the Sun traveling around the Earth (the ecliptic) -- it was done primarily for the purposes of setting up a solar calendar.For simplicity sake, in setting up the calendar, the twelve sectors of the Sun's path (the ecliptic) were artificially divided up into 12 equal sized sections. Each sector had 30 degrees and was named for the zodiac constellation the Sun was passing through (more or less).
I say "more or less," because it was realized that the 12 constellations were (and are) all of differing sizes and shapes. So the Sun always spends unequal amounts of time passing through each of the different 12 signs.At the time this was done, the Sun's position approximately corresponded to the visual perception of its location against the 12 zodiac constellations in the sky.For example: The Sun spends only 19 days traveling through the smaller constellation of Cancer and spends 45 days traversing the sign of Virgo.
And so, the point of 0 degrees Aries was established as being when the Sun passed over the vernal (spring) equinox point, and the corresponding point of 0 degrees Libra was established as being when the Sun passed over the autumn equinox point.
About 150 years later (around 150 BC), it was noticed that there was a slight displacement of the Fixed Stars and constellations. This displacement was then named the "precession of the zodiac."
History Lesson Over
So, even after 2,300 years, Tropical Astrology continues to be based on the path of the Sun traversing the Earth in relation to the turning of seasons.The Tropical Zodiac has admirably withstood the test of time. And therefore, for Tropical astrologers, the point where the Sun passes over the vernal (spring) equinox is still calculated as 0 degrees of Aries.
Sidereal Zodiac?
Astronomers, Vedic Astrologers (originating out of India) and a few Western Sidereal Astrologers use the Sidereal Zodiac, which is (sorta) based on the current positions of the fixed stars. (Please see Journey 1 for more of my opinions on all of this.)I say "sorta based on the current positions of the fixed stars," because remember (as mentioned previously): Even the very idea of each Zodiac sign having 30 degrees was (and is) an artificial division of the the Sun's path through the twelve constellations.
Therefore, if one truly wishes to be more "reality based" on the positions of the constellations, then (for example) Virgo should be reassigned with her full 45 degrees, rather than her measly apportionment of 30 degrees. And, of course, the other smaller Zodiac signs would then have to give up some of their precious territory.
Reality Based?
Those Western Siderealists -- who often times like to brag about being somehow more "reality based" -- really ought to seriously rethink their line of reasoning.Using the Sidereal Zodiac (and its setting of 0 degrees of Aries) is arbitrarily (and therefore inexactly) based on where the constellation of Aries might actually begin.
While using the Tropical Zodiac (and its setting of 0 degrees of Aries) was (and is) based on the exact moment when the Sun passes over the vernal (spring) equinox point.
Good News?
The good news is that in another mere 23,500 years (or so) -- both Zodiacs (Tropical and Sidereal) will once again be in agreement, and we astrologers will be left with nothing else to bicker about....And So Who's What Sun Sign?
Speaking from the viewpoint of a traditional "dyed-in-the-wool" Tropical astrologer, I suspect the answer to your question is already adequately addressed in Why Don't Sun Sign Descriptions Fit Me?I will, however, add this....
I also remember it being something of a shock when I first realized there was much, much, much more to astrology than the position of our Sun Signs. (Novices, also, be sure to check out the Crash Course.)
Despite what typical Sun Sign descriptions often "appear" to promote -- most of us experience difficulties and challenges in living out the energies and qualities of our Sun Sign placements.
And depending on our individual birth charts, some of us have more difficulty than others.
Birth Sun
The birth Sun represents our truest sense of identity, self-expression, source of creativity and how we can potentially shine best.And, often, the Sun gains in strength as we grow older and develop a clearer sense of who we are as individuals.
Our task, over the course of a life-time, is learning how to give energy and expression to the placement of our birth Sun. The Sun is where we each find our greatest sense of fulfillment.
Being born on the 29th of March, your birth Sun is (approximately) located in 9 degrees of Aries.
Why you're experiencing difficulty in expressing your birth placement with the Sun in Aries (and feel more Piscean) may be due to any number of unknown reasons contained in your individual birth chart.