So today I read something which made me almost spit my tea out! The star signs have changed!
WTF?!
Initially I thought it was an April fool’s joke.
After all, the whole Covid Lockdown has messed with my time clock. I genuinely haven’t known what day it is for the last few months.
But I’m sure that I’m not months out! It’s July, right?
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A Brand New Star Sign
Turns out that the clever bods at NASA have introduced a brand new star sign.
One that the ancient Babylonian astrologers ditched more than 2.500 years ago; as it wasn’t mathematically pleasing to include it!
Apparently, they wanted to chart the 360° path of the sun in a uniform, mathematical way. 12 equal parts, each one at 30°.
They studied how the constellations were placed in the sky, in relation to the movement of the sun and — voila — the 12 star signs were born.
Only there was another.
A 13th constellation — named Ophiuchus — but as it didn’t fit tidily into one of the 12 slices, they decided to leave it out.
Why The Star Signs Have Changed
As the sands of time have shifted, it seems that so, too, have the 12 constellations.
Thanks to our earth’s wonky axis — none of the original constellations are in the same position as they were in ancient Babylonian times.
So this, coupled with the existence of Ophiuchus, means the astrological calendar — as we know it — is incorrect.
According to NASA’s theory, we should now be including Ophiuchus in the Zodiac calendar. The constellation, which comes from Greek words meaning ‘The Serpent Bearer’ is commonly illustrated as a man holding a snake.
And, as the 13th sign sits between Scorpio and Sagittarius, it means that every other star sign’s dates have had to shift, to accommodate it.
Apparently, NASA say:
‘To make a tidy match with their 12 month calendar, the Babylonians ignored the fact the sun actually moves through 13 constellations, not 12.
They assigned each of those constellations equal amounts of time.
Besides the 12 familiar constellations of the zodiac, the sun is also aligned with Ophiuchus for about 18 days each year.’
So to explain the odd allocation of dates; the fact that Virgo now lasts from September 16th to October 30th. Or that Scorpio only last for a week; it’s documented that the NASA spokesperson said:
‘The line from Earth through the sun points to Virgo for 45 days, but it points to Scorpius for only seven days’
Wow. Crazy huh?
A New Sign
Although I don’t regularly read horoscopes — and the zodiac doesn’t have too much bearing on my life in general — I’ve always loved reading about my star sign.
It’s interesting to see how the character traits relate to me and I can definitely see elements of my personality in the descriptions; I kind of feel that ‘once an Aquarian always an Aquarian’ and all that jazz.
So what about you?
Although the star signs have changed — do you think you’ll stick to what you know? Or will you be embracing a new zodiac sign?
And if you’re an Ophiuchus (pronounced oh-FEW-kuss for anyone who’s interested) — rather than an old-school Sagittarius — will you be welcoming this new star sign?
Caro Davies is a former art-director turned writer and content-creator, and editor behind UK lifestyle blog The Listed Home. She writes about home-related topics, from interiors and DIY to food and craft. The Listed Home has been featured in various publications, including Ideal Home, Grazia, and Homes & Antiques magazines.
