How could they, since they are truly random scatterings of stars? They are meant to represent, not to portray.Īstrology suggests that each sign of the zodiac fits neatly into a 30-degree slice of sky – which multiplied by 12 adds up to 360 degrees. It is a disappointment to many that the constellations only rarely look like what they represent. They are collectively called the zodiac and consist almost entirely of animal figures, like the ram (Aries), crab (Cancer) and lion (Leo). Over the course of a year, the Sun appears to pass through a belt of sky containing 12 ancient constellations, or groupings, of stars. The science of astronomy is now at odds with one of the basic organizing principles in astrology – the dates of the zodiac. But once Copernicus, Kepler and Galileo realized the planets orbit the Sun, rather than the Earth, and Newton discovered the physical laws behind their behavior, astrology and astronomy split, never to be reunited. It was intermingled with the science of astronomy back then – in fact, many astronomers of old made scientific observations that are valuable even today. The practice of astrology, which predicts one’s fate and fortune based on the positions of the Sun, Moon, stars and planets, dates back to ancient times. I was born a Capricorn (please don’t judge me), but the Sun was in the middle of Sagittarius when I was born.Īs a professor emeritus of astronomy, I am often asked about the difference between astrology and astronomy.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |