Sun sign astrology, or star sign astrology, is a modern simplified system of Western astrology which considers only the position of the Sun at birth, which is said to be placed within one of the twelve zodiac signs, rather than the positions of the sun and the other six 'planets'. This sign is then called the sun sign or star sign of the person born in that twelfth-part of the year. Sun sign astrologers take this basic twelve-fold division and relate all the current movements of all the planets to each other, using traditional rules to divine meanings for each sign separately. Because the Moon has the fastest apparent movement of all the heavenly bodies, it is often used as the main indicator of daily trends for sun sign astrology forecasts.
Sun sign astrology is a pseudoscience and the form of astrology most commonly found in many newspaper and magazine columns. Scientific investigations of the theoretical; basis and experimental verification of claims have shown it to have no scientific validity or explanatory power.
History Although William Lilly in the 17th century was the first newspaper astrologer, it isn't known exactly when sun sign astrology first began. However, it was largely popularized by horoscopes which began appearing in English newspapers in the 1930s. Astrologer R. H. Naylor was claimed to have accurately predicted events surrounding the birth of Princess Margaret and the crash of the R101 airship in his horoscopes featured in The Sunday Express. By 1937, Naylor began writing a regular column for the paper called Your Stars, which featured horoscopes based on the 12 star signs.
Sun signs The following table"Zodiac." McGraw–Hill Encyclopedia of Science and Technology. The McGraw–Hill Companies, Inc., 2005. Answers.com 29 Nov. 2007. http://www.answers.com/topic/zodiac shows the zodiac names in Latin, with their English translation and the individuals' names. It also shows the element and quality associated with each sign. The starting and ending dates of the sun sign are approximate, as they may differ from one year to another (by a day or so), due to the fact that the Earth's orbit around the Sun is not synchronous with Earth's rotation (one year does not comprehend a whole number of days). The exact date and time of sign entrance/exit (which is corresponded to the 12 "mid-climates" within Chinese lunisolar calendar) must be obtained with appropriate software or with the help of an ephemeris. SymbolSign namesIndividuals' namesEnglish nameElementQuality (modality)PolarityAssociated celestial bodyPeriod of sun sign with approx. dates 1/2 days variationCapricornCapricornThe Mountain Sea-GoatEarthCardinalNegativeSaturnWinter Solstice (December 22) – the day before Great ColdAquariusAquarianThe Water-BearerAirFixedPositiveUranus (Saturn)Great Cold (January 20) – the day before Vernal ShowersPiscesPisceanThe FishWaterMutableNegativeNeptune (Jupiter)Vernal Showers (February 19) – the day before Vernal EquinoxAriesArian/ArienThe RamFireCardinalPositiveMarsVernal Equinox (March 21) – the day before Corn RainTaurusTaureanThe BullEarthFixedNegativeVenus/EarthCorn Rain (April 20 – the day before Corn Forms)GeminiGeminianThe TwinsAirMutablePositiveMercuryCorn Forms (May 21) – the day before Summer SolsticeCancerCancerianThe CrabWaterCardinalNegativeMoonSummer Solstice (June 21) – the day before Great HeatLeoLeoThe LionFireFixedPositiveSunGreat Heat (July 23) – the day before End of HeatVirgoVirginThe MaidenEarthMutableNegativeMercuryEnd of Heat (August 23) – the day before Autumnal EquinoxLibraLibranThe ScalesAirCardinalPositiveVenusAutumnal Equinox (September 23) – the day before First FrostScorpioScorpioThe ScorpionWaterFixedNegativePluto (Mars)First Frost (October 23) – the day before Light SnowSagittariusSagittarianThe ArcherFireMutablePositiveJupiterLight Snow (November 22) – the day before Winter Solstice Traditional planets in brackets
See also Sun sign Ascendant Horoscopic astrology Horoscope
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