In Western astrology, 21 March is the first day of the first sign, Aries, essentially the astrological new year - which is why this date has become Astrology Day. Here are some facts about astrology that you may not know.
- The word “astrology” comes from the Greek word Astrologia, which means study of the stars. The word "horoscope" comes from the Latin word horoscopus which means observer of the hour. Zodiac comes from an ancient Greek word meaning "circle of little animals", since most signs are represented by living things, even though many of them are mythological. Except for Libra, the scales. While on the subject of words, astrology has provided the English language with a number of words - influenza is one, coming from the Latin word for influence, because it was once believed that illnesses were a result of the influence of the stars. Another is disaster, from the Latin for "bad star".
- Astrology has been around a long time, and virtually all cultures have some sort of astrology system. The ancient Babylonians are thought to be the first people to believe that events in the night sky affected what happened on Earth. Eclipses, comets and Meteor showers meant the gods were angry and people had to do something (human sacrifice in extreme cases) to placate them. The oldest horoscope ever discovered was for April 29, 410, BC.
- The zodiac is the band of constellations the Sun, Moon and planets pass through as they move across the Sky. It was originally used for agricultural purposes, so ancient farmers would know when to plant or harvest their crops. In time, a system using twelve signs emerged. Originally, there was a 13th sign, Ophiuchus, which was dropped because it didn't fit in neatly with the Babylonian 12 month calendar.
- Scientists are today the most vocal skeptics when it comes to astrology. They dismiss it as "pseudoscience" and are never believers. However, there was a time when astrology and science were virtually the same thing. The records kept by ancient astrologers formed the basis of all we know about the movements of stars and planets today. Great scientists in history such as Kepler, Jung, Galileo, Copernicus and Tycho Brahe were also interested in astrology. Hippocrates himself once said “a physician without knowledge of astrology has no right to be called a doctor.”
- Astrology is way more complicated than simply dividing everyone up into twelve signs. What most people refer to as their "star sign" is determined by the position of the sun in the zodiac at the time they were born. An astrologer, therefore, would call it your "sun sign". A person's astrological chart would also take into consideration the position of the moon and each of the planets and which sign was "rising". A person's "rising sign" is said to be a better indicator of their personality than their sun sign, but working out what it is requires knowing the exact time of birth (which is why astrologers will ask for that) and consulting a table.
- You may know that signs of the zodiac are classified into elements - earth, Fire, air and Water. You might not know that they are also classified as Cardinal, Fixed, and Mutable. Cardinal signs are Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn; associated with the beginning of seasons and therefore with a pioneering spirit. Fixed signs are Leo, Scorpio, Aquarius, and Taurus. They are associated with being steady or even stubborn. Mutable signs are Sagittarius, Gemini, Virgo, and Pisces: they are associated with flexibility and communication.
- The words astrology and horoscope are the most searched topics on The Internet, according to a 1999 study by searchterms.com.
- Religious people often denounce astrology as the work of the Devil. St. Augustine was among the first to declare that astrology and the Christian faith were incompatible. The reason given is that astrology conflicts with the Christian doctrines of man's free will and responsibility. That said, popes in the middle ages, including Sixtus IV, Julius II, Pope Paul III and Leo X were all known to have consulted astrologers and horoscopes.
- World leaders in modern times have often been known to consult the stars before making important decisions. Former US president Ronald Reagan and his wife Nancy famously consulted as astrologer for this reason; but they weren't the only ones. Theodore Roosevelt and Franklin D. Roosevelt were believers, too. It's said Hitler's rise to power was predicted by a German astrologer named Fran Elsbeth Ebertin who read his chart in 1924. It's often said that Adolph Hitler consulted astrologers to help him plan his military strategy during the Second World War (and look how well that worked out for him - he lost) and so, therefore, did MI5 - not because they particularly believed in it - they simply wanted to know what Hitler's astrologers might be advising him to do. However, it came to light later that Hitler didn't believe in astrology at all and MI5's astrologer was labelled a "complete charlatan."
- People who believe in astrology often talk about Mercury being retrograde. This refers to three or four times in every year when Mercury appears to be moving backwards through the sky. These times are said to be associated with things going wrong, especially computers, phones and travel plans. It's worth checking the direction of Mercury if you're having a bad day!
New!
Closing the Circle
A stable wormhole has been established between Earth and Infinitus. Power Blaster and his friends can finally go home.
Desi Troyes is still at large on Earth - Power Blaster has vowed to bring him to justice. His wedding to Shanna is under threat as the Desperadoes launch an attempt to rescue their leader.
Someone from Power Blaster's past plays an unexpected and significant role in capturing Troyes.
The return home brings its own challenges. Not everyone can return to the life they left behind, and for some, there is unfinished business to be dealt with before they can start anew.
Ben Cole in particular cannot resume his old life as a surgeon because technology no longer works around him. He plans a new life in Classica, away from technology. Shanna hears there could be a way to reverse his condition and sets out to find it, putting herself in great danger. She doesn't know she is about to uncover the secret of Power Blaster's mysterious past.
Available from:
Amazon (Paperback)
A stable wormhole has been established between Earth and Infinitus. Power Blaster and his friends can finally go home.
Desi Troyes is still at large on Earth - Power Blaster has vowed to bring him to justice. His wedding to Shanna is under threat as the Desperadoes launch an attempt to rescue their leader.
Someone from Power Blaster's past plays an unexpected and significant role in capturing Troyes.
The return home brings its own challenges. Not everyone can return to the life they left behind, and for some, there is unfinished business to be dealt with before they can start anew.
Ben Cole in particular cannot resume his old life as a surgeon because technology no longer works around him. He plans a new life in Classica, away from technology. Shanna hears there could be a way to reverse his condition and sets out to find it, putting herself in great danger. She doesn't know she is about to uncover the secret of Power Blaster's mysterious past.
Available from:
Amazon (Paperback)
Astrologers accept that Moon impacts the body vibrations similarly as it influences the sea waves during the tides. Indeed, even logical examinations have demonstrated that individuals carry on oddly during the full moon evenings since this is one planetary body that is profoundly associated with the human brain.
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