The headlines are once again heralding that our zodiac signs are wrong, and there should be 13 signs rather than twelve.
But to save you craning your neck up at the skies to solve the mystery, let’s unpack this celestial urban myth for what it really is; in simple terms, boffins are mixing up their cosmic apples and pears.
Western Tropical Astrology, like we share daily in Metro, is based on the seasons. These begin with the Spring Equinox, on the March 20 or 21 each year, when the days become longer than the nights, marking the start of the Astronomical New Year.
The year is divided by the four seasons of 13 weeks – known as the Cardinal Quadrants. The second of these is the Summer Solstice, the third the Autumnal Equinox, and the fourth the Winter Solstice. In the Southern Hemisphere these are in reverse, but Western Tropical Astrology is rooted in Mediterranean culture.
Astrology essentially tells a story of powerful symbolism about our life journeys, based on the Circle of Animals. Imagine, in ancient times, as the light returned with the Spring Equinox, people were emerging from the depths of a long, cold winter, and this would have felt exciting, reassuring and life-affirming. And even now, when the daffodils and crocuses are shooting up through the earth, it’s a lovely sign of lighter and brighter days ahead.
The Circle of Animals begins on the Spring Equinox with the Sun’s passage into the ram of Aries, very much about initiation, new beginnings and fresh, raw energy. This is followed by the bull of Taurus – our life foundations, appreciation of earthly pleasures and the material world. Then come the twins of Gemini, where we learn to interact, communicate and socialise.
Next up is the crab of Cancer at the Summer Solstice, where we seek safety, shelter and emotional nurture. The dazzling energy of the lion of Leo follows, where we can herald our talents, be playful and have fun. But, as you know, we still need to stay grounded, so next up is the earthy virgin of Virgo, all about the practicalities, making things work efficiently and living virtuously.
The Autumnal Equinox ushers in the scales of Libra, about keeping our lives in balance, being fair and connecting with others harmoniously. But sometimes life is about transformations, not always easy ones – that’s the scorpion of Scorpio, where we connect deeply and passionately, and evolve through challenges. Next up is the archer of Sagittarius, where we can be athletic, curious and adventurous.
This brings us to the sensible goat of Capricorn at the Winter Solstice, where we seek structure, stability and continuity, and pursue goals. But what is the meaning of life? That’s the big question of the water bearer of Aquarius, where we are urged to seek our higher purpose, network and socialise. Finally comes the fishes of Pisces, where all our collective experiences of the previous eleven zodiac signs are manifested through emotional and spiritual completion.
But what about the claim your sign is wrong? Well, due to the Earth’s wobble, and its current angle to the constellations above, there is an anticlockwise, minus 24-degree difference from the position of seasonally based astrology. This is because of what’s called the Precession of the Equinoxes.
There is a form of astrology which takes this into account, called Sidereal, used in Eastern Vedic Indian Astrology. However, most astrologers in the West use Tropical Seasonal Astrology, rooted in the seasons, where your Sun sign does not change. While the two share all the same icons, glyphs and symbolism, they’re fundamentally different – and this is where scientists seemed to get befuddled, with regularity.
Now let’s address the whole ’13th forgotten sign’ idea. As you can see, the Circle of Animals is a metaphor for what we experience in the seasons of each of our lives. The constellations they are based upon are just 12 of 88 official constellations the Sun passes through on its relatively narrow ecliptic, of about 8 degrees. And its path does technically cross with the so-called 13th zodiac sign, Ophiuchus.
But it’s important to remember, the ancient Babylonians purposefully omitted Ophiuchus from the zodiac to align it to the calendar. It’s all about symbolism, with the symmetry of astrology meaning that everything has a polar opposite, creating six pairs of signs.
While there is a smaller subculture of astrology that does embrace the 13th sign, the very structure of Western Tropical, and indeed Eastern Sidereal, is based totally on 12. So, rest assured, you are reading the correct zodiac sign.
Your daily Metro horoscope is here every morning, seven days a week (yes, including weekends!). To check your forecast, head to our dedicated horoscopes page.
Or, for more insight tailored to you, download your free Personal Horoscope Birth Chart based on your time, date and place of birth at patrickarundell.com/free-birth-chart/.