reassigning everyone else's sign as it makes room for itself on the zodiac wheel. If you were a Virgo before, you might now be a Leo according to the 'new zodiac' dates. Some people are in an uproar, others are in denial and a few even seem to have realized their true identity as they never felt like the sign they were born under. Does it matter? In the larger scope of things, probably not. But to a lot of people who have tatted their zodiac emblem on their bodies, it's kind of a big deal.
What is this new sign?
Ophiuchus. From November 29 to December 17, the sun briefly enters this constellation. In Greek mythology, Ophiuchus is thought to be a healer and the son of Apollo who became so skilled that he could bring the dead back to life. Hades became so angry that he convinced Zeus to kill Ophiucus with a lightening bolt and he was placed in the stars as a constellation. Another story is Ophiuchus is Imhotep, Egypt's first architect, engineer and physician as well as the high priest to the sun god Ra. This is the sign of the healer and also called Serpentarius.
Is this really a new sign?
No. Ophiuchus has been around for a long time, but it has been blended in with Scorpio. The way the sky is divided up, Virgo is actually a large constellation, but in astrology everything is placed in 30 degrees of 12. There is no need for a 13th sign and those dates are not the dates that are used by Tropical astrologers.
What does this mean to you?
Depends on whether you are having an identity crisis and are looking to place the blame on something ridiculous or have a permanent shrine to your sign tatted on your body. Most people use astrology as an ice-breaker and not as a definition of their character or to map their day to day activities and life decisions. We would hope.
Why now?
Who knows? When the world gets boring, someone has to make a big deal about something, why not throw a wrench into the zodiac system and incite mass panic in the astrological community and people in general? Maybe Sidereal astrology wants to have a shot at the popularity that Tropical astrology has enjoyed for thousands of years. Or the war in the Middle East is no longer exciting news, so let's jack up the zodiac for the planet and see what happens.
What can I do? Do I change my sign?
It's not like you're moving from one house to another ... well, astrologically speaking you would be, but it depends on how you feel about your current sign and how much influence all this has on your life. I have a feeling this will pass and you will not find Ophiuchus/Serpentarius in Cosmo's yearly Horoscope Sex-tacular issue. In the long run you are still who you were before this new sign was introduced, seemingly out of nowhere. Think about how many astrology books are out on the market by noted professionals in that field. If they thought it was a big deal, the sign would have been incorporated on it's own a long time ago.
According to StarJack, as quoted in a blog for the Washington Post:
"The stars are markers that drift, but our main points of reference are not directly the stars. They are the equinoxes (both spring and vernal) and the solstices which altogether make the four cardinal points of the zodiac which in turn determine the signs. The stars help us locate those points which define the SIGNS of the Zodiac which remain constant in relation to the equinox point. The CONSTELLATIONS do move about and we take that into consideration when locating planets."
Closing thoughts:
I heard this news on the radio the other morning and it shocked my daughter to think that she would no longer be a Capricorn. She's 13 and this is an acceptable reaction for a 13 year old. My reaction was surprise that this was actually news and that it was affecting adults to the point they were distraught over having to rearrange their lives according to a new zodiac sign. Some people embraced their new sign. It was like finding out they were adopted and found their birth parents. Others stubbornly refused to change their sign at all, staying loyal.
There have been articles as far back as 2007 talking about the 13th sign and how it's not recognized in mainstream astrology. So, folks, if you have defined your life or based your decisions on your zodiac sign, nothing has changed. If you're reading this and have no clue what I'm talking about, kudos for having a life.
In case you don't know the star chart, here's what constellation your sign fell under 2,000 years ago:
Aries: March 21 - April 19
Taurus: April 20 - May 20
Gemini: May 21 - June 20
Cancer: June 21 - July 22
Leo: July 23 - August 22
Virgo: August 23 - September 22
Libra: September 23 - October 22
Scorpio: October 23 - November 21
Sagittarius: November 22 - December 21
Capricorn: December 22 - January 19
Aquarius: January 20 - February 18
Pisces: February 19 - March 20
So, don't go changing because of one constellation ....
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