What about Ophiuchus?

Question

This constellation falls along the ecliptic, and houses the sun during one month of the year (December). Why do modern astrologers choose to ignore the “serpent bearer," in favour of the 12 zodiac symbols?

Answer 1

Since the birth of astrology and the zodiac sings 2,000 years ago, the signs themselves, because of the earth's out of balance rotation have moved on one complete sign, therefore if you are a Pisces like me and Osama bin Laden, you should be looking at Aquarius.

Astrologers ignore this fact as well as Ophiucus, funny isn't it!!

Answer 2

This subject has been asked about 1000 times on here. I am going to give you a link to the answer from "iao" because it is the best I've ever seen:

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;...

Answer 3

The serpent is fantastic.!!!

Answer 4

Answer this enough times.

According to the boundaries for the constellations adopted by the International Astronomical Union in 1921, there are 13 signs of the zodiac instead of the usual 12; time from Ophiuchus the snake handler is usually included in time given to Scorpius. If you already know your astrological sign from reading an astrology column in a newspaper or from consultation with an astrologer, you may be surprised that few of these dates correspond to the dates listed in the newspaper's astrological column. Why? Generally, listed astrological signs and the dates given by most astrologers assume that you were born around 140 AD.

Even without counting Ophiuchus, the zodiac is off about one full sign. Precession of the equinox is the reason. (See link.) Constellations are of different sizes. Some take up more area than others but astrologers decided to make each sign more or less 30 days.

The number of signs has to be 12 because it is easy to divide. The four "elements" are alternated evenly. So do the three Cardinal, Fixed, and Mutable modes alternate. Also 12 "cusps". 360 is divided by 12 for 30 degrees per sign. Prime numbers can not be divided. 13 is a prime number so that would mess a lot of things up. Having one less sign can't work since 11 is a prime number too.

Pluto was not discovered for another nine years. It took a little while to make up attributes and be accepted by astrologers. Now they will not let go just because it is no longer a planet. But adding a sign is big trouble. Only when there is an advantage does astrology change.

Answer 5

What about all the other constellations that fall on the ecliptic? There are many!

And what about the outer gas giants - were all horoscopes before their discovery wrong? What about Pluto?

And how about the fact that no new planet was ever predicted by astrology? No astrologer ever said 'this isn't quite right, there must be something else out there!'

Astronomers using real science  and maths and stuff can predict the future!

Answer 6

History repeats itself. Yada yada yada....

I've already answered this 40 times:

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;...

Answer 7

Astrology

In the 2nd century, Ptolemy listed 29 stars in Ophiuchus. He recognised that most of those stars were north of the ecliptic (the path of the Sun through the sky); however, four of them (today known as 36 Oph, 42 θ Oph, 44 Oph, and 51 Oph) he recognized as being south of the ecliptic. Therefore, the Sun passed through the constellation of Ophiuchus as it was recognised by Ptolemy. However, Ophiuchus is not a zodiacal sign in Western astrology due to a historical system in which 12 signs divided equally into 30 degrees each are vital. At present, the Sun is in Ophiuchus from November 30 to December 17.

References

^ Star 'soon to become supernova'

^ http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/200...

Ian Ridpath and Wil Tirion (2007). Collins Stars and Planets Guide, HarperCollins, London. ISBN 978-0007251209.

Answer 8

As "the" has stated, this has been answered many times on this forum, and the link she gave you is one of the more recent ones.

There are more than 13 along the ecliptic if you really want to split hairs about the issue. Astrology is not about how many signs there are. It's like a cake or pie and depends on how you wish to divide it. As the other person stated, "Most astrologers or students of astrology will use the 12 because the 360 divided by 12 is preferable. Some astrologers do use the 13, and it's not really that big of a problem."

What calender do you use? Why don't we have 13 months instead of 12? Why don't calendars start at the beginning of the spring vernal equinox instead of January 1st?

You are talking about physics and science a lot on here. When scientists sign and date a document, do you think that most of them make sure the time is completely accurate to true actual time? If they don't, why don't they?

EDIT to avondrow who said, "And how about the fact that no new planet was ever predicted by astrology? No astrologer ever said 'this isn't quite right, there must be something else out there!'

This tells me that you have NEVER studied astrology or astronomy. Several noted astronomers who were also astrologers as a hobby predicted planets which would be eventually found. IN FACT, there was a group of astrologers who predicted that Pluto would be found. In fact, they wanted to call it Pluto because they wanted to assign rulership to Scorpio. The choice of the name Pluto was accepted and its symbol were partly influenced by Percival Lowell whose initials are PL.

If you wish to look further, there is a book called "A to Z Horoscope Maker" by Llewellyn George. Go to a big library and ask for an older or first edition copy of this book. Inside the front cover you will see a listing of planets. There, you will find it written that astrologers did NOT consider Pluto to be a planet and the prediction that this will be discovered, along with the prediction that Pluto will be found not to be of our solar system.