Zodiac

Position of the constellations of the zodiac in the celestial vault.

Zodiac Constellations

Roman torso of Helios with the signs of the zodiac in a band

Signs of the zodiac in a medieval miniature

In astrology, the zodiac or zodiac (from the Greek «zoodiakos [kyklos]», «wheel of animals») is formally a band of the celestial sphere of 18 degrees wide centered on the ecliptic, which is not fixed, but shifts slightly over time against the sky background. This band is divided into 12 equal parts called zodiacal signs, taking the Aries point as a reference, the point of intersection between the ecliptic and the celestial equator. In this way, each of the 12 signs comprises exactly one arc of 30 degrees of ecliptic longitude and two bands of 9 degrees of ecliptic latitude, the value used by Newcomb in the construction of the zodiacal catalogue. The zodiacal signs are areas of the celestial sphere that are defined in a different way than the constellations of the same name are defined, so that a given zodiac sign and the constellation of the same name cover different areas of the celestial sphere.

In astrology, the zodiac is based on the division into twelve equal parts of the celestial band on which the Sun, the Moon, and the planets trace their trajectories, advancing one sector for each month of the year. Each sector contains the traditional constellation to which it owes its name. The Babylonians and Greeks divided this band into twelve equal parts, each one being a sector of the sky with an extension of thirty degrees of arc, baptized with the name of the twelve most outstanding constellations that they saw in each one of the subdivisions. The zodiac is of fundamental importance in Western astrology. Other cultures with an astrological tradition such as China also give special importance to this region of the sky, although they define a different zodiac.

Etymology

The division of the ecliptic into zodiacal signs originated in Babylonian astronomy during the first half of the first millennium BC.

The name zodiac comes from the fact that most of these constellations are named after animals, the word zodiac being derived from the Greek word zoon ('animal'). Etymologically speaking, it is indistinct to write zodiac with an accent or zodiac without it, according to the Dictionary of the Spanish language of the Royal Spanish Academy.

Isaac Newton proposed the theory that the twelve names of the ancient zodiacal constellations paid homage to the myth of Jason and the Argonauts and their journey in search of the Golden Fleece. Thus Aries refers to the fleece itself, Leo to the hero Heracles (Roman Hercules), who wore the skin of the lion of Cithaeron, Gemini to the twins Castor and Pollux, Virgo to the priestess of the temple where the fleece was kept, etc.

In reality they come from the Babylonian constellations, which compiled them in collections such as the MUL.APIN (𒀯𒀳). For example, Taurus is the Mesopotamian Celestial Bull; Leo is literally "the lion"; Capricorn is Enki's "goat-fish" and Scorpio is the scorpion. MUL (𒀯) is a predeterminative meaning "constellation".

Marianos and Janina, Byzantine Mosaic of the Beit Alpha Synagogue, sixth century. The composition incorporates the twelve zodiac motives for being matched with the twelve months of the Hebrew calendar. The presence of the central motif of the sun has here a justification of astronomical (and non-religious) order. The four corner figures represent the four milestones of the year, solstices and equinoxes. Kibutz Beit Alpha, Israel.

The Greek version is as follows:

• Aries: The ram that Frixio and Hele traveled with when they left their home country to get to the Colquide. It was then the gold cell.

• Taurus: There are two versions:
  1. The Bull of Crete, a mythical beast that lived in that area.
  2. The way Zeus adopted when he kidnapped Europe.

• Gemini: The Cástor and Pólux twins. Pólux was immortal, not his brother Cástor. When Cástor died, Pólux offered his immortality to save his brother.

• Cancer: The crab Hera sent to help the Hidra of Lerna, when he fought against Heracles.
• Leo: The Lion of Nemea, dead at the hands of Heracles, who strangled him, for his skin was impenetrable. The hero skinned him with his own claws (the only thing that could hurt him) and remained the skin as his symbol.

• Virgo: The myth is that of Astrea, daughter of Zeus and Temis. He helped his father bear the rays during the war with the titans. In recompense to his loyalty, Zeus went up to heaven and placed it among the stars, giving rise to this constellation and ending the presence among the humans of the last immortal of the Golden Age.

• Libra: It is the only sign that does not relate to an animal, is associated with the goddess Astrea. Until the time of Augustus, the stars of Libra were part of the clamps of Scorpio, since they were considered eleven zodiacal signs. However, Libra was already known for Mesopotamian astronomy as MUL Zibanu (the balance), attribute of the god Shamash, custodian of justice.

• Scorpio: Scorpion that the goddess Artemisa sent against the giant hunter Orion. Orion stepped on it and the scorpion stuck the sting. Both died and Zeus put everyone in front of each other, so they wouldn't fight.

• Sagittarius: The centaur Quirón, physician of the doctors, tired of his immortal condition, decided to change it for the salvation of Prometheus. When the deal was formalized, Prometheus asked him, "Why did you do it? Now that you're dead, as long as you get tired, you're not gonna be able to change it... »

• Capricorn: Representation of the Amaltea Cabra, the one who nursed Zeus when his mother Rea hid him from the sight of her father Cronos.

• Aquarius: The young Ganymede, the escaper of the gods in the Olympics. A young man of extreme beauty who got the love of the god Zeus.

• Pisces: When the gods fled Titan Typhoon, many adopted animal forms. Eros and Aphrodite did it in the form of fish and were fished by a fisherman. Other sources say it was the damn Cadmo and Harmony that were fish.

Definition

The concept of the zodiac was originally proposed by the Babylonians, before 2000 B.C. C., like a calendar with which to visualize the passage of time.

The original meaning of zooidion, which is a diminutive zoo, it is a small figure, painted or carved, and so uses Herodoto (History, I.7o). He was also given to great figures later. He used it for the first time, Aristotle... The term zodiac therefore derives from the figures painted in it, and it is an etymological error, very common, perpetuated in German Tierkries, to suppose that the figures should be of animals.

E. J. Webb, the names of the stars.

Astrology

In astrology the constellations of the zodiac define the twelve zodiacal signs. Area or celestial strip through whose center passes the elliptical or orbit described by the Earth in its movement around the Sun and which contains the twelve constellations or signs.

Actually, the zodiac of astrology is not made up of the zodiacal constellations but of the astrological signs that form the so-called horoscope. The constellations of the zodiac are the groups of stars cut by the plane of the Earth's orbit projected in interstellar space, and the signs are archetypes (in memory) with which astrologers define the personality of people and are associated with 12 astrological months of plus or minus 30 days of the calendar year. Those 12 months make up the astrological year, and its first day coincides with the spring or vernal equinox in the Northern Hemisphere, when the Sun is at the beginning of the constellation Pisces, and that is why astronomy speaks of the Pisces Pointer. Meanwhile, astrologically it is the 1st day of the first month/sign (Aries) of the astrological year, and that is why in astrology we speak of the Aries Pointer. Both pointers are the same concept although with different names, one the astronomical and the other the astrological. Hindu, Persian and Baha'i culture also start their year on the vernal equinox. In the Gregorian calendar, the 1st of Aries corresponds to March 21, and since astrological dates are dated according to the Gregorian form, that is why each astrological month is dated in Gregorian format from about the 21st day of a Gregorian month until later. or less the 21st of the following month. But the months and their astrological signs do not correspond to the length of the zodiac constellations, and while the number of months/signs is 12, the number of zodiac constellations is 13 with Ophiuchus, which is a sidereal oriental astrological sign, but not of the western horoscope, or 14 with Cetus. The only thing that the constellations of the Zodiac and the astrological signs of the horoscope have in common is the names, but that does not mean that they are the same.

An example of a non-correspondence is between the astrological month/sign of Scorpio and the constellation of Scorpio. On the astrological map, the month/sign of Scorpio covers 30 days from October 24 to November 22 while astronomically the Sun transits through the last quarter of the constellation of Virgo and through the entire constellation of Libra. That is to say that during the astrological month of Scorpio the Sun does not pass before the constellation of Scorpio.

Table of dates

N.o	Name in Latin / Spanish	Element (modality)	Symbol	Duration (tropical)	Home	Gems
01	Aries / Aries, the Meat	Fire (cardinal)		21 March - 19 April	Mars and Pluto	Ruby
02	Taurus / Taurus, the Bull.	Earth (fix)		20 April - 20 May	Venus and Earth	Emerald
03	Gemini / Gemini, the twins	Air (mutable)		21 May - 20 June	Mercury	Perla
04	Cancer / Cancer, the Crab	Water (cardinal)		21 June - 20 July	Moon	Diamond
05	Leo / Leo, the lion	Fire (fix)		21 July - 22 August	Sun	Amber
06	Virgo / Virgo, the virgin	Earth (mutable)		23 August - 23 September	Mercury	Zafiro
07	Libra / Libra, the balance	Air (cardinal)		24 September - 23 October	Venus	Oil
08	Scorpio / Scorpio, the Scorpion	Water (fix)		24 October - 22 November	Pluto and Mars	Topaz
09	Sagittarius / Sagittarius, the archer	Fire (mutable)		23 November - 22 December	Jupiter	Turquoise
10	Capricornus / Capricorn, the goat of the sea	Earth (cardinal)		23 December - 22 January	Saturn	Granate
11	Aquarius / Aquarius, the Water or water carrier	Air (fix)		23 January - 20 February	Uranus and Saturn	Amethyst
12	Pisces / Pisces, the fish	Water (mutable)		21 February - 20 March	Neptune and Jupiter	Aguamarina

• Note: Aries is the first constellation of the Zodiac, starts its days on March 21, the first day of the year of many of the ancient calendars.

One of the most common criticisms of astrology is that the zodiacal signs do not coincide with the astronomical position of the constellations, so that more than 95% of the population has not actually been born under the influence of the stars that define their sign.

The number of days in each month/house/calendar sign and astrological year is distributed as follows:

• Month of Aries: 30 days
• Month of Taurus: 31 days
• Month of Gemini: 31 days
• Month of Cancer: 30 Days
• Month of Leo: 33 days
• Month of Virgo: 32 days
• Month of Libra: 30 days
• Month of Scorpio: 30 days
• Month of Sagittarius: 30 days
• Month of Capricorn: 31 days
• Month of Aquarius: 29 days
• Month of Pisces: 28 days

Thus, there is a month of 28 days, one of 29, four of 30, four of 31, one of 32 and one of 33. The shortest month is that of Pisces, and the longest, that of Leo. For its part, the Gregorian calendar (civil) has seven months of 31 days, four of 30 and one of 28.

The previous table of overlapping months and civil and astrological dates can be seen graphically on the Earth's orbit. Considering the beginning of the astrological year, Aries 1, as the reference date because it coincides with a natural moment such as the vernal equinox, the civil months of the Roman Gregorian calendar are displaced with respect to the astrological ones.

Art

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  Byzantine Hebrew Mosaic, Hamat Tiberias Synagogue

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  Sagittarius, Romanesque relief, Church of Saint Peter Miñón

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  Prague Astronomical Clock

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  Star of David surrounded by the zodiac symbols in complex composition, which includes Hebrew inscriptions and ornatos, silhouette on cut paper, 2008.