Zodiac tattoos are incredibly popular, and it’s something that I think can be made into a great design. I've written this post to ensure that my clients (and anyone else who may be reading this) are happy with the star sign that they choose. Even if you don’t believe in astrology, and you don’t read your horoscope, I bet you know your star sign… right? If you follow the most common system (Tropical) in our society, you’re probably sure of your sign, but did you know that there is another system called Sidereal? If you follow the Sidereal system, it’s most likely that you are the star sign before the one that you think you are.
Astrology vs. Astronomy
Astrology forms the belief that the position of stars, constellations and planets can influence human events and form the basis of one’s personality. Whereas astronomy is the study of the universe, which is believed to have no effect on us as earthlings. Whichever way you look at it, these constellations do exist, and they are positioned relative to the Earth’s rotation and position of the Sun. The stars that exist in these constellations, are unimaginably far away. Without going too deep into the science of it all, these stars appear to be in a different position to how they were when the zodiac calendar was first invented….
I used to be very immersed in astrology and the zodiac signs when I was younger. Born on the 24th May, I was very in tune with Gemini traits and all the connections that come with the sign. Over the years, I became less involved with the clairvoyance of zodiac, such as horoscopes, and became more in tune with the astrological side. I’ve always been fascinated with the vastness of space, the planets, the stars, and all things weird and wonderful about our universe. Eventually, I cared less for the zodiac and what it represented, but I was still in intrigued by the concept. I used to confidently respond with “I’m a Gemini!” when asked for my sign. Even though I never truly believed that I matched all of the Gemini traits.
My perspective entirely shifted when NASA released new information about a “new” constellation they had found, and with that a new zodiac sign. Immediately intrigued, I did some further research to see what had been discovered.
How the stars have shifted
When the Babylonians recorded the constellations 3,000 years ago, they chose to leave out a 13th sign - Ophiuchus (Off-ee-you-cuss). Instead, they divided the constellations into 12 equal parts. So, as the sun appeared to pass through each constellation, the 12-month calendar would match up nicely.
3,000 years later, in the sky you look up to today, the Earth’s axis doesn’t point in the same direction as it did when the zodiac calendar was invented. This is due to the precession of the earth, creating a wobble on its axis, due to the moon’s gravitational influence. The universe changes over time, unnoticeably in our own lifetime, but it changes nonetheless. There is no longer just a singular system of 12 zodiac signs, but another that contains 13, while also revealing that all the constellations are visible in the sky for a different period of time. For example, using the Sidereal system, Virgo is present for 45 days, whereas Scorpio is only present for 7.
So, all of a sudden, humanity lost all sense of self, and many people entered into an existential crisis. According the the Sidereal system, using the information presented by NASA, anyone born between November 29th and December 17th would no longer be a Scorpio or a Sagittarius, but an Ophiuchus.
Many people still enjoy reading their horoscope, and have in fact chosen to continue with their original beliefs that may not include this new information. Even though science states that astrology can’t be used to predict the future or describe one’s personality based on their birth date, there’s certainly no harm in following these beliefs, if it has a positive effect. I do believe it’s important to be completely transparent about what this could mean for anyone who decides to have a zodiac design tattooed on them for life. We can’t be sure of anything in this universe, but we do have the option of making an informed decision.
Tropical vs Sidereal Zodiac
The Tropical zodiac is known to be the most commonly believed system in the modern world. If you’re interested in astrology, the tropical zodiac system is most likely what you would consider to be traditional system. The zodiac signs are set upon the ecliptic. The main difference between these two methods, is the precession of the Earth. The Earth has tilted a considerable amount since the Babylonian era, resulting in the Spring equinox shifting over time too. For more information on this phenomenon, click here.
So for those who were born between November 30th to December 18th, you were born under the Ophiuchus constellation, according to the Sidereal system. For the rest of you, your star sign would be shifted backwards. For example, if I were following the Tropical system, I would be born under Gemini, but if I were following the Sidereal system, I would be born under Taurus. I have included a chart at the end of this post comparing the Tropical/Sidereal signs.
Star Signs - Sun, Moon and Rising Signs
Not only is there more than one system within astrology, but some people may delve deeper into their collection of signs. Our sun sign (star sign) is the most commonly known sign we identify as. Our moon sign, is where the moon was in the sky at the moment we were born. Lastly, our rising sign, is the constellation that was rising over the eastern horizon when we were born. You may find that both star signs present in both systems, are present as the sun, moon or rising signs. There are plenty of free online calculators to find out which signs you are!
You can always choose whoever you want to be and whichever system you’d like to follow. Many people have chosen to stick with the Tropical system, as they believe this represents them best. Others who may not have completely resonated with their Tropical sign, have shifted their belief system to Sidereal. This information has been available for a number of years, but I've found that many people aren't aware of this. After reading this, you may stand strong with your beliefs, or you may start to question your beliefs. Either way, I encourage you to be true to yourself and follow whatever brings you joy. Whatever you choose to follow, I simply hope you can make an informed choice. There are plenty of online Tropical and Sidereal charts you can discover to find out what your signs are, according to your beliefs.
So, the next time someone asks for your sign, reads your horoscope or believes that they know your personality due to your signs traits, just remember that they may not be following the same system as you!
“Ophiuchus: The Serpent Bearer” …how cool is that for your next tattoo idea?!
I would love to hear what your thoughts are, are you intrigued by this shift in the zodiac system or do you still resonate and stand by your original beliefs?
The Tropical vs. Sidereal dates:
Capricorn:
Tropical: December 22-January 19
Sidereal: January 20–Feb 16
Aquarius
Tropical: January 20-February 18
Sidereal: Feb 16–March 11
Pisces
Tropical: February 19–March 20
Sidereal: March 11–April 18
Aries
Tropical: March 21–April 19
Sidereal: April 18–May 13
Taurus
Tropical: April 20–May 20
Sidereal: May 13–June 21
Gemini
Tropical: May 21–June 20
Sidereal: June 21–July 20
Cancer
Tropical: June 21–July 22
Sidereal: July 20–August 10
Leo
Tropical: July 23–August 22
Sidereal: August 10–September 16
Virgo
Tropical: August 23–September 22
Sidereal: September 16–October 30
Libra
Tropical: September 23–October 22
Sidereal: October 30–November 23
Scorpio
Tropical: October 23–November 21
Sidereal: November 23–November 29
Ophiuchus
Tropical: N/A
Sidereal: November 29–December 17
Sagittarius
Tropical: November 22–December 21
Sidereal: December 17–January 20
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