Page 20 - The 'X' Chronicles Newspaper - March 2012

True Stories of the Zodiac True Stories of the Zodiac by Helen Godfrey REL-MAR Staff Astrologer So, what’s your sign? You know what we’re talking about here. Whether you believe in astrology or not, you almost certainly know whether you’re a Scorpio, a Leo, a Virgo, or one of the nine other classical signs fo the zodiac. But here’s a question for you: What is the zodiac? If the only good answer you can think of is “it’s where they keep those signs, man,” then it’s time to get up close and personal with the zodiac and all the signs in it, from Aries the Ram to Pisces the Fish. THE DAY YOU WERE BORN... SORT OF The zodiac is a series of 12 constellations that coincide with the ecliptic, the path that the Sun takes in the sky. The word “zodiac” itself derives from the ancient Greek word that means “animal,” because most of the constellations of the zodiac are animals: ram, ACCURACY REARS ITS UGLY HEAD resolves into a very nice double star in a fish, bull, lion, and so on. Over the course of a Be that as it may, each zodiac sign is still telescope, and the spiral galaxy NGC 722, also year, the Sun spends time in each of these interesting from both a cultural and scientific viewable in a telescope. constellations. During that time, the Sun is said point of view. To prove that, let’s take a quick by astrologers to be in that particular tour through each sign to fill you in on the TAURUS (THE BULL) constellation’s “house.” Your astrological sign actual, verifiable details of your sign. This is determined, sort of, by the constellation the information may or may not be any more useful Sun is in the day you were born. to you in a day-to-day sense than your horoscope might be, but there’s no doubt that THE 13TH SIGN it’s more accurate. In addition to the traditional “Sort of?” What does that mean? Well, two things. First, although there are 12 signs, dates associated with the signs, we’re also adding the actual dates that the Sun can now be the Sun actually moves through 13 located in the constellation. constellations - the zodiac 12 and then also Ophiuchis, known as the serpent bearer (and in ARIES (THE RAM) fact the constellation is attached to the constellation Serpens, so there you have it). Ophiuchus is wedged in there between Scorpio and Sagittarius, and in reality the Sun spends Traditional Dates: April 30 - May 20 rather more time in Ophiuchus than in Scorpio. Actual Dates: May 14 - June 9 But you never hear anyone saying that they were born under the sign of the snake handler, The Story Behind the Sign: This sign although about half the people born in represents the striking white bull that the Greek December (and a few in November) should be god Zeus turned himself into in order to make saying just that. off with Europa, princess of Phoenicia. One would think that being abducted by livestock OK, EVERYBODY MOVE BACK A would be a traumatic incident (especially when MONTH OR SO one considers that in the legend, the bull heads Second, the traditional astrological dates Traditional Dates: March 21 - April 19 in which the Sun is supposed to dwell in any Actual Dates: April 19 - May 13 to the sea with Europa on its back and swims to Crete, a far distance away). But Europa constellation’s house aren’t accurate. A recovered her poise well enough to bear Zeus “wobble” in Earth’s movement, known as The Story Behind the Sign: In Greek three sons. One presumes (indeed, fervently precession, shifts the constellations eastward mythology, this sign represents the flying ram hopes) Zeus switched out of his bull suit for over time, so the traditional astrological dates that had the golden fleece, the famous fleece that. no longer correspond to where the Sun actually that Jason and his Argonauts made off with. Astronomical Sights: Some really interesting is during those dates. On January 1, for While this ram was still unskinned, it was objects in Taurus, including the dazzling cluster example, the traditional zodiac dates say that assigned the role of resuing the tykes Helles and of new stars known as the Pleiades, the Crab the Sun is supposed to be in Capricorn, but it’s Phryxus from their evil stepmother, who was Nebula, which is the remnant of a supernova actually in Sagittarius. Compound these fuzzy planning to kill them (evil stepmoms go back a that exploded in 1054, and red Aldebaran, the numbers with the fact that The ‘X’ Chronicles long way). The rescue was a limited success constellation’s brightist star, one of the 20 Newspaper that you are now reading has far because midflight, Helles fell off, splashed into brightest stars in the sky. more influence on you *gravitationally, at least) the water off the coast of modern-day Turkey, than any of the stars in any of the signs of the and drowned. The area where she supposedly Continued on Page 21 zodiac, and you’ll understand why, drowned is known to this day as Hellespont. entertainment value aside, it’s best to take those This is not a recommended way to become The ‘X’ Chronicles Staff astrological attributes of zodiac signs with the famous. proverbial grain of salt. would like to hear from you! Send your Astronomical Sights: In terms of astronomy, comments, thoughts or ideas to Aries isn’t much to look at, but there are two publisher@xchronicles-newspaper.com things of note: the star Mesartim, which