Astrology 101

Since I started following @ZodiacFacts, @LoveScopes and @Sexstrology I have become slightly obsessed with Astrology. The little tidbits they tweet are appetizing, but just don’t satisfy my insatiable thirst for knowledge about the topic du jour. So, I’m not gonna go all-in and hit you with everything today, but I thought I’d start with the basics:

What is Astrology?
Astrology is a group of systems, traditions, and beliefs which hold that the relative positions of celestial bodies and related details can provide information about personality, human affairs, and other terrestrial matters.

What is a Horoscope?
A horoscope is a chart or diagram representing the positions of the Sun, Moon, Planets and the astrological aspects, and sensitive angles at the time of an event, such as the moment of a person’s birth. In common usage, it is an astrologer’s interpretation, usually through a system of Sun sign astrology.

What is the Zodiac?
The zodiac is the ring of constellations that lines the ecliptic, which is the apparent path of the Sun across the sky over the course of a year. The zodiac denotes those signs that divide the ecliptic into twelve equal zones of celestial longitude.

Astrological Signs & Symbols

Aries (The Ram) (cardinal, fire, personal): In astrology Aries is ruled by the planet Mars. The tropical duration of Aries is March 21 to April 19.

Taurus (The Bull) (fixed, earth, personal): In astrology Taurus is ruled by the planet Venus and for a few modern astrologers, the dwarf planet Ceres. The tropical duration of Taurus is April 20 to May 20.

Gemini (The Twins) (mutable, wind, personal): In astrology Gemini is ruled by the planet Mercury. The tropical duration of Gemini is May 21 to June 20.

Cancer (The Crab) (cardinal, water, personal): In astrology Cancer is ruled by the Moon. The tropical duration of Cancer is June 21 to July 22.

Leo (The Lion) (fixed, fire, social): In astrology Leo is ruled by the Sun. The tropical duration of Leo is July 23 to August 22.

Virgo (The Virgin) (mutable, earth, social): There is some debate in regards to a modern ruler of this sign with Chiron, Pallas, Vesta and Ceres often considered candidate by some modern astrologers, but the planet Mercury is typically used as the default by tradition pending a consensus among modern practitioners; but no one knows. The tropical duration of Virgo is August 23 to September 22.

Libra (The Scales) (cardinal, wind, social): In astrology Libra is ruled by the planet Venus. The tropical duration of Libra is September 23 to October 22.

Scorpio (The Scorpion) (fixed, water, social): In astrology Scorpio is ruled by the planet Pluto. The tropical duration of Scorpio is October 23 to November 21.

Sagittarius (The Archer/Centaur) (mutable, fire, universal): In astrology Sagittarius is ruled by the planet Jupiter. The tropical duration of Sagittarius is November 22 to December 21.

Capricorn (The Mountain-goat) (cardinal, earth, universal): In astrology Capricorn is ruled by the planet Saturn. The tropical duration of Capricorn is December 22 to January 19.

Aquarius (The Water Carrier) (fixed, wind, universal): In astrology Aquarius is ruled by the planets Saturn and Uranus. The tropical duration of Aquarius is January 20 to February 19.

Pisces (The Fish) (mutable, water, universal): In astrology Pisces is ruled by the planets Jupiter and Neptune. The tropical duration of Pisces is February 20 to March 20.


This is enough for now. The more I dig the more fascinating it becomes.  Hope you learned something new!


‘Til next time!

BTW - I'm an Aries.

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