Zodiac

The word Zodiac (Greek: ζῳδιακός, zōdiakos) literally means animals and

          refers to the patterns or configurations of creatures as seen in the twinkling stars at night.

 

In astronomy, the zodiac is the ring of constellations that lines the ecliptic

          which is the apparent path of the Sun across the celestial sphere over the course of the year.

                   The paths of the Moon and planets also lie roughly within the ecliptic,

                          and so are also within the constellations of the zodiac.

 

In astrology, the zodiac denotes those signs that divide the ecliptic into twelve equal zones of celestial longitude. 

           As such, the zodiac is a celestial coordinate system, or more specifically an ecliptic coordinate system, 

                    taking the ecliptic as the origin of latitude, 

                          and the position of the sun at vernal equinox as the origin of longitude.

 

As seen from Earth, the position of the Sun passes through the constellations of the zodiac. on January 1, for example, the illustration shows that if we could see beyond the Sun’s glare to the stars beyond, the Sun would appear against the backdrop of Sagittarius. By March 1 the Sun is “in” Aquarius. Ancient astronomers kept track of the procession of the constellations and knew what constellations were rising with the Sun.

 

12 Signs of the Zodiac  

     Aries    (3/21 - 4/20)

     Taurus  (4/21 - 5/20)

     Gemini  (5/22 - 6/21)

     Cancer  (6/22 - 7/22)

     Leo       (7/23 - 8/21)

     Virgo    (8/22 - 9/23)

     Libra     (9/24 - 10/23)

     Scorpio (10/24 - 11/22)

     Sagittarius (11/23 - 12/22)

     Capricorn (12/23 - 1/20)

     Aquarius (1/21 - 2/19)

Pisces - February 20- March 20