Definition:
[Zodiacs] "Fixed star" charts and
zodiac sign charts for the Real Solar Zodiac
and the Planetary Zodiac.
To the right is a complete
zodiac chart showing the Real Solar Zodiac signs [blue] and the Tropical Zodiac
divisions of the Ecliptic [red].
Below are eight zodiac
charts. The first two feature the 29 [25 Ptolemaic] constellations of the
Planetary Zodiac. The Lunar Zodiac also follows 20 of these signs [18
Ptolemaic].
The next two are fixed star
charts of the bright stars in the same regions of sky as the planetary zodiac
charts.
Below these are northern
and southern hemisphere zodiac charts showing the sign boundaries of the 13
Real Solar Zodiac constellations.
Below these are "fixed"
star charts in the same regions of the sky as these solar zodiac
charts.
Click on any picture to
see a larger version. |
A Complete Zodiac Chart. The chart
shows the whole Solar Zodiac. In blue are the
actual signs of the Real Solar Zodiac. In red
are the Tropical Zodiac 30° divisions of
the Ecliptic. There is almost no correspondence between the two. The
Tropical Zodiac is inaccurate because of the
Movement of the Ages. Unfortunately this is the standard Western
zodiac. |
Star chart of the planetary zodiac looking
towards the Vernal Equinox point. The curved line is the Ecliptic. The
horizontal line is the Celestial Equator. Original Ancient Greek signs are
colored blue. |
Star chart of the planetary zodiac looking
away from the Vernal Equinox point. The curved line is the Ecliptic. The
horizontal line is the Celestial Equator. Original Ancient Greek signs are
colored blue. Leo Minor, the Lesser Lion, Sextans the Sextant and
Scutum, the Shield, were not constellations recognized by the Greek
originators of astrology. Coma Berenices, Berenice's Hair, is not a
Ptolemy constellation, though it predates Ptolemy by several centuries and is
mentioned by him in
Tetrabiblos.
|
Star chart of the "fixed" stars looking
towards the Vernal Equinox point. The curved line is the Ecliptic. The
horizontal line is the Celestial Equator. |
Star chart of the "fixed stars" looking away
from the Vernal Equinox point. The curved line is the Ecliptic. The horizontal
line is the Celestial Equator. |
Real Solar
Zodiac chart of the northern sky signs at the Summer solstice [i.e. Summer
solstice in the northern hemisphere, Jun 21st]. The arc going from northeast to
southwest is the ecliptic. The degrees along the ecliptic from the Vernal
Equinox are marked. The order of constellations of the Sun's path, as seen from
Earth, is Pisces,
Aries,
Taurus,
Gemini,
Cancer,
Leo,
Virgo.
Virgo is a very large sign
in comparison to, for example, Gemini. |
Real Solar
Zodiac chart of the southern sky signs at the Summer solstice [i.e. Summer
solstice in the northern hemisphere, Jun 21st]. The arc going from northwest to
southeast is the ecliptic. The degrees along the ecliptic from the Vernal
Equinox are marked. The order of constellations of the Sun's path, as seen from
Earth, is Virgo,
Libra,
Scorpius,
Ophiuchus,
Sagittarius,
Capricornus,
Aquarius,
Pisces.
Scorpius is the smallest
sign in terms of the extent of the ecliptic it occupies. |
"Fixed star" chart of the southern sky at the
Summer solstice [i.e. Summer solstice in the northern hemisphere, Jun 21st].
The arc going from northwest to southeast is the ecliptic. The degrees along
the ecliptic from the Vernal Equinox are marked. The stars are shown as black
on a white background. Few bright stars lie close to the ecliptic, Spica and
Antares being exceptions. This is doubtless why the
Vedic Zodiac takes Spica as is starting point.
Most bright stars lie along the Milky Way Galaxy, the band of stars running
from southwest to northeast across the chart. This is probably why the Ancient
Greeks, the Achaeans saw this band of stars as so important in their astrology:
the Galactic Zodiac. |
"Fixed star" chart of the northern sky at
the Summer solstice [i.e. Summer solstice in the northern hemisphere, Jun
21st]. The arc going from northeast to southwest is the ecliptic. The degrees
along the ecliptic from the Vernal Equinox are marked. The stars are shown as
black on a white background. Few of the brightest stars in the sky lie close to
the ecliptic: Aldeberan, Castor, Pollux and Regulus being the exceptions. This
is probably why the Fagan Sidereal Zodiac
takes Aldeberan as is starting point. |
The Zodiac and
Astrology:
© Dr Shepherd Simpson, Astrological
Historian |
|
Historical Astrology
See the new
Astrological Index
for the meaning of other astrological words and phrases
Galactic
Zodiac |