Cross Star Lovers Battle over 13th Sign

News that the stars have shifted alignment, astrologically speaking, is leaving Horoscope readers atwitter. Many are hearing that their sign might have changed and there is even a neglected 13th constellation. This is not news, however. Astronomers (and anyone who has taken an astronomy class) will know that the Earth wobbles on its axis thanks to the gravitational tug from the moon.

As the Earth moves through a 26,000 year precessional cycle it travels in an out of different constellations of stars. The Zodiac calendar was derived over 2,000 years ago when the sun traveled through 13 constellations. But even the ancient Babylonian–who conceived the Zodiac–opted for a cleaner, 12-symbol calendar divided into equal 30-degree segments.

Since a Minnesota astronomer made an offhand comment about the 13th symbol of the Zodiac last week astrologers and those who live by their horoscopes have been thrown a celestial curve ball.

To be astronomically accurate Ophiuchus needs to join the ranks of Taurus, Aquarius and the rest. Known as the snake annoyer, this fellow–who Greek mythology says was about to heal the world of its ills when Zeus struck him with a lightning bolt–is annoying the Zodiacally dependent. The new sign fits in between Scorpio and Sagittarius.

Astronomers consider astrology to be a pseudoscience and now they argue that the arbitrary decision in ancient times to remove one constellation from the list and the failure to take the shifting of the heavens into account proves the point. Never mind the part that there is no evidence of a relationship between the position of the sun on the day of your birth and your personality.

Parke Kunkle created quite a stir during an interview with the Minneapolis Star-Tribune last week. The 13th Zodiac sign has been widely reported but perhaps the stars aligned this time because the news traveled fast and before the weekend was over, a full controversy was well under way.

If you are keeping track and want to know if your horoscope changes in light of this new-old news, here’s the astronomical rundown of the Zodiac as it stands now.

Capricorn: Jan. 20-Feb. 16.
Aquarius: Feb. 16-March 11.
Pisces: March 11-April 18.
Aries: April 18-May 13.
Taurus: May 13-June 21
Gemini: June 21-July 20.
Cancer: July 20-Aug. 10.
Leo: Aug. 10-Sept. 16.
Virgo: Sept. 16-Oct. 30.
Libra: Oct. 30-Nov. 23.
Scorpio: Nov. 23-29.
Ophiuchus: Nov. 29-Dec. 17.
Sagittarius: Dec. 17-Jan. 20.

“Astrology tells us that the sun is in one position, whereas astronomy tells us it’s in another position,” — Joe Rao, Hayden Planetarium