Primbon

Dunia Mistik dan Supranatural

Two systems of the zodiac developed. The tropical zodiac is a division of the ecliptic, and uses the vernal equinox as its starting point. Each subsequent division of 30° then makes a sign. The sidereal zodiac is firmly connected with the constellations. Western astrologers favour the tropical zodiac, while their Indian counterparts prefer the sidereal
zodiac.

When the ancients first formulated the astrological zodiac, the constellations probably coincided with the twelve-part divisions in the sky. This meant the tropical and sidereal zodiacs were in agreement. However, a very slow process called precession shifts the vernal equinox between the stars. This is because precession causes the Earth’s axis of
rotation to “wobble”. Read the rest of this entry »

The zodiac is a twelve-part division of the sky in the neighbourhood of the ecliptic. We can imagine this as a wide band stretched around the celestial sphere, and cut in half by the orbit of the Sun, as shown in the diagram below. In astrology, these twelve parts are called signs. Each of these parts has a size of 30°.

A common misconception is to term the signs as “constellations”. The twelve signs used by the astrologers are not the same as the 88 constellations in observational astronomy. The constellations are by definition a pattern of stars, and their sizes differ greatly. The signs, on the other hand, are pure geometrical constructs. Read the rest of this entry »

Each of the signs in the zodiac is supposed to have certain astrological properties. Listed below is a table of the characteristics of the signs, according to the astrologers:

There also exist further divisions of the Zodiac. Using perhaps a smart play of geometry, the ecliptic is further divided using a triangle, a square and a hexagon, as shown below:

The signs located on a triangle are connected with the ancient Greek natural elements of fire, earth, air and water. The division according to the squares are the cardinal signs, the fixed signs, and the mutable signs. The geometrical group formed by the inscribed hexagon are either positive or negative signs. The positives signs are supposed to be masculine, while the negative signs are feminine. Read the rest of this entry »