History of The Zodiac
The Babylonians are generally credited with inventing Western astrology, which at the time was synonymous with the study of astronomy. Originally, it was used to predict weather patterns, and later spread into use to predict natural disasters -- and, as time went on, important social and political events. It was not long before astrology was used as counsel for kings and other political leaders. The Zodiac spread to Greece, Rome, and Arab countries, and increased in popularity over time up through the Middle Ages.Originally, the zodiac referred only to the sun, moon, and the planets Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn (the only five other known planets at the time). The twelve lunar cycles, or months, were used to identify different seasons; for example, the Babylonians used the sign of Aquarius to denote their rainy season. The modern fascination with astrology came about in the early 1900s, when accurate forecasts and concern about World War I caused a spike in popularity, leading newspapers to begin running daily horoscopes.
From a scientific standpoint, the zodiac is the band of 13 constellations in which the Sun passes through in it's apparent track across the heavens. It is also generally the same area of the sky in which you will find the Moon and the 5 planets visible to the naked eye (Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn).
Note that the thirteenth constellation is Ophiuchus. The Sun is located in this constellation in late November to mid December; however, it is not included in the traditional zodiac and does not have a related sign.
Sagittarius - Capricorn - Aquarius - Pisces
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