The Internet is buzzing with talk of the stars after a board member of the Minnesota Planetarium Society said Jan. 10, that the Earth’s “wobble” caused by the moon’s gravitational pull had disrupted the dates for astrological zodiac signs.
But Americans’ zodiac signs remain unchanged, according to a CNN report.
Americans follow the tropical zodiac, which is based on seasons and is not affected by the addition of the “new” constellation, according to the report. Easterners follow the sidereal zodiac, which is based on the constellations, and the dates for their horoscopes have changed. Katie Gillen, philosophy senior, said the different systems confused her.
“At first I was confused, but then I realized they were looking at a different system because the Western system has been fixed by seasons thousands of years ago,” Gillen said.
Kiela Badeaux, anthropology and sociology senior, said she had an important reason to want the signs to remain the same.
“I’m glad the tattoo on my foot is still the sign I am,” Badeaux said.
Astronomy and physics professor Bradley Schaefer said precession, the phenomenon causing the confusion, has been a known fact for 2,000 years.
“It’s an old story that keeps resurfacing,” Schaefer said. “It is a media event, nothing more.”
Astronomy and physics professor Geoffrey Clayton said precession takes 26,000 years.
Schaefer said modern astrologers are conflicted in regards to three points for the new horoscope dates.
The first point is a “new” constellation, called Ophiuchus.  Schaefer said astronomers have known about Ophiuchus since the fourth century B.C. Ancient Babylonians found 17 constellations that the sun moved through, but chose to acknowledge 12 to fit their 12-month calendar, Schaefer said.
The second point is that the stars are shifting. In reality, the sun’s alignment with the signs is not what many people think.
“The sun is never in Scorpio when [astrologers] say it is in Scorpio,” Schaefer said.
The third point is astrologers claim the sun passes through a constellation for a set amount of time. Schaefer said the amount of time the sun spends in each constellation varies.
 
 
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Contact Claire Caillier at [email protected]