I admit, last weeks post was slightly shorter than most other posts I’ve ever written. Following on from this I have decided to complete a series on the signs of the zodiac from the point of view of astronomy.
The Zodiac are the star groups and systems can observe from Earth depending on the time of the year. Different constellations and celestial bodies are visible in the sky depending on the time of the year and our point of reference here on Earth.
Lets get one thing straight. The constellations and star groups in the sky have absolutely no effect or bearing on human behaviour. Astrology was once held in high esteem in the subjects of Alchemy, Meteorology and Medicine.
Since the 20th century, Astrology has been successfully challenged on the scientific front and has no scientific validity or explaining power.
Simply put, the stars are so far away they can’t possibly define personal traits depending on the time of the year you are born. Astrology is officially recognised as a pseudoscience along with metaphysics, Feng-Shui and Intelligent Design.
Within the 12 signs of the zodiac that we know, the star Ross 159 is closest to us. It is located 9.59 light years away in the constellation Sagittarius and much too faint to be seen with the naked eye. Bearing in mind light travels 300,000km/s in a vacuum, the light of this star takes 9.59 years to reach us.
I can’t imagine something that far away can influnce our behaviour patterns and personality.
The constellations themselves are all fascinating in their own right. Although they are Star signs, some contain planets, galaxies and nebulae! In this series I won’t discuss the ridiculous notion of the traits these signs bring, but the actual contents within them.
Next up Aquarius!
Jude Morrow
