..... Click the link for more information. . The apparent paths of the sun, the moon, and the major planets all fall within this zone. The zodiac is divided into 12 equal parts of 30° each, each part being named for a constellation, each of which is represented by a sign and many of which have animal names. The constellations and their corresponding symbols and dates are listed in the table entitled The Signs of the Zodiac Signs of the Zodiac
Constellation English Name Symbol Dates
Aries The Ram &aries; Mar. 21–Apr. 19
Taurus The Bull &taur; Apr. 20–May 20
Gemini The Twins &gemin; May 21–June 21
..... Click the link for more information. . The zodiac serves as a convenient means of indicating the positions of the heavenly bodies. When the constellations of the zodiac were named about 2,000 years ago, the vernal equinox coincided with the beginning of the constellation Aries. For this reason, the first 30° section of the zodiac is called Aries; it extends eastward 30° from the vernal equinox equinox , either of two points on the celestial sphere where the ecliptic and the celestial equator intersect. The vernal equinox, also known as "the first point of Aries," is the point at which the sun appears to cross the celestial equator from south to north.
..... Click the link for more information. , which is therefore called the first point of Aries. However, because of the precession of the equinoxes precession of the equinoxes, westward motion of the equinoxes along the ecliptic. This motion was first noted by Hipparchus c.120 B.C. The precession is due to the gravitational attraction of the moon and sun on the equatorial bulge of the earth, which causes the
..... Click the link for more information. , the vernal equinox has moved westward about 30° and now lies in the constellation Pisces; the zodiacal constellations thus no longer correspond to the segments of the zodiac represented by their signs. The constellations will again coincide with the sections of the zodiac in about 25,800 years. The zodiac probably had its origins among the Assyrians or Chaldaeans, although it may have originated among the Babylonians as early as 2000 B.C. It is of importance in astrology astrology, form of divination based on the theory that the movements of the celestial bodies—the stars, the planets, the sun, and the moon—influence human affairs and determine the course of events.
..... Click the link for more information. .
zodiac
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zodiac
Zodiac [′zō·dē‚ak]
Zodiac
Zodiac
(Greek zodiakos, from zoon —animal), the 12 constellations (Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces) situated along the sun’s apparent yearly path among the stars (the ecliptic). The name “zodiac” is connected with the fact that the most of the zodiacal constellations even in ancient times bore the names of animals. The apparent path of the planets of the solar system and the moon also passes through the zodiacal constellations.
In ancient Greece the constellations of the zodiac had al-ready been distinguished into a special group, and each of them was given its own astronomical symbol. The points of the vernal equinox (constellation Aries), the autumnal equinox (Libra), the summer solstice (Cancer), and the winter solstice (Capricorn) were designated by the symbols of the corresponding constellations. Because of precession, these points have shifted during the past 2,000 years from the constellations mentioned above; however, the designations that were given to them by the ancient Greeks have been preserved. Also retained are the names tropic of Cancer (northern tropic) and tropic of Capricorn (southern tropic), which corresponded to the summer and winter solstices in that period. The constellations Scorpio and Sagittarius are visible in the southern regions of the USSR; the rest are visible throughout its territory.
E. A. IUROV
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