A new story about an old misunderstanding is once again circulating—and NASA is once again setting the record straight.
It all started with a resurfaced story NASA “discovered” a 13th zodiac sign—Ophiuchus, or the serpent-bearer. Anyone born between November 29 and December 17 would no longer be a Scorpio or a Sagittarius, but an Ophiuchus. Scorpio’s window would be cut to just seven days and the entire astrology chart would shift, meaning some Pisces and Leos and Libras would have different star signs. As astrology lovers online started to panic, NASA gently waded into the online fray to set the record straight.
“We see your comments about a zodiac story that re-emerges every few years,” the space agency wrote in a tweet. “No, we did not change the zodiac.” It includes a link to a Tumblr post that explains what actually happened.
👀 We see your comments about a zodiac story that re-emerges every few years. No, we did not change the zodiac.
When the Babylonians invented the constellations 3,000 years ago, they chose to leave out a 13th sign. So, we did the math: https://t.co/DQOs5VSjT7 pic.twitter.com/WlblguobGT
In a blog post, NASA patiently explains the difference between astronomy (“the scientific study of everything in space”) and astrology (“[i]t’s not considered a science”). NASA then notes that the zodiac signs are simply constellations that are in line with the Earth and the Sun as the planet follows its orbit. Earth actually travels through 13 signs, including Capricorn, Aries, and, yes, Ophiuchus, but some 3,000 years ago the Babylonians—not NASA—decided 12 was neater than 13, so excluded the 13th zodiac sign and divided the zodiac into 12 parts based on the 12 months of their calendar, according to NASA.
“The line from Earth through the sun points to Virgo for 45 days, but it points to Scorpius for only 7 days. To make a tidy match with their 12-month calendar, the Babylonians ignored the fact that the sun actually moves through 13 constellations, not 12. Then they assigned each of those 12 constellations equal amounts of time,” NASA explains in their post.
Back in 2011, as TIME reported, astronomers from the Minnesota Planetarium Society found that because of the moon’s gravitational pull on Earth, the alignment of the stars has shifted, so the sun points to different parts of the zodiac at different times. “So, we didn’t change any zodiac signs…we just did the math,” the space agency’s blog post concludes.
That post was originally written in 2016, but as the story of a shifting zodiac circulates once again, NASA has retweeted it again.
While the Tumblr post it linked too is fairly straight forward, the staid space agency gets a little spicier in its take on astronomy on its early education site. “No one has shown that astrology can be used to predict the future or describe what people are like based only on their birth date,” NASA writes on their children’s site. “Still, like reading fantasy stories, many people enjoy reading their ‘astrological forecast’ or ‘horoscope’ in the newspaper every day.”
FAQs
“No one has shown that astrology can be used to predict the future or describe what people are like based only on their birth date,” NASA writes on their children's site. “Still, like reading fantasy stories, many people enjoy reading their 'astrological forecast' or 'horoscope' in the newspaper every day.”
What are the new zodiac signs for 2024? ›
Will there be two new zodiac signs in 2024? Ophiuchus and Cetus are the two new signs proposed by astrology.
Is Ophiuchus a real zodiac sign? ›
Ophiuchus is one of the thirteen constellations that cross the ecliptic. It has sometimes been suggested as the "13th sign of the zodiac". However, this confuses zodiac or astrological signs with constellations.
Why did the zodiac signs change? ›
Over 2,000 years ago, the Babylonians mapped our constellations, and later the Greeks created the zodiac we have today. But here's the thing that might surprise you: The positions of the stars have changed since then -- not because the stars themselves have moved, but because the Earth's view of them has changed.
What is the secret zodiac sign? ›
Ophiuchus, the unofficial 13th constellation of the zodiac
If you were born somewhere between November 30 and December 18, chances are the sun was in the constellation Ophiuchus the Serpent Bearer. Therefore, your “sign” should be Ophiuchus.
What zodiac will 2025 be? ›
What is the rarest zodiac sign? ›
The constellation Ophiuchus, as defined by the 1930 International Astronomical Union's constellation boundaries, is situated behind the Sun from November 29 to December 18. The idea appears to have originated in 1970 with Steven Schmidt's suggestion of a 14-sign zodiac, also including Cetus as a sign.
What is the missing zodiac sign? ›
In Greek myth, Ophiuchus was said to depict the god Apollo wrestling the snake guarding the Oracle of Delphi. Although the myth changed many times over the years, it was always associated with a man wrestling a serpent. Standard astrological zodiacs do not include Ophiuchus.
What are the real zodiac signs? ›
| Sign | Meaning | Astrological (tropical) zodiac |
|---|
| Aries | The Ram | 21st March to 20th April |
| Taurus | The Bull | 21st April to 21st May |
| Gemini | The Twins | 22nd May to 21st June |
| Cancer | The Crab | 22nd June to 22nd July |
9 more rowsBelieving in the power and authority of astrology goes directly against biblical wisdom and Scripture clearly states that chasing after false gods is a sin (Matthew 24:24, 1 Corinthians 8:6, Exodus 20:3). There is no biblical evidence that God has given authority to the stars or astrologists.
Age of Aquarius - Wikipedia.
Why are zodiacs so accurate? ›
It all started when some astrologers had a great observation for a very long period; they kept noticing every minor change that occurred in the sky and hence ascertained it in the many astronomical observations, events, and calculations. All of this became easier with the advent of technology.
What is the dark zodiac sign? ›
Scorpio is perhaps the most notorious sign associated with darkness in astrology. People born under this sign are known for their intense and passionate nature. They are not afraid to delve into the depths of their emotions and explore darker aspects of the human experience.
Which zodiac sign is the smartest? ›
Coming in at No. 1, we have none other than Aquarius. Turns out the quirkiest and rarest sign in the zodiac might just be the most intelligent too! As astrology expert and author of Astrology SOS Imani Quinn tells mindbodygreen, air sign Aquarius is highly intellectual but also innovative and forward thinking.
What is the genius zodiac sign? ›
Aquarius, Virgo, Gemini, Scorpio, Sagittarius, and Capricorn are the most intelligent zodiac signs. Each sign (and all the others) has strengths that make them unique. Some are book-smart like Virgo, while others are visionary like Aquarius.
What are the new zodiac signs? ›
In 1970, Steven Schmidt in his Astrology 14 advocated a 14-sign zodiac, introducing Ophiuchus (December 6 to December 31) and Cetus (May 12 to June 6) as new signs. Within 20th-century sidereal astrology, the idea was taken up by Walter Berg in the form of his book, The 13 Signs of the Zodiac (1995).
Which horoscope is lucky in 2024? ›
Sagittarius – Sagittarius is a sign that will have a lucky year in 2024, as Saturn will be in a supportive sign of Aquarius and will be in a square aspect with it. Sagittarius will have a year of challenge, growth, and transformation, as they will be able to overcome any obstacles and difficulties that come their way.
What will happen to Leo in 2024? ›
Leo zodiac. Your professional life will be top of mind throughout 2024 — or at least until June, predicts Thomas. You've been hard at work since 2023 and have seen growth in your career. "Success, glory, fame, recognition, promotions, awards and beyond could all rain down on you," predicts Thomas.
What is the 12 zodiac for 2024? ›
Each year in the repeating zodiac cycle of 12 years is represented by a zodiac animal, each with its own reputed attributes. 2024 is a year of the Dragon, starting from February 10th, 2024 and ends on January 29th, 2025. 2023 is a year of the Rabbit, starting from January 22nd, 2023, and ending on February 9th, 2024.
