Is there a new Zodiac sign? Why NASA says Ophiuchus star sign is not what everyone believes it to be
NASA created quite a buzz across the world for reportedly discovering a new zodiac sign. The Sagittarians were biting their nails as they were pushed to the unlucky number 13, and it was believed that horoscopes had been changed. However, it's not quite straightforward, as NASA strives to explain.
But first, let's examine the new sign, which is from November 29 to December 17, indicating that many Sagittarians were now Ophiuchus. It is said to be the name of the 13th constellation that has been part of the Sun’s path in the sky. Even though it was named in astronomy, astrologers left it out of the zodiac wheel, as star signs are based on seasons, rather than constellations.
According to a report in The Sun, the new sign's traits are similar to Scorpio and Sagittarius. People in this sign detest routines and are always keen to try something new. They are said to constantly search for new knowledge and is known to be one of the most intellectual signs. They are ethical and have a strong sense of justice as well as have a big imagination, with creativity to match. According to their negative traits, they are impulsive, jealous, prideful, sarcastic, and love to procrastinate. They are said to be most compatible with Pisces, as they are both from the same element of water. They love adventure, favor new experiences in life, and they can have a harmonious and loving relationship. They are the least compatible with Capricorns, as the latter would be 'dull' and even 'boring' for Ophiuchus.
NASA has more explanations, as people were highly skeptical of the sign. The agency tweeted, "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."
In a detailed post, NASA examined the Babylonian's stories. "The Babylonians lived over 3,000 years ago. They divided the zodiac into 12 equal parts – like cutting a pizza into 12 equal slices. They picked 12 constellations in the zodiac, one for each of the 12 'slices.' So, as Earth orbits the sun, the sun would appear to pass through each of the 12 parts of the zodiac. Since the Babylonians already had a 12-month calendar (based on the phases of the moon), each month got a slice of the zodiac all to itself," NASA explained in a blog post.
However, NASA added, even according to the Babylonians’ own ancient stories, there were 13 constellations in the zodiac. So they chose to leave out Ophiuchus. Despite this, some of the chosen 12 didn’t fit neatly into their "assigned slice of the pie and crossed over into the next one." The post further explained, "When the Babylonians first invented the 12 signs of the zodiac, a birthday between about July 23 and August 22 meant being born under the constellation Leo. Now, 3,000 years later, the sky has shifted because Earth’s axis (North Pole) doesn’t point in quite the same direction."
The constellations are of different shapes and sizes, and the Sun spends different amounts of time that is lined up with each one. "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's wrote.
So is there a new zodiac sign? Well, yes and no. Have fun, Sagittarians. However, as the Twitter event tritely mentions, people worried about having to identify with a new star sign don't have to.