I keep hearing about a 13th star sign called Ophiuchus (I think that's how it's spelt). If this is so, then wouldn't it make astrology a bit of a joke? or is there a reason we just use the 12 signs we have at present. Wot do ppl think.
Actually Ophiucus has been known for a long time - certainly Ptolemy mentioned it. There is a disconnect in modern astrology. People forget there is a difference between a constellation and a sign. This is one of the reasons why many people go by sidereal astrology today. A sign is not the same thing as a constellation. This confusion is because roughly 2000 years ago, the spring equinox happened to fall at 0 degrees Aries. Sidereal astrologers use this as a starting point, so the constellations have shifted so that today the spring equinox is in Pisces. Tropical astrology resets the starting point at Aries every year. This shift happens because of the procession of the equinoxes. Because of this, in sidereal astrology, the Sun spends a little time in Ophiucus, so now literallists shove Ophiucus in there despite the fact that no one really seems to know what that even means. So most astrologers don't pay too much attention to Ophiucus, but some do. Then again, some astrologers inserted an imaginary planet called Vulcan into their charts, so what can I say?
