(CU Independent illustration/Adam Milner)
Recognition of the 13th zodiac constellation, Ophiuchus, repositions most birthdays to a new zodiac and as a result, many students are confused and upset.
Ophiuchus is known as the “Serpent Holder.” This is the newest zodiac constellation and is the only one which is linked to a real person. It is located nearby Barnard’s Star, according to the Munich Astro Archive Constellation Pages.
The Munich Astro Archive Constellation Pages also give a brief history of the zodiac, and offer an explanation as to why it changed.
“When the zodiac first was invented by the Babylonians 3,000 years ago, the sun just passes through the twelve constellations to which we still refer as the zodiac. Due to the precession of the Earth, the apparent way of the sun through the sky has changed through the millenniums.”
Students reacted differently to the recognition of the new zodiac sign.
Jeremy Pollack, an 18-year-old freshman political science major, said he is confused about the new changes to the zodiac.
“I don’t understand why they wouldn’t include it all along, just because of tradition,” Pollack said.
The more commonly known astrological signs are the ones that adhere to tradition. The new sign throws off the regular ordering and timing of the original 12.
Lisa Trope, 19, sophomore environmental studies major, said she is excited about her new sign.
“Aquarius is much more interesting, I never really wanted to be a fish (Pisces) anyways,” said Trope, a sophomore environmental studies major. “Even though I don’t really know anything about Aquarius.”
Some birthdays, however, still remain within the boundaries of their previous astrological signs.
Greer Loveman-Krelle, said her birthday, Aug. 11, still remains in the same zodiac.
“I’m fine with the new zodiac constellation being recognized, because I’m still a Leo,” said Loveman-Krelle, a 19-year-old freshman MCD biology major.
Some students are not adapting well to this new change. Susanna Horner, a 19-year-old freshman open-option major, said she does not like it.
“I feel that I have been a Sagittarius my whole life and now all of a sudden I am something different,” Horner said.
Horner said that it is not fair to start recognize it now if no one ever really knew about it.
“They can’t just change my sign so suddenly to Ophiuchus.”
The new borders for the zodiac signs:
Aries: April 19- May 13
Taurus: May 14- June 19
Gemini: June 20-July 20
Cancer: July 21- Aug. 9
Leo: Aug. 10- Sep. 15
Virgo: Sep. 16- Oct. 30
Libra: Oct. 31- Nov. 22
Scorpio: Nov. 23- Nov. 29
*Ophiuchus: Nov. 30- Dec. 17
Sagittarius: Dec. 19- Jan. 18
Capricorn: Jan. 19- Feb. 15
Aquarius: Feb. 16- March 11
Pisces: March 12- April 18
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Jillian Fox at Jillian.t.fox@colorado.edu.
4 comments
So what’s the stone associated with the new sign?
Yes! I am still a Pisces. What luck!
Just when I was starting to give Astrology a little credit.
I hadn’t heard of this at all yet! Very interesting…. Though, I think you messed up a bit on the cut-off dates. Ophiuchus ends on December 17th and Sagittarius begins on December 19th? I actually wouldn’t have noticed if my birthday didn’t happen to be December 18th…