Sidereal and tropical astrology

Sidereal and tropical are terms used to describe two different definitions of a year, applied in sidereal solar calendars or tropical solar calendars. In astrology, they refer to two different systems of ecliptic coordinates used to divide the ecliptic into twelve "signs". Each sign is divided into 30 degrees, making a total of 360 degrees.[1]

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New millennium astrological chart
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While sidereal systems of astrology define the signs relative to the apparent backwards movement of fixed stars of about 1 degree every 72 years from the perspective of the Earth, tropical systems define 0 degrees of Aries to coincide with the vernal point or vernal equinox (also known as the March equinox in the Northern hemisphere), and define the rest of the zodiac from this point.[2][3][4] Sidereal astrology maintains the alignment between signs and constellations via corrective systems known as ayanamsas (Sanskrit: 'ayana' "movement" + 'aṃśa' "component"), to allow for the observed precession of equinoxes, whereas tropical astrology is based upon the seasonal cycle of the Northern Hemisphere.[3][5] This has caused the two systems, which were aligned around 2,000 years ago, to drift apart over the centuries.[2][3][5]

Ayanamsa systems used in Hindu astrology (also known as Vedic astrology) include the Lahiri ayanamsa and the Raman ayanamsa.[6] The Fagan-Bradley ayanamsa is an example of an ayanamsa system used in Western sidereal astrology.[6] As of 2020, sun signs calculated using the Sri Yukteswar ayanamsa were around 23 degrees behind tropical sun signs.[5] Per these calculations, persons born between March 12 - April 12, for instance, would have the sun sign of Pisces.[5] By contrast, persons born between March 21 - April 19 would have the sun sign of Aries per tropical calculations.[7]

Cyril Fagan, a Western sidereal astrologer, assumed the origin of the zodiac to be based on a major conjunction that occurred in 786 BC when the vernal equinox lay somewhere in mid-Aries[8] corresponding to a difference of some 39 degrees or days.

Precession of equinoxes, the changing position of the vernal equinox over the course of about 25,800 years. The yellow line is a section of the ecliptic, the apparent path the Sun appears to follow over the course of an Earth year. The purple line is the celestial equator, the projection of Earth's equator onto the celestial sphere. The point (red) where these two lines cross is the vernal equinox. In 1500 BCE, it was near the end of Aries; in 500 BCE, it was near the beginning of Aries; and in 1000 to 2500 CE Pisces.

Astronomic zodiac
Main articles: Ecliptic and Zodiac

A small number of sidereal astrologers do not take the astrological signs as an equal division of the ecliptic but define their signs based on the actual width of the individual constellations. They also include constellations that are disregarded by the traditional zodiac but are still in contact with the ecliptic.

For the purpose of determining the constellations in contact with the ecliptic, the constellation boundaries as defined by the International Astronomical Union in 1930 are used. For example, the Sun enters the IAU boundary of Aries on April 19 at the lower right corner, a position that is still rather closer to the "body" of Pisces, as the first sign rather than of Aries. The IAU defined the constellation boundaries without consideration of astrological purposes.

The dates the Sun passes through the 12 astronomical constellations of the ecliptic are listed below, accurate to the year 2011. The dates will progress by an increment of one day every 70.5 years. The corresponding tropical and sidereal dates are given as well.

Symbol Constellation Tropical date[7] Sidereal Date
Cyril Fagan		 Based on IAU boundaries
Walter Berg[9]
AriesMarch 21 – April 19April 15 – May 15April 18 – May 13
TaurusApril 20 – May 20May 16 – June 15May 13 – June 21
GeminiMay 21 – June 20June 16 – July 16June 21 – July 20
CancerJune 21 – July 22July 17 – August 16July 20 – August 10
LeoJuly 23 – August 22August 17 – September 16August 10 – September 16
VirgoAugust 23 – September 22September 17 – October 17September 16 – October 30
LibraSeptember 23 – October 22October 18 – November 16October 30 – November 23
ScorpioOctober 23 – November 21November 17 – December 16November 23 – November 29
Ophiuchus[lower-alpha 1]November 29 – December 17
SagittariusNovember 22 – December 21December 17 – January 15December 17 – January 20
CapricornDecember 22 – January 19January 16 – February 14January 20 – February 16
AquariusJanuary 20 – February 19February 15 – March 15February 16 – March 11
PiscesFebruary 19 – March 20March 16 – April 14March 11 – April 18
  1. Ophiuchus is not a sign in traditional forms of tropical and sidereal astrology, and only appears in a few forms of astrology which use the IAU-defined constellations.

See also

References
  1. "The Tropical, Sidereal & Constellational Zodiacs: the Power of World View". www.renaissanceastrology.com. Archived from the original on 2022-03-20. Retrieved 2020-07-29.
  2. Subramanian, Vijaya. "Sidereal and Tropical Zodiac – Vijaya Jyoti". Archived from the original on 2020-08-07. Retrieved 2020-07-29.
  3. galacticcenter (2016-10-10). "What is Vedic Astrology?". Galactic Center with Joni Patry. Archived from the original on 2020-08-07. Retrieved 2020-07-29.
  4. Taya. "Understanding Sidereal Charts". astro-charts.com. Archived from the original on 2020-08-07. Retrieved 2020-07-29.
  5. Vallée, Guylaine (2020-03-01). "What's Your Vedic Astrological Sign?". Birla Vedic Center. Archived from the original on 2020-08-07. Retrieved 2020-07-29.
  6. "Ayanamshas in Sidereal Astrology". www.astro.com. Archived from the original on 2020-08-07. Retrieved 2020-07-29.
  7. "Zodiac Sign Dates: What Are The Dates for Every Star Sign?". Astrostyle: Astrology and Daily, Weekly, Monthly Horoscopes by The AstroTwins. Archived from the original on 2020-08-07. Retrieved 2020-07-29.
  8. http://www.solsticepoint.com
  9. "New astrological sign: Professor finds horoscopes may be a little off kilter". Los Angeles Times. Times. January 14, 2011. Archived from the original on January 19, 2011.
  • "The Real Constellations of the Zodiac." Dr. Lee T. Shapiro, Planetarian, Vol 6, #1, Spring (1977).
  • "The Real, Real Constellations of the Zodiac." John Mosley, Planetarian, Vol. 28, # 4, December (1999).
  • "The Primer of Sidereal Astrology," Cyril Fagin and Brigadier R. C. Firebrace, American Federation of Astrologers, Inc., (1971) ISBN 0-86690-427-1
  • A History of Western Astrology, by S. Jim Tester, 1987, republished by Boydell Press (January 1999),ISBN 0-85115-255-4, ISBN 978-0-85115-255-4
  • Raymond, Andrew (1995). Secrets of the Sphinx Mysteries of the Ages Revealed. Hawaii: U N I Productions. ISBN 0-9646954-6-4.
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