On 29 August 2010 23:21, James John Bell <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
A question
> that has come up is - if in popular sun sign astrology Aries starts on the
> vernal equinox, yet the sun these days rises on that day between Pisces and
> Aquarius how is the vernal equinox the start of Aries?
'popular Sun Sign astrology' is simply watered down Tropical
Astrology; this is a venerable old system with many great names
attached. The alternative 'Sidereal Astrology' has popular as well as
learned modes too. In other words there is nothing innately superior
about one or the other, they simply employ different notation.
Tropical Astrology uses 12 equal 30 degree divisions of the Ecliptic
called *Signs*, which have the same names as the *constellations*
(which are not equal in size, (example, Scorpio the *Constellation* is
72 degrees long). Thus the Vernal Equinox occurs in the constellation
of Pisces, but the sign of Aries.
30 degree signs are useful conventions, simply calculating 0 to 360
celestial longitude when plotting planetary movements is rather
prosaic, and doesn't highlight aspects as readily.
Incidentally, even modern astronomers refer to the Equinoctial point
as zero Aries.
ALWays
Jake
http://www.underworld-apothecary.com/
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