What's your sign, baby?

[Tia Wood]

Strange!

http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/01/1...stronomer.html

When astronomers in 2006 declared that Pluto was no longer a planet, the world gasped -- and then obeyed. School textbooks were re-written, and scientific discovery ruled the day.

Then this week, a Minnesota astronomy professor took on something even more sacred -- our horoscopes.

The astrological calendar was all wrong, he said in public comments that set the Internet aflame.

People might think they're a Pisces (compassionate, imaginative), but often they're really an Aquarius (witty, clever) -- at least based on an exact reading of the earth's orbit.

Or maybe, if you were born between Nov. 29 and Dec. 17, you're actually a strange new zodiac sign: Ophiuchus, the serpent holder.

But who wants to admit to being that snake-guy sign on a first date?

``I defined the zodiac by the constellations that are in the background when you look at where the sun, moon, and stars are,'' said Minneapolis Community and Technical College instructor Parke Kunkle, the man responsible for momentarily turning the astrology world upside down. ``Ophiuchus has been around a long time, and the sun has been going through Ophiuchus for thousands of years.''

In Kunkle's 13-member zodiac, the signs occupy more or less space on the calendar depending upon how long they are in the sun's path.

Though Ophiuchus (seeker of wisdom, lucky) has only what amounts to a celestial toe in the sun's path, Kunkle defended its inclusion by noting it hosts the sun for more than twice as long as Scorpio (independent, passionate).

Leading astrologers, after getting their collective bearings, were unified and defiant in their response: Not this time, Science.

``It holds no water,'' said South Florida's self described ``master astrologer'' Jeffrey Brock. Brock said it was a ``completely unfounded'' attempt by scientists to discredit astrology, which they'd never been fond of to begin with.

Proclaimed Miami astrologer Ron Archer: ``Mythology is always true.''

Even über-astrologer Walter Mercado weighed in, telling El Nuevo Herald that there would be no need to change its horoscopes.

Kunkle's re-examining of astrology is rooted in the earth's ``precession'' -- put simply, the gravity-fueled change in orientation of the Earth's rotational axis.

``The earth sort of spins like a top,'' explained Florida International University physics professor James Webb. ``It usually doesn't just stand up straight and spin, it usually wobbles.''

``Astrologers for years have not taken that into account,'' Webb continued. ``So now people are starting to call them on it.''

Hogwash, responded Brock, director of the Astrological and Metaphysical Research Center. Brock said the brand of astrology practiced by the vast majority of the Western world focuses on the first day of spring -- an ever-shifting date that compensates for the planet's rotational habits.

As for the inclusion of Ophiuchus, Brock said ``we've always known about Ophiuchus'' but that because constellation only barely touches the sun's path, it is not truly a zodiac sign.

Up in Minnesota, Kunkle said the publicity frenzy surrounding his remarks has prompted media calls from as far away as France. Kunkle noted that he's by no means the first member of the scientific community to raise this issue (it's been debated for thousands of years). But thanks to the Twittering, Facebooking age we live in, he might just be the most famous.

Kunkle has never been a horoscope reader. When people ask his sign, he usually tells them ``vegetarian.''

Recalling all the paintings and poems inspired by the stars, Kunkle argued that there's plenty of reasons for people to look skyward without believing in astrology:

``What they get then is the beauty of the universe, the beauty of the cosmos out there.''

YOUR NEW SIGN

Use these dates, which reflect where the stars are currently aligned.

Capricorn: Jan. 20-Feb. 16

Aquarius: Feb. 16-March 11

Pisces: March 11-April 18

Aries: April 18-May 13

Taurus: May 13-June 21

Gemini: June 21-July 20

Cancer: July 20-Aug. 10

Leo: Aug. 10-Sept. 16

Virgo: Sept. 16-Oct. 30

Libra: Oct. 30-Nov. 23

Scorpio: Nov. 23-Nov. 29

Ophiuchus: Nov. 29- Dec. 17

Sagittarius: Dec. 17-Jan. 20

[Gerry]

yup, saw this on the NBC Nightly News. A 13th unpronuncable sign and I went from a Gemini to a Taurus.

So, I guess I'll have to start buying Taurus guns instead of Ruger.

---------- Post added at 10:25 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:24 PM ----------

By the way, is Ophiuchus the sign of Bocephus?

[urlurl]

damn...i just became an aries...i guess im not a taurus anymore. lol

[Tia Wood]

I am confused:

No, your zodiac sign hasn't changed

[Acro]

Greek names are indeed confusing.

[Aleksandar]

All right, 1st September is a Leo now! I can dig it...

[Infoproliferati]

I am confused:
No, your zodiac sign hasn't changed

Wait! Wait! Wait! Wait! Wait! Wait!

So I'm one sign in the Western world and another when I travel to the East? So in the West I'm an introvert (Capricorn) and in the East an extrovert (Sagittarius)? So in the scheme of things, it wouldn't be wise to try to pick up a girl who's into astrology and horoscopes. For I dread to imagine the conversation will go something along the lines of:

Me: Nice tattoo.
Girl with tattoo: Thanks.
Me: That's a zodiac sign right?
Girl with tattoo: Yeah. Libra. You know, the Scale?
Me: Oh yeah! Yeah.
Girl with tattoo: What's your sign?
Me: Umm...

Awkward moment
Girl with tattoo(trying to conceal disbelief with a modest smile): You don't know your sign?
Me: It's complicated.
Girl with tattoo: How so?
Me: You see in one time zone I'm an introvert and in the other an extrovert.
Girl with tattoo: A Capricorn and a Sagittarius?
Me (impressed): You're good.
Girl with tattoo: I know a thing or two about astrology.
Me: This whole new sign thing is crazy.
Girl with tattoo: Isn't it?
Me: I mean you could be a Virgo in Thailand.
Girl with tattoo: Tell me. I'll stay with Libra though.
Me: Who needs these astrologists anyway? If they can't agree with each other, they should discard the whole sign thing. The majority don't believe in that stuff anyway.

Girl with tattoo (Oh no he didn't)
Me (Oops! Realizes gaffe. Say something funny. Anything!)
Me: Is Libra compatible with Caprittarius?

[Tia Wood]

And if she laughs then you marry her.

[Infoproliferati]

And if she laughs then you marry her.

You bet

[urlurl]

question:

any idea on how to pronounce Ophiuchus...i thought it was pronounced like O - fic - us...or... op - he - uc - us

[Raider]

Greek names are indeed confusing.

For Greek last names, I'm fortunate to have a palindrome.

Many of our Greek Friends have very long names, some are as long as 15 letters, But I found that even these can be easy to spell just by sounding them out.

And I like how Greek names usually end in OS, AS, IS.... BTW, what is yours?

[tekz999]

so scorpio only lasts for a week eh

[Raider]

I went from a Gemini to a Taurus.

If this is all true and your now a Taurus.. It means your the same sign as I am.

This cant possibly be right.