Feel free to blame Susan Miller, Cosmopolitan and every pick-up line that starts out with, "What sign are you?"-but the truth is, you either believe in the power of your personal zodiac or you don't.
Until now, that is.
Astronomers from the Minnesota Planetarium Society have updated our once timeless zodiac last week.
While horoscope purists, such as myself, are freaking out, these researchers are saying that sun alignment has been changing throughout the last few millennia, so "the stars of your sign aren't the same as they were when that sign was assigned to your birth thousands of years ago."
Which means, that some of you are no longer the moody Scorpios (or any other sign) you thought you were (and can no longer use your sign as an excuse for your unpleasant attitude) Except for me, I'm still, thankfully, a Leo.
Naturally, the Internet has been abuzz regarding the recent horoscope makeover, and prominent astrologers have appeared from the woodworks to defend their celestial stances and assert that the original zodiac is still intact.
"Western astrologers don't work with stars or constellations," writes Rob Brezney, on his website, FreeWillAstrology.com.
"Their focus is our solar system. They study the patterns of the planets and the moon as they pass through 12 zones defined by the relationship between the Earth and sun. Those zones have the same names as constellations because of a historical quirk, but they are unrelated to the constellations."
The "Updated" Horoscope
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
Ophiuchus-- the 13th sign?
Notice, the 13
th astrological sign,
Ophiuchus, is an unfamiliar and difficult-to-pronounce addition to the list. Apparently, the ancient Babylonias omitted
Ophiuchus (Nov.29-Dec.17) because they didn't want an unlucky 13 signs in their zodiac, but some astrologers, such as
Eric Francis, are calling the new sign a "
hoax," with origins found in science fiction?
"Historically, Ophiuchus has never been listed as a constellation in the sidereal zodiac. It is a constellation out there, but it's off the ecliptic (that is, it's not along the path of the Sun through the sky)."
So, should you change your outlook?
Not necessary.
Science proved some years ago that your future can't be predicted by horoscopes, Vietnamese fortunetellers, or Miss Cleo. A 2006 study published in the Journal of Personality and Individual Differences compiled data from more than 15,000 individuals and found no correlation between birth date and personality, which means that even if you're not a Leo, you can still roar like one.
Follow me on Twitter: ThisJenKim
