Skip to content
Home » Zodiac Signs

Zodiac Signs

Zodiac Signs – Science behind it

To fully understand the concept of Zodiac signs, or Rashi, we need to explore the science of astronomy. That means the structure of the solar system, and how ancient sages relates the same with the astrological system.

1. Astronomy: The Basic Science Behind Celestial Movements

The universe is made up of countless celestial bodies, including stars, planets, moons, and other objects. Each of these bodies moves in space according to certain principles.

  • Rotation and Revolution: Every planet and star has its own axis of rotation, meaning it spins on its own axis. Earth, for example, rotates on its axis from west to east, which gives us the cycle of day and night. It takes about 24 hours for Earth to complete one full rotation (360°). It makes the sky appear as though it is revolving around Earth from East to West, even though it is Earth itself that is rotating.
  • Orbital Movement: In addition to rotating on their axis, most celestial bodies revolve around a larger body. For example, Earth revolves around the Sun in an elliptical orbit, completing one full revolution in 365.25 days.

2. The 360° Division of the Sky

  • Impact of Rotation of Earth on its Own axis on Astrology: Now we have an understanding that because of Earth rotation on its own axis entire sky seems to revolve around Earth. Ancient sages, based on their observations of the sky, divided this 360° path into 12 equal parts. Each part spanning 30° (360° ÷ 12 = 30° per segment). Each of these 30° segments corresponds to a Rashi or zodiac sign. The division was based on the Sun’s apparent movement through the sky and its position relative to the stars.
  • Impact of Orbital movement on Astrology: The apparent path that the Sun appears to follow in the sky over the course of a year is called the ecliptic. This path forms a circle around Earth, and if we divide the circle into 360° (like a clock). it represents the Sun’s yearly journey through the sky. This path is key to understanding the movement of the Sun and other celestial bodies from Earth’s perspective. Likewise other planets i.e. Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn, Rahu and Ketu apparently seems to follow the same path. During this path they all the Zodiacs time by time based on their time of one revolution.

3. The Zodiac Signs (Rashis) and Their Division

  • Division: Within each 30° segment of the ecliptic, there are groups of stars that form shapes or patterns. The names of the zodiac signs come from these divisions, and the shapes in the sky gave rise to the names of the Rashis.
  • The 12 Zodiac Signs : The 12 Rashis correspond to specific constellations that fall within each 30° segment of the sky. Each Rashi is named after the constellation that dominates that segment. For example:

Each of these divisions was observed by the sages as forming recognizable shapes or patterns in the sky. These shapes were then given names, and the movement of celestial bodies through these segments became the basis for astrological interpretation.

4. Role of the Sages and Astrological Interpretation

  • Sages’ Observations: The ancient sages, or Rishis, who observed these celestial bodies and patterns, connected the stars and planets with human characteristics and events on Earth. They used these patterns to develop a system that would allow them to predict future events, guide individuals, and understand the influence of celestial bodies on life on Earth. This system, called Jyotish Vidya (Vedic astrology), became an integral part of Indian culture.
  • Symbolism of Rashis: Each Rashi is not just a simple division of the sky but represents a set of symbolic meanings. Sages were having observations that the stars in each segment are having influence in human traits, behavior, and destiny. For example, people having birth under the sign of Aries (Mesh) exhibits the traits associated with leadership and initiative, as Ram (Bhed) symbolizes Aries sign hence the person will have boldness and energy.

5. Celestial Motion and the Influence on Astrology

  • Planetary Movements: In astrology, the movement of planets through these Rashis is of primary importance. When a planet enters a new Rashi, it influences the characteristics and life events of individuals where that Rashi is having association. The position of planets relative to each other and the position of 12 Rashis at the time of one’s birth is the most important factor in astrology to create a natal chart, or kundli, which reflects one’s potential life path, personality traits, and future as per Vedic astrology.
  • Precession of the Equinoxes: It’s important to note that due to the precession of the Earth’s axis (the slow wobble in Earth’s rotation), the positions of the stars have shifted over thousands of years. This means the positions of the Rashis in the sky today are slightly different from when the system was first established. As a result, the zodiac used in Western astrology (tropical zodiac) is slightly different from the zodiac used in Vedic astrology (sidereal zodiac).