Horoscope fans all over the world are dealing with an identity crisis. Recent allegations that a person’s horoscope sign may not be theirs at all is leading many to question their romantic compatibility with other signs and ask, what does love really have to do with it?
Professor Parke Kunkle, an astronomer at Minneapolis Community and Technical College, sent lovers into a whirlwind when he announced to NBC that, “The signs you are born into now, are different than they were long ago.”
Kunkle argues that the earth has wobbled on its axis since the zodiac signs were arranged, making them inaccurate compared to the sky today. Although he is correct, his suggestion to reform astrology in terms of astronomical calculations sparks great debate.
The controversy began when Kunkle introduced a new sign, Ophiucus, that sits between Scorpio and Saggitarius.
Using Kunkle’s system, a Gemini is no longer a Gemini, but a Taurus. With Ophiucus in place, all signs move back one month.
Maggie Coshnear, 18, a former Scorpio and new Libra, doesn’t follow astrology seriously, but says, “I would still be bummed because Scorpio is a rad astrological sign, and it fits me well.”
Some astrologers believe that Kunkle is overstepping his boundaries as an astronomer by trying to reform their discipline that has existed longer than astronomy itself.
“The astronomer got two things wrong; there are two types of zodiacs that we use: the tropical zodiac and sidereal zodiac. They both have 12 signs each,” says professional astrologer Rio Olesky.
Tropical astrology is the common practice in the west, whereas Sidereal is practiced in Hindu astrology. Tropical astrology fixes signs based on the seasons, which depends on our position to the sun. The Sidereal Zodiac organizes its signs based on the fixed stars. For this reason, not all the signs align with their corresponding constellation. The difference between the two types is 25.5 days. For example, Aries starts Mar. 21 in the Tropical zodiac and on April 15 for Sidereal.
Olesky, founder of www.starwatcher.com, has been practicing astrology since 1967, has been featured on television and offers a six-week course on astrology through Community Education in Santa Rosa. He is outraged that Kunkle received such publicity last month.
“The idea that there are 13 or 14 signs is an idea that no astrologer agrees with,” Olesky says.
The sun passes in front of 13 constellations throughout the year: Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Ophiucus, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces. However, in astrology all signs are constellations, for example Scorpio, but not all constellations are signs.
The cosmic disturbances caused by Kunkle’s remarks have even inspired people of different professions to side with astrologers.
Fenwick Rysen, a chaos magician says, “The supreme irony is that the astronomers who bring the issue up owe the foundation of their very science to the work of early astrology.”
From an astrological point of view there is no need for people to reinvent themselves or remove that embarrassing horoscope tattoo from their body. Lovers may rest easy this Valentine season and can keep counting their lucky stars.
