We recently did a radio interview with Amy Baumann of the K-LOVE and Air One Christian radio networks.  Amy tells me that a 45 second version of this interview will air during news spots on Friday, October 6.  Also, a longer podcast will be available on the web sites for these networks (linked above).  Hope you all can catch that interview. 

 

One the basic field activities of our Signs & Seasons homeschool curriculum is to have our homeschoolers create a "backyard compass" that will help them find direction during the day or night to help in making astronomical observations.  We ran a pic recently at the Classical Astronomy Blog showing the shadow of my son Happy inside our backyard compass on the summer solstice.  We've now added another pic that shows Happy's shadow on the autumnal equinox.  We hope this will illusrate how Signs & Seasons and the field activities can help our homescholars to become observers of sky. 

 

 

 

 

We always hear that astronomy is the most ancient science.  Indeed, the legitimate study of the stars had been practiced for centuries before the modern notion of "science" even existed.  In ancient times, there was not a scientific method in the modern sense of the word.  It was very common for ancient philosophers to carefully observe the natural world and yet make strange connections between reality and imagination.  Indeed, modern science is the product of a long struggle to sort out fact from fancy as they had been mingled for centuries.  Modern science represents the fruit of the labors of many Christian scientific workers of the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries, who sought to discover a rational order in the work of a rational Creator, to "think God's thoughts after Him." 

 

However, the fact remains that useful, practical Classical Astronomy passed through the ancient and medieval periods, centuries in which science was intertwined with folklore and superstition.  We can't blame these pre-industrial cultures for their ignorance.  Unlike us in the modern era, they did not have the luxury of modern science to help them understand the natural laws of the physical world.  They groped around trying to make sense of their world to the best of their ability.  During these centuries, the lines were often blurry between the legitimate science of astronomy and the divination from the stars known today as astrology. 

 

The Differences Between Astronomy and Astrology 
Basically, Classical Astronomy observes the positions of stars and the motions of the Sun, Moon, stars and planets.  The changes in these celestial bodies are used to predict their positions over a period of time.  For example, by studying the motions of the Sun and Moon, the upcoming times of the Full Moon or the longest day of the year can be predicted.  Similarly, by observing the motions of bright planets like Jupiter or Venus, astronomers can predict when they will be visible in the morning or evening skies.  The positions of these celestial bodies can be made into tables to predict these motions years in advance.

Meanwhile, the system of astrology is based on the assumption that there is some meaning to the positions of these celestial bodies.  For example, the passage of the bright planet Jupiter through a certain constellation is held to mean something good or bad.  When it lines up with the Moon or another planet, it means something else altogether different.  However, the fact is the motions of the planets don't mean anything at all.  These events are simply the result of the celestial bodies following their orbital paths as ordained by the LORD at their creation.  Contrary to the silly associations of astrology, nothing in the real world changes as the planets follow their cycles across the sky.
 

An interesting comparison between astronomy and astrology can be found in a book written by the great astronomer Tycho Brahe describing the appearance of a new star in the constellation Cassiopeia in A.D. 1572.  In the first part of this book, Tycho gives a very clear and careful astronomical description of this "nova," documenting his observations of the position and the brightness of this celestial event.  It's very good science in the true spirit of Classical Astronomy.  However, in the second part, Tycho tells the reader what this nova means, and what portents can be deduced from the appearance of a new star in this part of the sky.  In this way, we see Tycho as a man on the cusp of the medieval and modern worlds - at once both scientist and astrologer.

The Terminology of the Heavens 
One part of the mystique of astrology is its use of strange, archaic words.  Some of these words are more familiar, such as zodiac, signs, horoscope, aspects, and houses.  There are also some other strange words associated with Classical Astronomy, such as ecliptic, equinox, solstice, zenith, and colure.  But these terms only appear strange and mystical because they are only found in connection with the stars, and are not encountered in other areas of life.  Other astronomy terms such as horizon and meridian don't seem as strange since they come up in other contexts.  

To appreciate the differences, we need to keep in mind that one of the many deceptions of the false science of astrology is that it is a thief that steals terminology and related concepts from the legitimate study of the sky.  All of the aforementioned words actually belong to Classcial Astronomy, though many are better known today for being associated with astrology.   Some of these words are old-fashioned and no longer used today by astronomers.  As we encounter this terminology, we need to learn to discern what the words actually do mean in legitimate astronomy and distinguish that from how these words are corrupted by their association with the superstition of astrology.

 

ZODIAC
The word zodiac represents a fundamental element of Classical Astronomy.  This word simply refers to the band of constellations that lie along the plane of the solar system.  Imagine a standard scene of the solar system shown in any astronomy book, with the planets circling the Sun in their orbits.  The zodiac stars are simply the constellations that lie along the same line of sight with the solar system bodies.  The Sun, Moon and planets can always be seen at some position among the constellations of the zodiac. 

Though this word is closely associated with astrology, it's a very important part of God's celestial order.  Unlike other circles in the sky, the zodiac circle appears "tilted" as compared to the celestial equator and poles.  As the Sun appears to move through the zodiac, it travels north and then south.  This results in the days growing longer and shorter over the annual span of the seasons.  This is a plainly obvious fact of daily life in God's creation and has nothing at all to do with pagan mysticism.  The zodiac is the LORD's plan for the changing seasons, which He called called good upon completing the work of the fourth day.

The word "zodiac" is derived from the Greek word zoe, which means "life."  Most of the zodiac constellations represent living creatures - human figures and animals - God's created things.  The ancient Greeks envisioned a celestial "zoo" through which the Sun, Moon, and planets moved.

This foresaid heavenish Zodiak is called the Circle of the Signs, or the Circle of the Beasts, for zodia in the language of Greek soundeth like "beasts" in the Latin tongue.  - Geoffrey Chaucer (circa A.D. 1400)

 
The word zoe turns up many times in the New Testament:

 

 
Though the actual word "zodiac" is not found in the Bible, it is generally understood that the Old Testament word Mazzaroth is the Hebrew equivalent.  The use of this word in Job refers to the passing of the seasons, which results from the Sun's movement along the zodiac stars:

 
Canst thou bring forth Mazzaroth in his season? or canst thou guide Arcturus with his sons? - Job 38:32

The zodiac stars don't have any astrological meaning any more than the Sun, Moon, or planets themselves.  However, the word "zodiac" and the names of the particular zodiac constellations are so intertwined with astrology in the popular mind that the word is closely associated with pagan mysticism.  Nonetheless, we need to keep in mind that a name doesn't mean much by itself, and the zodiac constellations are simply traditional arrangements of stars in the sky observed to be part of God's creation and proclaimed by the LORD to be good:    

But by whatever fashion of superstition these are named by men, they are nevertheless stars, which God made at the beginning of the universe and ordained to mark the seasons with regular motion.  - Isidore of Seville (circa A.D. 600) 

 

SIGNS
The zodiac constellations form a circle around the starry sky.  However, these constellations are not all the same size.  Some constellations are larger than others and some are smaller.  Also, some constellations may be large but only cross a portion of the Sun's path.  For example, the Scorpion and the Lion are very large constellations, but only tiny portions of them cross the Sun's path.  On the other hand, other zodiac constellations are smaller but cover a larger section of the Sun's path. 

 

In ancient times, in order to have equal measurements of the motions of the Sun, Moon, and planets, it was convenient to divide the zodiac into twelve equal sections, and these sections were called "signs."  So a "zodiac sign" simply refers to 1/12 of the entire circle.  In another meaning, a "sign" is simply the picture supposedly formed by the constellation.  Either way, the concept of a "sign" is to simplify making observations of the starry sky.

 

However, in hippie liberal New Age astrology, a person's "sign" supposedly signifies the portion of the zodiac that the Sun would have been in at the time they were born.  As we saw above, that doesn't mean anything at all.  However, the useless system of astrology is even less scientific than that.  These "signs" arbitrarily represent parts of the sky as they appeared 2000 years ago and do not represent them as they are today.  For example, the astrological "sign of Cancer" signifies a part of the sky in which the actual constellation Gemini is now found today!  Naturally, this fact is lost on most astrology enthusiasts, who typically know very little about science or God's creation.

 

While fashionable with astrologers, the term "sign" is very old-fashioned today and is no longer used in astronomy.  Instead, astronomers nowadays use a system called "celestial longitude" for finding positions on the zodiac in which the circle is divided into 360 degrees.  Only astrologers today still speak of "signs." 

 

Down through history, mystical types have tried to justify astrology from Genesis 1:14, where it states that the Sun and Moon were created for "signs and seasons, days and years."  But even in the early church, it was understood that the "signs" referred to in Scripture refer to the visible indications of the passing seasons and other useful elements of the sky, not fatalism from the stars.

 
But those who overstep the borders, making the words of Scripture their apology for the art of casting nativities, pretend that our lives depend upon the motion of the heavenly bodies, and that thus the Chaldeans read in the planets that which will happen to us.  By these simple words "let them be for signs," they understand neither the variations of the weather, nor the change of the seasons; they only see in them, at the will of their imagination, the distribution of human destinies. -  Basil of Caesarea (circa A.D. 360) 

HOROSCOPE 
The spooky-sounding word horoscope is very out-of-date and no longer used in astronomy.  However, this word very simply refers to a chart that shows a "snapshot" of the positions of the Sun, Moon, planets, and constellations in the sky at a particular date and time.  The word comes of the Greek words horos and scopos, which literally mean "hour watch," which is essentially what is represented by this chart.

 

A simple type of horoscope chart used for astronomical purposes to show the position in the sky of the comet of 1619.

When hippie-dippie New Agers speak about "their" horoscope, they're usually referring to a chart signifying the positions of the planets at the time of their birth.  Again, all this is taken to mean something, but there's simply no reason scientifically or spiritually to justify this false claim. 

 

The idea of a daily "newspaper horoscope" is a totally erroneous use of the word.  These daily prognostications have nothing to do with a chart showing the positions of the planets at a certain hour.  In fact they mean nothing at all.  They assume that there are only twelve types of people and that people of each type will all have the same things happen to them in a day.  This is found by experience and common sense to be total nonsense, like "fortune cookies."

 

An actual horoscope chart shows the horizon and the meridian and indicates where the celestial bodies would be in the sky at that time, even if it is during daylight and they cannot be seen.  Astrologers make a big deal out the constellations currently rising, setting and reaching the meridian.  They also make a big deal out of aspects, which are simply the geometrical angles formed between various planets, as though these angles have some significance.  These geometrical lines looks strange and sophisticated and add to the mystique of this superstition.

 

Horoscopes also refer to houses which are occupied by planets at any given moment.  Astrological houses simply refer to portions of the sky representing position above the horizon, such as when the Sun rises or sets or when it reaches noon, and any points in between, such as the "10:00 AM" part of the sky.  Many people remember hearing this term from the airheaded 60s hippie song "Aquarius" which refers to "when the Moon is in the seventh house."  The seventh house is simply the part of the western sky where the Sun, Moon, and stars are seen before setting, which these celestial bodies do every single day.  There's nothing very mysterious about this either. 

 

GLYPHS
Horoscopes also include "glyphs" which are spooky-looking symbols that represent the Sun, Moon, planets, and zodiac constellations.  Other glyphs are used to indicate various alignments or positions of various planets and constellations.  New Agers love these glyphs because they have a strange, occultic appearance that gives people the creeps and make their silly superstition appear to be even more mystical, sophisticated, and meaningful. 

 

The fact is these glyphs are simply a "shorthand" traditionally used in almanacks to conserve the limited space on a page.  Why write the words "Moon" and "Jupiter" over and over when a simple one-character symbol can do the job?  While these glyphs certainly do appear strange, they were actually developed in the nominally Christian culture of the Byzantine Empire during the early middle ages.  The glyphs made their way into astrology and mysticism as a part of the neo-pagan revival in the Renaissance.  A great number of other glyphs were created during the Renaissance for mystical and occultic purposes, such as in the pseudoscience of alchemy.  Mystical types from Freemasons to wiccans like to use glyphs with geometrical symbols to signify various mumbo-jumbo. 

 

Glyphs used as an astronomical shorthand,, from Danforth's Cambridge Almanack, published at Harvard in 1647

Nonetheless, the original use of the glyphs as a purely astronomical shorthand has always been a common feature of astronomical almanacks throughout history.  They were used in the Harvard Almanacks from Puritan Massachusetts.  As we've seen in previous Updates, the 17th century Puritans were fiercely opposed to paganism and astrology and strictly devoted to the Scriptures.  Yet they did not view these glyphs as mystical sysmbols and thus had no problem with using them as a convenient way to indicate calendar-worthy astronomical events such oppositions and conjunctions.  The glyphs are still used today in The Old Farmer's Almanac and other such publications.  They are also standard symbols used in modern astronomy, and have been adopted by the International Astronomical Union.