Astrologers will make money from April 8’s total solar eclipse—but they may end the day wondering what to believe.
After presumably confusing astronomy and astrology, and then being forced to run with it, marketing majors are this month busily sending press releases to journalists with refrains like “the stars are aligned” while detailing eclipse-viewing events on April 8. Some promise tarot card readers and tooth gem vendors, others the chance to “embrace changes and new beginnings” during “immersive astrological experiences.”
However, Western astrologers could be in for a nasty shock on April 8 when the sun appears in the “wrong” sign of the zodiac.
Astrologically Significant?
Despite simply little more than a line-of-sight phenomenon, solar eclipses are, apparently, astrologically significant—and this one certainly will be to any believer in astrology who actually looks at the sky and the stars during totality.
Astrologers and everyone else within the path of totality—the 115-mile-wide shadow of the moon sweeping across parts of 15 U.S. states on April 8, will experience darkness in the day and see a totally eclipsed sun. For up to 4 minutes and 26 seconds, stars will be visible.
But from a believer in astrology’s point of view, they will be the wrong stars.
NOTE: This article only applies to those that are in the path of totality. If you’re not within the path of totality (which you can check on this interactive map, this eclipse simulator and in this eclipse look-up then you’ll see just a partial solar eclipse, which requires solar safety glasses at all times and is not rare or unusual.
Stars During Totality
Any earnest belief in star/birth signs and horoscopes cannot survive seeing the actual sky during totality on April 8. In Western astrology, astrological signs consist of 12 constellations, each 30 degrees. All star signs are signs of the zodiac—constellations on the ecliptic, a line in the sky that the sun appears to follow. Where the sun was when you were born is your star sign. If you were born on April 8, you’re an Aries. According to Western astrology, everyone born between March 21 and April 19 is an Aries.
Look at the stars during totality on April 8, and you’ll see that the sun will be not in Aries but in Pisces. It’s supposed that if you’re born between February 19 and March 20, you’re a Pisces, but the sun is within that constellation’s boundaries between March 11 and April 18. Western astrology is mainly about convenience, not accuracy, but a month out? It mostly means that people are not the star sign they think they are—they’re the one that comes before.
Western astrology no longer relates to what’s happening in the sky, which is odd given that it concerns the relationships between constellations, stars and planets. Still, there’s a fascinating astronomical reason for that—precession.
Earth’s Precession Explained
There’s no need to get too judgemental about astrology. It is, after all, at the root of modern astronomy, albeit centuries ago. The Babylonians, living 2,500 years ago in Iraq and Syria, first divided the sky into the zodiac. Since then, Earth has precessed. Precession is a natural process lasting 25,800 years that sees Earth wobble on its axis—rather like a spinning top—because of the moon’s gravitational influence. The result is that the “North Star” and the equinox points constantly change. In short, the apparent positions of the stars have shifted west.
Here’s a list of the star signs—the signs of the zodiac—with their traditional dates in Western astrology and the actual dates that the sun is within their boundaries each year:
Pisces
Traditional: February 19–March 20
Actual: March 11–April 18
Aries
Traditional: March 21–April 19
Actual: April 18–May 13
Taurus
Traditional: April 20–May 20
Actual: May 13–June 21
Gemini
Traditional: May 21–June 20
Actual: June 21–July 20
Cancer
Traditional: June 21–July 22
Actual: July 20–August 10
Leo
Traditional: July 23–August 22
Actual: August 10–September 16
Virgo
Traditional: August 23–September 22
Actual: September 16–October 30
Libra
Traditional: September 23–October 22
Actual: October 30–November 23
Scorpio
Traditional: October 23–November 21
Actual: November 23–November 29
Ophiuchus
Traditional: doesn’t exist!
Actual: November 29–December 17
Sagittarius
Traditional: November 22–December 21
Actual: December 17–January 20
Capricorn
Traditional: December 22-January 19
Actual: January 20–February 16
Aquarius
Traditional: January 20-February 18
Actual: February 16–March 11
For the latest on all aspects of April 8’s total solar eclipse in North America, check my main feed for new articles each day.
Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.
