What’s your Zodiac sign? Ophiuchus?

GlobalPost
Updated on
The World

Zodiac signs are now all the buzz. At least one astronomer claims that individuals' astrological signs may be different than previously thought because of changes in the Earth's alignment.

Astronomer Parke Kunkle told NBC that the position of the Earth in relation to the Sun has changed from 3,000 years ago, when astrological studies began and Zodiac signs were allocated. Star doctors now say that one's Zodiac sign must be reconfigured given the change in the Earth's location.

"Because of this change of tilt, the Earth is really over here in effect and Sun is in a different constellation than it was 3,000 years ago," Kunkle, who is also a board member of the Minnesota Planetarium Society, told NBC.

The changes mean people's signs may be off by about a month (check below for your — possibly — new sign).

Plus, while there have traditionally been 12 Zodiac signs, there may now be a thirteenth: Ophiuchus.

"The tilt of the Earth's axis has gradually shifted since the ancient times when the Babylonians determined the dates of the Zodiac. The calendrical rejiggering also supposedly re-introduced a sign discarded by the Babylonians: Ophiuchus, alternatively called the much-cooler sounding Serpentarius," according to ABC News.

Don't worry, if you are an Ophiuchus, you aren't alone. LIFE.com has put together a list of celebrities who now might call themselves Ophiuchus.

The Zodiac news has caused panic among believers and has  dominated Google. It has also caused a stir on social media sites. Searches related to this topic currently fill six of the top 10 spots on "Hot Topics" and 13 of the top 20 spots on "Hot Searches" in the United States.

The news has also been controversial with one astrologer calling it "ridiculous."

"We've known about this for ages. The constellations don't suggest what's coming up, it's the planets! The constellations are a measuring device," popular astrologer Susan Miller told ABC News.

"In ancient days there were, like, 50 constellations. Then they finally got together and agreed on 18. Then they narrowed it down … I'm getting so many tweets. Trying to explain something technical in 140 characters is hard!"

Here is the possible new chart, taking the changes into consideration:

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

Check out the HuffPost's tongue-in-cheek slideshow on how this could affect you. Slide number 3: "Based on your dutiful reading of your horoscope, you have come to understand that you are a beacon of creativity, leadership or wisdom. Not anymore. You may instead possess qualities of thoughtfulness, intelligence or insight. Make drastic changes in your life to reflect this."

Do you think your Zodiac sign is (or was?) an accurate way of describing your personality? Does any of this matter? The jury's out at GlobalPost. Tell us your take in the comments section below.

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