A 13th Sign or
On running more than one clock
By Catherine Kenward
www.astrologess.com

Recently there was much discussion about the discovery of a 13th sign. Actually astronomers have been aware of this 13th sign, Opiuchus, the Serpent Bearer, since the times of the ancient Greeks. The division of the ecliptic (the sun's yearly path across the sky) into twelve constellations is approximate at best. Some constellations are larger than others and they are not universal by any means. Different cultures recognize different constellations, different patterns in the multitudes of stars that decorate the night.

Essentially, the constellations are a visual aid, a convenience for marking the different parts of the sky. In reality, the signs are based on dividing the circle of the ecliptic into twelve 30 degree sections.

In a constantly changing universe, the calendar we use is based on the static relationship between the earth and the sun. Every year the equinoxes and solstices happen at the same time, within about a 24 hour period. Essentially, we are running a solar clock (the earth's relationship to the sun) that naturally divides the year into four quadrants and charts the equinoxes and solstices. That is what the division of the year into twelve signs is based on. It's a solar calendar and it doesn't change.

At the same time, there is the Moon's yearly cycle of 13 months, each 28 days long. You can mark these months off on a regular calendar and observe them also. The 13th month is marked by the "Blue Moon", that 13th Full Moon that occurs every year. This is where a 13th sign could be, almost asks to be, added.

There's a certain amount of variability with running a lunar calendar, in that the New Year is going to begin with up to a 28 day variation each year. For instance, the Chinese use a lunar calendar. They celebrate New Year at the New Moon in Aquarius each year. This can occur as early as Jan 21st or as late as Feb 18th. Sometimes you have that sneaky extra lunar month in there and you have two New Moons in Aquarius to chose from.

Then there is the 25,000 (approx) year precessional clock based on the wobble of the earth's axis.The constellations slowly slide past our (earth's) equinoxtial markers, putting a different constellation at these points every 2100+ years. The pole star also changes as the wobble in our rotation causes the earth's pole to point to different stars during this precessional cycle. Now the pole star is Polaris but during the time of the Eyptians, around 2700 BC, the north pole pointed to the star, Thuban.

So here are three clocks all running simultaneously, a solar, lunar and precessional clock. What bigger cycles are also in play that are still beyond our scope? Even the constellations change as the stars move. If you look at ancient Chinese astrology, going back thousands of years, some of the constellations have distorted as certain stars have moved. But in the midst of all this flux , our yearly circle around the sun stays the same, as does your sign. That's why its called your Sun Sign.