I studied psychology for four years while in college. Whenever I would meet someone new and we'd discussed school, the conversation would go something like this:
Them: So what’s your major?
Me: I’m majoring in Psychology
Them: Oh (chuckle chuckle) so you can read my mind? What am I thinking??
Me: …..
Now that I’ve made the switch over to astrophysics the conversation is slightly different.
Them: So what do you study?
Me: I’m really interested in astronomy
Them: Oh for real?? (chuckle chuckle) Tell me about my sign.
Me: …..
Now don’t get me wrong, I love reading up on characteristics of astronomical signs. Usually if I meet a new person I ask when their birthday is so I can guess their sign. It’s a game I enjoy playing. But I never realized how many people use the words “astronomy” and “astrology” so interchangeably! Or even if they do know the difference, it’s quite common to have a slip of the tongue and say astrology when you really mean astronomy. But instead of being annoyed and walking away (JK I’ve never done that), I’ve decided to educate! SO here it is. A crash course on
Astronomy vs Astrology:
Astronomy (as·tron·o·my)- a branch of science that focuses on celestial objects, space, and the physical universe as a whole. The field is broken into two parts: observational and theoretical. As an observational astronomer, you focus on observing celestial objects (such as the moon, starts, and other planets) and recording that data. As theoretical astronomer you are sometimes focusing on things that you can not see, so you use analytical models of physics to describe and predict celestial phenomenon.
Astronomy is considered one of the most ancient natural sciences. We have recorded observations from ancient Babylon, Greece, China, Italy, India and Egypt dating back to 2200 B.C. Hans Lipprshey invented the telescope in 1608 and Galileo was the first to point it to the sky and revolutionized the way we see our universe today. Hundreds of years later, there are still astronomers dedicated to understanding the origins of where we come from and what else is out there to see!
Twin Jet Nebula (discovered thanks to the hard work of Astronomers)
Astrology (as·trol·o·gy)- the study of movements and relative positions of celestial bodies interpreted as having an influence on human affairs and the natural world.
The concept was first derived in ancient Egypt, and then later adapted by the Babylonians. It is believed that depending on the constellation (zodiac) you are born into, you are born with certain characteristics. For example, I was born on July 3rd under the constellation Cancer (the crab). I’m technically moody, sensitive, and emotional. -_-
The Zodiacs are broken down into four subcategories:
Earth signs: Capricorn, Taurus, Virgo
Water signs: Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces
Fire signs: Aries, Leo, Sagittarius
Air signs: Libra, Aquarius, Gemini
Each sign is ruled by a planet. Horoscopes are written to make predictions about events in your life depending on where your ruling planet is positioned in the sky.
Now, is any of this real?? That's debatable. Astrology is considered a pseudoscience, meaning it can't be scientifically tested and it solely relies on confirmation bias. NASA recently reported a 13th sign that had been left out over 3,000 years ago! The constellation Orphiucus resided in the month Nov. 29th - Dec. 17th. This omitted zodiac, causes a shift in the rest of the chart...technically I'm supposed to be a Gemini! If you're curious about what your new sign is check it out here.
