The signs of the zodiac were created by the ancient Babylonians, who believed that whatever constellation the sun was "in" when you were born helped shape who you are. But a "wobble" in the Earth's rotation means that the sun's placement in, say, late December is no longer where it was when the Babylonians created the system.
"When [astrologers] say that the sun is in Pisces, it's really not in Pisces," Parke Kunkle of the Minnesota Planetarium Society told the Minneapolis Star Tribune.
Even more shocking: Kunkle and his colleagues say there should be a 13th sign, Ophiuchus. That's the constellation the sun is in from Nov. 29 to Dec. 17. Apparently, the Babylonians skipped Ophiuchus because they wanted there to be only 12 signs.
Astronomers have been saying for years that the zodiac signs in wide use don't really reflect the heavens above. But the new announcement has shocked some people who closely identify with their astrological signs -- even if they don't always believe what newspaper horoscopes say.
On Twitter, a lot of folks who strongly identified with their zodiac signs are experiencing identity crises. ( aolnews.com )
Wait why did the zodiac signs change? I don't want to be a Pisces...
How did I not know the zodiac signs changed? My life has been turned upside down, I'm an Aquarius now.. WEIRD.
Perhaps the most far-reaching ramifications for this change are for people who have tattoos of their astrological signs.
Just found out that the zodiac signs have changed. Am I supposed to get my tattoo covered? Thanks a lot @KaneShow
I feel sorry for the ppl w/ their zodiac signs tatted on em!
The Zodiac signs have shifted? http://is.gd/Q9JpXU My wife won't be pleased. Her scorpion tatoo is no longer accurate, she is not a Scorpio.
Others who roll their eyes at the whole astrology thing are reacting with sarcasm and humor.
Thanks to gravity zodiac signs have changed. My life is now explained as I've been reading the wrong horoscope for years http://j.mp/gsPOVf
Apparently the dates corresponding to zodiac signs have changes. Which really only means that I'm a whole new kind of crazy.
Why don't we all just make up our own zodiac signs? Mine is Delicate Snowflake Ninjasaurus (July 17 - July 23).
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