Since ancient times, humans have been fascinated by the stars … studying them, navigating by them, and even shaping their lives according to their movements. All was well until this fascination split into two paths: astronomy, the science of celestial bodies, and her older mystical sister, astrology.
Many people dismiss astrology as nonsense, saying that fiery planets cannot decide our moods. Yet, some of these same skeptics accept that the moon controls the tides. The sea comes forward, pulls back, rises, and falls … all guided by the moon. But if the human body is made of about 70% water, why is it so hard to believe that the moon might influence us too?
Letโs begin our fascinating journey into the science … and mystery … behind astrology, exploring why it can and cannot be true.
The Earth and the Stars
Everyone knows their zodiac sign, but not everyone understands how itโs determined. Imagine the Sun at the center of our solar system, surrounded by its planets … Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. The Sun itself doesnโt move, but beyond the planets, there are millions of stars that form constellations … the most famous being those of the 12 zodiac signs.
Think of these constellations as forming a great circle around the solar system, with the Sun in the middle. As the Earth orbits the Sun, it appears … from our point of view … to pass through each constellation during a specific period of the year. For example, from June 22 to July 21, the Earth is aligned with Cancer, then moves on to Leo, and so on.
So, if you were born while the Sun was in a particular constellation, you are said to belong to that sun sign.
The Moon and Her Influence
The Moon isnโt a planet … sheโs Earthโs only natural satellite … but her influence is undeniable. In astrology, the Moon represents our emotions. It kind of makes sense, right? The Moon controls the tides, and our emotions can ebb and flow just like the sea. (Okay, I might be kiddingโฆ just a little.)
Scientifically, the Moon exerts a gravitational pull on Earth. Itโs weaker than Earthโs own gravity, of course, but strong enough to move water. Liquids are easily disturbed by external forces โ thatโs why we have tides. So, what stops us from wondering if the water inside our bodies also experiences subtle shifts under the Moonโs pull?
In ancient times, people believed the Moon held healing powers, and many rituals were performed under her light.
The Planets and the Human Spirit
Just like the Moon, each planet has its own symbolic domain in astrology โ Mercury rules communication, Venus governs love and beauty, Mars influences drive and passion, and so on.
Skeptics may laugh at the idea, but what if these ancient beliefs werenโt entirely wrong? Some theories suggest the connection might go deeper than the moment of birth โ perhaps even to the chemical environment in the womb at the time of conception, subtly influenced by planetary radiation or gravitational fields.
Does it make sense? Iโm not sureโฆ but isnโt it fascinating to wonder?
