A (mostly) polite discourse between astrologers and scientists has been going on since astronomy and astrology parted company during the Renaissance, and continues even in the enlightened year of 2011. Why? Because there are so many people who are interested in astrology, and at least as many scientists who can't figure out why this mass of minds believes in its viability.

It's true that astrology defies scientific explanation, and so even the most confirmed astrology faithful find the premise of Robert Roy Britt's "Strange News" article on LiveScience to be extremely thought-provoking. The article speaks to the discrepancy between the signs of the zodiac and the actual positions of the stars that form the constellations in the sky.

The Stars, Then and Now
Specifically, as LiveScience argues, through the phenomenon of "precession," the earth and the Sun move in such a way that the dates they pass through the constellations no longer coincide with the dates that are set up on our calendars. Mr. Britt provides a table of alternative time periods for each sign, accounting for these differences. In other words, while you may be an Aries on the calendar, in this millennium, those stars in the sky don't necessarily align with that sign.

It might be surprising to hear from an astrologer who isn't going to argue with this scientific observation. In fact, what Mr. Britt says about precession and the lack of correlation of dates and constellations is absolutely true! There are branches of astrology (notably Vedic, or Indian astrology) that take precession into account in their calculations. Western astrologers are aware of these differences, yet they don't let it change the way they read a person's astrology profile.

Why? Simple. Western astrologers operate on what's called a Tropical Zodiac, which is based far more on the earth's interaction with the Sun than it is with the solar system's actual position in the zodiac. Under this system, the signs correlate to times of year, and the personality attributes and behavior that are assigned to them depict activities which are aligned with seasonal activities.

For example, the first thirty days or so of spring are assigned to Aries, the fiery energy that encourages the seed to burst forth from under the earth and on the onset of spring. Meanwhile, practical-minded Capricorns are born the first month after the Winter Solstice, when the Sun adjusts itself to tilt so that the Northern Hemisphere is closer to it, bringing light and activity to once-dormant areas.

What It Means For You
At one time, the days of the year attributed to the zodiac signs did correlate with the period the Sun spent in the constellations that they represent, but because of precession, they no longer line up exactly. Still, the symbolic nature of astrology continues to work as it always did, and that's why most people do relate to the signs under which they were born, just as they're printed in your horoscope.

If you don't always feel as though you're being rightly represented by your sign, there are lots of other possible reasons. Whether you think astrology is a serious science or complete poppycock, it is a very complex field of study that takes a vast number of factors into consideration. The Sun Sign you use to read horoscopes merely takes into account the position of that shiny center of our solar system at the time of your birth. This is very important, of course, but it's also simplistic. Using all the planets, and all of the interactions they make, astrologers have a formidable toolbox with which to create a profile a client's personality.

Just for starters, Mercury and Venus always travel close to the Sun, but they may be one or two signs away, making that too-forceful-to-be-a-"real"-Pisces person you know more Aries-like because his or her Venus is in the sign of the impulsive Ram. Or, you might act like the emotional and maternal Cancer you are, yet think and flirt like a linguistic acrobat because Mercury was in nimble Gemini when you were born.

The Moon has the potential to be a powerful force in shaping the personality, too. Its position can be in any one of the twelve signs in the course of the month, whereas the Sun is in just one of them. Therefore, the shy and quiet Scorpio you know could seem to be a real live life of the party because she or he has the Moon in Sagittarius or Leo. Or, while you're just as reserved in your personal tastes as any other Capricorn, you might be unexpectedly emotionally effusive because the Moon was in Pisces at the moment of your birth.

Your Secret Sign
Finally, there's your Ascendant. This is the degree that was on the horizon at the moment you were born. You need to know your birth time to get this calculated, but once you do, you'll find out which of the signs is most responsible for the formation of your outward personality and they way you interact with others. It's a mask you can wear to protect yourself from revealing who you really are.

That's how the staid, steady and often-anxious Taurus can come off being more detached and diplomatic, if he or she has a cooler sign such as Libra as an Ascendant. Or, the reason why you come off as being totally self-assured could be that you have Leo as an Ascendant, even though you're actually a rather submissive and service-oriented Virgo.

If you're curious about what all these factors might be in terms of your astrology profile, you can cast your chart on line, get some rather insightful reports from tarot.com, or consult a professional astrologer.

Astrology is based on way more than a simple, 12-part cookie-cutter personality system! The wonder of astrology is that it allows for such a variety of combinations of energies, and it accounts for the way we can all be similar, yet as individually distinct and intricate as snowflakes. If suspending your disbelief to believe is too much of a problem, then you might not agree. Still, if you do think there's a possibility that the map of the universe made an imprint on you at your birth that was strong enough to form your basic personality and tendencies, keep on reading those horoscopes!


Judi Vitale is an accomplished astrologer and the author of the new book "Lovecasts: The Astrological Guide to Lasting Love," in which she determines the compatibility of each and every sign. Her masterful knowledge of astrology means she can also give guidance and wisdom in the form of personal readings. Learn more at lovecasts.com.