Those who follow astrology do so for clear cut reasons. Astrology offers answers to life’s most trivial and meaningful questions. It proposes to answer the “whys” that many have when challenged by circumstances out of their control. Astrology connects people in an intimate way to their universe and “proves” that nothing happens by chance; that every facet of their lives is strategically mapped out and therefore many people find comfort in the fact that they don’t have to take responsibility for where they end up: because their entire life path has been predetermined for them. Whether or not this is true doesn’t matter. All that matters to those who follow astrology is that they can continue to reference the Zodiac with certainty and know what to expect. Most people struggle with change in general-take away something they depend on to explain their lives, challenges their belief system at its very core and an unhappy population emerges. The presence of Ophiuchus did just that.

What are the New Zodiac Signs

The Zodiac system used to be comprised of 12 signs: Aquarius, Capricorn, Scorpio, Cancer, Pisces, Sagittarius, Aries, Libra, Virgo, Taurus, Gemini and Leo. Although a daily horoscope appears to be simplistic in nature, in actuality it is a complex system involving different houses, coordinates, quaternaries, fixed and non-fixed, masculine and feminine. Once astrologers figure out all those components, people can just sit back and read whether they are hitting the lottery today or will find love in time for Valentine’s Day.

But what’s more important is every person’s belief that their astrological sign ties into the very essence of who they are; hence why it is still popular to ask someone, “What’s Your Sign?” Each sign is comprised of key personality traits that according to astrologists, largely influence who one is and who they will turn out to be. As human beings and individuals, knowing what makes us who we are is not only relevant, it is essential. So, adding Ophiuchus to the Zodiac is, to say the least, incomprehensible and irritating because now the entire Zodiac must shift to make room for one more.

What is Ophiuchus

Ophiuchus is an unwanted guest. Astronomers now believe that it falls between the Zodiac signs of Scorpio and Sagittarius and can be found near the Equator. The name Ophiuchus, like all the other astrological signs, depicts an animal. The name translates to “serpent bearer” in Greek Mythology and represents more than a few warriors from that time such as Lacoon, a Trojan warrior and priest who supposedly lost his life battling serpents while trying to save the people of Rhodes.

Hindus and some other groups follow a now unrecognizable Zodiac system than the Western culture and for those Westerner’s this is a problem. When you add another sign into the mix, it shifts all the other signs. So in the Hindu and other calendars, all the signs fall into different months; so take Capricorn for instance. In the old system Capricorns were those born between December 23^rd and January 20^th. If one is born between January 21^st and February 19^th, they are an Aquarius and so on. In the Hindu and new system all bets are off. Ophicuchus is now plopped into the chart and holds its spot from November 29^th to December 17^th; directly where Scorpio (October 24^th to November 22^nd) and Sagittarius (November 23^rd to December 22^nd) currently reside. And thus, all the other signs are bumped into another celestial region as well.