What would be the impact on fortune telling if Ophiuchus was declared to be the true 13th sign of the Zodiac? There are still astronomers who believe it should be recognized as such.
Although there are 88 constellations, only the twelve that line the ecliptic, which is the yearly path the sun takes over the celestial sphere, are deemed Zodiac. The paths of the moon and planets all fall within the ecliptic which means the sun, moon and planets are always in or passing through one of the Zodiac constellations.
As the earth spins on its axis, it wobbles much like a top. Every 26,000 years it makes a complete circle through the sky in a motion known as precession. As the axis moves through precession, the stars visible in the sky appear to shift and lo and behold, Ophiuchus has inched its way into the Zodiac ring. However, its position there is still not recognized as a true Zodiac and probably never will be. Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius and Pisces will undoubtedly stand as the 12 Zodiac houses.
Fortune telling would take a real turn of events if Ophiuchus ever did become the 13th true Zodiac sign. Though the 12 Zodiac signs are named to represent animals or myths, Ophiuchus is named for an actual person. In fact, Ophiuchus means “the Serpent bearer” and represents Asclepius, the ancient Greek and Roman God of healing. He frequently appeared in dreams of the sickly as a serpent. Our modern day doctors still swear the Hippocratic oath before Asclepius and his serpent-entwined staff is the common symbol for medicine. The addition of such a strong sign would surely make fortune telling more interesting and prosperous.
Ophiuchus has been described as an interpreter of dreams and premonitions. He attracts good luck and is a seeker of truth and harmony. Besides being a medical doctor, he is poetic, inventive and seeks wisdom. Interestingly, the number 12 holds special significance for him.
Yet, our astrological horoscopes remain based on a person’s date of birth, time of birth and the position of the sun, moon and planets in the Zodiac houses on that birth day. While it is believable that there could be a 13th sign, telling fortune would be a profession in turmoil if ever another Zodiac sign was added.
The addition of Ophiuchus as a 13th house would mean November 30 through December 17 no longer belonged to Scorpio and Sagittarius. The lives of Scorpions and Sagittarians would be thrown asunder. The fortune telling horoscopes in their morning paper would no longer seem reliable. They would have to seek new ways of telling fortune.
The sun is only in the Ophiuchus star constellation for 19 days a year which perhaps is not enough time for astrologers to recognize it. Still, it is there and denying it only makes astrologer’s fortune telling a bit more like hocus pocus.
