Reading the stars
Wednesday 27 May 2009
Do you believe in star signs? Find out about the history of the zodiac and the common characteristics of the signs.
What is the zodiac?
Constellations are groups of stars that form a pattern in the sky. When they are linked together, they often look like an image. The sky is divided up into 88 different constellations, including the 12 constellations of the zodiac. Their names are all taken from the times of ancient Greece.
In the modern zodiac, the constellations are represented by signs of animals, humans and objects.
Astrology and history
Astrology is the study of stars and planets, and how they influence people.
Most astrologists believe that the zodiac was inspired by people in the 2nd century who used the position of the stars, the sun and planets to determine seasons and their location. This then developed into the belief that the stars and sun could predict someone's actions - depending on which month they were born.
Read about other common theories here.
Signs and character
Here are some of the common traits of the signs:
Aries (21st March – 19th April)
Aries is the first sign of the zodiac. Most Aries are born leaders who are lively, energetic and always looking for the next challenge.
Famous Ariens: Sir Alan Sugar, Lily Allen, Robert Pattinson.
Taurus (20th April – 20th May)
Tauruns think long and hard about every aspect of their life. When they make decisions they can often become stubborn and slightly inconsiderate.
Famous Tauruns: David Beckham, Janet Jackson, Busta Rhymes.
Gemini (21st May – 22st June)
Geminis are all about the mind and they always like to share their thoughts. Often though, they have two very different sides to their personality.
Famous Geminis: Kylie Minogue, Kanye West.
Cancer (22nd June – 22nd July)
Cancerians are usually very loving and spontaneous. They can also be really imaginative, but are always cautious.
Famous Cancerians: Prince William, 50 Cent, Jessica Simpson.
Leo (23rd July – 22nd August)
Leos are known to be generous, considerate and creative. Howevever, they can love attention and could sometimes be selfish.
Famous Leos: Charlize Theron, Ben Affleck.
Virgo (23rd August – 22nd September)
Virgos are very traditional but usually don’t like to admit it. They are very thorough in everything they do and can be relied upon for anything.
Famous Virgos: Beyonce, Amy Winehouse, Michael Jackson.
Libra (23rd September – 22nd October)
Librians are normally very romantic and know how to charm their way into anything. They can always be relied on to spice up a party.
Famous Librians: Will Smith, Kate Winslet, Simon Cowell.
Scorpio (23rd October – 21st November)
Scorpios are determined to get what they want, when they want it. They’re passionate and quite emotional too.
Famous Scorpios: Owen Wilson, Julia Roberts.
Sagittarius (22nd November – 21st December)
Always looking at the positive sides of life, Sagittarians love their freedom and people who can make them laugh. Watch out though, they also speak their mind.
Famous Sagittarians: Jay-Z, Scarlett Johannson, Britney Spears.
Capricorn (22nd December – 19th January)
Capricornians are really focused on their goals and won’t stop until they’ve reached them. They stay disciplined, patient and very practical, though sometimes they can be quite moody.
Famous Capricornians: Kate Moss, LL Cool J.
Aquarius (20th January – 18th February)
Friendly and loyal, an Aquarian always makes a good friend. They’re one of a kind and always look out for the people they care about.
Famous Aquarians: Justin Timberlake, Paris Hilton.
Pisces (19th February – 20th March)
Most Pisceans are passionate about everything in their life and always put others before themselves. They can also be a little strange sometimes!
Famous Pisceans: Barbie, Drew Barrymore, Daniel Craig.
Should I believe my horoscope?
A horoscope is a prediction made about you depending on your star sign. You can find them in newspapers, magazines and all over the internet.
Don't believe everything you read. If you compare different horoscopes, you'll often find that they sometimes contradict each other. Although many people are influenced everyday by reading their horoscopes, when it turns out to be right it is often a coincidence. There's also no guarantee that they are even written by professional astrologers.
On the other hand, if you find a horoscope supportive or helpful then it probably won't do you any harm. You may even find that the different characteristics of the signs reflect the behaviour of your friends and family.
A lot of people do take them seriously. A survey once showed that more young people believe their horoscope than what they are taught in school.
