The zodiac is called an imaginary belt located in the sky and extending nine degrees from the ecliptic in both directions. Visible trajectories of the planets, the Sun and the Moon pass through the zodiac of the zodiac. At the same time, our star moves along the ecliptic, and the remaining stars in their movement along the zodiac follow up and down from the ecliptic.
The beginning of the zodiac circle is considered the equinox (spring), which is the ascending node of the solar orbit. In it, the ecliptic crosses the celestial equator.
The entire zodiac moves through fourteen constellations, but the zodiac circle itself is divided into only twelve equal parts, each of the 30 degree arcs denoted by a symbol, which corresponds to a particular zodiac constellation. An exception to the rule are the constellations of Cetus and Ophiuchus, which do not correspond to any sign in the circle described.
Zodiac constellations are located along the annual visible path among the stars of the Sun. Despite the fact that the luminary passes through the constellation Ophiuchus, it is not considered to be zodiacal by the ancient tradition.
Even in ancient Greece, all open zodiac constellations were grouped, and each was assigned its own astronomical sign.
Today, these signs are not used to identify the constellations of the zodiac, they are used only for designations in astrology. The corresponding symbols also indicate the points of the autumn and spring equinoxes (Libra and Aries), as well as points of the winter and summer solstices (Capricorn and Cancer).
As a result of the precession, these points over the past two thousand years passed from the corresponding constellations, but the designations assigned to them by the ancient Greeks have survived to this day. The zodiac constellations, which are tied to the vernal equinox in western astrology, have shifted in the same way. It turns out that today there is no correspondence between the symbols and coordinates of the constellations. The relationship between the dates of entry into the zodiac constellations of the Sun is also lost.
The boundaries of the zodiac constellations outlined today no longer correspond to the division into 12 parts of the ecliptic accepted by astrologers.
In astrology, all zodiac signs are divided into four categories that are associated with certain elements - earth, water, air and fire.
Sagittarius, Leo and Aries are referred to fire signs, Capricorn, Virgo, Taurus are symbols of the earth, Scorpio Pisces, Cancer are water, and Aquarius, Libra and Gemini are considered to be air.
Fiery signs define a hot man who ignites everything around him, controls the will of other mortals. Water symbols correspond to an intuitive and emotional personality. Signs of air characterize logic and intelligence. And the symbols of the earth are reckoned among cautious, calculating, reliable people. They also believe that the signs of water and earth are introverts, while air and fire are extroverts.
The zodiac signs and zodiac constellations are divided into crosses that correspond to the division into four seasons of the year: winter, summer, spring and autumn, the beginning, end and middle of which correspond to the main (cardinal), stable (fixed) and variable (mutable) symbols.