| The zodiac is an imaginary swath of the sky along which the stars,
Sun, Moon and planets appear to move. The zodiac is roughly 18 degrees in width and is
tilted at an angle of 33.5 degrees relative to the equator. This swath is also the parade
ground for 12 constellations listed by Ptolemy in Star Catalogue of AD 150 as Aries the
Ram, Tauraus the Bull, Gemini the Twins, Cancer the Crab, Leo the Lion, Virgo the Virgin,
Libra the Scales (the only inanimate sign), Scorpius the Scorpion, Sagittarius the Archer,
Capricorn the Goat, Aquarius the Water Carrier and Pisces the Fish. There are other
constellations too -- Ophiuchus, bits of Cetus, Sextants and Orion -- but for most
purposes they are ignored. |
