What is a Horoscope? Horoscope is derived from the Greek language, which means to ‘look at the hour’. In astrology, a horoscope or astrological chart is where a person’s positions of the Sun, Moon, Planets, and astrological aspects are placed at the moment of a person’s birth.
What is a Horoscope?
Because of this basic calibration very few people have exactly identical charts, even if they are born as twins, as a few minutes birth difference may give them a completely different Ascendant, certainly House position, and possibly even a different Moon.
Daily horoscopes are a sign post that I and other astrologers use to give people an overall idea of what is going on for their Sun sign on any given day. These are by nature generalized as they cannot take into account the precise moment of birth. These horoscopes are far less detailed then a Personal Horoscope, yet, it never fails to amaze me about the amount of positive feedback I get, none the less.
Natal Horoscopes, or birth horoscope, is, if you like, a map of space-time, or a blueprint for life, according to where the planets are located in space, and in relation to each other at a particular time. Therefore a horoscope is a snapshot or an interpretation of a charts symbolic meaning at your true moment of birth.
Stars have always intrigued man from the beginning of time, where the continuous movements of the planets and stars with their positions in the sky influenced people’s lives on earth. Astrology and specifically horoscopes originated in ancient Greece, where the Greeks believed that each person’s life was predetermined at birth. However, what we now know as ‘horoscope’ readily originated before Christ and spread through the world vastly in the 1600’s. Horoscopes were known as a method to help predict the future, and specific events, although most people do not know horoscopes have been around for many centuries.
It is widely known that ancient people and cultures have used the Sun, Moon, and different planetary alignments in the sky for hunting, and for the planting of their crops. Also Nordic tribes used constellations to help them navigate, and this practice was widely used by many societies throughout the early years of civilization. In the 1600, (1602-1681) a man known as William Lilly, calculated thousands of peoples natal charts according to their wishes with remarkable results. His work was so accurate that when he predicted the famous Great fire of London in 1652, fourteen years before it happened, he was actually tried in parliament for starting the fire, before being found innocent, due to lack of evidence.
Creating a Natal Horoscope
To create an accurate horoscope, an astrologer first has to ascertain the exact time and place of a subject’s birth. Next the astrologer will consult an Ephemeris to locate where a person’s personal planets are by degree and house division. Then, as the horoscope features twelve 30 degree sections around the ecliptic, starting with the eastern horizon at the Ascendant or rising sign, he will then calculate these house placements, by sign and house division. Although previously calculated by hand for many years, today most astrology computer programs allow the user to choose from a variety of House systems, with my preference Placidus.
Once an astrologer has established the relative positions of the signs and Houses, and the planets within, the astrologer will then compare the aspects within a set orb (or distance) limit to consider the effects and outcome of natal planets by birth, and then as they progress by movement called transits The tropical zodiac used by most astrologers has it’s beginning at the exact moment that the Sun crosses the celestial equator and enters the zodiacal sign of Aries.
The tropical zodiac is based on the seasons, and is movable, while the sidereal zodiac is based on the constellations in the heavens, and is most favoured by Indian astrologers. However the main objective of a horoscope reading is an accurate judgement to interpret a person’s individual characteristics and true potentials.
There are twelve zodiac signs and each share unique and different characteristics which have a remarkable influence on a person born under that sign. You will be astonished to know that the position of the stars at the time of your conception and birth determine your whole destiny, and as they start to move and change destination, your life gets influenced by it. As the twelve different star signs have four different elements. A person at birth will fall under a certain element, depending upon his astrological sign. A strong earth placement will make people strong and reliable, air signs more intellectual, water signs adaptable and emotional, and fire signs potentially impulsive and short-tempered.
An astrological chart is a method of divination to determine events relating to the point in time it represents, and forms the basis of the horoscope traditional to astrology. However, no studies have shown support for the accuracy of horoscopes, and the methods used are considered pseudo-scientific, due to scientific proof failing to be factually based on a forever changing system. Although science is yet to establish the authenticity of astrology, there is no denying the fact that many people from world leaders to celebrities, right from ancient to modern times have depended on astrology.
There can be many different predications done by horoscopes, from love, business, or success, to name but a few. Astrology creates the vibes between two people and is extremely important to know the astrological compatibility in terms of marriage, or business, and to know future times which will be fortuitous. People often wonder the true meaning of life, and for what reason various things happen to us in life. Also people are always fascinated by the future when life is looking bleak. At these times they may look for guidance by an astrologer for explanations or guidance.
Sceptics of astrology often say that horoscopes readings are so vague and far too general, that they could apply to anyone, and that people will look for what they want to see and ignore what does not seem applicable to them personally. However are they just hoping to delude themselves that the chart is inaccurate, although this scepticism would most likely be eliminated if the sceptic actually had a professional chart done by a competent astrologer? Overall people still have there own free will to choose or change the outcome of any given situation, but everybody sometimes needs a little something or someone to give them hope at certain times in their lives.