h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

You can't guarantee that it will!!

'Not saying science couldn't solve it...'

Solve what?

I don't think 'science' even recognizes that there's a problem here to be solved

(sorry to throw quotation marks around, I know it's annoying... but people refer to science as if it's a person, or group of people, and it isn't either of those things... it's just a methodology where you work from evidence and build theories that fit the evidence)

Something I'm surprised nobody else seems to have said just now is the thing about 'Mars is in Aries' being meaningless - yes of course, Mars isn't 'in' the constellation called Aries, because it's far, far closer to us than even the closest of those stars, and of course the stars aren't related to each other at all. However, it does accurately describe that Mars is currently in a particular sector of the sky, when viewed from Earth - which is all you need, isn't it?

but presumably that sector of the sky changes since the earths orbit is not synchronous with that of mars, or indeed in relation to the constellations. So mars in aries now will be slightly different position than mars in aries next time? This is a question by the way...

(science explaining it, my post wasn't 100% serious.....)

If astrologers believe the position of the planets has an affect on us,
why
isn't that affect the same on every one?
Why should someone born on 23rd August 1970, star sign Leo , have a
different reading from someone born the next day who's star sign is virgo?

very good point PJL !

Answers on a postcard to the usual address..

I doubt it meant to invovlve taking all free will and individuality away

meaning.....Astrology is a tool.

as is anyone who needs to believe in it

No, that was Tool not Fool.

Not a tool I personally use. *not that there is any wrong with that*

the Fool being the first card in the tarot.

"act on trust. follow your instincts, take chances. the child within, intuitive knowledge of sacred ways of being"



(that for the 'believers' cos i'm sure the 'non-believers' won't get it)

"If astrologers believe the position of the planets has an affect on us,
why
isn't that affect the same on every one?
Why should someone born on 23rd August 1970, star sign Leo , have a
different reading from someone born the next day who's star sign is virgo?"

you're thinking ot the sun sign only. the other things that change in 24 hours are the moon position, and the ascendant and houses (which are based on time).

also, people born at the cusp (on or near the change of signs) are treated differently by astrology.


i do have to say that even though some of the posters have a knowledge of some aspects of science, they are relatively ignorant of what astrology actually is.

as someone has already pointed out the constellations are a background to the movement of the planets. bear in mind astrology developped long before there were telescopes. as far as i know the constellations arent' even in the same position as they were originally. its not about that. imagine standing on the earth and the starry night sky is the backdrop to the movement of the planets. the ancients atributed signs to certain places in the sky eg leo, because they were comfortable with metaphor. that was the psychology of the day.

if you think the planets don't affect us go back to the posts about the moon.

Intuition being the greatest tool people find others to *help* no sense putting any one down if it is helpful to them. Trust in Self is an excellant goal.

http://www.theonion.com/onion3902/skeptic_pitied.html

I quite like astrology really, although not the way the popular media present it. However, I'm sticking to tarot, because I'm learning it now and I like it It is, however, interesting to find things out about astrology, as its approach is in many ways completely different, and in other ways the same.

"if you think the planets don't affect us go back to the posts about the moon."

Which isn't a planet.....

<< Which isn't a planet..... >>

No, but it is a large body of enormous mass that has a gravitational affect on my body



Similar to, but insignficant in comparison with, that that just drove past

Patrick Moore this countries best known amateur astronomer, and presenter of The BBC Sky At Night television programme, calls astrology
complete rubbish.
those may not have been is exact words , because I am writting from memory
But what ever words he used he dismissed astrology has having no validity what so ever

Hmm, a few times more than the bus, if my second round of calculations were right

Considerably less if the first ones were, but I'm pretty sure those weren't

This is what happens when you attempt to do physics without writing anything down