Every few months, the internet is flooded with claims of a newly discovered “13th zodiac sign”, causing widespread confusion and panic among astrology enthusiasts. This supposed new sign, Ophiuchus, fatally disrupts the traditional zodiac calendar, shifting the dates of all existing signs and changing everyone’s astrological identity.

Astronomers insist, however, that this is nothing more than a myth, which has been repeatedly debunked.

According to Snopes, rumors about the 13th sign have been circulating online since at least 2002, via letters and blog posts. For example, a flurry of headlines was made in early 2016 when NASA made a post on its children’s website Space Place that depicted where Ophiuchus would be in the zodiac if astrologers decided to include it, a post that later deleted. More recently, USA Today spotted the 2020 headlines about “The 13th Sign” in a viral Facebook post from a Virginia-based radio station.

However, this story predates the internet. Back in 1970, Time magazine published a story about the supposed “revised sign.” The variant zodiac was attributed to one Steven Schmidt and his book “Astrology 14”, in which he argued that there should be 14 signs. Along with Ophiuchus, which fell between Scorpio and Sagittarius, he introduced another sign, called Cetus, which fell between Aries and Taurus. Schmidt’s “revised zodiac” was based partly on the constellations and partly on the fact that he felt that the sun signs did not accurately describe either his or his son’s personality.

The grain of truth in the 13th sign scenario

Although, as a sign, it is a myth, there is a nugget of truth: Ophiuchus is a constellation, and the appearance of constellations in the sky has changed over time. This, however, lies in the science of astronomy, not astrology, and does not affect the signs.

After all, the constellation of Ophiuchus is not new. In fact, we have known him for thousands of years. According to the Guardian, the first recorded reference to Ophiuchus was in 300 BC.

The origin of the zodiac goes back about 2,500 years, when the Babylonians divided the sky into 12 different sections, studying the relationship between the position of the constellations in the sky and the movement of the Sun. Thus, the 12 signs were born.

However, Earth’s wobbly axis means that none of the constellations are in the same position they were 2,500 years ago. This has led some to argue that the zodiac signs as we know them have changed.

So, could Ophiuchus be included in the zodiac under any circumstances?

Astrologers claim that Ophiuchus does not change anything. “There are a lot of constellations, so I don’t understand why we’re so excited about it,” said astrologer Susan Miller. “The ancients did empirical studies and finally decided not to include Ophiuchus. Remember, they invented astrology and we must follow what they gave us.”

The AstroTwins emphasized that “astronomy and astrology are NOT one and the same.” While everyone can agree that the constellations have shifted over time, the signs are based on a Western astrological system, not the actual constellation.

Astrologer Rick Levine explained to DailyHoroscope.com: “Ophiuchus has nothing to do with astrology. It’s about the stars – it’s not a sign, it’s a constellation.”

Astrologer Chani Nicholas explains: “Early astrologers knew about Ophiuchus, they just decided not to incorporate it into their system because most of it is outside that part of the sky.”

Who would belong to the sign of Ophiuchus?

If you’re wondering what your sign would be if Ophiuchus were part of the zodiac, Marie Claire UK has the list:

Capricorn: January 20 to February 16
Aquarius: February 16 to March 11
Pisces: March 11 to April 18
Aries: April 18 to May 13
Taurus: May 13 to June 21
Gemini: June 21 to July 20
Cancer: July 20 to August 10
Leo: August 10 to September 16
Virgo: September 16 to October 30
Libra: October 30 to November 23
Scorpio: November 23 to November 29
Ophiuchus: November 29 to December 17
Sagittarius: December 17 to January 20
The personality of an Ophiuchus
The person of the constellation is Asclepius, the god of medicine, who holds a staff with a snake coiled around it. The way he is depicted is rather predictable: A large, powerful man, holding a large snake.

According to a website called Zodiac Books, the properties of a Beneficiary are the following:

“The House of Ofiuchou represents unity. Its people are witty, magnetic, impulsive, intelligent, flamboyant and at times jealous, power-hungry and hot-tempered. At heart, they are healers who hope to one day rid the zodiac of all ills and bring everyone closer together.”

For now, however, officially, Ophiuchus remains a fascinating constellation, with historical and astronomical value.

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