Western astrology originated in Mesopotamia during the 2nd millennium BC. It spread to Egypt, where further developments occurred, and then into Greek culture, where the Greek astronomer and astrologer Ptolemy in his work Tetrabiblos laid the foundations of the Western tradition. Western astrology is chiefly horoscopic, meaning it is largely based on a horoscope for an exact moment in time, such as a person's birth, in which various cosmic bodies are said to have an influence. In modern Western sun sign astrology, only the location of the Sun is considered.

Today, believers in astrology use it primarily for making personal decisions or attaining information about an individual through natal astrology. Click here for your 2009 personal astrological reading.

The Zodiac

The zodiac is the band of constellations through which the Sun, Moon, and planets move on their journey across the sky. Astrologers noted these constellations and attached a particular significance to them. Over time, Astrologists developed the system of twelve signs of the zodiac, based on twelve of the constellations they considered to be particularly important.

The Twelve Zodiac Signs

In modern Western Astrology, the signs of the zodiac are believed to represent twelve basic personality types or characteristic modes of expression. The twelve signs are divided into four elements: fire, earth, air and water. The signs are also divided into three qualities: cardinal, mutable and fixed. There are defined personality traits associated with each of the twelve signs. How important a zodiac sign is for an individual depends on the placement of planets and the ascendant in that sign. CLICK HERE to learn more about your Zodiac Sign and its characteristics.