an imaginary region in the heavens that encompasses the paths of all the principle planets except Pluto. (That figures, there's always 'one' exception). This region is divided up into 12 parts. Each part is used for one of the 12 zodiac constellations.
a belt of the heavens limited by lines about 8 degrees from the ecliptic on each side, including all apparent positions of the sun, moon, and planets as known to ancient astronomers and divided into twelve equal parts.
Greek zodiakos, "of living things," derived from ancient Babylonian astrology. Zodiac means "circle of animals" and its current design was arranged by the Greek astronomer Hipparchus cerca 150 B.C. It is an imaginary, circular belt in the heavens extending for about eight degrees on either side of the apparent path of the sun, including the paths of the moon and principal planets (except Pluto), divided into twelve equal zones of 30 degrees, or "houses," each represented symbolically by the different constellations that reside in them -- most of which are in the shape of animals -- and assigned to certain parts of the year when the sun appears in each house. The signs of the zodiac include: Aquarius (Water Bearer, January 20 - February 18); Pisces (Fishes, February 19 -March 20); Aries (Ram, March 21 - April 19); Taurus (Bull, April 20 - May 20); Gemini (Twins, May 21 - June 21); Cancer (Crab, June 22 - July 22); Leo (Lion, July 23 - August 22); Virgo (Virgin, August 23 - September 22); Libra (Balance, September 23 - October 23); Scorpio (Scorpion, October 24 - November 21); Sagittarius (Archer, November 22 - December 21); Capricorn (Goat, December 22 - January 19). (See Astrology)
From the Greek zodiakos, literally circle of animals. See also tropical zodiac, sidereal zodiac.
A band circling the celestial sphere along the ecliptic, broad enough to encompass the paths of all the planets visible to the naked eye. .In some usages, the sequence of constellations lying along the ecliptic.
literally meaning 'circle of animals.' A band in the heavens divided into twelve Signs, each containing 30 degrees of longitude and acting as the barometer for various human traits.
The region, centered on the Ecliptic, which encompasses the motions of the Sun, Moon and naked eye planets.
The twelve constellations (Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius and Pisces) that formed an ancient calendar of the Sun’s progress in the sky during one Earth-year. Also, it is the visible path followed by the Sun, Moon and most planets, lying within 10 degrees of the celestial equator.
An organized belt of constellations which extends roughly eight degree to either side of the ecliptic (the path of the sun amongst the stars). The zodiac is divided into twelve sections of 30 degrees each, which encompass the stellar constellations known as: Aries, the Ram; Taurus, the Bull; Gemini, the Twins; Cancer, the Crab; Leo, the Lion; Virgo, the Virgin; Libra, the Balance; Scorpio, the Scorpion; Sagittarius, the Archer; Capricorn, the Goat; Aquarius, the Water Bearer; and Pisces, the Fishes. The correlation between the movements of these constellations is used in "astrology" to interpret future events.
Twelve divisions of the sky along the eclipticAries, Mar. 21/Apr. 20; Taurus, Apr. 21/May 20; Gemini, May 21/Jun. 21; Cancer, Jun. 22/Jul. 22; Leo, Jul. 23/Aug. 23; Virgo, Aug. 24/Sep. 22; Libra, Sep. 23/Oct. 22; Scorpio, Oct. 23/Nov. 22; Sagittarius, Nov. 23/Dec. 21; Capricorn, Dec. 22/Jan. 20; Aquarius, Jan. 21/Feb. 19; Pisces, Feb. 20/Mar. 20.
The string of twelve constellations that lie along the ecliptic. In ancient times, the constellations were defined so that the sun spent exactly 1/12th of a year in each of these constellations.
a belt-shaped region in the heavens on either side to the ecliptic; divided into 12 constellations or signs for astrological purposes
(astrology) a circular diagram representing the 12 zodiacal constellations and showing their signs
an imaginary sphere encircling the heavens, inside which the Sun, Moon, and planets travel in their orbits
The region straddling the ecliptic, 16 degrees in width, which includes the orbits of the visible planets.
The apparent path, in the sky, followed by the sun, moon and most planets, lying within 10 degrees of the celestial equator. Ancient Astrologers (nothing to do with modern astronomy! ) divided it into 12 groups, the Signs of the Zodiac. These are associated with the 12 Zodiacal Constellations.
The band of constellations through which the ecliptic runs.
The apparent path, in the sky, followed by the sun, moon and most planets, lying within 10 degrees of the celestial equator. Ancient Astrologers (nothing to do with modern astronomy! ) divided it into 12 groups, the Signs of the Zodiac, though there are actually 13 astronomical constellations which lie on the zodiac, since the Sun passes through Ophiuchus each December. Ophiuchus is not recognised by astrologers.
(a) A band about 8° wide on the celestial sphere, centered on the ecliptic. [H76](b) Twelve constellations originally only representing a calendar of the Sun's apparent progress in the heavens during one Earth-year. The principal planets are to be found along much the same path (the ecliptic) and so, probably early in human history, caused each constellation to become a focus for divination according to the pseudo-science of astrology. Since then, however, the millennia that have passed have taken the Sun out of phase with the original calendar. The 12 constellations are: Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius and Pisces. [A84
An imaginary belt across the sky in which the Sun, Moon, and all of the planets can always be found.
a band of 12 constellations of stars straddling the ecliptic; the ecliptic and zodiac are conventionally divided into these constellations, 30 degrees being allocated to each.
A system of symbols compositing the elements and the modalities and attributing them to the constellations intersected by the astronomical ecliptic
the position of the sun throughout a year as it appears to move through successive star groups or constellations.
The "circle of animals". A zone or belt in space through which the planets move. Around 15 to 18 degrees wide, it is divided into 12 signs, each of 30 degrees longitude, with the ecliptic as its middle line.
The position of the sun during the course of the year as it appears to move though successive constellations. Also, the band where the ecliptic runs centrally through the celestial sphere and contains the sun, the moon, and all the planets except Venus and Pluto.
The zodiac is a band of 12 constellations along the ecliptic. The constellations in the zodiac include: Capricorn (the goat), Aquarius (the water bearer), Pisces (the fish), Aries (the ram), Taurus (the bull), Gemini (the twins), Cancer (the crab), Leo (the lion), Virgo (the virgin), Libra (the balance), Scorpio (the scorpion), and Sagittarius (the archer).
The term zodiac (Latin zodiacus, from the Greek , meaning "circle of little animals", derived from , the diminutive of "animal") denotes several places where a circle of twelve animals occurs. However, another suggested etymology is that the Greek term was borrowed from the Sanskrit sodi, denoting "a path", i.e., the path through which the sun travels. The latter is perhaps the more probable etymology, as at least one of the signs in the zodiac does not represent a living creature.
