Have you ever finally just gave in to the temptation
and read your horoscope in the newspaper on Sunday morning? Sure, we all have. For most of us, it’s a
curiosity, an amusement to see what they say our day will be like based on the
sign of the zodiac that we were born under.
Sometimes we forget that this little diversion is actually part of an
ancient science called astrology that has had a powerful effect on many
cultures dating back to centuries before Christ.
That is not to say that astrology is a dead
art today. It is easy to find astrology
advocates in every town, advertising in the newspaper and on television trying
to convince us that they can tell our fortune, our future and help cure our
ills by exploring the mysteries of astrology.
When you are a lover of astronomy, the
confusion between astronomy and astrology by those who don’t really understand
the differences can get pretty aggravating.
And in early civilizations, the two disciplines were not separate. Astrology was just the religious side of the
science of astronomy. So what changed?
The most significant shift that set in
motion the separation of the two lines of thought began in the first century
when Ptolemy wrote the very first book on astronomy called the Tetrabiblos. In it, he began to suggest that astronomy
should be considered a separate science from astrology. It was quite a revolutionary book because it
also was the first scientific document to suggest that the earth was not the
center of the universe and that astronomy should be focused strictly on the
observation and recording of events in the cosmos.
Over the next 2000 years, we have come a
long way. Not only has science and religion
completely gone their separate ways since Ptolemy but the science of astronomy makes
tremendous strides every year that are so phenomenal, Ptolemy would be truly
astounded.
Probably the biggest point of diversion
between a student of astrology and astronomy is the belief that the position of
the stars has meaning over the events on our lives. Of course, we do know that the weather and
tides and other important aspects of our lives are affected by the stars,
planets and heavenly bodies, particularly the moon. But these things are happening because of
completely explainable scientific laws in motion, not because of mystical
forces at work.
What can we, as devotees of astronomy
conclude about the close relationship between astrology and astronomy? Well, for sure we want to be able to explain
to anyone who is confused by the similarity in the words what the differences
are. We do not want to see the two
approaches to the stars and planets to become confused again. But we should do all we can do keep that distinction
clear without becoming skeptical or demeaning towards those who may still hold
to the teachings of astrology.
It is important to remember that what is
part of a person’s religious life has a level of sacred belief to the one
holding it. And it is not respectful to
scoff at such things. If for no other reason
than out of respect for the ancient origins of astronomy, we should give
courtesy who still are exploring whether astrology has any validity for them.
If we can treat each discipline with
respect but maintain the separation that must exist between astrology and
astronomy, there is no reason both approaches to our admiration of the galaxies
cannot coexist in peace and harmony. And
for our purposes as astronomers, that harmony will allow us plenty of freedom
to enjoy our quest for knowledge for many more centuries to come. And who knows, you might still like to read
the horoscope on Sunday morning every so often.
