Zodiac Signs

<p>The <b>zodiac</b> is the circle of twelve 30° divisions of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celestial_longitude" title="Celestial longitude">celestial longitude</a> employed by western <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astrology" title="Astrology">astrology</a> and (formerly) <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astronomy" title="Astronomy">astronomy</a>. The western zodiac is centered upon the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecliptic" title="Ecliptic">ecliptic</a>, the apparent path of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun" title="Sun">Sun</a> across the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celestial_sphere" title="Celestial sphere">celestial sphere</a> over the course of the year. The paths of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moon" title="Moon">Moon</a> and visible <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planet" title="Planet">planets</a> also remain close to the ecliptic, within the belt of the zodiac, which extends 8-9° north or south of the ecliptic, as measured in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celestial_latitude" class="mw-redirect" title="Celestial latitude">celestial latitude</a>. Because the divisions are regular, they do not correspond exactly to the boundaries of the twelve <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constellations" class="mw-redirect" title="Constellations">constellations</a> after which they are named.

Historically, these twelve divisions are called <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astrological_sign" title="Astrological sign">signs</a>. Essentially, the zodiac is a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celestial_coordinate_system" title="Celestial coordinate system">celestial coordinate system</a>, or more specifically an <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecliptic_coordinate_system" title="Ecliptic coordinate system">ecliptic coordinate system</a>, which takes the ecliptic as the origin of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celestial_latitude" class="mw-redirect" title="Celestial latitude">latitude</a>, and the position of the Sun at <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vernal_equinox" class="mw-redirect" title="Vernal equinox">vernal equinox</a> as the origin of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celestial_longitude" title="Celestial longitude">longitude</a>.</p>