Ophiuchus - The 13th Sign of Zodiac or just a Myth?

Let’s be honest, some of us have always felt, like we were born under a wrong zodiac. A couple of years ago, NASA confirmation about the New Constellation Ophiuchus had created some rage amongst people all around the world. The discussion about Ophiuchus has been doing rounds all across the Internet from 2011. However, some reports from NASA confirm the existence of the Constellation 'Ophiuchus’. While, NASA had made it very clear that "astronomy and astrology are not interchangeable, and they are not to be blamed for the Babylonians screwing up the zodiac". When the Babylonians first put down the 12 Zodiacs, it is said that the knowledge of the Ophiuchus existed; but since they weren’t able to accommodate the presence of a 13th sign in their Lunar Calender, a further study on the same was left out!
Now the NASA’s report around same, has definitely swirled the Astrology department’s Heads all around the world. Some say its a hoax, some believe it, some say its a misinterpretation; I leave it upto you to decide! Follow what you think feels 'right for you’. But I am either way, going to put my interpretation of the same here.
For thousands of years Ophiuchus has existed as just another constellation and NOT a Zodiac Sign. Represented as a Serpent Bearer, a man holding snake, Now it has date ranges assigned to it, which are ’presumably' going to be Ophiuchus’s official Date Range i.e. Nov 29 - Dec 17 ; many of us feel that our entire Life has been a whole lie! I have been a proud Sagittarian myself, and now all of a sudden I’m one of those very few people born in between this 18 days range who’s new Zodiac sign is "Ophiuchus". I was like seriously!! WTH!! This is not happening!!
Whatever may be the traits of this new Zodiac Sign (See my next blog on: "How to Tell if you could accept 'Ophiuchus' as your New Zodiac Sign?"), which I have to admit are "One hell of a combination" no one has been very accepting about this new so-called 'Discovery’. I was myself not ready to accept and thus, I started searching and researching more on the topic. An interesting more recent article I found is here.
The presence of Ophiuchus definitely goes all the way back to 3000 years, then why was it never included as the 13th Zodiac Sign by the Babylonians? May be, as various researchers say, they wanted to evenly distribute the Calendar! But, even if we check scientifically; the Sun (and\or Moon also, for that matter) spends various intervals of time in every constellation; its not 'evenly-distributed’. And suddenly, all my questioning Antennae became Active.. I wanted to know more, understand more about "Why one fine day I get-up, and see that I’m not a Sagittarian anymore. I am an 'Ophiuchii?' or 'Serpent-Bearer?' instead of an Archer". So far, I have been relating my sign with a Centaur, and now all of a sudden I need to relate to the 'Snakes?’, Wow!! I have been overly-attracted to kill snakes all my life!
If we were to go by A New Math and incorporation of Ophiuchus into the Zodiac below are what the new distributions of the signs look like:
Capricorn: Jan 20 – Feb 16
Aquarius: Feb 16 – March 11
Pisces: March 11 – April 18
Aries: April 18 – May 13
Taurus: May 13 – June 21
Gemini: June 21 – July 20
Cancer: July 20 – Aug 10
Leo: Aug 10 – Sept 16
Virgo: Sept 16 – Oct 30
Libra: Oct 30 – Nov 23
Scorpio: Nov 23 – Nov 29
Ophiuchus: Nov 29 – Dec 17
Sagittarius: Dec 17 – Jan 20
Take a look at the posts on Ophiuchus on Twitter. Now that is one of its own kind of confusion around the world. Yes, it didn’t just change some of we Sagittarians into Serpent-Bearers; it changed the look of the whole set of Zodiacs. While it would explain why a Scorpian (even after being a 'Scorpian’) is always so indecisive or confused like a 'Libran’, now we can relate that he\she was actually a Libran, from the beginning. Or, why a Scorpian was getting too detail oriented, and behaving like a diplomatic-perfectionist like a 'Virgo’, now we can relate that he\she was actually a Virgo, from the beginning. While it would explain why a 'happy-go-lucky’, freedom-loving Sagittarian sometimes behaved like a possessive case as that of a Scorpian; is indeed actually someone born under the sign of 'Ophiuchus' (also being addressed as Serpentarius, or Aesclepius).
While, the acceptance of this new Zodiac Sign is still a question; I think I always believed I have been a Proud Sagittarian, until this Identity-crisis came in to convince me that I am an 'Ophiuchus' or 'Serpentarius' or 'Aesclepius' or 'Snake-bearer’, the one and only sign that doesn’t have an exact opposite sign and is A Deadly combination of Scorpio & Sagittarius traits. While the NASA says they just did the Math right to put The Constellations and the Calendar , this is definitely bound to change the entire structure of the Vedic Astrology; which is majorly based on the constellations.
While, I am going to keep my research on, for this topic and come-up with more details on this new Zodiac Sign in my next post(s); I leave the decision up to you whether you want to accept this new change or not. End of the day, be it Astrology or any other study; if it doesn’t resonate with you, if it doesn’t 'feel' right for you, if it doesn’t empower you, then just forget it! However, if it does; then embrace it! Change is the only thing constant in this world! :)
