zodiaken

Zodiaken refers to a band of celestial light that appears to lie along the ecliptic, the apparent path of the Sun across the sky over the course of a year. This band is divided into twelve equal segments, each associated with a specific constellation. These twelve constellations are known as the zodiacal constellations and are famously used in astrology. The word "zodiac" originates from the Greek word "zōidiakos," meaning "circle of animals," as many of the constellations are named after animals.

The zodiacal constellations are Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpius, Sagittarius, Capricornus, Aquarius, and Pisces. As the Earth orbits the Sun, our perspective shifts, causing the Sun to appear to move through these constellations. This apparent movement is the basis for the astrological concept of the Sun sign, determined by the zodiacal constellation the Sun was perceived to be in at the time of a person's birth.

While astrology assigns meaning and influence to these constellations and their associated symbols, astronomy views the zodiac as a division of the ecliptic based on the constellations that historically occupied those segments. Due to precession, a slow wobble in Earth's axis, the actual constellations currently behind the Sun at different times of the year have shifted. Therefore, the astrological zodiac signs no longer precisely align with the astronomical constellations they were originally named after.