The Sun enters the astrological sign Virgo on Saturday August 22, at 16 hours by Universal Time. But, astronomically, it is still in Leo. It crossed the boundary into Leo on Aug. 10, and will not cross the next boundary, into Virgo, until September 16.
See the end note about enlarging illustrations.
You can tell, from where the Sun has set, that it is still well back in Leo, and not in Virgo, whose great white star Spica is now receiving a visit from the Moon.
We come up against this curiosity twelve times a year, as the Sun enters the twelve signs of the zodiac. Or, really, twenty-four times a year, to include the dates when it enters the actual constellations – or twenty five, since it also spends time in Ophiuchus.
So, to cut down on continually having to re-state, this is one of the topics I’m adding to my page on “Sun, Earth, Seasons,” so that you can find it at any time. Scroll down to the section “Sun enters signs and constellations.” Actually you’ll be able to find it by clicking on “Astronomical Calendar Any-Year” in the menu at the top.
Briefly, the reason why the Sun nowadays enters the sign Virgo 25 days before crossing the boundary into the astronomical constellation Virgo is precession. Far from briefly, and with a colorful graphic, my page will explain.
If your birthday happens to be in the next few days, you are, I suppose, “a Virgo.” But you’re really a Lion!
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ILLUSTRATIONS in these posts are made with precision but have to be inserted in another format. You may be able to enlarge them on your monitor. One way: right-click, and choose “View image”, then enlarge. Or choose “Copy image”, then put it on your desktop, then open it. On an iPad or phone, use the finger gesture that enlarges (spreading with two fingers, or tapping and dragging with three fingers). Other methods have been suggested, such as dragging the image to the desktop and opening it in other ways.
Sometimes I make improvements or corrections to a post after positing it. If you click on the title, rather than on ‘Read more’, I think you are sure to see the latest version.
This weblog maintains its right to be about astronomy or anything under the sun.
I enjoyed this immensely! Thank you for sharing! :-)
I am a little surprised that you, one of my favorite astronomers, is somewhat, though not very strongly, promoting the false idea that a Virgo is really a Leo. For the most part, you remain equanimous when it comes to astrology, which is something I’ve really appreciated. And the article that you provide the link for, above, also is fair-minded. However, a Leo, in Western astrology (which is based on the seasons, not the stars) is still a Leo, through all 25,800 years of precession. :)
You could bring in a Middlesex angle there which Isleworth was in as the TV astrologer, Russell Grant,ran a campaign to bring back Middlesex for many years and even wrote a book about it! he’d know his Virgo’s from Leo’s and Middlesex’s from Greater London’s!