Star Points for June, 1997; by Curtis Roelle Astrology: Skeleton in Astronomy's Closet Although astronomy and astrology share a common origin dating to antiquity their current statuses are altogether different. Astronomy is a natural physical science involving the study of motions, composition, origin, and eventual demise of celestial objects. Basically it helps to put into perspective mankind's place in the cosmos. Astrology is a pseudo-science whereby the motions of Sun, Moon, and planets are tracked and plotted in a self-indulgent attempt to determine how their configuration might be advantageous for the individual person. Amateur and professional astronomers cringe and blush when asked if they are astrologers and through their vigorous denial fail in acknowledging the shared roots of astronomy and astrology. A notable exception was the late astronomer George O. Abel who included in his college-level astronomy textbooks historical overviews of astrology and directions for casting and interpreting horoscopes. Abel believed that in order to attack superstition it was necessary to first understand its workings. Astrology is presumed to have originated perhaps 4,000 years ago in the Tigris-Euphrates valley. The planets were viewed as agents of the gods and in some cases were considered to be the gods themselves. In Mesopotamia and Babylonia the belief that planets influenced kings and kingdoms developed. The practice of "mundane" astrology, in which motions of celestial bodies was believed to influence entire nations, was radically different than the popular astrology of today which centers on the purported effects of heavenly bodies on the individual. The Greeks assimilated the Babylonian culture and astrology flourished throughout the western world even spreading into the Orient. Under the Greeks the idea was developed that heavenly motions affected the lives of everyone and that the celestial configuration occurring at the time of one's birth predisposed that person's personality and fortune. Enter the horoscope, astrology's central tool. The rules of interpretation were contained in a 2nd century A.D. book written by Ptolemy, the "Tetrabiblos". For the time of a person's birth the astrologer plots the position of the Sun, Moon, and planets with respect to the stars and the horizon at the place of birth. Thus astrologers learned the positions of the so-called "fixed" stars and even gave names to many of them. The stars were grouped into constellations, many of which are still recognized by astronomers today. To astrologers, the place of birth was just as important as the positions of the planets. Therefore Ptolemy's ancient text included tables of the geographic locations for cities of the day. The practice of astrology based on horoscopes cast for the specific instant and place of birth is called "natal" astrology. Another branch of astrology called "horary" astrology alleges to answer specific questions by casting horoscopes for the location and time at which the question was posed. These questions are of the form "Would (pick one: Mon./Tue./Thur.) be a good day to propose (pick one: a business deal/marriage)?" The science of astronomy was a natural outgrowth of the practice of the "art" of astrology and its required accuracy in the prediction and plotting of planetary positions. When nations took up their seafaring ways, navigation via the stars further served to promote astronomy and cause it to diverge from its ancient ties to astrology. Today, thanks to telescopes and space probes sent forth from the Earth, the planets have been revealed to be composed of rock and gas, rather than other-worldly substances. They move in regular orbits, under the gravitational influence of the Sun and not of their own accord. Even the gravitational influences of the largest planets on an individual human are infinitesimal. Scientifically, the notion that planetary positions at the instant of our birth can ultimately influence life events many years later borders on the absurd. For those with a pre-disposed belief in the superstition, it is possible that an astrological prediction may be self-fulfilling. For instance a person who obeys an astrologer's advice to avoid a possible accident by staying home from work may actually believe that an accident was truly avoided. Life is too short to let ourselves be limited by reliance on groundless superstitions. At best astrology and horoscopes are meager forms of entertainment. After all, we have enough to worry about with Friday the 13th coming!