Astrology is the study of patterns and relationships of planets in motion, our birth chart, synastry with others, and the make-up of elements. Astrology uses the birth date, time, and place of a person to create a natal chart that shows the position of the planets and the houses. The planets represent what type of energy is generated from the cosmos, while the zodiac signs show how the energy will be expressed. The houses indicate in what areas of life the energy will be manifested. The sun and the moon are also considered as planets in astrology.
The zodiac is a belt around the heavens extending 9° on either side of the ecliptic, the plane of Earth’s orbit and of the Sun’s apparent annual path. The zodiac is divided into 12 sections, each named after a constellation. The 12 astrological signs of the zodiac are each considered to occupy 1/12 (or 30°) of its great circle. These signs no longer correspond to the astronomical constellations in which the Sun actually appears, due to the precession of the equinoxes. The history of the symbols for each sign is unknown; they seem to appear first in Greek manuscripts of the late Middle Ages.