Editing Astrology

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'''Astrology''' refers to any of several systems of understanding, interpreting and organizing knowledge about reality and human existence, based on the relative positions and movement of various real and construed [[celestial body|celestial bodies]], chiefly the [[Sun]], [[Moon]], [[planet]]s, and [[lunar node]]s as seen at the time and place of a [[birth]] or other event being studied.  For many astrologers the relationship need not be causal.

Common forms of astrology include [[Western astrology]], [[<A href="chinese_astrology.htm">Chinese astrology</A>]], [[Jyotish]] ([[Vedic]] astrology) and [[Kabbalistic astrology]]. A less common form is [[<A href="horary_astrology.htm">horary astrology</A>]].
The majority of Western astrologers based their work on the [[tropical zodiac]], but some Western and all Jyotish astologers use the [[sidereal zodiac]].

==Relationship to astronomy and science==
Astrology is not the same as [[astronomy]]. Astronomers are often dismayed at being confused with their counterparts in astrology, and vice versa.  Because they regard it as not adhering to standards of the [[scientific method]] mainstream [[Western countries|Western]] scientists commonly dismiss astrology to be a [[pseudoscience]].

Astrology was once deeply intertwined with [[astronomy]], and a clear divergence between the two dates back only to the time of [[Galileo]].  He was one of the first to use the [[scientific method]] to test objective statements about the [[heavens]].

Astronomy aims to understand the physical workings of the universe.  These particulars are of great interest and relevance in astrology. The main focus of most forms of astrology are on unproven correlations between the physical motions of heavenly bodies, and various human affairs, such as world events, events in people's personal lives, and inborn [[personality]] traits.  Other astrologers extend these correlations to geological phenomena unrelated to human activity, such as [[earthquake|earthquakes]] and [[volcano|volcanic eruptions]].

Many prominent figures in the early history of western astronomy, including [[Tycho Brahe]], [[Johannes Kepler]], and [[Galileo]] himself, also supported themselves by practising astrology for wealthy noblemen.  [[Isaac Newton]] is sometimes cited as having an interest on astrology, but the proposed evidence does not stand up to close examination. There is not a single word recorded in Newton's hand that mentions the subject, and the handful of books in his possession that contained references to astrology were primarily concerned with [[alchemy]].

There are some biological phenomena that co-ordinate with celestial movements (e.g. [[circadian rhythm]]s, see [[Chronobiology]]). These results do not prove or disprove <A href="astrological.htm">astrological</A> claims, but suggest influences that are not fully understood. Scientific attempts to prove <A href="astrological.htm">astrological</A> influence have yielded negative or inconclusive results, for disputed reasons. Scientists would say astrology has no foundation in reality, and therefore cannot be proven. Astrologers would say scientists have designed the studies poorly because of an inadequate understanding of astrology.

<A href="astrological.htm">Astrological</A> concepts are pervasive in many societies, and endure despite strong efforts by scientists to discredit them. This is evidenced by the fact that [[influenza]] was so named because [[doctor]]s once believed it to be caused by unfavorable planetary and stellar influences.

==Astrology as a descriptive language for the mind==
Astrology can also be viewed as a cultural system of symbolism for talking about matters of the mind and personality in western culture. It has roots in [[alchemy|alchemical]] and [[Hermeticism|Hermetic tradition]] which were very influential until the 17th century. Only through an understanding of astrology's system for analysing human behaviour can much western thought and literature up to the [[Enlightenment]] be fully understood. Many modern thinkers, notably [[Carl Jung]], have acknowledged its descriptive powers of the mind without necessarily subscribing to its predictive claims.

==List of Notable Astrologers==
*[[Tycho Brahe]]
*[[Galileo Galilei]]
*[[Hipparchus]]
*[[Ibn Yunus]]
*[[Johannes Kepler]]
*[[Peurbach]]
*[[Ptolemy]]
*[[Regiomontanus]]

==See Also==
* [[<A href="horoscope.htm">Horoscope</A>]]
* The [[Mars effect]]
* [[Michel Gauquelin]]
* [[Monen]]

== External links ==
* [http://www.astrology-and-science.com/ Astrology and Science] - A series of articles in which believers and skeptics debate the merits of astrology. 
* [http://home.wxs.nl/~skepsis/astrot.html  The Astrotest] - An account of a test of the predictive power of astrology, with references to other experiments.
* [http://www.discord.org/~lippard/kammann.html The True Disbelievers] by Richard Kamann and Marcello Truzzi is a report of alleged internal events at CSICOP regarding their own claimed confirmation of M. Gauquelin's 'Mars Effect'
* [http://www.world-of-dawkins.com/Dawkins/Work/Articles/1995-12romance_in_stars.htm  The real romance in the stars] - A critical view of astrology by [[Richard Dawkins]].
*[http://skepdic.com/astrolgy.html The ''Skeptic's Dictionary'' on astrology]
*[http://skepdic.com/mars.html The ''Skeptic's Dictionary'' on the Mars effect]
*[http://www.imprint.co.uk/pdf/Dean.pdf  Journal of Consciousness Studies: ''Is Astrology Relevant to Consciousness and Psi?'']

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