Today we will highlight the significance of earth’s two main celestial bodies, the sun and moon! The sun and moon have been worshiped by humankind since the dawn of time. Ancient civilizations reasonably viewed the sun and moon as gods who provided life. In this article, we will analyze both the astronomy and astrology behind these two vital entities!
Welcome to Ramstrology, the astrology blog written by Aries Ram, C. M. Ramsburg! Ramstrology delves into various Zodiac systems to highlight their diverse cultural influences. In this blog series, you'll learn the basic principles of astrology that are found in my YA Fantasy, SON OF THE SUN.
Astronomy vs. Astrology
It is important to note the difference between astronomy and astrology as two separate disciplines. Astronomy is a natural science that studies space, celestial bodies, and the physical universe through mathematical and scientific methods. #Astronomy often uses empirical evidence observed in the universe to draw conclusions, containing both an observational and theoretical branch. Meanwhile, astrology is the study of the movements and positions of celestial bodies which influences human affairs and personality traits. While astrology is not an official scientific study, many find truth and merit within this discipline. Astrology is a human interpretation of celestial bodies while astronomy studies them for what they physically are. Below I will evaluate both the astronomical and astrological importance of the sun and moon.
The Sun
Astronomy
The #sun is absolutely critical for all life on earth. Ancient civilizations recognized their dependency on the sun to provide warmth and natural growth, leading them to worship the sun like a god. The sun is a yellow dwarf star mostly comprised of hydrogen and helium that undergoes nuclear fusion, producing the energy that earth receives and requires. The sun makes up 99.8% of the total mass within the Solar System. The sun is so massive that it could fit nearly one million earths inside of it. The temperature of the sun reaches 15 million degrees Celsius. The sun is approximately 150 million km away from the earth, taking the sun’s light 8 minutes to reach earth. The powerful influence the sun has in our solar system contributes to the sun’s vital role within the discipline of astrology.
Astrology
The Western Zodiac centers around the Sun as its source of energy and power to the 12 Zodiac Signs. The position of the Sun during your birth determines your Zodiac Sign, also known as your “Sun Sign”. The Ruling Dates for each Zodiac Sign are calculated based on the Sun’s path along the ecliptic, traveling around the band of the Zodiac that circles around the earth. The Sun spends 30 days in each Zodiac, starting with #Aries and ending with #Pisces. The Sun resides in the Fifth House of the Zodiac, along with #Leo the Lion. In astrology, the Sun represents our personality and conscious mind. The Sun rules over our ego, pride, personal power, leadership abilities, and creativity. The Sun gives us life, health, and prosperity. Gold and rubies are sacred to the Sun, boosting your luck and relationship with it. The Sun is accompanied by the Moon as the two most important celestial bodies in astrology.
Son of the Sun, C. M. Ramsburg
“Even the Sun must set to bring forth a new day, Lily. You know this.”
The Moon
Astronomy
The earth only has one permanent natural satellite or moon. The moon’s gravitational pull influences the tides on earth. The earth and moon have synchronized rotations, which means the moon always shows the same face to the earth. Despite the moon’s bright appearance in the night sky, the moon only reflects light from the sun and would otherwise be completely dark. The #moon has no atmosphere and experiences moonquakes. Meanwhile, the moon undergoes phases, as portrayed in the picture above. The moon phases are as followed: new moon, waxing crescent, first quarter, waxing gibbous, full moon, waning gibbous, last quarter, and waning crescent. The moon’s welcoming sight in the night sky has lit the way for night travelers since the dawn of time, causing civilizations to worship the moon and its influence.
Astrology
Many astrologers argue that the Moon’s role in astrology is just as important as the Sun’s role. In fact, Vedic Astrology uses Moon Signs instead of the Sun Signs used in Western Astrology. While the Sun rules over the conscious mind, the Moon rules over memories and the subconscious mind. The Moon is a darker and more mysterious entity compared to its bright and flashy counterpart. The Moon rules over emotions, mood, vulnerability, and intuition. The Moon shares a special bond with Cancer, the only Zodiac Sign to have the Moon as its Ruling Planet. Both the Moon and Cancer are strengthened by their lucky gems, moonstone and pearl. Similar to the physical Moon observed in astronomy, the astrological Moon can impact emotional changes and mood swings, similar to its effect on tides.
Son of the Sun, C. M. Ramsburg
“Occasionally, the clouds would cast their shadow over the Moon, shielding her from the rest of the world.”
Equinoxes and Eclipses
The sun and moon have equal power and influence in astrology while both being vital celestial bodies in astronomy. In fact, these two entities share the sky equally during two days of the year, the Spring and Fall Equinoxes. The sun and moon occasionally come together in the night sky to represent their mutual respect and union. Coincidentally, the sun is 400 times larger than the moon while the sun is also 400 times further away from earth than the Moon. Therefore, the sun and moon appear to be the same size from earth, allowing them to become one during total eclipses.
Son of the Sun, C. M. Ramsburg
“Jabari kept having the same recurring dream. He was forced to stare up at the sky as the Sun was being eclipsed.”
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