Opinion: NASA’s 13th zodiac sign may not mean much

“What’s your zodiac sign?” That’s a question most people have heard at least once before. Reactions vary, from really enthusiastic responses to irritated eye rolls.

Recently, NASA discovered a 13th zodiac sign called Ophiuchus which is Latin for “serpent bearer.” It’s supposed to represent people born between November 30th and December 17th. People who are aware of this have either chosen to ignore it or become even more skeptical.

In the early origins of astrology, it was known to be the search for human meaning in the sky. When I ask for someone’s zodiac sign, I feel like I’m getting a sense for who they are. Not everyone with the same zodiac sign is exactly the same. Certain components — like their moon sign and their rising sign — supposedly play a part in their personality. I also use horoscopes as something to reflect on, but it’s definitely not something I would live my life by.

Tauruses tend to be stubborn, practical, and independent. They are also very blunt and aggressive, and if something rubs them the wrong way, they’ll let you know. From what I noticed about the Tauruses that I’ve met, I’d say this was true. My father — a Taurus — fits the description very well. He’s always been the type to not take things very lightly and is very serious about things that matter to him — like work and family.

I am interested in astrology because it gives me something to identify with. I’m a Scorpio and I feel like I identify with my sign very strongly. The new 13th sign classifies me as a Libra, but I don’t feel a connection with that sign at all. Libra’s are very go-with-the-flow. They supposedly keep the peace and are very kind. They are also considered one of the more sophisticated signs. I’m not saying that I’m not any of those things. I could be considered any of those traits, but I feel like those aren’t the first traits that come to mind I have to describe myself.

But the description of the Scorpio being moody, impulsive and passionate sounds like something I agree with. They are also considered very intellectual and deep. All water signs tend to be emotional, yet Scorpios are supposed to be a little more aggressive than the rest. Scorpios are often called obsessive — I like to say that I’m very passionate about things that I like or care about. If I’m really into something, I’ll talk about it and try to participate as much as possible. If it’s something I don’t particularly care for, you’ll never hear me say a word about it.

On NASA’s Tumblr page they said, “So, we didn’t change any zodiac signs … we just did the math.” This was NASA’s response to distraught astrology followers when it came to the change in the stars. Additionally, the 13th sign made Scorpio’s cycle only six days long. It doesn’t make much sense for a sign to have such a small “season.”

So, everyone who has their sign tattooed on them does not need to worry. We can go back to reading our horoscopes in peace.