Influence of Discoveries of New Planets and Signs on Astrology
Recently a new planet has been discovered which is 10th in solar system after Pluto. Astronomers of Palomar Observatory in California have found the 10th planet Sedna. Its diameter is 1200 K.M. Its colour IS more red than Mars. Its distance from Sun IS 3 times more than Pluto, though in size it is half of it.
The discovery of 10th planet has once again given a jolt to astrologers and they have been forced to think and wonder. The scholars believe that such discoveries may make all existing astrological calculations redundant.
Similarly, astronomers say that there are 13 and not 12 signs in the Zodiac. The 13th sign is located between Scorpio and Sagittarius and is known as Ophiuchus. The Royal Astronomical Society has also confirmed it in 1995.
What is the truth? What are the rules is Astrology for such developments? Is it necessary to write the rules in astrology again? The truth is wheather 10th planet or 13th sign, these are mere discoveries. New planets or signs are not new creations so that they may change the astrology. There are billions of stars in the sky but in astrology predictions are made by calculations of only 9 planets and even these 9 planets do not revolve around Sun like a planet.
In astrology Moon, a satellite of Earth has been given more importance than other planets. Similarly, in astrology Sun in treated as a planet. The nodes Rahu and Ketu are also treated like planets. In astrology, a planet means a point that has influence on human life while in astronomy a planet is a celestial body that moves round the Sun.
The Vedic Astrology recognizes only 9 planets that does not contain Uranus, Neptune and Pluto. Modern astrology has included these planets but their influence is seen as nominal. Its reason is their vast distance from Earth or their small size. Mainly a planet has its effect due to its gravitation. Gravitational force is directly proportional to mass and indirectly proportional to square of distance. Due to this reason influence of Uranus is only 4% of Saturn, Neptune and Pluto are much less effective. Pluto’s effect is only a millionth part of Saturn.
Now if we calculate the influence of Sedna, its influence will be only 1/100 of Pluto. It means Sedna’s influence will be only 10 crore part of Saturn. Other bodies have much lesser effect than Sedna. Due to this reason these planets are not given much importance in astrology.
The second reason is the distance of these planets from Sun. Due to it the period of the planets rotation around the Sun increases, such as Uranus 84 years. Neptune 164 years and Pluto 248 years. In Astrology, influence of a planet coming back to same sign and degrees is studied. In the lifespan of any individual Uranus, Neptune and Pluto are not able to come back to same sign and degrees. That is why these planets are not given due importance.
In astrology, signs have been created by dividing zodiac in 12 equal parts. Zodiac will always have 360° whether it is divided in 12 parts or more. Whatever group of stars were seen in span of 30°, it was given a name. However, it is not essential I that this group of stars is spread in total degrees of a sign or is not going out of its limit.
A sign is merely a calculation and in order to make it usable it has been given the name and shape of group of stars. Therefore if a new group of stars is discovered in 360° or zodiac is divided in more parts, it will have no effect on astrology. In Indian astrology, zodiac is divided is not only in12 parts but in 27 nakshatras as well that indicate Moon’s daily motion. Moon travels the zodiac in approximately 27 days, daily it crosses one nakshatra. Similarly Sun travels 12 signs in 365 days and comes in one sign in one month.
Our sages were having knowledge of other stars and planets in the sky but in order to give a realistic form to astrology, they chose those planets and signs whose serious influence on human life was seen or ascertained. The bodies with negligible influence were left out. It is like measuring distance between Delhi to Mumbai in kilometers and not in meters/millimeters.
Astronomers may continue to make new discoveries, may find new planets, may give a new name to a new sign, astrology will continue to be what it was.