ZODIAC

(Gr. {uh'iov, dim. of ^wof, animal; because the constellations of the ecliptic are for the most part represented in celestial charts by the figures of animals.) An imaginary zone or belt in the heavens, extending to about 8° or 9° on each side of the ecliptic, which divides it in the middle. No use is made of the zodiac in astronomy: the name only indicates that region of the heavens within which the apparent motions of the sun, moon, and all the greater planets are confined. Three of the new planets, Juno, Ceres, and Pallas, have inclinations which exceed the limits of the ancient zodiac, and are therefore sometimes called extra-zodiacal planets: but Vesta is also sometimes included in the same description. See Planet. The zodiac is divided into twelve equal parts, called signs; which are designated by the names of the constellations with the places of which the signs anciently corres ponded. They are Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sag it tar i us, Capricomus, Aquarius, ee. The signs arc counted from the vernal equinox, one of the points In which the equator intersects the eclip tic; whence, in consequence of the regre ion of the oqui noctial points, their position with respect to the eonsteHa tions or fixed stars is greatly different from what it was in remote ages. Some time prior to Hipparch us, the first points of the constellations Aries and Libra corresponded to the vernal and autumnal equinoxes; those of Cancer and Capricorntothe summer and winter solstices: at present, the difference is about 30°. The vernal equinox now happens in the constellation Pisces, the summer solstice in Gemini, the autumnal equinox in Virgo, and the winter solstice in Sag i tar i us but; the vernal equinox always corresponds to the first point of the sign Aries, the summer solstice to the firsl of Cancer, and so on. On this account it is nec ary to di3 1341 [s. 1363]