The Myth of the 13th Zodiac Sign

There are a few factors that contribute to the confusion surrounding this 13th sign. To begin, we must consider the existence of various astrological systems. Modern Western tropical astrology is the branch most are familiar with; traditional Western astrology focuses more on the meaning of planets, but for the purposes of this discussion, the two are rather similar. There is also sidereal astrology, an Eastern Vedic practice with a different calendar for the 12 zodiac signs -  although the names of the signs are the same. This is where part of the confusion may introduce itself: although some dates overlap between the Eastern and Western calendars, people born in one sign may be another sign in the other calendar. These astrological systems are lenses through which the stars and planets are being interpreted; the signs themselves have different qualities, attributes, and personalities. So, when someone struggles with inconsistency in regards to what astrology tells them their sign is, this could be one explanation. Often, this matter complicates that of the 13th zodiac sign, which we’ll look at now.

This claim about the 13th zodiac sign originates from a conflation of zodiac signs and constellations. A planet is said to be located “in” a sign when it falls within the degrees of that sign’s constellation. The 12 signs (Aries through Pisces, as we know them) cover the 360 degree span of the sky altogether, forming the entirety of the zodiac. Each sign has a corresponding constellation. The “13th sign” myth comes from the fact that not every constellation is a part of the zodiac, meaning that the sun actually moves through much more than 12 constellations. The 13th sign is actually the constellation Ophiuchus, which lies between the zodiac constellations of Scorpio and Sagittarius. When this constellation is added to the calendar as a 13th sign, the calendar dates which correspond to each sign are shifted, causing some to believe they are of a different sign. To be abundantly clear: Ophiuchus is a constellation, but not part of the zodiac, meaning that although some of your planets might fall within Ophiuchus, this does not mean that you’re “not a Scorpio”.

However, being born in Ophiuchus does have astrological meaning. To understand this, we must turn towards the astrological concept of decans, sometimes referred to as decanates. A decan is a subdivision of a zodiac sign, where each of the 12 signs has 3 equal subdivisions, meaning that there are 36 different decans in total. Each decan is ruled by a constellation, none of which are zodiacal constellations themselves. Modern Western astrology sees the decans as more subtle influences on the expression of their ruling sign’s energy. The decans of Scorpio, for example are ruled by the constellations Ara, Corona Australis, and Ophiuchus. The last thing to say on this point is that everyone is born under a decan: this is not by any means a phenomenon exclusive to Ophiuchus within Scorpio. So yes, Ophiuchus is a constellation that has presence in the zodiac, but not in the way that this repeating trend would have you think.

Ultimately, I believe that the 13th sign issue is one that we can learn from, regardless of what our relationship with astrology looks like. I’m a firm believer that astrology is a lifelong journey: there is always more to be learning, and at the end of the day, we as humans are trying to understand a language that the universe is speaking to us, which is something we will never be able to fully achieve. That is not to say that we can’t learn from the signs, planets, and houses, just that there’s always going to be something more to the picture we’re seeing. The Ophiuchus craze is an opportunity to look closer at astrology and see what leads to the misunderstanding, while also familiarizing us with other important concepts, such as different systems and the meaning of decanates. At its foundation, astrology is powerful because it delivers its messages via a system bound by spiritual and mathematical rules alike. That being said, it is composed of what seems like an infinite amount of moving, interacting parts, which can make it seem altogether convoluted and difficult to understand. My advice regarding the 13th sign controversy, that of “cusp signs”, or any other points of confusion, is to go back to the basics. By taking this universal machine apart and putting it back together, the inconsistencies find their resolutions.