The Zodiac: A 3000 Year History of Horoscopes, Astronomy, and Imagination

"What's your star sign?" Just about everyone has been asked this question at one time or another. But what is a "star sign"? Astronomically, it's the sign of the zodiac in which the sun was located at your birth. Astrologically, it can mean anything from you'll have a long life to don't take out a loan. In this course we will explore the history of the concept of the zodiac and its use in astronomy and astrology from its invention by ancient Babylonian astronomers up to today. We'll find out why the Roman emperor Augustus adopted the symbol of the zodiacal sign Capricorn, why the zodiac is depicted on the floors of ancient synagogues, how Kepler used the zodiac when interpreting the star of Bethlehem, and how astronomers ancient and modern use it when calculating positions of the planets.