Q1：そもそも占星術での星座ってなに？なぜ12個あるの？
A1
It is thought to link life on earth with the sky, and there are 12 constellations along the "path" of the sun.
"The practice of gazing at the stars and creating stories about them has been practiced in various parts of the world since ancient times. Each culture had its own unique constellations," says Nanashima.
In 1922, the International Astronomical Union recognized 88 constellations, including the 12 constellations found in Western astrology. Astrological constellations are called "signs" in English.
So why are there 12 signs (constellations)? The reason is due to the movement of the sun.
"The path of the sun on the celestial sphere is called the ecliptic, and the 12 constellations that lie along it are used in fortune-telling. The position of the sun is extremely important when it comes to farming. It could be said that people linked life on earth with the sky, and assigned constellations to the "location" of the sun, which shifts with each month. For example, in the spring, when the sun is in Taurus, it was the time to plow the fields with oxen."
However, during the Taurus season, Taurus is not visible in the night sky because the Sun's position in that constellation means that the constellation always rises and sets with the Sun.
"When you read your zodiac sign in a horoscope, it actually refers to your sun sign. This is the sign of the zodiac that the sun was in at the time of your birth. Each of the 12 zodiac signs is assigned a different personality. Aries is action-oriented, Taurus is laid-back, etc. These types of character traits tend to be reflected in the basic personality of people who have that sign as their sun sign."
Q2：どういう仕組みで占っているの？
A2
We are looking at the relative positions of 10 celestial bodies on the celestial sphere.
「夜空では、太陽、月、惑星が毎日動いています。占星術は、10の天体（太陽、月、水星、金星、火星、木星、土星、天王星、海王星、冥王星）のフォーメーションを見るものです」
Each celestial body has its own "area of responsibility," and the Sun is the main one. It represents the ego and "public self."
"In contrast, the Moon governs private life and true feelings. Other characteristics include Mercury representing thought and intelligence, and Mars representing courage and ambition."
ただし、天体の性質は、どのエリアに入っているかで出方が異なる。
There are two ways to divide areas: "signs" (constellations) and "houses." Signs are the path of the sun, and the ecliptic that circles the earth, divided into 12 parts. While signs divide the sun's annual movement into 12 parts, houses divide the sun's daily movement into 12 parts. Like the signs (constellations) explained in Q1, each house has a meaning such as "home" or "work."
"If the heavenly bodies are like actors on stage, the signs represent the mood of the roles they play, and the houses represent the stages (scenes). When the actor, the Sun (the protagonist), is in the Virgo area, he plays a character who is solid, sensitive, and meticulous in every detail. He also appears in multiple scenes, such as at work and at home..."
Q3: How can you find out your personality and fortune?
A3
This is because it is interpreted by multiplying "celestial body x area" and "celestial body x celestial body."
"The answer (or basis) to this question is actually a mystery. However, when you use astrological techniques to translate the star arrangement into characteristics and tendencies, there are some mysterious ways (although I can't say it's 100%) where it matches your personality and fortune."
There are 12 signs and 12 houses. Each has its own symbolism and creates a mood and scene for the celestial bodies. Astrology also pays attention to the angles between celestial bodies.
"The angles also have meaning, such as when they are connected at 60 or 120 degrees, it means that the relationship is peaceful. If multiple celestial bodies form a special shape, that is also taken into consideration, and whether the planet is direct or retrograde is also a major factor."
In other words, astrology is the art of interpreting countless patterns, such as the combination of celestial bodies and the areas in which they are located, and the relative positions of celestial bodies.
"Your personality can be seen from the position of the stars at birth (natal chart). For example, if your Sun and Moon are in areas with contrasting characteristics, you may be the type of person who has a difference between the way you appear in public and the way you act in private."
So, how do you predict your fortune and compatibility?
"If you want to know your fortune, you overlay your own natal chart with the movement of the stars at the time (time or period) you want to know your fortune. If you want to know compatibility, you overlay your natal chart with the other person's. Then you can interpret whether the overlapping stars are harmonious, fighting, mutually enhancing, or hindering each other.
In the case of the weekly report, the fortunes of each zodiac sign are only selected for the 12 sun signs, and we consider how the movement of the stars for that week will affect the sun (public self/main theme) of each sign (for convenience, we will read this as the sun being in the 1st house)."
Q4: ...Or rather, when and where did it start?
A4
It is said to have originated in the ancient Mesopotamian civilization.
夜空の星に意味を見出す。その行為自体は、およそ5000年の歴史を持つという。
「古代農耕社会の人にとって、星の運行は暦を知るための現実的なツールでした。古代メソポタミアでも星の観察記録や、星（星座）に関連した神話や占いについて記した粘土板も見つかっています。現在確認できる範囲ではメソポタミアの占星術が最古であるといえます。それが古代ギリシャへも伝わり、体系化されていきました。しかし、占星術を“邪教の知恵”としていたキリスト教が支配圏を広げるとともに、占星術はアラビア地域を発展の場としていきます。アラブ世界で進化をする期間を経て、後年ヨーロッパに広く伝播していきました。」
Astrology is heavily influenced by Greek mythology, including the naming of celestial bodies such as "Venus." This is likely due to the widespread influence of Greek culture that has been deeply rooted in astrology since ancient times.
"It wasn't until the 19th century that it became as popular as it is today and began to be used to diagnose the personalities of ordinary people. However, there were times when it was suppressed because claiming that one's fate (destiny) could be determined (or understood) from the stars went against Christian doctrine, which upholds an absolute God. In this environment, modern astrologers such as Alan Leo developed star reading into a style for interpreting personal characteristics and qualities."
Later, various elements (philosophy, theosophy, psychology, etc.) were linked to astrology and systematized, and from there modern psychological astrology, which continues to this day and elucidates the personality and psychology of individuals, was established.
Q5：結局、リアルな日々の中でどう活かせるの？
A5
I hope you will use it to make your life easier, just like health products or car navigation systems!
Western astrology has a long history and is a logical, mathematical, puzzle-like system. I have a general idea of how it works, but how should I actually use it?
"First, why not try to find a fortune teller you like? Fortune tellers are human too, so the points they focus on when reading your fortune will vary depending on where and what kind of star you have. That's why the 'accurate fortune teller' will vary from person to person."
Astrological perspectives can also be useful in relationships.
"There are 10 celestial bodies and 12 houses. Everyone has an empty house, and no one has the ability or energy in all areas. If you get along with someone who has stars in different positions than you, you may be able to complement each other."
Furthermore, if you want to fall in love, you can turn the star alignment into an opportunity for action, such as taking action when the Sun or Venus is in the house that indicates love.
"There's no need to believe in fortune telling. Astrology is like a weather forecast or a guidepost that makes life a little smoother. If you realize that there are multiple stars, or layers, within you, you can forgive your own contradictions and even find them amusing. It can also be used as a tool to help you understand and accept the nature of others. Fortune telling is also a form of entertainment that has been around for over 5,000 years. So, I hope you will use it in a healthy and enjoyable way without thinking too seriously about it."
