The Problem with Precession and the Beginning of the Biblical Year

Vernal Equinox: Out of Place in the Heavens

The Problem with Precession and the Beginning of the Biblical Year

This is a challenge to those that begin their biblical year with the first visible crescent moon nearest the vernal equinox. Using the nearest reckoning, if the new moon is prior to the vernal equinox, it will cause celebration of Passover a month earlier than those that use the visible crescent moon following the vernal equinox. It could also cause a problem by failing to recognize that a 13^th month needs to be inserted in the luni-solar calendar. This early start to the biblical year is also problematic to those using the bowl crescent moon, or the new crescent that appears level with the horizon, with the horns of the moon being equidistant on the sides. Part of the time, the bowl crescent appears before the vernal equinox. This situation exists in the month and year this is written, March 2010. Repeated inquiries to those using the bowl crescent have failed to produce scripturally based answers.

The purpose for this paper is to address the problem of “precession of the equinoxes”, as it relates to the beginning of the biblical year. The equinox, or equinoctial line in the heavens is the point of time in the year when the days and nights are equal, and the days begin getting longer, and the nights shorter. Over the millennia, the equinox has drifted backward in time, and is no longer where it used to be. The most profound impact of this precession is that the stars do not appear in the heavens where you think they are, in relation to the equinox. Astrologers and related informational resources will not tell you any different; they simply are lying or they are deluded.

At the time of Moses, the sun, moon, and vernal equinox were in the constellation Aries. (See first image labeled April 1446BC). 1446BC is one of the suggested years of the Exodus. Notice the point of the vernal equinox at the intersection of the sun's ecliptic and equatorial meridian, indicated by the two small "v's." Notice also that they all are coincidentally in what would be April-May. In reality, the equinox was originally in Taurus, at the time of Abraham, and probably back to the time of creation. It moved from Taurus into Aries in about the year 1865BC. The use of astronomy programs will verify this information within reason.

When the calendar instructions were given to Moses just prior to the Exodus, all celestial references in the heavens were where they were supposed to be. But it is interesting to see what has happened since the time of Moses.

At the time of Christ’s crucifixion, in April 31AD, nearly 1500 years after Moses and the Exodus, the equinox had drifted backward to a point just slightly out of Aries, into Pisces. (See image No 2 April 31AD). Notice that by the time the sun and moon arrive in Aries, past the vernal equinox, it is clearly April (April-May) and not March. This data is confirmed by USNO and other sources that the Passover/crucifixion occurred in April 31AD, and not March as some Jewish sources indicate. The noted Jewish historian Josephus tells us that when Passover was observed at the time of Christ, that the sun was in Aries.

Image No 1: 1446 BC @ the Exodus 

Image No 2: April 31 AD 

Where is the vernal equinox today?

Let's move our celestial magnifying glass to the current day, and look first at March 16 2010, on the day of the sighting of the crescent, when this new year is said by some to have begun. You will notice first of all that everything is out of alignment from where we think it should be. And the sun is still 4 days short of the vernal equinox. What is most noticeable is that the vernal equinox has now drifted all the way through Pisces and nearly into Aquarius. Notice that the sun and the moon are not in Aries to begin the year, where it is said they should be. At the time of the new moon nearest the vernal equinox, they are in Pisces. (See image 3 March 16 2010).

Image No. 3 March 16 2010

Now, let's have a look at where the sun and moon are when they do enter Aries for the beginning of the upcoming biblical year. Contrary to what most astrological forecasters and related websites and other sources say, Aries doesn't begin following the day of the vernal equinox. It's simply untrue. Astrologers continue to tell you that Aries is right after the vernal equinox, and is the period of time from March 21 to April 20. Nothing could be further from the truth. The equinox has now drifted so far back that it does not enter Aries until April 18. Notice in the image that the moon has already moved beyond conjunction, indicating that conjunction is a few days earlier (April 14) than the day the sun actually enters Aries. This means that at the time of conjunction, the new moon for the beginning of the biblical year has now moved out of Aries, where it should be, and into Taurus. It has been suggested that not only should the sun be in Aries, but also the moon. I have seen this idea referenced in other documents, although not many. (See Image No. 4 April 18 2010).

Image No. 4: April 18 2010 

There are many questions that arise because of the precession of the equinoxes.

• Should we be starting the biblical new year in Pisces at the new moon nearest the vernal equinox?
• Should we be starting the new year at the sign of the level or bowl crescent, which is clearly in Pisces at the time it appears?
• Should we delay beginning the new year until the sun and moon are in the sign of Aries? (Josephus and others)
• Beginning the new year when the sun and moon are in Aries means using the new moon after the vernal equinox.
• What part does the constellation Aries have to do with the beginning of the year?
• It has been suggested that Passover should always be in Aries, as evidenced by historical references.
• Should the beginning of the year also be in Aries; meaning not only the sun is in Aries, but also the moon.
• Are we out of alignment with scripture with one or the other beginnings?

Remember that Yah said several times in His word that He would do something to make man forget all his feast days and Sabbaths! What should we do in order to "follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth?"

Your Astrological Sign May Not Be What You Think

CAUTION: This article does not support or condone the use of astrology in relation to scripture. Scripture makes it clear that astrology is not part of Yahuwah's plan. The article is not meant to infer that followers of Yahuway and scripture should consider the use of astrology. The article is intended solely to point out the errors in astrology because of the precession of the equinox. It is an attempt to bring awareness to those that are using astrology to reconsider its use.


Strange News
Your Astrological Sign May Not Be What You Think It Is 

By Pedro Braganca, Special to LiveScience
posted: 23 October 2007 04:16 pm ET

It's a great conversation starter: "What's your sign?"
But before you ask or answer that question, consider this: your zodiac sign corresponds to the position of the sun relative to constellations as they appeared over 2200 years ago!
The science behind astrology may have its roots in astronomy but don’t confuse these two disciplines. Astronomy can explain the position of the stars in the sky but it’s up to you to determine what, if anything, their alignment signifies.
 
The Constellations of the Zodiac

The ecliptic, or the position of the Sun as it’s perceived from the revolving Earth, passes through the constellations that formed the Zodiac - Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius and Pisces. Zodiac signs were originally determined by which constellation the Sun was "in" on the day you were born.

Early astronomers observed the Sun traveling through the signs of the Zodiac in the course of one year, spending about a month in each. Thus, they calculated that each constellation extends 30 degrees across the ecliptic. 

However, a phenomenon called precession has altered the position of the constellations we see today.

Precession and Astrology

The first day of spring in the Northern Hemisphere was once marked by the zero point of the Zodiac. Astronomers call this the vernal equinox and it occurs as the ecliptic and celestial equator intersect.

Around 600 BCE, the zero point was in Aries and was called the "first point of Aries." (Figure 1) The constellation Aries encompassed the first 30 degrees of the ecliptic; from 30 to 60 degrees was Taurus; from 60 to 90 degrees was Gemini; and so on for all twelve constellations of the Zodiac. 

Figure 1. The vernal equinox marks the first day of spring and occurs at the intersection of the ecliptic and the celestial equator. The vernal equinox also marks the zero point of the Zodiac.

 Figure 2. If you were born between March 21 and April 19, your astrological sign is said to be Aries. But this was only true for a while, back when the system was set up in 600 BC. Today, the Sun is no longer within the constellation of Aries during much of that period. From March 11 to April 18, the Sun is actually in the constellation of Pisces!

 Figure 3. The graphic shows the precession of the equinoxes from 600 BC to 2600 AD. In 600 BC, the intersection of the ecliptic and celestial equator is in western Aries and marked by the Vernal Equinox. In the year 2007, the intersection is in Pisces.

Unbeknownst to the ancient astrologers, the Earth continually wobbles around its axis in a 25,800-year cycle. This wobble—called precession—is caused by the gravitational attraction of the Moon on Earth's equatorial bulge. 

Over the past two-and-a-half millennia, this wobble has caused the intersection point between the celestial equator and the ecliptic to move west along the ecliptic by 36 degrees, or almost exactly one-tenth of the way around. This means that the signs have slipped one-tenth—or almost one whole month—of the way around the sky to the west, relative to the stars beyond. 

For instance, those born between March 21 and April 19 consider themselves to be Aries. Today, the Sun is no longer within the constellation of Aries during much of that period. From March 11 to April 18, the Sun is actually in the constellation of Pisces! (Figure 2) See also Figure 3, which demonstrates the precession of the equinoxes from 600 BCE to 2600.

Your "Real Sign"

The table below lists the dates when the Sun is actually within the astronomical constellations of the Zodiac, according to modern constellation boundaries and corrected for precession (these dates can vary a day from year to year). 

You will most likely find that once precession is taken into account, your zodiac sign is different. And if you were born between November 29 and December 17, your sign is actually one you never saw in the newspaper: you are an Ophiuchus! The eliptic passes through the constellation of Ophiuchus after Scorpius.
Now you really have something cool with which to start that conversation!

Capricorn - Jan 20 to Feb 16
Aquarius - Feb 16 to Mar 11
Pisces - Mar 11 to Apr 18
Aries - Apr 18 to May 13
Taurus - May 13 to Jun 21
Gemini - Jun 21 to Jul 20
Cancer - Jul 20 to Aug 10
Leo - Aug 10 to Sep 16
Virgo - Sep 16 to Oct 30
Libra - Oct 30 to Nov 23
Scorpius - Nov 23 to Nov 29
Ophiuchus - Nov 29 to Dec 17
Sagittarius - Dec 17 to Jan 20 

http://www.livescience.com/strangenews/your-astronomical-sign.html