View source for Tropical zodiac

{{astrology}}
The '''tropical zodiac''' is based upon [[tropical time]], or the apparent motion of the [[Sun]] across the sky over the course of a year. The tropical [[zodiac]] fixes the position of the Sun in the heavens at the northern hemisphere [[vernal equinox]] as the [[First point of Aries|first point of the sign of Aries]]. The [[astrological sign|signs]] of the zodiac in tropical astrology are therefore currently divorced from the actual [[constellation]]s of the zodiac. This is due to the [[Precession of the equinoxes]]. The tropical zodiac therefore uses a view of the heavens as seen from Earth approximately 2600 years ago when the northern hemisphere vernal equinox did occur within the constelation of [[Aries]].

This is in contrast to the [[sidereal zodiac]], which is based on the apparent motion of the Sun against the actual [[constellation]]s of the zodiac in the sky.  

The tropical zodiac is largely exclusive to the Americas and western European astrologers. 

Some western [[astrologer]]s choose to use the sidereal zodiac and criticise the tropical approach as erroneous. This is a long running dispute within [[Western astrology]].

The [[Calendar|Thelemic Calendar]] is based on a tropical zodiac.

== See Also ==
* [[Aeons]]
* [[Calendar]]
* [[Holidays]]

[[Category:Zodiac]]