Note, accordingly, how little it means to say something like 'Uranus moves into Aquarius'. Aquarius is a miscellaneous set of stars all at different distances from us, which have no connection with each other except that they constitute a (meaningless) pattern when seen from a certain (not particularly special) place in the galaxy (here). A constellation is not an entity at all, not the kind of thing that Uranus, or anything else, can sensibly be said to 'move into'.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Constellations are arbitrary patterns from Earth, not real physical groups, so saying planets move into them is scientifically meaningless.
- In plain terms
- Constellations are just patterns we see, not real groups of stars.
- What can you take from it?
- Astrological claims about planetary movements lack astronomical basis.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What makes a star group real?
- How do we define patterns?
Another view
It ignores the cultural and historical value of constellations.
More from Richard Dawkins
There's this thing called being so open-minded your brains drop out.
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