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Aquarius The Water Bearer
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Aquarius - The Water Bearer
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  • Sign: Aquarius
  • January 21 - February 19
  • Element: Air
  • Quality: Fixed
  • Keyword: "I know"
  • Ruling Planet: Saturn & Uranus
  

Aquarius is an astrological sign, which is associated with the constellation Aquarius. Under the tropical zodiac, Aquarius is occupied by the Sun from January 21 to February 19. Under the sidereal zodiac, Aquarius is occupied currently from February 13 to March 14.

Aquarius is the eleventh sign of the Zodiac and associated with future ideas and the unusual. In some cosmologies, Aquarius is associated with the classical element Air, and thus called an Air Sign (with Libra and Gemini). It is also one of the four Fixed signs (along with Leo, Scorpio, and Taurus). Its polar opposite is Leo.

Aquarius is the domicile of Saturn (since its discovery Uranus has been considered Aquarius' ruling or co-ruling planet by many modern astrologers). Aquarius is traditionally thought to be ruled by the planet Saturn, but in more recent years many astrologers have labelled Uranus as the ruler or co-ruler of Aquarius, attributing the erraticism associated with the Sign to the planet's influence.

Body and health


Physically, individuals born under the sign of Aquarius supposedly tend to have a vague expression, finely chiseled features and a slender figure. The males are often said to tend to be effeminate in appearance and the females somewhat broad-shouldered and masculine. Each astrological sign is assigned a part of the body, viewed as the seat of its power. Aquarius rules the circulatory system as well as the ankles. The symbol for Aquarius is the water bearer. In terms of anatomy, Aquarius is said to rule the legs from knees to ankles and the circulation of blood.

Miscellaneous


Individuals born under this sign are thought to have a modest, creative, challenging, inquisitive, entertaining, progressive, stimulating, nocturnal, and independent character, but one which is also prone to rebelliousness, coldness, erraticism, indecisiveness, and impracticality. In terms of geography, Aquarius is linked with Greece, Sweden, Canada, Ethiopia and Poland.

Mythology


In mythology Aquarius is often associated with the mythological figure of Odysseus, King of Ithaca, from the Greek myth of the Trojan War. Aquarius is also associated with the Greco-Roman god Uranus/Caelus and sometimes the god Cronus/Saturn. In Grecian mythology, Aquarius is the constellation that was once Ganymede, the Prince of Troy. Legend has it that Ganymede was brought by a giant eagle into the sky and came to be the pederastic love of the god Zeus. Being the cupbearer of the gods, Ganymede was placed in the stars as the constellation of Aquarius.

Constellation


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  • Double star zeta Aqr, a 15176
  • Star group M 73,
  • Globular clusters M 2, M 72
  • Planetary nebula NGC 7009, NGC 7293
  • Meteor Showers: March Aquarids, Delta Aquarids, Eta Aquarids, Iota Aquarids

An ancient Babylonian constellation which once contained the autumnal equinox (in the fourth millenium B.C.).

The antique sources differ in the interpretation of this constellation. Eratosthenes of Cyrene (230 B.C.) stated in his Catasterismi (26) that Aquarius was Ganymedes when serving whine or nectar to Zeus. Hygenus was of the opinion that Aquarius represented Deukalion and the water he pours stood for the Flood (poeticum astronomicum).  Finally some people take him for Cektrops. He lived in a time where whine was unknown. The pouring of the water is thought to be a symbol for the sacrifice of this element (instead of whine) for the gods (eubulus ap. eumd.l.c). The gods showed their gratetude giving him a place beneath the stars.

One of the constellations of the Zodiacal Constellation Family. The sun passes through this constellation from mid February to mid March. Aquarius streches from the celestial equator to the southern hemisphere: RA=20h40m to RA=0h and DECL=3 degrees to DECL=-24 degrees respectively. It is surrounded by Pegasus Equuleus and Delphinus at the northern border, Aquila to the west, Capricornus at the south-western border, Piscis Austrinus and Sculptor to the south, Cetus to the east and finally Pisces at the north-eastern edge. The stars gamma Aqr (called Sadachbia), eta Aqr, zeta Aqr and pi Aqr form a small, Y-shaped asterism which is a characteristic feature for this constellation. It is thought to mark the water jar of Aquarius.

 
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