History and Definitions of Zodiac Signs

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The starry night sky is a vast and beautiful realm that appears every night. It has fascinated humanity since the dawn of time. Coupled with our wonderful gifts of creativity and imagination, the night sky was our ultimate canvas and perhaps the oldest storybook. The sky has provided a place for us to draw mythical creatures and commemorate epic heroes. Our first record of the constellations date to approximately 6000 years old and were written in cuneiform (Coder, 2012). These texts were found in the valley of the Euphrates River and are simple constellations of animals (Coder, 2012). The question is why? It could be that human brain often seeks patterns in randomness. That humanity will see images in the sky to help our brains deal with the unorganized nature of the universe. However, I feel that this sells humanity short. The constellations are much more than the brain grabbing patterns and creating something it recognizes. These groupings of stars and stellar objects now hold our history. We have been passing along the stories of the constellations for thousands of years. After all, the sky is the perfect medium. It can store pictures and help tell stories and lessons that have lasted throughout time. As a small girl I remember vividly the Legend of the Dipper. How the little girl, in search of water for her ill mother, was compassionate on her journey. For her compassion she was rewarded and a reminder of this compassion is fixed in the night's sky (Bennett & Hague, 1995). I never forgot the story, or its message. How could I? That diamond encrusted dipper appears in the sky each night! It is wonderful how the constellations reach across time, culture, and beliefs. The most recognizable constellations usually originate from... ... middle of paper ... ...lieve the stars guide your life and look to them for answers. Or if you just love a night gazing at the beauty of the twinkling heavens. There is no denying the amazing impact that the stars have on humanity. Works Cited "Asclepius." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 1 Nov. 2013. Web. 11 Nov. 2013. Ball, Cathy. "Taurus." The Mythology of the Constellations. N.p., N.d. Web. 11 Nov. 2013. . Bennett, William J., and Michael Hague. "The Legend of the Dipper." The Children's Book of Virtues. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1995. Print Coder, Errol. The Constellations: Myths of the Stars. N.p., 2013. Kindle File. 3, 79,10. "Ophiuchus." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 29 Oct. 2013. Web. 11 Nov. 2013. "Taurus (constellation)." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 08 Nov. 2013. Web. 13 Nov. 2013.

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