The words "Horoscope and Horoscopes" are used in popular culture to refer to a text relevant to each sun sign (or star sign), predicting feelings and a period of future events.

This is Sun Sign Astrology and by implication each Sun Sign is one twelfth of the population and though useful at a base level is nowhere near as accurate as getting an Astrologer to draw up your own personal and unique Birth Chart.

Horoscopes can now be found printed within newspapers, magazines and many web sites. Beware though, they are not always written by a qualified or experienced Astrologer, in fact in some cases they are entirely "written" by a computer program, or even a journalist!

Properly done the Birth Chart is interpreted by an Astrologer who will draw a Horoscope relating to a period of time and a particular Sun Sign.

A specialized Computer program can be used that calculates the position of all the planets and their interrelationships, and the program can indicated above be used to directly work out the text of the "Horoscope". But this will never be as accurate, gifted or human as a real Astrologer intuitively creating the interpretation!

How Can It Be Accurate?

The positions of the planets at any time way back in history, currently or at virtually any time in the future can be predicted with amazing accuracy because they follow long observed and regular cycles.

It is the position of the planets and their interrelationships that is used to form an interpretation of their meaning, this is where all Astrologers use long passed down information and a certain degree of intuition.

I believe that it is the intuition part of Astrology that bears striking resemblance to other forms of divination such as Tarot, Psychic Readings and Chinese Astrology, these are but the tools, it is the human with the skills who does all of the really amazing things!

What Is Astrology?

Astrology is a very ancient practice and throughout the ages has shown that there is a strong connection between the movements of the planets in our Solar System, and life on earth.

The Horoscope can reveal our characters, our strengths and weaknesses, our potential, and our future direction. Most people are familiar with their star sign, or sun sign (the Zodiac sign that the Sun was in when we were born), but the Chart also shows our Moon sign, and the signs that all the other planets were in at the moment of birth and this gives much greater depth and insight into our character than just the study of the sun sign.

Astrology thus becomes a tool to greater self awareness so that we can learn to live life to the full and according to our innermost natures, enhancing our individuality and self expression.

Above is a Birth Chart drawn by me for 9 am Monday this week. Within it a symbols for all the Planets and positions of the Zodiac. Depending on when you were born, planets occur in different signs and this gives the subtle differences between two people who may share the same Sun Sign.
e.g. if your Mercury is in Libra, it will be a lot different than if it were in Sagittarius.

Your exact time of birth makes a significant difference, hence a Birth Chart drawn for all the people in the UK who are Sun Sign Aries is going to be a lot less accurate than one drawn for an individual Aries person.

The aspects (the coloured lines on your chart, in the center) will also have an affect on how planets are expressed, as they show the nature of the relationship between the planets.

The signs are coloured in your chart, according to their element i.e. Air signs are yellow and the keyword is mentality, Fire signs are red and the keyword is Instinct, Water signs are blue and the keyword is Emotion and Earth signs are green and the key word is Practicality.

The chart is divided into twelve sections beginning at the AC on the left and these show the Houses, or areas of your life e.g. the Fourth House represents your family, culture and your background, whereas the Seventh House is concerned with marriage and partnerships. If you have a few planets in one particular house, then this usually indicates an area of your life which is especially significant for you.