Zodiac: What's your sign? Not anymore

What's your zodiac sign? Virgo? Aries? Gemini, perhaps?

How about Ophiuchus?

For those born between Nov. 29 and Dec. 17, they may have to turn in their astrological archer's bows and replace them with snakes.

Yes, Ophiuchus — pronounced "off-ee-you-kus" — the serpent- bearer is the 13th sign of the zodiac.

Last week, NASA updated one of its youth websites, www.spaceplace.nasa.gov, with information about the difference between astrology and astronomy. While discussing the history of astrology, NASA explained the Babylonians, who lived more than 3,000 years ago, divided the zodiac into 12 equal parts even though the sun and moon pass through 13 constellations.

"The Babylonians picked one, Ophiuchus, to leave out," the website reads. "Even then, some of the chosen 12 didn't fit neatly into their assigned slice of the pie and slopped over into the next one."

The website continues to describe how the constellations have shifted in those 3,000 years because Earth's axis doesn't point the same direction it once did. Including the sign Ophiuchus, birthdays are falling about one constellation earlier. Here is the 2016 zodiac chart as calculated by www.chattsportsnet.com:

Capricorn: Jan. 20 to Feb. 16 Aquarius: Feb. 16 to March 11 Pisces: March 11 to April 18 Aries: April 18 to May 13 Taurus: May 13 to June 21 Gemini: June 21 to July 20 Cancer: July 20 to Aug. 10 Leo: Aug. 10 to Sept. 16 Virgo: Sept. 16 to Oct. 30 Libra: Oct. 30 to Nov. 23 Scorpio: Nov. 23 to Nov. 29 Ophiuchus: Nov. 29 to Dec. 17 Sagittarius: Dec. 17 to Jan. 20

According to NASA, this has been the case since the beginning.

The Press contacted NASA to inquire about the new zodiac sign and Sean Potter, a media relations specialist employed by the agency, sent the following statement by email.

“NASA studies astronomy not astrology. We didn’t change any Zodiac signs, we just did the math," the message said. "The Space Place article was about how astrology is not astronomy, how it was a relic of ancient history, and pointed out the science and math that did come from observations of the night sky."

But if indeed this "new" astrological sign is to be accepted and incorporated into the known zodiac, local medium, author and healer Jennifer Von Behren of the Clarity Center said the change is a welcome one.

"A lot of people who come in, we'll discuss astrology," she said. "One of the things I've seen that makes me think we're off is people are struggling to connect to their signs."

Von Behren said she is a Taurus, but 90 percent of the people she meets will swear she's an Aries.

"People will pair themselves up and have relationship matches based on astrology," she said. "The astrology chart will say they work great, yet they have horrible relationships."

The addition of another sign to the zodiac has set the Internet abuzz. Von Behren said because of the shift in the skies and the shift of energy, "it has to change, and people don't like change."

"People have resisted change in the astrological signs for a long time," she said. "If you think about our society today, think of how often you have to get used to a new smartphone. People embrace the change and then they’ll like it better, they're like, 'How did I ever live without it being this way?'"

She said this change is going to affect a lot of programmers who will have to rewrite astrology charts.

And possibly some people who have their signs tattooed on their bodies.

"Get a creative tattoo artist who can help you. Maybe have one that says, ‘Past and present, I have transitioned,'" she said with a laugh.