Expert: Tom Whiting - 5/22/2011

Question
Good Morning,

I know you said no astrology questions, but I feel you could help me with a question I am having, especially since you are an expert in astronomy. In your years of study and fellowship in the astronomy community, what would you say is the percentage of astronomers that do indeed believe in or practice astrology? I am assuming that most don't. And if you could humor me in my quest for understanding these two divergent paths, why do many astronomers not believe in astrology? Is there really no science at all or provable research done in the field of astrology. Because let them tell it, it is a science.

Thank you so much for helping me understand the disparity between the two schools of thought. Although I have noticed that many astrologers do give credence to astronomy.

Answer
Hi Sarah,
Thanks for the question... Yes, the believers in astrology in the astronomical community probably number far less than 1%; I would estimate only one in a thousand, if that many.  Why? Because we know better.
There is no divergent paths, or even convergent paths... the two are simply not related, even though astrologers want you to think so. Astronomy is the scientific study of the heavens; astrology is either a false 'religion' or pseudo belief that somehow peoples' lives are based on the positions of the various Solar System bodies (sun, moon, planets) relative to the background stars.  
Logical points against astrology:
1. What are the odds on 1/12 (or is it now 1/13 with the introduction of Ophiuchus as a 'sign?)
of the world's population having the same kind of day?
2. Astronomers have always known that Ophiuchus (mid way between Sagittarius and Scorpius) was a Zodiac constellation... how come the 'sign of Ophiuchus' just came into being recently? To us astronomers, Ophiuchus the snake holder, has always been there since day one.
Does that mean that all us late Sagittarians and early Scorpians horoscopes... were wrong in the past????

3. There is no force in nature that does not diminish with distance, yet Mars in your horoscope means just as much if you are born when it's on our side of the sun at 35,000,000 miles compared to when it's on the far side of the sun at over 200,000,000 miles distant!  And if so... if distance is not material, then how about all those galaxies and black holes out there? How about all those asteroids in the asteroid belt and the more distant Kuiper asteroid belt where Pluto is located?
4. Horoscopes prior to 1781 failed to take into account Uranus (discovered in 1781) and Neptune discovered in 1846... these are large gas giants with considerable planetary mass. Does this mean that all horoscopes prior to 1781 were wrong?
5. How come all those people killed on 9/11 (Indeed, even all those people currently in hospital cancer wards!)... most of their horoscopes say that they are having a "nice day"?
How come astrology didn't predict the 9/11 event, or even a pre-discovery of Uranus and Neptune like the astronomers did?
6. We now know that life actually begins at conception, not at birth. Does this mean that your date of conception is really the right date, and not the date of birth? Astrologers prefer to stick with the latter because of partial embarrassment of the date of conception I think. And if a mother's womb can "Keep out the bad astrological influences" during the infants pregnancy... would not a cubicle of steak placed over the infant's head and body at the instant of birth... also keep out the bad astrological influences and delay the onset of a "sign prediction"?
7. Science CONVERGES on their hypotheses and opinions, eventually leading to a major truth or law.  Whereas astrologers DIVERGE on their opinions of interpretation.  10 astrologers will have 10 different interpretations as to a horoscope... the one with the best making the most money.
So it's all money oriented, caring less about obtaining a big truth or law, as science does.
The sad truth is... astrology has never discovered... anything!

8. And finally, astrology just doesn't work. While astrologers are too busy to do statistical study analysis, others have. Turns out the accuracy of astrology is about 20%, no better than just taking wild guesses.  In science, if one exception or one error is found, the law is ditched and its back to the drawing boards.  Astrology.. if there are several errors (like the 9/11 horoscopes) everyone forgets that... and moves on... which is DEAD wrong.  IN science, one mistake, one error... and its strike three, you're out. If astrology claims it's a 'science' then it has to abide by that same standard; one missed interpretation and you're out... but it doesn't.

Historically, astrology got its start using astronomy. Originally it was a "calendar" to remember things when we lived in caves and huddled by the campfire. A great leader died while Mars was in Capricornus.  That was an easy way to remember and honor his death.  2.5 years later another great leader died while Mars was again in Capricornus, and it may have even happened a third time too, 2.5 years after that. Now suddenly, instead of remembrance, anytime Mars is in Capricornus, a great tribal leader WILL die! We can predict that... not really, but that's how it all got started initially. It went from a "calendar of remembrance", to an alleged predictor of future events, in this example a death of a great tribal leader.
Sad thing is... no one knows the future, even your stock broker, even though he wants you to think that he does.  (So buy stocks yourself, for you know just as much of the future as your expensive broker does)!  He doesn't know the future either... and neither does astrology!
Hope this helps,
Clear Skies,
Tom Whiting
Erie, PA
PS... BTW, most astronomers not only don't buy into astrology, we don't buy into aliens on Earth, alien visitations (UFO's) Zombies, ghosts, goblins, warewolfs, vampires (other than vampire bats), doomsday dates (Like May 21 and 12/21/2012)... and the occult in general.

Astrology is just like using the jet aircraft in Chicago's O'Hara international airport at the time of your birth, as a predictor.  Watch that guy on downwind leg, he affects your financial life. And watch that guy on final approach... he affects your sex life, you don't want him crashing!  And the guy on base leg, he affects your occupation... don't what him turning onto final approach at birth, otherwise you'll be a lawyer or used-car salesman!  The position of the sun, moon, and planets against the starry background... makes just a much sense as using the aircraft in the O'Hara airport traffic pattern.
Those planes in the traffic pattern don't know we exist, and those planets out there don't even know we exist either, and could care less about it, let alone the distant stars.
Tom
FOLLOW UP:
Oh, and of course my O'Hara airport example is very "scientific" because we can use RADAR to determine the positions of those aircraft at the time of your birth... (just like...astrology just has to be 'scientific' because it allegedly uses 'astronomy' for your horoscope)! DUH...
So the airport traffic pattern example HAS to be scientific, using up to date, scientific RADAR.
Very similar analogy... and falsehood.
tom
ADDITIONAL FOLLOW UP:
Oh, astrology claims that it is big on vocation or occupation according to sign... yet a statistical analysis of ANY big field; doctors, pilots, NFL football players, major league baseball players, etc... there is no correlation to birth dates and profession; the birth dates range randomly all over the place.  (you can check this on your own at your place of work).
And astrology claims its big on love life... yet a statistical analysis of signs vs. longevity of marriage shows no correlation... signs and birthdates range all over the entire spectrum.
There is no significant groupings in any of these statistics, of which astrology claims it's big on!  So... of what purpose does it serve?  None.
QED.
tom