The Case for Reason: Volume One: Understanding the Anti-superstition Movement

by Narendra Dabholkar

Earth rotates on its axis and revolves round the sun is a known fact. But along with these two motions, there is one more motion of the Earth which is called precession. It means that, while rotating round its own axis, the Earth also wobbles round it. Very slowly, the axis of rotation then changes. It takes the Earth 26,000 years to complete one circle of wobbling through 360 degrees. Presently, its axis is pointed towards the pole star. But 11,000 years hence it will point towards the constellation Vega. Now, combining this fact with the imaginary division of space around it into twelve parts, we see that the axis of the Earth’s rotation moves from one constellation to the next in 2,200 years. The so-called science of astrology was also invented around that period, that is, 2,200 years ago. The constellations that were in the Vrishabha zodiac then are now in the Mithun zodiac. If this is accepted, which we should, the whole edifice of astrology turns topsy-turvy.