What's your (new) sign?

Let me start by saying reading horoscopes in the newspaper was never a big thing for me. If I ever read them in the newspaper, I was likely either curious or bored, and if I ever read them in those tabloids placed near the checkstands at grocery stores, it was likely from getting bored while waiting in line. And I'm not sure if I ever even did that, since the last time I was waiting in a long line at a grocery store (the registers at my town's Safeway went down one night just before Christmas), I kept glancing at cookie recipe magazines and at People Magazine's recap of last year's celebrity deaths. No horoscopes were in sight as far as I could see.

But I've been well aware that being born on January 11 made me a Carpicorn. At least that what I told I was. Now everyone may not be the sign they thought they were, and now apparently there are 13 signs. Now I am apparently a Sagittarius, but I will always be a Capricorn in my mind. Many have probably been saying this since this news broke last week, or even saying "I'm not a (their alleged new sign), I am a (the one they were always told they were)." Yeah, I'll go on right out and say I'm no Sagittarius, I'm a Capricorn.

The news broke last week when an astronomy professor in Minnesota mentioned that the 12 signs as we know them did not exactly line up the way they are supposed to because of Earth's wobbly orbit. The wobble has shifted the Zodiac signs, says the professor Parke Kunkle. It is mentioned in this article. I just now noticed this quote from that article:

Sofia Whitcombe began her day with the startling realization that she might not be exactly who she thought she was.

“My whole life, I thought I was a Capricorn,” the 25-year-old New York publicist said. “Now I’m a Sagittarius? I don’t feel like a Sagittarius!”

Exactly what I am thinking. I sure don't feel like one either. And as I said earlier I will always be a Capricorn in my mind.

Here are what the supposed new dates for each sign are and the new sign:

YOUR REAL HOROSCOPE

Astrology buffs who follow the stars should be using these dates, reflecting where the stars currently are aligned (note: the days overlap because the periods don't begin and end at midnight): Capricorn: Jan. 20-Feb. 16.Aquarius: Feb. 16-March 11. Pisces:March 11-April 18. Aries: April 18-May 13. Taurus: May 13-June 21. Gemini:June 21-July 20. Cancer: July 20-Aug. 10. Leo: Aug. 10-Sept. 16. Virgo: Sept. 16-Oct. 30. Libra: Oct. 30-Nov. 23.Scorpio: Nov. 23-29. Ophiuchus:* Nov. 29-Dec. 17. Sagittarius: Dec. 17-Jan. 20.

* Discarded by the Babylonians because they wanted 12 signs per year.

Notice how some of the date ranges have changed only a little. Apparently someone born on August 24 is no longer a Virgo, but someone born on September 16 still is a Virgo. May 15 is apparently still a Taurus but May 24 is no longer a Gemini. And notice how Virgo is said to now run from September 16 to October 30, and Scorpio is now said to be just for six days November 23 through 29. The new sign Ophiuchus runs after Scorpio and before Sagittarius.

Just who are we? No doubt most people will always feel they are what they always thought they were. Those who believe in reading horoscopes may be want to read both of their apparent signs just to be on the safe side.