How did the zodiac signs got their names?

We often glaze at stars wondering how these tiny little twinkles are dazzling the long cold dark night. Just like map of earth which comprises of continents, oceans and islands, each star is grouped under a constellation, just like cities are grouped under one country. There are 88 constellations which form the sky map.

 

 

Though stars are stationary, but because of rotation of earth, they appear to rise in the east and set in the west. The galaxies , black holes , nebulae etc are located by their constellation in which they fall under. Just like Taj Mahal is in India.

 

For example the famous Crab Nebula is located in the constellation of Taurus. And yes, this zodiac sign of Taurus has got its name because of the constellation of same name.

Furthermore, the twelve zodiac sign have got their names because of the ecliptic .If we trace a path of Sun’s movement around the earth ( technically, its the earth which is rotating) the path is called as Ecliptic . Like equator is an imaginary line that divides the earth into two hemisphere, ecliptic traces the path of the Sun’s motion .Each zodiac month, the Sun resides in one constellation , which becomes the birth sign of the person.

For a complete view of night sky , and further information  you can download the Stellarium software available free of cost from the following site-

http://www.stellarium.org