Pisces is the twelfth astrological sign in the Zodiac, which started from the Pisces constellation.
It is also considered a water sign and one of the four mutable signs. Pisces has been traditionally ruled by the planet Jupiter, but since its discovery, Neptune has been considered a modern ruler of this sign. Being the twelfth sign, Pisces is associated with the astrological twelfth house.
Individuals born when the Sun was in this sign are considered Pisceans. Under the tropical zodiac, the Sun is in Pisces roughly from February 19 to March 20, ending on the moment of vernal equinox by definition. In western astrology this sign is no longer aligned with the constellation because of the precession of the equinoxes. Under the sidereal zodiac, it is currently there roughly from March 15 to April 18
.According to one Greek myth, Pisces represents the fish into which Aphrodite and her son Eros transformed in order to escape the monster Typhon; they are tied together with a cord on their tails, to make sure they do not lose one another. Alternatively, the twin fish were placed in the heavens in honor of their heroic deed of saving Aphrodite and Eros from Typhon on the river Euphrates.
Generally, the natives of Pisces are considered to be compatible with the natives of the other water signs, Scorpio and Cancer, and the natives of the earth signs, Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn. Gemini and Sagittarius are signs of the other nature (masculine/extroverted), but are considered semi-compatible with Pisces due to them having the same mutable quality. A quality which should be exercised more often under certain circumstances.
There are many variables that determine compatibility in astrology, such as birth dates, birth months, birth years, position of a sign within the Sun, the Moon, Stars, etc. The signs listed as compatible with Pisces do not reflect an ‘individual profile’ or individual reading as interpreted within astrology, but rather reflect a general guideline and reference to compatibility as dictated by variables such as Qualities and Elements within the Zodiac. The branch of astrology dealing with interpersonal compatibilities is called Synastry.
Astrological Signs
Astrological signs represent twelve equal segments or divisions of the zodiac. According to astrology, celestial phenomena reflect or govern human activity on the principle of “as above, so below”, so that the twelve signs are held to represent twelve basic personality types or characteristic modes of expression. There are sun signs and moon signs, which both depend on your date of birth.
Various approaches to measuring and dividing the sky are currently used by differing systems of astrology, although the tradition of the Zodiac’s names and symbols remain consistent. Western astrology measures from Equinox and Solstice points (points relating to longest, equal and shortest days of the tropical year), while Jyotiṣa or Vedic astrology measures along the equatorial plane (sidereal year). Precession results in Western astrology’s zodiacal divisions not corresponding in the current era to the constellations that carry similar names, while Jyotiṣa measurements still correspond with the background constellations.
In Indian astrology, the twelve signs are associated with constellations, while in Chinese astrology and Western Astrology there is no connection with constellations, as it is simply the line of the equator that is divided into twelve equal segments.
In Western and Asian astrology, the emphasis is on space, and the movement of the Sun, Moon and planets in the sky through each of the zodiac signs. In Chinese astrology, by contrast, the emphasis is on time, with the zodiac operating on cycles of years, months, and hours of the day. A common feature of all three traditions however, is the significance of the ascendant or rising sign, namely the zodiac sign that is rising (due to the rotation of the earth) on the eastern horizon at the moment of a person’s birth.
From the viewpoint of earth (geocentric), the Sun appears to move along a circular orbit across the celestial sphere, this circular orbit is called the ecliptic. The zodiac refers to the thin band along the ecliptic composed of the zodiac signs and constellations. The zodiac is divided into twelve different signs each of which is 30 degrees long and begins at Aries. In Tropical Astrology Aries begins at the vernal equinox. The order of the zodiac signs is Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius and Pisces. It is believed that the concept of the zodiac had evolved from Babylonian astronomy, and was later influenced by Hellenistic astronomy.
During ancient times, people monitored the passage of the sun because it was useful in predicting the change of seasons. Over time, however, people have begun to associate the zodiac sign, or Sun’s position in the zodiac, with birth dates and characteristics.
