Astrology is the study of how the sun, moon, planets and stars are related to life and events on earth. Astrology and astronomy developed from a similar set of principles. Both are based on observations of the regularity of the movements of the heavenly bodies. However, during the 1500s and 1600s, several astronomers, including Copernicus, made discoveries that challenged the traditional uses of astrology.
Consequently, astrology and astronomy grew apart both in their methodology and in their purpose. Today, astrologers study the heavenly bodies to comprehend happenings on earth, while astronomers search for scientific knowledge about the objects in space. Many explanations and accounts have been given for the birth and development of astrology. The truth is that nobody knows how, when or why astrology arose. Most accounts are based on speculation rather than on factual data. All that can safely be said is that the origins of astrology took place in the distant past, certainly predating ancient Egypt, under unknown conditions. The founders of astrology left no records disclosing the premises upon which their work was based.
