Astronomy

Zenith

Top of the dome of the sky.

Horizon

Where the dome meets the land.

Celestial Pole

Point around which stars seem to turn.

Ecliptic

The path the Sun appears to take across the celestial sphere.

Ecliptic angle

The ecliptic is tilted 23.5° relative to the celestial equator causing seasons.

Planet

"Wanderer" in Greek.

Zodiac

This band of the sky is associated with astrological signs.

Constellations

Star patterns.

Asterism

A recognizable pattern in a larger constellation.

Parallax

Apparent motion of nearby objects due to the motion of the observer.

Precession

The direction that the Earth’s axis points changes slowly and regularly over time.

Retrograde motion

Temporary apparent westward motion of a planet.

Epicycles

Circles within circles.

Astrology

Belief that the positions of the planets in the zodiac hold the key to understanding the future.

Natal astrology

Everyone’s fortunes can be told by astrology.

Horoscope

Shows the positions of the planets at the moment of birth of an individual.