Since ancient times, mankind has searched for answers to life's many questions. Some looked to religion, some to the stars, but in either case the heavens have always held a particular interest for us all. Perhaps this is because of the fact that we are 70% water and celestial bodies exert force on water. Maybe it's good old fashioned human curiosity at work. The fear and fascination of the unknown?

Regardless of why, the fact remains that over the centuries the "science" or "practice" of astrology has been perfected. Astrology is defined by dictionary.com as "The study of the positions and aspects of celestial bodies in the belief that they have an influence on the course of natural earthly occurrences and human affairs." Many cultures have their own astrological beliefs, charts, symbols, etc, but the version of astrology covered here is commonly known as "Western Astrology."

With the proper knowledge, it is possible to pinpoint a person's personality, and make educated informed guesses about that person's future. This is commonly known as an "Astrological Profile". There are many websites, books, and people that are qualified to perform an astrological profile. Such a profile will include a person's Sun Sign, Moon Sign, Ascendant, and other factors that in essence help to shape a person's individual personality and future. Information that is required to obtain such a profile is the exact date, time, and location of a person's birth.

The most basic part of astroloy, and the most commonly recognized are what is known as "Sun Signs". When that annoying guy at the bar walks up and asks you, "Hey baby, what's your sign?" this is what he's talking about. A person's sun sign is based on the date of his or her birth and is the strongest influence on his or her personality.

Each sign has a "Ruling Planet" that exerts force on that sign. The planets are: Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, and Ceres. Each of the planets pass through the signs in a cycle and influence the people born under that sign in a specific way.

The order of signs and their respective ruling planets is as follows:

• Aquarius - January 20 - February 18 - Uranus
• Pisces - February 19 - March 20 - Neptune
• Aries - March 21 - April 19 - Mars
• Taurus - April 20 - May 20 - Venus
• Gemini - May 21 - June 21 - Mercury
• Cancer - June 22 - July 22 - Moon
• Leo - July 23 - August 22 - Sun
• Virgo - August 23 - September 22 - Mercury/Ceres
• Libra - September 23 - October 21 - Venus
• Scorpio - October 22 - November 21 - Pluto
• Sagittarius - November 22 - December 21 - Jupiter
• Capricorn - December 22 - January 19 - Saturn

The specific dates will vary depending on the source you consult, because of the fact that sun signs are based on the sun's motion through the zodiac, which does not always coincide with our calendar. Typically, if you are born between the 19th and 23rd, you are considered to be born "on the cusp" and therefore may want to consult a qualified source to be sure of your exact sun sign.

A "Moon Sign" is considered a secondary influence on a person's personality, and it is decided based on the moon's motion through the zodiac. Because the moon's phases are much shorter than that of the sun, each year has its own lunar chart, which can be found in quality books on the subject.

If at the exact moment of your birth you were able to face East and view the sign of the Zodiac that were rising at that exact moment, this would be your "Ascendant". Opinions vary as to the importance of one's ascendant. Some experts say that one's ascendant is unimportant because it is simply a divine suggestion as to the direction of one's personal growth and therefore becomes obsolete if the person does not consciously try to grow in said direction. Others argue that an ascendant is a specific pinpoint of the weaknesses in a person's personality. Still others believe that an ascendant influences a person's physical appearance.

If two of a person's signs match, they are considered a "double" of that sign and will more closely represent the attitudes and qualities of that sign. Accordingly, if by some strange twist of fate a person has all three in the same sign, they are a "triple" of that sign and considered the truest embodiment of said sign.

In addition to determining a person's personality, astrology also influences the outside world. Astrology can help determine good or bad times to do almost anything, from starting a new relationship, to moving, to starting a new job.

It should be obvious by now that this is simply an overview of a few of the main points of western astrology.  Those individuals that want to learn more would be well advised to frequent their local library, community college (most colleges offer multiple courses on astrology or astronomy), or internet source.  www.astrology.com is an excellent site at which one can purchase many astrological charts and readings.