What is a “Zodiac” constellation?
(I have been surprised to discover that few, if any, kids can answer this question.) As the earth goes around the sun, this motion means that every day we look back at the sun in a slightly different direction, with different stars behind it. The sun appears to move through the constellations. Theoretically there are twelve constellations through which the sun moves, one per month, and these are the Zodiac constellations. In reality there is a 13th constellation through which the sun passes (technically, at least) and it gets no credit for being in the Zodiac – Ophiuchus. • So Gemini is one Zodiac constellation, and we’ve already talked about another constellation on the path of the sun, can you guess which one? That’s right, Taurus is another Zodiac Constellation, on the sun’s path just to the west of Gemini, so the sun passes through Taurus, then Gemini, then it continues on through the next month’s constellation, the ever so faint Crab with the unfortunate name of “Cancer”. {Trace o
