Question

It is a common misconception that there are only 12 zodiac constellations due to the astrological signs; however, there is a 13th zodiac constellation in our stars, referred to as:

a. Orion
b. Ursa Major
c. Ophiuchus
d. Ursa Minor

Answer 1

The 13th zodiac constellation in our stars is Ophiuchus. It's part of the true astronomical zodiac and is situated between Scorpius and Sagittarius on the ecliptic. The answer to the presented question is c. Ophiuchus.

Step-by-step explanation:

While the commonly recognized zodiac includes 12 constellations, there is indeed a 13th zodiac constellation among the stars, which is Ophiuchus. The perception of solely 12 zodiac signs stems from astrology, where each sign correlates to a month during which the Sun is positioned in a specific constellation along the ecliptic. However, because the Sun's path on the celestial sphere (the ecliptic) actually passes through 13 constellations, Ophiuchus is often overlooked in popular astrology.

The constellation Ophiuchus is situated between Scorpius to the west and Sagittarius to the east. Unlike the zodiac signs, the constellations do not grant equal space on the ecliptic; therefore, the Sun spends different lengths of time aligned with each constellation. For example, it spends less than a week aligned with Scorpius and about 19 days with Ophiuchus. This irregularity is due to the constellations' varying sizes and the elliptical orbit of the Earth, leading to the inclusion of a 13th constellation in the true astronomical zodiac.

Therefore, the correct answer to the question posed is c. Ophiuchus.