Final answer:
Constellations are star patterns in the sky, and the IAU recognizes 88 of them. The Zodiac consists of 12 constellations which form a path for the Sun, Moon, and planets. Zodiac signs are historically connected to astrology and are affected by the precession of equinoxes, which has shifted the constellations position since they were named over 2,000 years ago.
Step-by-step explanation:
Constellations are patterns of stars in the sky which have been recognized and named by various cultures throughout history. The International Astronomical Union (IAU) recognizes 88 official constellations that cover the entire night sky, dividing it into distinct regions just as borders separate countries on a map. Within this celestial map, there is a special group of constellations known as the Zodiac. The Zodiac consists of 12 constellations through which the Sun, Moon, and planets move along a path known as the ecliptic. These 12 constellations are named for various creatures and figures, such as Leo the lion, Aries the ram, and Taurus the bull.
The Zodiac plays a significant role in astrology, particularly in creating horoscopes. A horoscope is a chart that maps the positions of the Sun, Moon, and planets at the moment of an individual's birth. Due to the precession of equinoxes, which is a slow westward shift of the constellations along the ecliptic, the actual star constellations have moved approximately 1/12 of the width of the Zodiac since they were first named over 2000 years ago.
The planets, which include Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn, were known to Ancient Greeks as "wanderers" for their movements across the sky near the ecliptic plane, contra distinct from the fixed stars which form the classical constellations like Orion and the Big Dipper, the latter being an asterism within the larger constellation of Ursa Major.