西洋占星术主要是将黄道带人为划分为十二个随中气点移动(与实际星座位置不一致)的均等的区域以分别充当实际的黄道星座。因为西洋占星术体系使用了这些人为划分的区域充当天象作为理论基础,进而依循“上行、下效”原则反映、支配着人类活动,因此十二星宫代表了十二个基本人格型态或感情特质[3]。如同在东亚地区的一些民族根据出生年份所代表的动物来定义一个人的生肖,在很多国家,一个人的出生月份就以星座来对应。西洋占星术就是试图对应人的出生时间和这些均等划分的区域来解释人的性格和命运。西洋占星术通常分为伪恒星年派和中气春分年派(英语:Sidereal and tropical astrology)两支,但伪恒星年派只不过是基于中气年派的每个等分时间点再加上25.5日,与真正的恒星年或恒星时毫无关系。
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