西洋占星術主要是將黃道帶人爲劃分為十二個隨中氣點移動(與實際星座位置不一致)的均等的區域以分別充當實際的黃道星座。因為西洋占星術體系使用了這些人爲劃分的區域充當天象作為理論基礎,進而依循「上行、下效」原則反映、支配著人類活動,因此十二星宮代表了十二個基本人格型態或感情特質[3]。如同在东亚地区的一些民族根據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。西洋占星術就是試圖對應人的出生時間和這些均等劃分的區域来解釋人的性格和命運。西洋占星術通常分为僞恒星年派和中氣春分年派(英语:Sidereal and tropical astrology)两支,但僞恆星年派只不過是基於中氣年派的每個等分時間點再加上25.5日,與真正的恆星年或恆星時毫無關係。
Bok, Bart J.; Jerome, Lawrence E.; Kurtz, Paul. Objections to Astrology: a Statement by 186 Leading Scientists. Patrick Grim (编). Philosophy of Science and the Occult. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press. 1982. ISBN 978-0-87395-572-0.
Janis, Allen. Biswas, S. K.; Mallik, D. C. V.; Vishveshwara, C. V. , 编. Cosmic Perspectives: Essays Dedicated to the Memory of M.K.V. Bappu. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press: 233–249. 1989. ISBN 978-0-521-34354-1. |chapter=被忽略 (帮助)
Lewis, C. S. The Discarded Image: an Introduction to Medieval and Renaissance Literature. Cambridge University Press. 1994 [1964]. ISBN 978-0-521-47735-2.
Lilly, William. David R. Roell , 编. Christian Astrology. Astrology Center of America. 2005 [1647]. ISBN 9781933303024.
Lindberg, David C. Roger Bacon on light, vision, and the universal emanation. Jeremiah Hackett (编). Roger Bacon and the Sciences: Commemorative Essays 1996. Studien und Texte zur Geistesgeschichte des Mittelalters 57. Brill. 1997: 243–275. ISBN 9789004100152.
Pottenger, Maritha. Astro Essentials: Planets in Sign, House and Aspect. San Diego, CA: ACS Publications. 1991. ISBN 9780935127140.
Smith, A. Mark. Introduction. Ptolemy; A. Mark Smith (编). Ptolemy's Theory of Visual Perception: An English Translation of the Optics with Introduction and Commentary. Transactions of the American Philosophical Society 86. American Philosophical Society. 1996: 1–59. ISBN 9780871698629.
Weiss, Piero; Taruskin, Richard. Pythagoras and the numerical properties of music. Music in the Western World 2nd. Cengage Learning. 2007: 2–5. ISBN 9780534585990.