Gemini (astrology)

This article is about the astrological sign. For the constellation, see Gemini (constellation).

Gemini (♊︎) (/ˈdʒɛmɪnaɪ/ JEM-in-eye, Latin for "twins") is the third astrological sign in the zodiac, originating from the constellation of Gemini. Under the tropical zodiac, the sun transits this sign between about May 21 to June 21. Under the sidereal zodiac, the sun transits this sign from about June 16 to July 16. Gemini is represented by the twins, Castor and Pollux, known as the Dioscuri in Greek mythology. It is a positive, mutable sign. Gemini is associated with the Yang polarity (masculine) in the Yin Yang ancient Chinese concept.

Gemini
Zodiac symbol	Twins
Duration (tropical, western)	May 20 – June 21 (2021, UT1)
Constellation	Gemini
Zodiac element	Air
Zodiac quality	Mutable
Sign ruler	Mercury
Detriment	Jupiter
Exaltation	North Node
Fall	South Node

Mythology

In Babylonian astronomy, the stars Pollux and Castor were known as the Great Twins. Their names were Lugal-irra and Meslamta-ea, meaning "The Mighty King" and "The One who has arisen from the Underworld". Both names are titles of Nergal, a major Babylonian god of plague and pestilence, who was king of the underworld.

In Greek mythology, Gemini is associated with the myth of Castor and Pollux. Pollux was the son of Zeus, who seduced Leda, while Castor was the son of Tyndareus, the king of Sparta and Leda's husband. When Castor died, because he was a mortal, Pollux begged his father Zeus to give Castor immortality, which was done through uniting them together in the heavens.

In popular culture

Sage the Gemini, born Dominic Wynn Woods, took his stage name from his zodiac sign Gemini and the color of his eyes.

NASA named its two-person space capsule Project Gemini after the zodiac sign because the spacecraft could carry two astronauts.

Gallery

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  From the medieval Georgian manuscript of a 12th-century astrological treatise

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  Ornamentation from an altar cloth from 13th-century Germany. The two figures are depicted with the heads of dogs.

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  Gemini (al-Gawzaa) depicted in the 14th/15th-century Arabic astrology text Book of Wonders

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  Gemini by Willem Blaeu, 1602

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  White and Black Geminis by Arija, 1904

See also

• Astronomical symbols
• Chinese zodiac
• Circle of stars
• Cusp (astrology)
• Elements of the zodiac

References

• Astronomical Applications Department (2011). Multiyear Computer Interactive Almanac. 2.2.2. Washington DC: US Naval Observatory. Longitude of Sun, apparent geocentric ecliptic of date, interpolated to find time of crossing 0°, 30°....
• Atsma, Aaron J. (c. 2015). "DIOSCURI : Greek Gods of Horsemanship, Protectors of Sailors | Mythology, Dioskouroi, w/ pictures". Theoi. Retrieved September 23, 2016.
• Baker, Douglas M. (April 26, 2016). Gemini - The Key to Your Inner Self. Claregate Ltd. ISBN 9781910228142.
• "English Oxford Living Dictionary". Oxford University Press. 2018.
• "Gemini". Encyclopedia Britannica. n.d. Retrieved June 24, 2020.
• "Humans in Space". airandspace.si.edu. n.d. Retrieved February 2, 2021.
• Ju, Shirley (March 27, 2018). "SAGE THE GEMINI RECALLS MEETING HBK GANG & HIS EARLY INFLUENCES". HipHopDX. Retrieved February 2, 2021.
• Tierney, Bil (2001). All Around the Zodiac: Exploring Astrology's Twelve Signs. St. Paul, Minnesota: Llewellyn Worldwide. p. 81. ISBN 0738701114.
• Unicode Consortium (2015). "Unicode 8.0 Character Code Charts" (PDF). Retrieved April 21, 2016.
• White, Gavin (2008). Babylonian Star-lore. Solaria Pubs.

External links

• Warburg Institute Iconographic Database (over 300 medieval and early modern images of Gemini)