# Interesting Tidbit



## James the Just (Feb 11, 2022)

Here's an interesting tidbit. I've calculated Bilbo's birthday was on September 9, 4631 BC by our calendar (Gregorian projected backwards) and thus his astrological sign and degree and is 18º Virgo. Guess who's also has the same sign? Martin Freeman at 15º Virgo. Very close, but not as close as Ian Holm at 18º Virgo! Yes, that's right. Not only the same sign but degree as well. What are the odds?


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## Olorgando (Feb 12, 2022)

There is a serious flaw with horoscopes, and probably most "systems" of astrology (besides their having been geocentric rather than heliocentric for the longest times of their existence): the earth's "axial precession".

From the Wikipedia article of the same name:

"... the apparent position of the Sun relative to the backdrop of the stars at some seasonally fixed time slowly regresses a full 360° through all twelve traditional constellations of the zodiac, at the rate of about 50.3 seconds of arc per year, or 1 degree every 71.6 years.
At present, the rate of precession corresponds to a period of 25,772 years, so tropical year is shorter than sidereal year by 1,224.5 seconds (20 min 24.5 s, ~365.24219*86400/25772)."

The tropical year is that from one of the four "markers" for the seasons, the summer and winter solstices, and the vernal and autumnal equinoxes. The sidereal year is the time it takes to reach the same position relative to the background of the stars.

A change of one degree (a star or constellation pops back up from below the ecliptic about one day later) in 71.6 years is naturally hardly noticeable in any one person's lifetime. With Ian Holm being born in 1931, and Martin Freeman in 1971, the difference is roughly half a degree. But with Bilbo's birthday having been in 4631 BC as per your calculations, that makes a difference of 6562 years to Ian Holm! Divide *that* by 71.6, and you get a difference of 91.6 degrees! That's three zodiac signs earlier ...


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