The zodiac is a belt-shaped area in the sky that extends nine degrees beyond the earth’s ecliptic, or the plane of the Earth’s orbit and the Sun’s annual path. The orbital path of the moon and principal planets also lie within the zodiac.

Explore the symbols of the zodiac and learn more about the constellations in this week’s blog. Plus doodle pisces, the symbol of two fish swimming in opposite directions for those born February 19 to March 20.

The Little Animals

The Babylonians believed that the gods in the heavens ruled their fate and used the sun, the moon, and the stars to infer when good or bad events might occur. They created the zodiac system some 2,500 years ago based on their observations to gain insight into future happenings.

The zodiac is divided into twelve astrological signs, with each one occupying one twelfth of the circle or 30 percent. The name zodiac is derived from the Greek term zōdiakos kyklos, “circle of animals,” or ta zōdia, “the little animals.” The ancient Greeks coined the phrase given that most of the constellations passing through the ecliptic are animal shapes.

The size and number of zodiac signs evolved over time and became fixed with the advent of mathematical astronomy. The list of the constellations and the corresponding dates identify a time when the Sun’s passage through them was fixed. These dates are still used even though the motion of the equinoxes along the ecliptic shifted the constellations eastward.

What’s my sign?

A zodiac sign correlates to a person’s date of birth. Each of the twelve signs represent a time period during the year. Once you find your zodiac sign, you can use it to look up a horoscope and see what’s in store for your sign that month, week, or day.

Explore your zodiac sign from the list below. For those born February 19 to March 20, grab your 3Doodler Start+ 3D printing pen and design the pisces symbol with our step-by-step tutorial and free stencil. Explore more zodiac signs and test out your skills by creating them in 3D. Our tips are sure to inspire your creativity.