What is astrology and can the position of the sun, moon and planets affect people's lives?
Astrology is the study of the movements of the planets, sun, moon and stars and the influence they have on people's lives.
It has become popular in recent years and most people know their astrological signs. Most newspapers and magazines have an astrology section, and there is no shortage of books on the subject.
People in Dublin city centre offer their thoughts on astrology. One young woman is open to what her horoscope says,
Sometimes I honestly do think that they coincide with my day.
While a man has no time for astrology,
I don’t believe in them at all.
RTÉ broadcaster Maxi was initially sceptical about astrology, but a chance meeting with astrologist Fergus Gibson changed her mind. At that time she was enjoying a career as a singer with pop band Sheeba, but he foresaw a different path for her,
He said, you will become better known on your own.
A professional astrologer, Fergus Gibson compiles charts using a computer. Many people take this ancient art seriously, but he maintains that at the end of the day,
You are the ruler of your own destiny.
The human mind leans naturally towards magical thinking, says Dr Petr Skrabánek, a lecturer at the Department of Community Health in Trinity College Dublin.
A sceptic when it comes to astrology, he maintains that people can have too much faith in things they do not fully understand.
That kind of belief is not innocent but would be even harmful.
This report for ‘Nature of Things’ was broadcast on 26 April 1990. The reporter is John Murray.
‘Nature of Things’ was a series featuring science, technology and the environment. It was first broadcast on 26 October 1989 and ran for two series in 1989 and 1990.
