Solar Eclipse: What Effect Does It Have on Lives?

As today’s partial solar eclipse was watched by millions of astronomy lovers, some astrology enthusiasts were asking what effect the event has on their lives. Much mumbo-jumbo has been written about the solar eclipse in Scorpio, none of it supported in any way by scientific evidence. The only effect the solar eclipse has on people’s lives is perhaps if they spend time looking at it or reading articles about it. Otherwise, there is no effect. Some have claimed that the eclipse means a definite transformation on personal relationships or that it will spark new beginnings or “rebirths” for people. This is a bunch of utter bunk and nonsense backed up by things that people have made up on their own. It is in no way related to actual astronomy or science.

Some may ask: so what is wrong with having a little bit of fun with the stars? The problem comes in when charlatans and hustlers rob people blind by charging them lots of money for their “astrological chart” to be drawn up, or for “readings” based on their star signs. This type of pseudo-science is perpetuated by the internet and by irresponsible websites who allow such nonsense to be published.

It is easy to sit back and call something a bunch of bunk, but do we have evidence to back up the claim that astrology is fabricated rubbish? Why, indeed we do. Unlike astrologers, who make up any old thing and present it as fact, science actually provides solid data that astrology and the effects of solar eclipses, star signs, moon phases and the like are not evidence-based beliefs.

As the Washington Times reported back in 2003, one example of proof that debunks astrology is a peer-reviewed, widespread study performed by London scientists that involved 2,000 people. It destroyed the very foundation of all astrology: that the movements of the stars and planets impact human personality traits, psychological states, or behaviors. For the study, researchers tracked the characteristics of participants who were born at the same time. According to the astrology, the people whose births occurred simultaneously should have shared personality traits in common. The scientists did not find any similar personality traits or behaviors based on the astrology of the study participants.

Another, much larger study involving 20 million people that was conducted at the University of Manchester proved that astrological signs have no impact on the success of marriages. For that study, researchers took census data for people in England and Wales, and found that astrological signs had no effect on selecting a mate or the final outcome of marriages. Satisfaction rates and rates of divorce were not determined, even slightly, by the partners’ astrological signs.

As reported by Science Daily, a comprehensive study on the phases of the moon soundly debunked the idea that a full moon impacts human behavior. In fact, this common myth has been disproven for many years, yet people still cling to the misguided belief that there are more crimes, more admissions to mental hospitals and more suicides during the full moon. This is not true. Another study published at Pubmed.gov concluded that there was no relationship between lunar phases and suicide rates. The moon affects the tides, but it has no effect on human psychology.

It would be easy to go on listing study after study proving that astrology is a load of nonsense, but the short version of the story is that the movement of the stars, planets and other space elements have never been proven in any peer-reviewed study to have any impact whatsoever on people’s lives except for those who line their pockets with the cash of the gullible as they become wealthy from other people’s ignorance of science. So by all means, enjoy the solar eclipse, but understand that there is no mystical, magical or spiritual effect on anyone’s life because of the natural movements of the stars.