| The curiosity to know about our future is there in all | | | | important in vedic astrology. |
| human beings. Many times, almost all of us get | | | | - Vedic astrology uses Moon sign and 27 lunar |
| entrapped in the situations and circumstances in our | | | | mansions (star constellations called Nakshatra) along |
| lives, where we start thinking about an unseen force | | | | with 12 signs of zodiac to analyze horoscope |
| working for or against our wishes, upon which we | | | | compatibility between couples while there is no such |
| have no control of ours. Also, since time immemorial, | | | | concept of lunar mansions in western astrology. |
| human beings have tried to observe and understand | | | | - In vedic astrology lunar mansions are used to |
| this unseen force called Destiny or Luck, so that we | | | | calculate main time periods and sub periods (called |
| can better prepare ourselves for what future holds | | | | Dasha and Bhukti) along with transits of planets that |
| for us. In this effort to know our future many | | | | helps in time framing certain events in life while |
| systems have evolved in different parts of the world | | | | western astrology is more dependent on transits for |
| thousands of years before including Vedic Astrology, | | | | predicting events as lunar mansions are not part of |
| Chinese Astrology and Western Astrology. Each | | | | western astrology. |
| system has its own history behind it where many of | | | | - Most importantly, western astrology uses tropical |
| the great personalities of the early millenniums, have | | | | zodiacs which are movable while vedic astrology uses |
| contributed from what they have learned and | | | | sidereal zodiac which are fixed. |
| observed over the years. In our topic Vedic | | | | As a result of sidereal zodiac, hindu astrology or vedic |
| Astrology Vs Western Astrology we are talking | | | | astrology applies a correction of few degrees (23 -24 |
| about Hindu astrology and western astrology mainly | | | | degrees presently) to the position of Sun, Moon, |
| because many of the terminologies and strategies | | | | planets and houses which is based on actual |
| used in these two systems are so similar, making | | | | observed wobbly motion of the Earth while revolving |
| people to ask frequently the differences between | | | | around its axis. This correction is called Ayanamsha |
| these two. The similarities between two systems are | | | | and it continues to change at the rate of |
| - There are 12 signs of zodiac of 30 degrees each, in | | | | approximately 1 degree every 72 years because of |
| both systems with classical rulership assigned to Sun, | | | | scientific phenomena called precession of equinoxes. |
| Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus and Saturn. | | | | Because of this difference of 23 degrees, western |
| Though after the discovery of Uranus, Neptune and | | | | horoscope chart shows planets 23 degrees ahead of |
| Pluto, they are also the part of western astrology. | | | | the position to that in vedic horoscope chart. This |
| - Both systems take Aspects and Conjunctions of | | | | means if Sun is at 15 degrees in Aries at a particular |
| planets into account. | | | | moment in western chart, it would be in Pisces |
| - Both systems consider Transits of planets and their | | | | somewhere at 22 degrees in vedic chart. |
| influence on the person whose horoscope is being | | | | In conclusion, though vedic astrology and western |
| analyzed. | | | | astrology, both uses many common terminologies |
| - Other concepts of mutual friendship and enmity | | | | and strategies but the way these two systems are |
| among planets are also similar. | | | | approached and implemented from the very |
| Major differences between two systems are | | | | foundation is different. This basic difference between |
| - Sun signs carry more weightage in western | | | | these two systems makes it completely irrelevant to |
| astrology while Ascendant and Moon signs are more | | | | compare with each other. |