Aquarius

The hippie subculture appropriated the name of Aquarius for their philosophy, "The Age of Aquarius."

Aquarius, the "Water-Bearer", is one of the constellations of the twelve Signs of the Zodiac. Its name is a literal Latin term for "water carrier," aquarius, from the literal aqua- adjective "pertaining to water", as aquarium describes a "water room or building", derived as a loan-translation of the Greek word Hydrokhoos "the water-pourer," the old Greek name for this constellation. It is the eleventh astrological sign on the circular astrological diagram, and comes between Capricorn the Sea-Goat, and Pisces the Fish. As a sun sign, it represents the dates of January 31 through February 19. The symbol for Aquarius is two lines in a zigzag shape, representing water. The brightest star in Aquarius is Beta Aquarii (abbreviated β Aqr), also known by its Islamic name Sadalsuud, whence the name of the entire constellation.

An early influence on the growth of the New Age movement was the founding of the Theosophical Society by Madame Blavatsky in 1875, but it gained most popularity in the 1960s, when its followers looked forward to the dawning of the Age of Aquarius and the passing of the Age of Pisces.

External link[edit]

The Zodiac: Myths and Legends of the Zodiac Signs (astrologyclub.org)