Astrology - A Scientific Perspective

Michel Gauquelin

Astrology - A Scientific Perspective Pt 1

Astrology - A Scientific Perspective Pt 2

Astrology - A Scientific Perspective Pt 3

Astrology - A Scientific Perspective Pt 4


BBC Horizon programme from 1980 looks at the claims of astrology, in particular the research of Michel Gauquelin.

The most famous result of Gauquelin's studies was the controversial Mars effect, wherein there is an apparent correlation between the rising and culminating of the planet Mars at the birth of eminent athletes in various fields. If true this could provide scientific evidence for an astrological correlation between the positions of certain heavenly bodies and human affairs, or some other cause. While some claim that the Mars effect is unknown within astrology (as in prior to the statistical finding), there is actually a long tradition that goes back to the earliest strata of horoscopic astrology which holds that planets in the angles (rising, culminating, setting, and anti-culminating) are said to be more active and signify the prominence of the specific archetype which is associated with the planet in question.

A detailed study by Ertel (1988) claims to show that there is an effect. An article published in Skeptic Magazine (2010) provides a statistical explanation to the Mars Effect: the effect is a result of multiple comparisons which were not accounted for. Also, a paper by de Jager (1990) suggested that humans may have an optimal reproduction period and that the orbit of Mars currently happens to coincide with this interval (however, in his later studies Gaquelin controlled for this). Longer periods of observation are needed to settle the issue. Another possibility is that the data may have been skewed by incorrect reporting of birth dates during the last half century.