How did the zodiac sign Cancer get its name?

Like many of the signs, it's an animal name, the Latin word for 'crab'. The disease got the name because of an analogy between the spreading of the disease throughout the body (as discovered by autopsy) and the spreading of a crab's legs. read more

Like many of the signs, it's an animal name, the Latin word for 'crab'. The disease got the name because of an analogy between the spreading of the disease throughout the body (as discovered by autopsy) and the spreading of a crab's legs. read more

Cancer - "the Crab" (Karkinos in Greek, Cancer in Latin); according to most ancient authorities, the crab was one of Hera's animals. This particular crab was the crab which was unceremoniously crushed by Hercules in his 2nd of 12 labors. read more

Vedic astrology, like Western astrology (tropical astrology) also uses signs, but has another point defining them. The signs of Vedic astrology are not based upon the vernal equinox but upon the location of the star Spica, about 180° away from the beginning of Aries. read more