The stars and planets have always been mysterious entities, especially considering how many believe that they can be used to reveal key parts of our inner workings through zodiac signs and horoscopes.

“Zodiac signs are based on the month and day that you are born,” freshman Shams Faisal said. “[Your zodiac sign] is not just based off of where you were born, but how the stars are aligned.”

The signs that people are most familiar with are the sun signs, which can be determined by the month and day on which one is born, and reveals beliefs about a person’s basic personality and how he or she interacts with the world.  

According to Astrology.com, there are 12 zodiac signs, which are grouped by four elements: fire, water, earth and air.

The fire signs are characterized by unpredictability and include Aries, Leo and Sagittarius. The water signs are known for being emotionally sensitive and empathetic, and are made up of Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces. The earth signs, which are described by stability, include Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn. The last group, the air signs, typically center around elusiveness and freedom, and include Gemini, Libra and Aquarius.

However, there are two other sign types that people may not be as familiar with, which use the same 12 zodiac signs to reveal different aspects of one’s personality.

“There are different types of signs; you have a moon sign which is based on the time, day and location that you were born,” Faisal said.

According to Astrology.com, one’s moon sign rules one’s inner emotional nature and how one feels about his or herself.

The last type of sign is the rising sign, which can be described as one’s public persona. This is different than the sun sign in that the rising sign shows how one deals with the world, while the sun sign reveals one’s character.

The rising sign can also be found using the date, time and location of one’s birth.  

Many do not believe in astrology because they do not think that the alignment of the stars and planets determine who a person is. Others keep up with their daily astrology posts online merely as an enjoyable pastime.

“I think that [zodiac signs] are a funny way to realize something about yourself that you had not thought about before,” senior Moira Kisiday said.

Many social media websites have a portion dedicated to horoscopes and zodiac signs that users can access on a daily basis.

“[Some of the sites I use to check my zodiac sign] are Buzzfeed, Cosmopolitan and Twitter,” senior Anna Homan said.

In the end, whether one takes astrology seriously or not, it is still a unique way to reveal certain traits that characterize the human experience.