"So you're an astrologer.  Do you have your own telescope?"

Astronomy   The science of the celestial bodies and of their magnitudes, motions, and constitution.

Astrology      1 obs: Astronomy   2: The divination of the supposed influences of the stars upon human affairs and terrestrial events by their positions and aspects

In case you're wondering, I really was asked the exact question that heads this article.  Often the misunderstanding becomes apparent when people see the "ASTRLGY" license plate on my vehicle.  This is compounded further by the fact that the University of Arizona (where I received my Pharmacy license) is intimately involved with the space program and Kitt Peak Observatory that is located west of Tucson.  I can't count the number of times that I am asked a similar question.

As we note from the above definitions, there was once a time when the practices of astrology and astronomy were indistinguishable. Over the centuries the two pursuits have evolved along different paths, though perhaps at times sharing common ground. Though use of the terms interchangeably is now obsolete, the general public is still somewhat puzzled by the differences, as witnessed by the question that heads this article. 

The cyclic nature of the planets and the phases of the Moon were certainly observed relatively early in man's evolution.  Scientifically, this was undoubtedly interesting and probably quite reassuring. As man evolved, his curiosity was aroused as he attempted to correlate the predictable, cyclic nature of the celestial components with events that were happening down here on earth.

Rudimentary observations probably led to increasingly sophisticated almanac-type information, though the concepts were probably communicated by word of mouth long before the written word was in common usage.  Farmers noted that their crops developed differently and yielded different results based on the phase of the Moon when they were planted or harvested. Early human fertility rites almost certainly were scheduled to coincide with particular phases of the Moon or other celestial events.

Though farmers and gardeners routinely use the information in almanacs in an attempt to maximize their crops, when the influence on humans is considered the equation changes.  For some reason it's much easier to admit that cyclic celestial events may exert an influence the tides and on plants than on humans.  

Humans are, well, human and have free will to make their own decisions. Nobody's denying that.  But doesn't it make sense to use all the tools available to us to our best advantage?  I firmly believe that it does make perfect sense.  

So even though your astrologer may not have his or her own telescope, he or she does have the tools necessary to help you see and to take advantage of these very same cycles in your own life.