According to a 2018 Pew Research Center study, 29 percent of Americans believe in astrology. That means that almost three out of ten people believe that the stars, and their alignment that changes over time, influence their personality in some way.

In 2008, researcher David Voas examined census data from 20 million married people in England and Wales and found that “astrological sign has no impact on the probability of marrying, and staying married to, someone of any other sign.” So why do some so vehemently believe that this is real?

“I think [some people believe it], one: because they don’t know science very well. It affirms to them what they believe about themselves and for some people, I truly think that it gives them an excuse because if they don’t do something well one day, ‘well my horoscope said I wouldn’t, this would not be a good day to take a test,’” said Tammy James, AP Psychology teacher.

James said horoscopes are interesting, but not scientific. But it can be something that some take very seriously, even going so far as to do whatever it says they should do every day. The only problem is that there is no validity to the horoscopes. Unlike personality tests, which are backed by science and psychology, instead of flaming balls of gas light years away, the most horoscopes can do is guess general traits that most people have, much less tell people what should be done that day.

“I personally don’t believe in it; I don’t think that the stars and the sun and moon tell me what I’m going to be doing every single day of my life,” said Jule Warner, 12.

Astronomers scoff at the naivete of astrology. The constellations have shifted in the millennia since astrologers formulated their predictions, and will continue to shift for the rest of time. Psychologists ask questions and test the validity of it, with no results in astrology’s favor. And humorists relentlessly mock it.

“No offense,” author Dave Barry said, “but if you take the horoscope seriously your frontal lobes are the size of Raisinets.”