British physicist Stephen Hawking debunked astrology -- along with some of Albert Einstein's theories -- in a lecture Wednesday in the capital of India, where most Hindus consult star charts and astrological signs for decisions on marriage and other matters.

  According to Astroenergetics.com, astronomy is concerned with the observation of the motions of heavenly bodies, and reduces to mathematical order these observations. Astrology is the study of the effects the movements of these celestial bodies have on human affairs. Through prolonged observation, the ancient astronomers were able to predict the recurrence of cosmic phenomena, and astrologers began to forecast the earthly events which coincided with these.

   Astrology has been studied for millennia, and it dates back as far as recorded history. The original Astrologers were priests and scholars, and they were looked up to as doctors and learned men. According to modern speculation, the Three Wise Men of Christian belief were Astrologers! At that time, Astrology was the same science as Astronomy and Psychology, whose modern descendants arose from Astrology.

   In ancient times, the Greeks and Romans based their system of gods on what they believed was up in the sky. Zeus, who equates to Jupiter in Roman myth, and the other gods and goddesses were based on the Planets visible to the ancients. Astrology was similarly popular in Babylon and Egypt, and it also rose in the Middle East, India and China.

   Modern Astrology has changed with the discovery of new Planets: first Uranus in 1781, then Neptune and Pluto, as well as the four feminine-energy Asteroids. These three Planets have a stronger effect on generations as a whole rather than individuals, but they still have an important place in modern Astrology, according to Astrology.com

   "When it was discovered that the Earth was not the center of the universe, astrology became impossible," said Hawking, delivering a lecture through voice synthesizer to a standing-room-only crowd of thousands.

   "The reason most scientists don't believe in astrology is because it is not consistent with our theories that have been tested by experiment," Hawking said to a rapt and quiet crowd that had waited for an hour in lines winding around the block to see and hear him.

   Delivering the Albert Einstein Memorial Lecture for the Center for Philosophy and Foundation of Science, Hawking said some scientific theories about the ability to predict the position and velocity of particles in space or time may be no better than astrology.

   Explaining that scientists have been unable to make an exact measurement of an object's velocity and position at the same time, he said, "One can suppose" that information is "known to God, but hidden from us."

   Giving an overview of how physics historically has been part of man's quest to predict the future, Hawking said Einstein had been "confused" about quantum theory and wrong about the existence of black holes, massive stars with gravity so strong that light does not escape.

   At the end of the lecture, Hawking was given a standing ovation and presented with a Hindi language translation of his popular physics book, "A Brief History of Time."