Editing Mars effect (section)

{{Short description|Purported correlation between athletic ability and the position of Mars at birth}}
[[Image:Mars effect.svg|thumb|220px|A Gauquelin diagram mapping incidence of birth time and latitude to the natal position of Mars relative to the ecliptic of the rotating Earth, showing peaks just after its daily rising and culmination in mid-heaven (horizon and mid-heaven are marked by perpendicular lines). The orbit of Mars in the sky has been represented by 12 sectors in the circle, 6 above the horizon and 6 below. The drawn line shows the purported higher birth incidence of sports champions in the ''key sectors'' 1 and 4 of Mars' orbit.]]

The '''Mars effect''' is a purported [[statistical correlation]] between [[Sportsperson|athletic]] eminence and the position of the planet [[Mars]] relative to the horizon at time and place of birth. This controversial finding was first reported by the French [[psychologist]] and "neo-[[astrologer]]" [[Michel Gauquelin]].<ref name=Pont>{{cite journal|last=Pont|first=Graham|title=Philosophy and Science of Music in Ancient Greece|journal=Nexus Network Journal|date=2004|volume=6|issue=1|pages=17–29|doi=10.1007/s00004-004-0003-x |doi-access=free}}</ref>  In his book {{lang|fr|L'influence des astres}} ("The Influence of the Stars", 1955),<ref>I.W.Kelly, ''The Concepts of Modern Astrology: A Critique'' (University of Saskatchewan, online at http://www.astrosurf.com/nitschelm/Modern_criticism.pdf)</ref>  Gauquelin suggested that a statistically significant number of sports champions were born just after the planet Mars rises or [[Culmination|culminates]]. He also divided the [[plane of the ecliptic]] into twelve [[Circular sector|sectors]], identifying two "key" sectors of [[statistical significance]].

Gauquelin's work was accepted by the psychologist [[Hans Eysenck]] among others<ref>H.J. Eysenck & D.K.B. Nias, Astrology: Science or Superstition? Penguin Books (1982)</ref> but later attempts to validate the data and replicate the effect have produced uneven results, chiefly owing to disagreements over the selection and analysis of the [[data set]]. Since the phenomenon in question depends upon the daily [[Rotation of Earth|rotation of the Earth]], the availability and accuracy of time and place of birth data is crucial to such studies, as is the criterion of "eminence". Later research claims to explain the Mars effect by [[selection bias]], favouring champions who were born in a ''key sector'' of Mars and rejecting those who were not from the sample.<ref>Jan Willem Nienhuys (1997). The Mars Effect in Retrospect, ''Skeptical Inquirer'', vol 21 #6, Nov 1997, 24–29. [http://skepsis.nl/mars-effect/ available online]</ref><ref>[[Paul Kurtz]], Jan Willem Nienhuys, Ranjit Sandhu (1997). Is the "Mars Effect" Genuine? ''Journal of Scientific Exploration'', Vol. 11, No. 1, pp. 19–39. [http://www.scientificexploration.org/journal/jse_11_1_kurtz.pdf available online] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130124055709/http://www.scientificexploration.org/journal/jse_11_1_kurtz.pdf |date=January 24, 2013 }}{{unreliable source?|date=February 2020}}</ref><ref name=Nienhuys>{{cite web|last=Nienhuys|first=Jan Willem|title=Gauquelin's Mars Effect|url=https://www.skepsis.nl/blog/2022/03/gauquelins-mars-effect/|accessdate=10 March 2022|date=2022-03-10}}</ref>