Yuriy talks about Mongolian astrology that Kalmyks have traditionally used to determine auspicious days for various events, including rituals, holidays, building a house, weddings, funerals, going on hunting trips. Mongolian astrology is also used for weather forecasting. According to Yuriy, the word zurkha ‘astrology’ derives from the word zurag, meaning ‘a picture’. Mongolian astrology has been influenced by astrological knowledge from China and Tibet.