The 12 Zodiac Signs
Dates, Symbols & Meanings
All 12 zodiac signs in order — your complete Sun sign guide
From Aries to Pisces: zodiac sign dates by month, symbols, elements, ruling planets, and personality traits of every star sign.
What Are the Zodiac Signs?
The zodiac is a belt of sky extending roughly 8 degrees on either side of the ecliptic — the apparent path of the Sun across the celestial sphere throughout the year. Ancient astronomers divided this belt into twelve equal segments of 30 degrees each, creating the twelve zodiac signs we know today.
Each zodiac sign occupies a specific date range, during which the Sun transits through that section of the sky. Your Sun sign — the one most people mean when they say "what's your sign?" — is determined by which segment the Sun was passing through on the day you were born.
But the zodiac is more than just Sun signs. Each sign is associated with an element (Fire, Earth, Air, or Water), a modality (Cardinal, Fixed, or Mutable), a ruling planet, and a constellation. Together, these attributes create a rich symbolic language for understanding personality, motivation, and life patterns. In the UK and much of Europe the same twelve signs are simply called star signs — the terms are interchangeable.
The system is ancient: Babylonian astronomers formalized the twelve-sign zodiac around the 5th century BCE, and the tropical zodiac used in Western astrology today anchors Aries to the March equinox rather than to the stars themselves. That is why zodiac signs and the physical zodiac constellations no longer line up exactly — a distinction worth knowing before anyone tells you your sign has "changed."
"The zodiac is not a cage of twelve boxes. It is a wheel of twelve doorways, each opening to a different way of being human."
Classical Astrological Wisdom
Zodiac Signs in Order: Dates, Symbols & Traits
The 12 zodiac signs in order with their date ranges, symbols, elements, modalities, and ruling planets — star sign dates by month at a glance (tropical zodiac).
| Sign | Dates | Symbol | Element | Modality | Ruling Planet |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ♈Aries | Mar 21 – Apr 19 | The Ram | Fire | Cardinal | ♂ Mars |
| ♉Taurus | Apr 20 – May 20 | The Bull | Earth | Fixed | ♀ Venus |
| ♊Gemini | May 21 – Jun 20 | The Twins | Air | Mutable | ☿ Mercury |
| ♋Cancer | Jun 21 – Jul 22 | The Crab | Water | Cardinal | ☽ Moon |
| ♌Leo | Jul 23 – Aug 22 | The Lion | Fire | Fixed | ☉ Sun |
| ♍Virgo | Aug 23 – Sep 22 | The Maiden | Earth | Mutable | ☿ Mercury |
| ♎Libra | Sep 23 – Oct 22 | The Scales | Air | Cardinal | ♀ Venus |
| ♏Scorpio | Oct 23 – Nov 21 | The Scorpion | Water | Fixed | ♂ Mars / Pluto |
| ♐Sagittarius | Nov 22 – Dec 21 | The Archer | Fire | Mutable | ♃ Jupiter |
| ♑Capricorn | Dec 22 – Jan 19 | The Sea-Goat | Earth | Cardinal | ♄ Saturn |
| ♒Aquarius | Jan 20 – Feb 18 | The Water Bearer | Air | Fixed | ♄ Saturn / Uranus |
| ♓Pisces | Feb 19 – Mar 20 | The Fish | Water | Mutable | ♃ Jupiter / Neptune |
Dates shift by a day depending on the year — born on a cusp? A birth chart calculator confirms your exact Sun sign.
The 12 Zodiac Signs and Their Meanings
Explore each zodiac sign's personality traits, dates, element, ruling planet, and best matches.
Aries
Mar 21 – Apr 19
Bold, ambitious, and fiercely independent. Aries charges headfirst into challenges with confidence and infectious energy. Natural-born leaders who thrive on competition and new beginnings.
Leo, Sagittarius, Gemini, Aquarius
Taurus
Apr 20 – May 20
Reliable, patient, and deeply sensual. Taurus values stability, comfort, and the finer things in life. They build with intention and possess an unshakeable determination once committed.
Virgo, Capricorn, Cancer, Pisces
Gemini
May 21 – Jun 20
Curious, adaptable, and endlessly communicative. Gemini is the sign of the twins — versatile, intellectual, and always seeking new information. Masters of connection and wit.
Libra, Aquarius, Aries, Leo
Cancer
Jun 21 – Jul 22
Nurturing, intuitive, and emotionally deep. Cancer feels everything intensely and protects loved ones with fierce devotion. The heart of the zodiac — empathetic and profoundly loyal.
Scorpio, Pisces, Taurus, Virgo
Leo
Jul 23 – Aug 22
Charismatic, generous, and radiantly confident. Leo commands attention with warmth and creativity. Born performers who lead with their hearts and inspire others through sheer force of personality.
Aries, Sagittarius, Gemini, Libra
Virgo
Aug 23 – Sep 22
Analytical, practical, and devotedly helpful. Virgo notices what others miss and works tirelessly to improve everything they touch. The quiet perfectionist with a heart of service.
Taurus, Capricorn, Cancer, Scorpio
Libra
Sep 23 – Oct 22
Harmonious, diplomatic, and aesthetically refined. Libra seeks balance in all things — relationships, beauty, and justice. The zodiac's peacemaker with an eye for elegance.
Gemini, Aquarius, Leo, Sagittarius
Scorpio
Oct 23 – Nov 21
Intense, perceptive, and magnetically powerful. Scorpio sees beneath every surface and transforms whatever they touch. Fiercely loyal with a depth of feeling few signs can match.
Cancer, Pisces, Virgo, Capricorn
Sagittarius
Nov 22 – Dec 21
Adventurous, optimistic, and philosophically minded. Sagittarius roams both the physical and intellectual world seeking truth and meaning. The zodiac's eternal explorer and truth-seeker.
Aries, Leo, Libra, Aquarius
Capricorn
Dec 22 – Jan 19
Disciplined, ambitious, and strategically patient. Capricorn builds empires through persistent effort and long-term vision. The zodiac's most determined climber — slow, steady, unstoppable.
Taurus, Virgo, Scorpio, Pisces
Aquarius
Jan 20 – Feb 18
Innovative, independent, and humanitarian. Aquarius thinks decades ahead and champions progressive ideals. The zodiac's visionary — unconventional, intellectual, and deeply principled.
Gemini, Libra, Aries, Sagittarius
Pisces
Feb 19 – Mar 20
Compassionate, imaginative, and spiritually attuned. Pisces dissolves boundaries between self and others, feeling the world's joys and sorrows as their own. The zodiac's mystic and dreamer.
Cancer, Scorpio, Taurus, Capricorn
Curious how any two signs pair up? See the full zodiac compatibility chart — all 144 sign combinations rated.
Zodiac Elements: Fire, Earth, Air & Water Signs
Every zodiac sign belongs to one of the four elements, which shapes its fundamental nature and energy — and explains why some signs instantly click.
Fire
Aries, Leo, Sagittarius
Fire signs are passionate, dynamic, and temperamental. They are quick to anger but also quick to forgive. Fire fuels inspiration, courage, and the drive to create and lead.
Earth
Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn
Earth signs are grounded, practical, and reliable. They value stability and material security, building tangible results through patience, discipline, and unwavering effort.
Air
Gemini, Libra, Aquarius
Air signs are intellectual, communicative, and socially oriented. They thrive on ideas, conversation, and connection, bringing analytical clarity and innovative thinking to every situation.
Water
Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces
Water signs are intuitive, emotional, and deeply sensitive. They navigate the world through feeling, empathy, and instinct, possessing an almost psychic capacity for understanding others.
Cardinal, Fixed & Mutable Signs (Modalities)
Qualities describe how each sign operates — initiating, sustaining, or adapting.
Cardinal
Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn
Cardinal signs initiate. They mark the beginning of each season and are natural leaders who set things in motion. Entrepreneurial and action-oriented, they excel at starting new projects, ventures, and chapters. Their challenge is follow-through.
Fixed
Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, Aquarius
Fixed signs sustain. They occupy the middle of each season and are the stabilizers of the zodiac. Determined, persistent, and sometimes stubborn, they excel at maintaining momentum and seeing things through to completion. Their challenge is adaptability.
Mutable
Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, Pisces
Mutable signs adapt. They close out each season and prepare the transition to the next. Flexible, resourceful, and versatile, they excel at going with the flow and finding creative solutions. Their challenge is finding solid ground.
What Is My Zodiac Sign? Find It by Date of Birth
Finding your zodiac sign is simple: look up your birthday in the date ranges listed above. If you were born on March 25, you are an Aries. Born on September 10? You are a Virgo. The Sun moves through each sign at roughly the same time every year, making Sun signs the most accessible entry point into astrology.
However, if you were born on a "cusp" — the day or two when the Sun transitions from one sign to another — you will need to check the exact year. The Sun does not change signs at the same moment each year, and the difference can mean being one sign or another. For example, Capricorn begins on December 21 or 22 depending on the year.
To go beyond your Sun sign and discover your Moon sign, Rising sign, and full planetary placements, you will need your exact birth time and location. Our free birth chart calculator handles all these calculations automatically, and the rising sign calculator pinpoints your Ascendant — the sign that shapes how the world sees you. Once you know your sign, see what the year holds in our 2026 horoscope.
Quick Steps to Find Your Full Chart
- 1Gather your birth data — date, exact time (check your birth certificate), and city of birth.
- 2Enter it into a birth chart calculator — AstroCodex computes positions using Swiss Ephemeris precision.
- 3Read your full chart — Sun, Moon, Rising, and all planetary placements with AI-powered interpretations.
Zodiac Signs FAQ
The 12 zodiac signs in order are: Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces. The order follows the Sun's apparent yearly path through the zodiac, beginning with Aries at the March equinox — the traditional start of the astrological year.
Your zodiac sign (Sun sign) is determined by your date of birth. Find your birthday in the date table above — for example, anyone born between March 21 and April 19 is an Aries, and anyone born between September 23 and October 22 is a Libra. If you were born on a cusp date, check the exact year, since the Sun changes signs at slightly different times each year.
The zodiac sign dates are: Aries (Mar 21-Apr 19), Taurus (Apr 20-May 20), Gemini (May 21-Jun 20), Cancer (Jun 21-Jul 22), Leo (Jul 23-Aug 22), Virgo (Aug 23-Sep 22), Libra (Sep 23-Oct 22), Scorpio (Oct 23-Nov 21), Sagittarius (Nov 22-Dec 21), Capricorn (Dec 22-Jan 19), Aquarius (Jan 20-Feb 18), and Pisces (Feb 19-Mar 20). Each sign spans roughly one month, straddling two calendar months.
Fire signs are Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius. Earth signs are Taurus, Virgo, and Capricorn. Air signs are Gemini, Libra, and Aquarius. Water signs are Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces. Your element describes your fundamental temperament: Fire is action and inspiration, Earth is practicality and stability, Air is intellect and communication, Water is emotion and intuition.
A zodiac sign is a fixed 30-degree segment of the sky that describes where the Sun (or another planet) was at your birth — it never changes. A horoscope is a forecast: an interpretation of how current planetary movements interact with your sign or full birth chart over a day, week, month, or year. In short, your sign is who you are; a horoscope is what the sky is doing now.
No. The viral claims that NASA "changed the zodiac" or added a 13th sign (Ophiuchus) confuse astronomy with astrology. Western astrology uses the tropical zodiac, which is anchored to the seasons — twelve equal 30-degree signs starting at the March equinox — so its dates do not shift with the constellations. Ophiuchus is a real constellation the Sun passes through, but it has never been a tropical zodiac sign. See our zodiac constellations guide for the full story.
Your Sun sign represents your core identity, ego, and conscious self — who you are growing into. Your Moon sign represents your emotional nature, instincts, and inner world — who you are behind closed doors. The Sun is your public face; the Moon is your private heart. Many people identify more strongly with their Moon sign, especially in intimate settings.
Your Rising sign (Ascendant) is the zodiac sign that was rising on the eastern horizon at the exact moment of your birth. It shapes your outward personality, first impressions, and how others perceive you. It also sets up the entire house system in your chart, making it one of the three most important placements alongside the Sun and Moon. Because it changes roughly every two hours, you need your exact birth time to calculate it.
Beyond your Sun sign
Your Complete Zodiac Profile Awaits
Your Sun sign is just the beginning. Discover your Moon sign, Rising sign, and full planetary placements with our free AI-powered birth chart calculator.
Get Your Free Birth ChartNo credit card required. Instant results.