Complete sign reference
The 12 Zodiac Signs
Use this page to compare all twelve tropical zodiac signs in one place: standard dates, element, modality, traditional ruler, opposite sign and zodiac position. Then open any sign for its full profile.
All 12 zodiac signs at a glance
| Sign | Standard dates | Element | Modality | Traditional ruler | Opposite |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ♈ Aries | Mar 21–Apr 19 | Fire | Cardinal | Mars | Libra |
| ♉ Taurus | Apr 20–May 20 | Earth | Fixed | Venus | Scorpio |
| ♊ Gemini | May 21–Jun 20 | Air | Mutable | Mercury | Sagittarius |
| ♋ Cancer | Jun 21–Jul 22 | Water | Cardinal | Moon | Capricorn |
| ♌ Leo | Jul 23–Aug 22 | Fire | Fixed | Sun | Aquarius |
| ♍ Virgo | Aug 23–Sep 22 | Earth | Mutable | Mercury | Pisces |
| ♎ Libra | Sep 23–Oct 22 | Air | Cardinal | Venus | Aries |
| ♏ Scorpio | Oct 23–Nov 21 | Water | Fixed | Mars | Taurus |
| ♐ Sagittarius | Nov 22–Dec 21 | Fire | Mutable | Jupiter | Gemini |
| ♑ Capricorn | Dec 22–Jan 19 | Earth | Cardinal | Saturn | Cancer |
| ♒ Aquarius | Jan 20–Feb 18 | Air | Fixed | Saturn | Leo |
| ♓ Pisces | Feb 19–Mar 20 | Water | Mutable | Jupiter | Virgo |
These are conventional tropical-zodiac date ranges. People born near a transition should use an exact calculation rather than assuming the date alone settles the sign.
Choose a sign
Aries
March 21–April 19
FireCardinalTaurus
April 20–May 20
EarthFixedGemini
May 21–June 20
AirMutableCancer
June 21–July 22
WaterCardinalLeo
July 23–August 22
FireFixedVirgo
August 23–September 22
EarthMutableLibra
September 23–October 22
AirCardinalScorpio
October 23–November 21
WaterFixedSagittarius
November 22–December 21
FireMutableCapricorn
December 22–January 19
EarthCardinalAquarius
January 20–February 18
AirFixedPisces
February 19–March 20
WaterMutableZodiac signs by element
The four elements group signs into symbolic families. Each element contains one cardinal, one fixed and one mutable sign, which is why no two signs have exactly the same element–modality combination.
Fire
Aries · Leo · Sagittarius
Traditionally associated with initiative, expression and enthusiasm.
Earth
Taurus · Virgo · Capricorn
Traditionally associated with practicality, stability and material concerns.
Air
Gemini · Libra · Aquarius
Traditionally associated with ideas, communication and social connection.
Water
Cancer · Scorpio · Pisces
Traditionally associated with emotion, sensitivity and intuition.
Zodiac signs by modality
Modalities describe a traditional operating style and also reflect where signs fall within a season in the tropical zodiac.
Cardinal
Aries · Cancer · Libra · Capricorn
Open the four tropical seasons and are traditionally associated with initiation.
Fixed
Taurus · Leo · Scorpio · Aquarius
Occupy the middle of each season and are traditionally associated with sustaining.
Mutable
Gemini · Virgo · Sagittarius · Pisces
Close each season and are traditionally associated with adaptation and transition.
The six opposite-sign pairs
Signs opposite one another are 180 degrees apart on the zodiac circle. Astrology traditionally treats these pairs as complementary polarities rather than simply as “compatible” or “incompatible.”
| Pair | Traditional contrast |
|---|---|
| Aries ↔ Libra | Self-direction and partnership |
| Taurus ↔ Scorpio | Stability and transformation |
| Gemini ↔ Sagittarius | Immediate information and broad meaning |
| Cancer ↔ Capricorn | Private roots and public responsibility |
| Leo ↔ Aquarius | Personal expression and collective perspective |
| Virgo ↔ Pisces | Discernment and synthesis |
How zodiac sign dates work
Popular date tables translate the Sun's position into convenient civil-calendar ranges. They are useful for most birthdays, but the Sun does not enter a new sign at midnight on the same date every year. If someone was born close to a boundary, the birth year, time and time zone can matter.
What your Sun sign tells you—and what it does not
In astrology, the Sun sign describes the zodiac sign occupied by the Sun at birth. It is the placement used by newspaper and general-interest horoscopes, which is why it became shorthand for “your zodiac sign.”
A full birth chart contains much more: the Moon, planets, Ascendant, houses and angular relationships called aspects. Two people can share a Sun sign while having very different charts. Start with the Sun sign for orientation, then use the Birth Chart hub if you want the wider structure.
Zodiac signs are not the same as constellations
In the tropical zodiac, signs are twelve equal 30-degree sections tied to the seasonal framework. Astronomical constellations are observed star patterns with unequal modern boundaries. The names overlap historically, but the two systems are not interchangeable.
Continue learning
Explore the topics that interest you next.