Zodiac Signs and Dates: All 12 Signs Explained
Your birthday is more than a date on the calendar. In the language of astrology, it marks the precise moment the sun stood in a specific arc of the sky, and that position, your sun sign, has been linked for centuries to personality, strengths, and life patterns. Birthday astrology brings that tradition together with the Farmers’ Almanac’s nearly 200-year history of sky-watching to give you a complete picture of what the heavens said the day you were born.
Use this guide as your starting point. Select your birth month to read the full profile for your zodiac sign, or explore the deeper layers of your chart through our guides on rising signs, Venus signs, and zodiac elements below.
Find Your Birth Month
Each month is governed by one or two zodiac signs. Click your birth month to read the complete personality profile, compatibility snapshot, birth flower, birthstone, and notable celestial events for 2026.
| Month | Signs | Element | Key Trait |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Capricorn / Aquarius | Earth / Air | Disciplined, inventive |
| February | Aquarius / Pisces | Air / Water | Visionary, intuitive |
| March | Pisces / Aries | Water / Fire | Empathic, bold |
| April | Aries / Taurus | Fire / Earth | Courageous, grounded |
| May | Taurus / Gemini | Earth / Air | Steadfast, curious |
| June | Gemini / Cancer | Air / Water | Adaptable, nurturing |
| July | Cancer / Leo | Water / Fire | Loyal, radiant |
| August | Leo / Virgo | Fire / Earth | Confident, precise |
| September | Virgo / Libra | Earth / Air | Analytical, balanced |
| October | Libra / Scorpio | Air / Water | Diplomatic, intense |
| November | Scorpio / Sagittarius | Water / Fire | Perceptive, free-spirited |
| December | Sagittarius / Capricorn | Fire / Earth | Optimistic, driven |
The Zodiac at a Glance
The zodiac is a band of sky divided into twelve equal sections, each named for a constellation. As Earth orbits the sun, our star appears to move through one section per month. The sign the sun occupied at your birth is your sun sign, the core of your astrological identity.
| Sign | Dates (approx.) | Symbol | Element | Ruling Planet |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capricorn | Dec 22 to Jan 19 | Sea Goat | Earth | Saturn |
| Aquarius | Jan 20 to Feb 18 | Water Bearer | Air | Uranus / Saturn |
| Pisces | Feb 19 to Mar 20 | Fish | Water | Neptune / Jupiter |
| Aries | Mar 21 to Apr 19 | Ram | Fire | Mars |
| Taurus | Apr 20 to May 20 | Bull | Earth | Venus |
| Gemini | May 21 to Jun 20 | Twins | Air | Mercury |
| Cancer | Jun 21 to Jul 22 | Crab | Water | Moon |
| Leo | Jul 23 to Aug 22 | Lion | Fire | Sun |
| Virgo | Aug 23 to Sep 22 | Maiden | Earth | Mercury |
| Libra | Sep 23 to Oct 22 | Scales | Air | Venus |
| Scorpio | Oct 23 to Nov 21 | Scorpion | Water | Pluto / Mars |
| Sagittarius | Nov 22 to Dec 21 | Archer | Fire | Jupiter |
Beyond the Sun Sign: Rising and Venus
Your sun sign describes your core identity, but two other planetary positions add important layers. Your rising sign (also called the ascendant) is the zodiac sign that was climbing over the eastern horizon at the exact moment of your birth. It shapes how others perceive you and how you move through the world day to day. Your Venus sign governs the way you love, what you value, and what draws you toward beauty and comfort.
Together, sun, rising, and Venus paint a richer portrait than any single sign can. Explore our guides below to add those dimensions to your birthday profile.
The Four Elements
Every zodiac sign belongs to one of four elements: Fire, Earth, Air, or Water. Signs that share an element tend to approach life with a similar energy, even if their personalities differ in other ways.
Fire Signs
Aries, Leo, Sagittarius
Enthusiastic, bold, and action-oriented. Fire signs lead with instinct and bring warmth and energy to any room.
Earth Signs
Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn
Practical, patient, and reliable. Earth signs build lasting structures and appreciate the tangible pleasures of life.
Air Signs
Gemini, Libra, Aquarius
Intellectual, communicative, and social. Air signs thrive on ideas, connection, and movement.
Water Signs
Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces
Intuitive, emotional, and empathic. Water signs feel deeply and often sense things that others miss.
Explore Our Birthday Astrology Guides
- Zodiac Elements: Fire, Earth, Air, and Water Explained
- Rising Signs: Your Astrological First Impression
- Venus Signs: What Your Love Planet Reveals
- Cusp Signs: Born on the Border of Two Zodiac Signs
- What Does My Birthday Mean? A Complete Guide
Astrology and the Seasons
The Farmers’ Almanac has always charted the rhythms of sky and season together. The zodiac calendar maps closely onto the agricultural year: Aries begins at the spring equinox, Cancer at the summer solstice, Libra at the fall equinox, and Capricorn at the winter solstice. These are not coincidences, ancient sky-watchers built the zodiac around the turning points of the natural world.
That seasonal connection is why birthday astrology and the Almanac tradition fit hand-in-glove. Whether you’re planting a garden by moon phase, planning a harvest, or simply curious about what the stars said on the day you were born, you’ll find the sky and the seasons speaking the same language here.
Every Zodiac Sign
Each of the twelve signs has its own dates, element and ruling planet. Start with yours:
Get your sign, the Moon, and the season ahead, every week
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is my zodiac sign?
Your zodiac sign, or sun sign, is set by the date you were born. Use the table above to find which sign the Sun occupied on your birthday. If you were born near the changeover between two signs, read our cusp signs guide to see which one you actually are.
What are the zodiac sign dates?
Aries 21 March to 19 April, Taurus 20 April to 20 May, Gemini 21 May to 20 June, Cancer 21 June to 22 July, Leo 23 July to 22 August, Virgo 23 August to 22 September, Libra 23 September to 22 October, Scorpio 23 October to 21 November, Sagittarius 22 November to 21 December, Capricorn 22 December to 19 January, Aquarius 20 January to 18 February, and Pisces 19 February to 20 March. These are the usual dates. The real changeover moves by about a day from year to year.
What is my zodiac sign if I was born on a changeover date?
The changeover can move by about a day from year to year, so if your birthday falls on a boundary you need your birth year and your birth time to be certain. Our cusp signs guide lists every day each sign can begin.
How many zodiac signs are there?
Twelve, each covering roughly thirty days of the year.
Is my star sign the same as my zodiac sign?
Yes. Star sign, sun sign and zodiac sign all refer to the constellation the Sun was passing through on the day you were born.
Is birthday astrology the same as a full birth chart?
No. A full birth chart, also called a natal chart, uses your exact birth date, time and location to calculate the positions of all the planets, not just the Sun. Birthday astrology focuses on the sun sign, with rising and Venus signs as secondary layers. A full chart maps every planet against every house in the zodiac wheel.
Can astrology predict the future?
Astrology describes tendencies and patterns, not fixed outcomes. Think of it the way you think of a weather forecast: it tells you what conditions are likely, not what will certainly happen. You still make your own choices.
Curious about the skies this month? Our full Moon calendar shows how the lunar cycle lines up with your birth month.
Read Next
- Cusp Signs: How to Tell Which Zodiac Sign You Really Are
- What Does My Birthday Mean in Astrology?
- What Is My Rising Sign? Ascendant Dates and Meaning
This article was published by the Staff at FarmersAlmanac.com. Any questions? Contact us at [email protected].
- Farmers' Almanac Staff
- Farmers' Almanac Staff
- Farmers' Almanac Staff
- Farmers' Almanac Staff
