The 12 Zodiac Signs: Dates, Elements and Core Traits
A clear guide to the twelve zodiac signs: their dates, elements, ruling planets and the traits each one is known for.
The zodiac is a belt of sky divided into twelve equal parts, each named after a constellation. Your zodiac sign, also called your Sun sign, is the part the Sun was passing through on the day you were born. It describes your core nature: what drives you and how you express yourself.
The twelve signs at a glance
The dates below follow the Western (tropical) zodiac. They can shift by a day from year to year, so if you were born on a changeover date, your exact birth time decides your sign.
| Sign | Dates | Element | Ruling planet | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aries | 21 Mar – 19 Apr | Fire | Mars | Courage, drive, directness |
| Taurus | 20 Apr – 20 May | Earth | Venus | Patience, loyalty, love of comfort |
| Gemini | 21 May – 20 Jun | Air | Mercury | Curiosity, wit, adaptability |
| Cancer | 21 Jun – 22 Jul | Water | Moon | Care, intuition, strong family ties |
| Leo | 23 Jul – 22 Aug | Fire | Sun | Confidence, warmth, leadership |
| Virgo | 23 Aug – 22 Sep | Earth | Mercury | Precision, service, practicality |
| Libra | 23 Sep – 22 Oct | Air | Venus | Balance, charm, fairness |
| Scorpio | 23 Oct – 21 Nov | Water | Mars (and Pluto) | Intensity, depth, determination |
| Sagittarius | 22 Nov – 21 Dec | Fire | Jupiter | Optimism, honesty, love of freedom |
| Capricorn | 22 Dec – 19 Jan | Earth | Saturn | Discipline, ambition, responsibility |
| Aquarius | 20 Jan – 18 Feb | Air | Saturn (and Uranus) | Originality, independence, big ideas |
| Pisces | 19 Feb – 20 Mar | Water | Jupiter (and Neptune) | Compassion, imagination, sensitivity |
The four elements
- Fire (Aries, Leo, Sagittarius): energetic, bold and action-led.
- Earth (Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn): steady, practical and results-focused.
- Air (Gemini, Libra, Aquarius): thoughtful, social and idea-driven.
- Water (Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces): emotional, intuitive and protective.
The three modes
Each sign also has a mode that shows how it approaches life. Cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn) start things. Fixed signs (Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, Aquarius) sustain them. Mutable signs (Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, Pisces) adapt and bring change.
Why your Sun sign is only the beginning
Two people with the same Sun sign can be very different, because a birth chart also includes the Moon, the rising sign and the planets, each placed in its own sign and house. Your Sun sign is the headline. The full chart is the story.
A note on Vedic signs
Vedic astrology uses the sidereal zodiac, which is measured against the fixed stars. Its dates fall roughly 23 to 24 days later, so many people find their Vedic Sun sign is the sign before their Western one. Neither is wrong. They are two systems measuring from different starting points.
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