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Zodiac Signs and Astrology Basics
Western astrology divides the year into twelve sun signs, from Aries, which starts at the March equinox, to Pisces. Each sign has a traditional element (fire, earth, air or water), a ruling planet and character associations. Your 'star sign' is your sun sign, but a full birth chart also includes the moon, the rising sign and the planets. Astrology is a symbolic tradition, not a science, and many people enjoy it as a language for reflection.
The twelve signs
Aries (21 March – 19 April)
Element: fire. Traditional ruler: Mars. Associations: bold, pioneering. Traditional stones: carnelian, red jasper, bloodstone.
Taurus (20 April – 20 May)
Element: earth. Traditional ruler: Venus. Associations: steady, sensual. Traditional stones: rose quartz, emerald, green aventurine.
Gemini (21 May – 20 June)
Element: air. Traditional ruler: Mercury. Associations: curious, chatty. Traditional stones: citrine, agate, tiger's eye.
Cancer (21 June – 22 July)
Element: water. Traditional ruler: the Moon. Associations: nurturing, home-loving. Traditional stones: moonstone, selenite, pearl.
Leo (23 July – 22 August)
Element: fire. Traditional ruler: the Sun. Associations: warm, generous. Traditional stones: sunstone, citrine, tiger's eye.
Virgo (23 August – 22 September)
Element: earth. Traditional ruler: Mercury. Associations: careful, practical. Traditional stones: amazonite, moss agate, fluorite.
Libra (23 September – 22 October)
Element: air. Traditional ruler: Venus. Associations: harmonious, fair. Traditional stones: lapis lazuli, rose quartz, opal.
Scorpio (23 October – 21 November)
Element: water. Traditional ruler: Mars and Pluto. Associations: intense, private. Traditional stones: obsidian, malachite, garnet.
Sagittarius (22 November – 21 December)
Element: fire. Traditional ruler: Jupiter. Associations: adventurous, frank. Traditional stones: turquoise, sodalite, amethyst.
Capricorn (22 December – 19 January)
Element: earth. Traditional ruler: Saturn. Associations: ambitious, patient. Traditional stones: garnet, smoky quartz, onyx.
Aquarius (20 January – 18 February)
Element: air. Traditional ruler: Uranus and Saturn. Associations: original, idealistic. Traditional stones: amethyst, labradorite, aquamarine.
Pisces (19 February – 20 March)
Element: water. Traditional ruler: Neptune and Jupiter. Associations: dreamy, compassionate. Traditional stones: amethyst, aquamarine, moonstone.
Elements
Fire: Aries, Leo, Sagittarius
Enthusiasm, courage and action.
Earth: Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn
Practicality, patience and the senses.
Air: Gemini, Libra, Aquarius
Ideas, talk and connection.
Water: Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces
Feeling, intuition and care.
Modalities
Cardinal: Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn
Signs that begin each season: initiators.
Fixed: Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, Aquarius
Mid-season signs: steady and determined.
Mutable: Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, Pisces
Signs that close each season: adaptable.
Sun, moon and rising
Your sun sign is where the sun stood at your birth. The moon sign is traditionally linked to feelings and habits. The rising sign, or ascendant, is the sign on the eastern horizon at the moment of birth, so it needs an accurate birth time and place. Many people find their moon or rising sign fits them better than their sun sign.
Astronomy and astrology
Because Earth's axis slowly wobbles (precession), the constellations have drifted by about one sign over two thousand years. Western astrology uses the 'tropical' zodiac, tied to the seasons rather than the stars, so its dates stay fixed. Vedic astrology uses the 'sidereal' zodiac, tied to the stars. UK delivery is £3.95, free on orders over £40, and usually takes 2–5 working days.
Your Big Three
Your sun sign is set by your birthday. Your moon sign depends on where the moon was when you were born and changes about every two and a half days. Your rising sign depends on the exact time and place of birth. Astrology describes these as your core self, your feelings and how others see you.
Why the dates move a little
Sign dates shift by a day in some years because the sun reaches each 30° section of the zodiac at slightly different times. If you were born on a cusp, check the exact time.
Astrology and astronomy
Astronomy is the science of the sky; astrology is a tradition of interpreting it. We share astrology as tradition and for reflection, and our moon calendars use real astronomical calculations.
Crystals for each sign
Every sign has traditional stones. See our zodiac crystal pages for each sign's stones and pieces in stock.
Where Western astrology comes from
Astrology grew from Babylonian sky-watching over 2,500 years ago. The twelve signs of equal 30° were set out by the Babylonians, and Greek astrologers in Hellenistic Egypt combined them with planets and houses into the system still used today. Ptolemy's Tetrabiblos, written in the 2nd century CE, was the standard textbook for over a thousand years.
Signs and constellations are different
The twelve signs are equal 30° slices of the sky, starting from the spring equinox. The constellations with the same names are unequal in size, and because of the slow wobble of Earth's axis (precession), the sun now passes through each constellation about a month later than its sign. Astrology uses the signs; astronomy uses the constellations.
Using astrology for reflection
Many people enjoy astrology as a language for talking about personality and timing, without treating it as prediction. Reading your sign's traditional traits and asking 'does this fit me?' can be a useful prompt for journalling.
The planets in astrology
Each sign has a traditional ruling planet: Mars for Aries and Scorpio, Venus for Taurus and Libra, Mercury for Gemini and Virgo, the Moon for Cancer, the Sun for Leo, Jupiter for Sagittarius and Pisces, and Saturn for Capricorn and Aquarius. Modern astrology adds Uranus, Neptune and Pluto.
The twelve signs at a glance
| Sign | Dates | Element | Mode | Ruler |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aries | 21 March – 19 April | Fire | Cardinal | Mars |
| Taurus | 20 April – 20 May | Earth | Fixed | Venus |
| Gemini | 21 May – 20 June | Air | Mutable | Mercury |
| Cancer | 21 June – 22 July | Water | Cardinal | the Moon |
| Leo | 23 July – 22 August | Fire | Fixed | the Sun |
| Virgo | 23 August – 22 September | Earth | Mutable | Mercury |
| Libra | 23 September – 22 October | Air | Cardinal | Venus |
| Scorpio | 23 October – 21 November | Water | Fixed | Mars (and Pluto in modern astrology) |
| Sagittarius | 22 November – 21 December | Fire | Mutable | Jupiter |
| Capricorn | 22 December – 19 January | Earth | Cardinal | Saturn |
| Aquarius | 20 January – 18 February | Air | Fixed | Saturn (and Uranus in modern astrology) |
| Pisces | 19 February – 20 March | Water | Mutable | Jupiter (and Neptune in modern astrology) |
Words worth knowing
- Sun sign: the sign the sun was in at your birth.
- Rising sign (ascendant): the sign on the eastern horizon at your birth.
- Cusp: the border between two signs.
- Precession: the slow wobble of Earth's axis, which shifts the constellations relative to the signs.
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Questions answered
What are the zodiac elements?
Fire, earth, air and water, with three signs each.
Why don't the sign dates match the constellations?
Precession has shifted the constellations over about 2,000 years. Western astrology follows the seasons instead.
What is a rising sign?
The sign rising on the eastern horizon when you were born.
Are birthstones the same as zodiac stones?
No. Birthstones follow calendar months and zodiac stones follow signs, and lists vary.
What is my star sign if I was born on a cusp?
It depends on the exact time the sun changed sign that year; an online birth chart calculator will tell you.
Is astrology a science?
No. Astrology is a tradition of interpretation; astronomy is the science of the sky.
What is a birth chart?
A map of where the sun, moon and planets were at your birth.
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