Sun Signs — All 12 Zodiac Signs Explained
In short: Your sun sign is determined by your date of birth and describes your core personality and conscious self. Find yours in the table below — each sign links to its full personality profile.
Sun-sign astrology is the simplified system most people encounter in newspaper columns and weekly horoscopes. In a full horoscope reading, every planet's placement is interpreted; in sun-sign astrology, only the Sun's position matters. The Sun moves through one zodiac sign per month, and the sign it occupied on your birthday becomes your sun sign, also called your star sign.
The 12 sun signs are grouped by element (Fire, Earth, Air, Water) and by modality (Cardinal, Fixed, Mutable). Each sign has a ruling planet that shapes how it expresses itself. Find your birth date below to read your full sun-sign profile.
| Sign | Dates | Element | Keywords |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aries | March 21 – April 19 | Fire | Daring, Risk-taker, Energetic, Friendly, Careless, Impulsive, Childish |
| Taurus | April 20 – May 20 | Earth | Stubborn, Stable, Cautious, Comfort-seeker, Deliberate, Slow |
| Gemini | May 21 – June 20 | Air | Alert, Adaptable, Friendly, Superficial, Curious, Restless, Talkative |
| Cancer | June 21 – July 22 | Water | Moody, Nurturing, Sensitive, Shy, Possessive, Family-oriented |
| Leo | July 23 – August 22 | Fire | Creative, Generous, Flamboyant, Egotistical, Selfish, Attention-seeker, Optimistic |
| Virgo | August 23 – September 22 | Earth | Helpful, Practical, Analytical, Timid, Skeptical, Finicky, Hypocritical |
| Libra | September 23 – October 22 | Air | Tactful, Objective, Lazy, Avoids conflict, Indecisive, Cultural, Strategist |
| Scorpio | October 23 – November 21 | Water | Strong-willed, Secretive, Possessive, Vengeful, Investigator, Passionate |
| Sagittarius | November 22 – December 21 | Fire | Independent, Truth-seeker, Traveler, Talkative, Theatrical, Athletic, Tactless, Over-confident |
| Capricorn | December 22 – January 19 | Earth | Mature, Ambitious, Responsible, Designing, Patient, Goal-seeker, Traditional |
| Aquarius | January 20 – February 18 | Air | Stubborn, Societal, Mental poise, Opinionated, Unconventional, Musical, Rebellious |
| Pisces | February 19 – March 20 | Water | Vulnerable, Shy, Unrealistic, Compassionate, Unstable, Theatrical, Risk-taker, Self-pitying |
Note: Cusp dates shift slightly each year due to leap-year corrections. If you were born within a day of a sign change, check our birth chart calculator for an exact reading based on your birth year.
Sun vs Moon vs Rising — what's the difference?
☀ Sun sign
Your core identity and conscious personality. Determined by your birth date. The sign you say when someone asks "what's your sign?".
☽ Moon sign
Your inner emotional self, instincts, and private feelings. Needs your exact birth time — the Moon changes signs every 2½ days.
↑ Rising sign
How you appear to others and the first impression you make. Needs your exact birth time and place — the ascendant changes every two hours.
Don't know your moon or rising sign? Use our free birth chart calculator to find all three.
Frequently asked about sun signs
What is a sun sign?
Your sun sign is the zodiac sign the Sun was in on your birthday. It represents your core identity, ego, and the way you express yourself. It's the sign most people mean when they say "I'm a Leo" or "I'm a Virgo".
How do I find my sun sign?
You only need your date of birth. Match your birthday to one of the twelve date ranges listed on this page. People born within one or two days of a sign change are said to be "on the cusp" — knowing your birth year matters because cusp dates shift slightly.
Is the sun sign the most important sign in astrology?
It's the most well-known and the easiest to determine, but in a full birth chart the moon sign and rising sign are considered equally significant. The full chart also includes the placement of every planet across twelve houses.
Why doesn't my sun-sign description fit me perfectly?
A sun sign captures only one layer of your astrological profile. Your moon sign, rising sign, Mercury sign, Venus sign and Mars sign — plus the houses each planet occupies — all add nuance. A full birth chart typically explains the parts that "don't fit".