Astrological Signs
An overview of the twelve astrological signs
Your Sun Sign
Knowing what sign the Sun was in when you were born is a good place to start learning astrology, because the Sun represents your basic self-definition. The following are brief descriptions of the 12 signs, including the dates during which the Sun is in each sign. Please note that the dates given for each sign may vary a day on either side, as leap years affect the calendar day but not the Sun's position. To verify your Sun sign, contact a professional astrologer.
Knowing what sign the Sun was in when you were born is a good place to start learning astrology, because the Sun represents your basic self-definition. The following are brief descriptions of the 12 signs, including the dates during which the Sun is in each sign. Please note that the dates given for each sign may vary a day on either side, as leap years affect the calendar day but not the Sun's position. To verify your Sun sign, contact a professional astrologer.
Aries
March 20 to April 19
Symbol: The Ram
Element: Fire
Archetypes: Risk-Taker, Pioneer, Survivor, Warrior
Primary Motivation: To develop courage, strengthen willpower
Strengths: Vitality, directness, survival instinct
Positive Expression: Taking on meaningful challenges that are aligned with personal values
Negative Expression: Combativeness, wasting energy on minor arguments and frustrations
March 20 to April 19
Symbol: The Ram
Element: Fire
Archetypes: Risk-Taker, Pioneer, Survivor, Warrior
Primary Motivation: To develop courage, strengthen willpower
Strengths: Vitality, directness, survival instinct
Positive Expression: Taking on meaningful challenges that are aligned with personal values
Negative Expression: Combativeness, wasting energy on minor arguments and frustrations
Taurus
April 20 to May 20
Symbol: The Bull
Element: Earth
Archetypes: Musician, Earth Spirit, Quiet One
Primary Motivation: To find inner peace, serenity, simplicity
Strengths: Simplicity, artistry, dislike of drama
Positive Expression: Developing a strong inner security that can accommodate change
Negative Expression: Becoming overly materialistic or stagnant out of fear of change
April 20 to May 20
Symbol: The Bull
Element: Earth
Archetypes: Musician, Earth Spirit, Quiet One
Primary Motivation: To find inner peace, serenity, simplicity
Strengths: Simplicity, artistry, dislike of drama
Positive Expression: Developing a strong inner security that can accommodate change
Negative Expression: Becoming overly materialistic or stagnant out of fear of change
Gemini
May 20 to June 21
Symbol: The Twins
Element: Air
Archetypes: Teacher, Storyteller, Witness, Writer
Primary Motivation: To communicate, observe life, share information
Strengths: Curiosity, restlessness, openmindedness
Positive Expression: Using the intellect to learn and teach life-enhancing information
Negative Expression: Becoming exhausted through excessive worry or external chatter
May 20 to June 21
Symbol: The Twins
Element: Air
Archetypes: Teacher, Storyteller, Witness, Writer
Primary Motivation: To communicate, observe life, share information
Strengths: Curiosity, restlessness, openmindedness
Positive Expression: Using the intellect to learn and teach life-enhancing information
Negative Expression: Becoming exhausted through excessive worry or external chatter
Cancer
June 21 to July 22
Symbol: The Crab
Element: Water
Archetypes: Nurturer, Sensitive, Therapist
Primary Motivation: To feel depth of emotions, develop trust, acceptance
Strengths: Compassion, empathy, desire to nurture
Positive Expression: Being sensitive to others while keeping strong boundaries
Negative Expression: Becoming easily overwhelmed and overly defensive
June 21 to July 22
Symbol: The Crab
Element: Water
Archetypes: Nurturer, Sensitive, Therapist
Primary Motivation: To feel depth of emotions, develop trust, acceptance
Strengths: Compassion, empathy, desire to nurture
Positive Expression: Being sensitive to others while keeping strong boundaries
Negative Expression: Becoming easily overwhelmed and overly defensive
Leo
July 22 to August 23
Symbol: The Lion
Element: Fire
Archetypes: King/Queen, Performer, Child
Primary Motivation: To fully express one's creativity, own personal style
Strengths: Creative flair, sense of drama, ability to perform
Positive Expression: Developing self-appreciation and finding joy in creation
Negative Expression: Being overly dependent upon the approval of others
July 22 to August 23
Symbol: The Lion
Element: Fire
Archetypes: King/Queen, Performer, Child
Primary Motivation: To fully express one's creativity, own personal style
Strengths: Creative flair, sense of drama, ability to perform
Positive Expression: Developing self-appreciation and finding joy in creation
Negative Expression: Being overly dependent upon the approval of others
Virgo
August 23 to September 22
Symbol: The Virgin
Element: Earth
Archetypes: Perfectionist, Critic, Analyst
Primary Motivation: To grow towards an ideal, develop skills and fulfill greatest potential
Strengths: Analytical ability, desire to serve
Positive Expression: Focusing on improvement and growth while maintaining appreciation for existing conditions
Negative Expression: Becoming pessimistic, turning analysis into criticalness
August 23 to September 22
Symbol: The Virgin
Element: Earth
Archetypes: Perfectionist, Critic, Analyst
Primary Motivation: To grow towards an ideal, develop skills and fulfill greatest potential
Strengths: Analytical ability, desire to serve
Positive Expression: Focusing on improvement and growth while maintaining appreciation for existing conditions
Negative Expression: Becoming pessimistic, turning analysis into criticalness
Libra
September 22 to October 23
Symbol: The Scales
Element: Air
Archetypes: Artist, Lover, Peacemaker
Primary Motivation: To create greater harmony and balance through relationships and artistic expression
Strengths: Diplomacy, tact, dislike of discord
Positive Expression: Learning how to compromise without betraying own values
Negative Expression: Denying own needs, being unable to take assertive action
September 22 to October 23
Symbol: The Scales
Element: Air
Archetypes: Artist, Lover, Peacemaker
Primary Motivation: To create greater harmony and balance through relationships and artistic expression
Strengths: Diplomacy, tact, dislike of discord
Positive Expression: Learning how to compromise without betraying own values
Negative Expression: Denying own needs, being unable to take assertive action
Scorpio
October 23 to November 22
Symbol: The Scorpio or The Eagle
Element: Water
Archetypes: Detective, Hypnotherapist, Psychologist
Primary Motivation: To live life with intensity, and be willing to face deep feelings honestly
Strengths: Desire for truth, inability to ignore feelings
Positive Expression: Accepting the reality of intense or hidden emotions
Negative Expression: Being controlled by unconscious emotional patterns, or hiding truth from self or others
October 23 to November 22
Symbol: The Scorpio or The Eagle
Element: Water
Archetypes: Detective, Hypnotherapist, Psychologist
Primary Motivation: To live life with intensity, and be willing to face deep feelings honestly
Strengths: Desire for truth, inability to ignore feelings
Positive Expression: Accepting the reality of intense or hidden emotions
Negative Expression: Being controlled by unconscious emotional patterns, or hiding truth from self or others
Sagittarius
November 22 to December 21
Symbol: The Archer
Element: Fire
Archetypes: Student, Philosopher, Explorer
Primary Motivation: To expand awareness, find life meaning through a variety of experiences
Strengths: Sense of adventure, faith, humor
Positive Expression: Becoming aware of the meaning inherent in everyday experiences
Negative Expression: Losing sense of purpose through over extending self and energies
November 22 to December 21
Symbol: The Archer
Element: Fire
Archetypes: Student, Philosopher, Explorer
Primary Motivation: To expand awareness, find life meaning through a variety of experiences
Strengths: Sense of adventure, faith, humor
Positive Expression: Becoming aware of the meaning inherent in everyday experiences
Negative Expression: Losing sense of purpose through over extending self and energies
Capricorn
December 21 to January 19
Symbol: The Seagoat
Element: Earth
Archetypes: Authority, Strategist, Hermit
Primary Motivation: To pursue and achieve goals in alignment with highest personal integrity
Strengths: Self-discipline, patience, self-reliance
Positive Expression: Balancing achievements with emotional/relationship needs
Negative Expression: Allowing goals to supercede other needs, becoming lonely or authoritarian
December 21 to January 19
Symbol: The Seagoat
Element: Earth
Archetypes: Authority, Strategist, Hermit
Primary Motivation: To pursue and achieve goals in alignment with highest personal integrity
Strengths: Self-discipline, patience, self-reliance
Positive Expression: Balancing achievements with emotional/relationship needs
Negative Expression: Allowing goals to supercede other needs, becoming lonely or authoritarian
Aquarius
January 19 to February 18
Symbol: The Knowledge Bearer
Element: Air
Archetypes: Nonconformist, Scientist, Revolutionary, Genius
Primary Motivation: To claim the freedom to be oneself and attain true individuality
Strengths: Original thinker, willing to break the rules
Positive Expression: Being self-aware and true to unique path
Negative Expression: Living life in reaction -- either overly observant of rules, or rebelling against all structure
January 19 to February 18
Symbol: The Knowledge Bearer
Element: Air
Archetypes: Nonconformist, Scientist, Revolutionary, Genius
Primary Motivation: To claim the freedom to be oneself and attain true individuality
Strengths: Original thinker, willing to break the rules
Positive Expression: Being self-aware and true to unique path
Negative Expression: Living life in reaction -- either overly observant of rules, or rebelling against all structure
Pisces
February 18 to March 20
Symbol: The Fish
Element: Water
Archetypes: Mystic, Poet, Romantic
Primary Motivation: To develop spiritual awareness and higher consciousness
Strengths: Imaginative, idealistic, compassionate
Positive Expression: Developing spiritual or artistic connection that transcends physical reality
Negative Expression: Getting lost in escapist activities or a fantasy world
February 18 to March 20
Symbol: The Fish
Element: Water
Archetypes: Mystic, Poet, Romantic
Primary Motivation: To develop spiritual awareness and higher consciousness
Strengths: Imaginative, idealistic, compassionate
Positive Expression: Developing spiritual or artistic connection that transcends physical reality
Negative Expression: Getting lost in escapist activities or a fantasy world
Learning More
Learning about your Sun sign is a first step in understanding your astrological chart -- but the Sun is just one of the many planets used in astrology, and each one represents a different part of your personality, as well as different components in your life.
Learning about your Sun sign is a first step in understanding your astrological chart -- but the Sun is just one of the many planets used in astrology, and each one represents a different part of your personality, as well as different components in your life.
For further exploration of astrology and your birth chart, you can set up an appointment with an astrologer to help get you started, or you can start reading books or taking classes. But be patient as you undertake this journey; the study of astrology is a similar to learning another language, and there is always more to assimilate. Remember, too, that each chart is as complex as the person it represents, and both can take a lifetime to get to know well.
Please see more introductory information on the Planets and Houses pages. There are also many useful books included on the Books page. Or, feel free to e-mail Pam at pam@northpointastrology.com for further suggestions.
