Make sense of the symbols

Zodiac signs explained: a beginner’s guide

Everything beyond a date lookup: birth charts, planets, houses, the real constellations, other zodiac traditions and what science says.

Dates and seasons

Zodiac sign datesAll 12 signs in order, exact sign changes and cusp birthdays.Zodiac signs by monthThe two signs in every month, day by day.Zodiac seasonsWhen each sign’s season starts this year and next.The rarest zodiac signWhat U.S. birth records show.

The birth chart

Birth chart calculatorSun, Moon, rising sign and planets from your birth data.Sun, Moon and rising signsWhat the “big three” mean.The 12 astrological housesThe life areas of a chart.Aspects and orbsFive major angles, worked examples and the calculator’s threshold.Ruling planetsWhich planet rules each sign.Retrograde datesMercury retrograde and other planetary stations.Horoscope todayThe Moon’s sign today and its traditional meaning.

Symbols and associations

Zodiac symbolsGlyphs, emblems and their meanings.Zodiac colorsColors linked with each sign and why lists differ.Zodiac birthstonesStones and crystals by sign and by month.Zodiac flowersBirth flowers and the flowers linked with each sign.Zodiac tarot cardsThe Major Arcana card of each sign.Zodiac body partsThe medieval “zodiac man” and each sign’s body area.Zodiac mythologyThe Greek myths behind the twelve constellations.Zodiac tattoosGlyph and constellation designs to download.Zodiac coloring pagesFree printable sheets, a booklet and a worksheet.Zodiac wallpapersNavy and gold phone and desktop downloads.

Astronomy and the sky

Zodiac constellationsThe real star patterns and when the Sun crosses them.Ophiuchus, the 13th signWhy there are still 12 signs.Tropical vs siderealTwo zodiacs and why they differ.Is astrology real?What scientific studies have found.

Other traditions

Chinese zodiacThe 12 animals, elements and a year calculator.Vedic astrologyRashi signs, nakshatras and the sidereal zodiac.Japanese zodiacThe eto animals and the January 1 boundary.Korean zodiacThe ttì animals and Seollal.Mayan zodiacThe real 260-day tzolk’in and a day-sign calculator.Aztec zodiacThe tonalpohualli day signs.Egyptian zodiacThe Dendera zodiac and the modern “Egyptian signs”.Celtic tree zodiacWhere the tree calendar really comes from.Native American zodiacThe Medicine Wheel astrology of the 1980s.

This year and beyond

Zodiac signs 2026Lucky and unlucky signs and the key dates of the year.Presidents’ zodiac signsEvery U.S. president by sign.Zodiac signs quizTen questions to test your knowledge.

Questions people ask

Zodiac sign rankings“Most dangerous” or “smartest” sign lists, examined.Astrology and religionWhat the Bible and major faiths say.Personality traitsTraits of every sign, side by side.

Types of zodiac signs

The twelve signs can be grouped in three ways: by element (fire, earth, air, water), by modality (cardinal, fixed, mutable) and by polarity (positive and negative). Beyond the Sun sign, astrologers also speak of Moon signs, rising signs and the signs of each planet in a birth chart.

Zodiac signs explained for kids

Astrologers divide the Sun’s apparent yearly path into twelve equal parts called signs. Their symbols include the ram for Aries and the fish for Pisces. The constellations are different: they are uneven star patterns in the sky. Your sign depends on your birthday: if you were born on July 30, your sign is Leo, the lion. Each sign also belongs to one of four groups, called elements: fire, earth, air and water. Astrology is a very old tradition and a fun way to learn about the stars, but there is no reliable scientific evidence that a sign determines your personality. Find your sign.

Astrology basics: three questions to ask about zodiac signs

Which zodiac system is being used: tropical, sidereal or a different tradition altogether? Is the result a broad date lookup or an exact chart calculation? Is a statement describing a tradition, or claiming a fact about people? These questions make it much easier to compare what you read.

Updated October 1, 2026 · How we write and check this guide