The Water-bearer · Air sign
Aquarius zodiac sign
Aquarius is the fixed air sign, traditionally ruled by Saturn and, in modern astrology, by Uranus. Despite its water-bearer symbol it is an air sign, associated with ideas, originality, friendship and community.
January 20 to February 18
Air · Fixed · Water-bearer · ruled by Saturn (modern: Uranus)
Aquarius dates
Aquarius covers birthdays from January 20 to February 18 in the conventional tropical table used on this site. The exact moment the Sun enters Aquarius changes slightly each year, which is why people born on January 20 or February 18 sometimes find different answers online.
From 1950 to 2050 the Sun entered Aquarius on January 19 in 33 of those years, January 20 in 68 of those years in US Eastern Time. For a birthday on a boundary date, the birth year, time and time zone decide the sign.
| Year | US Eastern Time | UTC |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | January 20, 9:07 AM EST | January 20, 14:07 UTC |
| 2025 | January 19, 3:00 PM EST | January 19, 20:00 UTC |
| 2026 | January 19, 8:44 PM EST | January 20, 01:44 UTC |
| 2027 | January 20, 2:29 AM EST | January 20, 07:29 UTC |
| 2028 | January 20, 8:21 AM EST | January 20, 13:21 UTC |
Aquarius personality traits
Astrologers describe Aquarius as independent, inventive, principled and future-minded, interested in groups, causes and unusual ideas. Fixed air is read as firmly held ideals, which is why detachment and stubbornness appear alongside humanitarian warmth.
Traditional strengths
- Original thinker
- Loyal friend to many
- Committed to fairness and causes
- Stays calm and objective
Traditional challenges
- Emotional distance
- Stubbornness about ideas
- Contrarian streak
- Unpredictability
Keywords: independence, originality, community, ideals, objectivity.
Aquarius in love and compatibility
Aquarius is described as a friend-first partner who values independence, honesty and intellectual connection. Space and shared ideals matter more to it than conventional romance.
Traditionally, Aquarius gets on most easily with Aries, Gemini, Leo, Libra, Sagittarius. Signs described as more challenging are Taurus, Cancer, Virgo, Scorpio.
| Aquarius with | Aspect | Element · modality | Traditional reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aries | Sextile | Fire · Cardinal | Harmonious |
| Taurus | Square | Earth · Fixed | Challenging |
| Gemini | Trine | Air · Mutable | Most harmonious |
| Cancer | Quincunx | Water · Cardinal | Challenging |
| Leo | Opposition | Fire · Fixed | Complementary |
| Virgo | Quincunx | Earth · Mutable | Challenging |
| Libra | Trine | Air · Cardinal | Most harmonious |
| Scorpio | Square | Water · Fixed | Challenging |
| Sagittarius | Sextile | Fire · Mutable | Harmonious |
| Capricorn | Semi-sextile | Earth · Cardinal | Mixed |
| Pisces | Semi-sextile | Water · Mutable | Mixed |
Compare Aquarius with any sign in the compatibility checker.
Aquarius in friendship and family
In traditional sign symbolism, Aquarius brings themes of independence and shared ideas. These examples are prompts for reflection, not descriptions of every person born under the sign.
Friendship
Connecting through an interest or group project fits the Aquarius theme. Follow a broad discussion with a personal check-in so a friend knows their individual experience matters too.
Family and shared life
A household can leave space for different ways of living. Explain the practical reason for an unconventional choice and listen to the concerns it creates for people who share the space.
A person’s actions, circumstances and boundaries matter more than a sign label. Explore the symbolism of sign pairings without using it to decide who deserves trust.
Aquarius at work
Technology, science, social causes, invention, community organizing and any innovative or collaborative field are associated with Aquarius.
Emotional needs and communication
Freedom, intellectual respect and room to be different are the needs astrologers attribute to Aquarius.
Aquarius is described as frank and rational. An Aquarius apology tends to explain the reasoning, and it may take time before the feelings behind it are put into words.
The Aquarius symbol and its mythology
The glyph ♒ represents the water-bearer. The water-bearer is usually Ganymede, the Trojan youth carried to Olympus to serve as cupbearer to the gods. Babylonian astronomers already pictured a figure pouring water in this region of the sky.
The constellation Aquarius gave the sign its name, but the sign and the constellation are no longer aligned. Its brightest star is Sadalsuud (Beta Aquarii). See when the Sun actually passes through each constellation.
Aquarius traditional associations
| Association | In Western astrology |
|---|---|
| Dates | January 20 to February 18 (conventional) |
| Symbol | Water-bearer |
| Glyph | ♒ |
| Element | Air |
| Modality | Fixed |
| Polarity | Positive (yang) |
| Ruling planet | Saturn (modern: Uranus) |
| Exaltation | None in the classical scheme |
| Opposite sign | Leo |
| Natural house | 11th house |
| Body area (melothesia) | Ankles, calves and circulation |
| Tarot card (Golden Dawn) | The Star |
| Colors often cited | Electric blue and turquoise |
| Stones often cited | Amethyst, garnet, aquamarine |
| Constellation | Aquarius |
| Brightest star | Sadalsuud (Beta Aquarii) |
Colors and stones vary between modern sources and have no single historical standard. The other associations are long-standing conventions of Western astrology.
A prompt, not a prediction
Whose experience would make your idea more useful?
Invite feedback from someone affected by a proposed change. Ask what would improve their experience before explaining your solution.
Aquarius questions
What are the dates for Aquarius?
Aquarius runs from January 20 to February 18 in the conventional tropical table. Between 1950 and 2050 the Sun entered Aquarius on January 19 in 33 of those years, January 20 in 68 of those years (US Eastern Time).
What element is Aquarius?
Aquarius is a air sign, together with Gemini and Libra. It is also a fixed sign.
What is Aquarius’s ruling planet?
Aquarius is traditionally ruled by Saturn; modern astrologers also assign Uranus.
Which signs are most compatible with Aquarius?
In traditional astrology the easiest matches are the other signs of the same element and the signs of the complementary element: Aries, Gemini, Leo, Libra, Sagittarius. These are symbolic tendencies, not predictions.
What is the Aquarius symbol?
The Aquarius symbol is the water-bearer, written with the glyph ♒. The water-bearer is usually Ganymede, the Trojan youth carried to Olympus to serve as cupbearer to the gods.
More about Aquarius
Other air signs
Continue around the zodiac
Sources
Updated · How we write and check this guide