The Archer · Fire sign

Sagittarius zodiac sign

Sagittarius is the mutable fire sign ruled by Jupiter. The centaur-archer is associated with travel, learning, optimism and the search for meaning.

November 22 to December 21

Fire · Mutable · Archer · ruled by Jupiter

Star chart of the constellation Sagittarius, with its main stars joined by gold lines

Sagittarius dates

Sagittarius covers birthdays from November 22 to December 21 in the conventional tropical table used on this site. The exact moment the Sun enters Sagittarius changes slightly each year, which is why people born on November 22 or December 21 sometimes find different answers online.

From 1950 to 2050 the Sun entered Sagittarius on November 21 in 33 of those years, November 22 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.

When the Sun enters Sagittarius (calculated from the JPL DE440s ephemeris)
YearUS Eastern TimeUTC
2024November 21, 2:56 PM ESTNovember 21, 19:56 UTC
2025November 21, 8:35 PM ESTNovember 22, 01:35 UTC
2026November 22, 2:23 AM ESTNovember 22, 07:23 UTC
2027November 22, 8:16 AM ESTNovember 22, 13:16 UTC
2028November 21, 1:54 PM ESTNovember 21, 18:54 UTC

Sagittarius personality traits

Astrologers describe Sagittarius as adventurous, frank, funny and freedom-loving, drawn to big ideas, foreign places and philosophy. Jupiter’s expansive symbolism explains both its generosity and its tendency to overpromise.

Traditional strengths

  • Optimistic and encouraging
  • Honest and open-minded
  • Eager to learn and explore
  • Good humour under pressure

Traditional challenges

  • Bluntness that stings
  • Restlessness and impatience with detail
  • Overcommitting
  • Avoiding emotional heaviness

Keywords: optimism, adventure, honesty, philosophy, freedom.

Sagittarius in love and compatibility

Sagittarius is described as a fun, adventurous partner who needs space to grow. Shared travel, learning and honesty are traditionally more important than routine.

Traditionally, Sagittarius gets on most easily with Aries, Gemini, Leo, Libra, Aquarius. Signs described as more challenging are Taurus, Cancer, Virgo, Pisces.

Sagittarius compatibility with every sign (traditional symbolism)
Sagittarius withAspectElement · modalityTraditional reading
AriesTrineFire · CardinalMost harmonious
TaurusQuincunxEarth · FixedChallenging
GeminiOppositionAir · MutableComplementary
CancerQuincunxWater · CardinalChallenging
LeoTrineFire · FixedMost harmonious
VirgoSquareEarth · MutableChallenging
LibraSextileAir · CardinalHarmonious
ScorpioSemi-sextileWater · FixedMixed
CapricornSemi-sextileEarth · CardinalMixed
AquariusSextileAir · FixedHarmonious
PiscesSquareWater · MutableChallenging

Compare Sagittarius with any sign in the compatibility checker.

Sagittarius in friendship and family

In traditional sign symbolism, Sagittarius brings themes of exploration and perspective. These examples are prompts for reflection, not descriptions of every person born under the sign.

Friendship

Trying a new place or discussing an unfamiliar idea fits the Sagittarius theme. Check practical details with friends so a spontaneous invitation is workable for everyone.

Family and shared life

Different beliefs can make a family conversation interesting. Ask what an experience means to the other person before turning the discussion into a debate about who is right.

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.

Sagittarius at work

Teaching, publishing, law, travel, outdoor work, philosophy and international roles are associated with Sagittarius.

Emotional needs and communication

Freedom, honesty and a sense of purpose are the needs astrologers most often attribute to Sagittarius.

Sagittarius is described as candid, sometimes to a fault. A Sagittarius apology is traditionally honest and good-humoured, and it wants to move forward quickly.

The Sagittarius symbol and its mythology

The glyph ♐ represents the archer. The archer is a centaur, often identified with Chiron, the wise teacher of heroes, or with Crotus, a satyr credited with inventing archery. The arrow is traditionally aimed at the heart of the neighboring Scorpion.

The constellation Sagittarius gave the sign its name, but the sign and the constellation are no longer aligned. Its brightest star is Kaus Australis (Epsilon Sagittarii). See when the Sun actually passes through each constellation.

Sagittarius traditional associations

AssociationIn Western astrology
DatesNovember 22 to December 21 (conventional)
SymbolArcher
Glyph♐
ElementFire
ModalityMutable
PolarityPositive (yang)
Ruling planetJupiter
ExaltationNone in the classical scheme
Opposite signGemini
Natural house9th house
Body area (melothesia)Hips and thighs
Tarot card (Golden Dawn)Temperance
Colors often citedPurple
Stones often citedTurquoise, topaz, amethyst
ConstellationSagittarius
Brightest starKaus Australis (Epsilon Sagittarii)

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

Which assumption would you enjoy testing through first-hand learning?

Explore an unfamiliar viewpoint with curiosity. Turn one ambitious idea into a short list of realistic next steps.

Sagittarius questions

What are the dates for Sagittarius?

Sagittarius runs from November 22 to December 21 in the conventional tropical table. Between 1950 and 2050 the Sun entered Sagittarius on November 21 in 33 of those years, November 22 in 68 of those years (US Eastern Time).

What element is Sagittarius?

Sagittarius is a fire sign, together with Aries and Leo. It is also a mutable sign.

What is Sagittarius’s ruling planet?

Sagittarius is traditionally ruled by Jupiter.

Which signs are most compatible with Sagittarius?

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, Aquarius. These are symbolic tendencies, not predictions.

What is the Sagittarius symbol?

The Sagittarius symbol is the archer, written with the glyph ♐. The archer is a centaur, often identified with Chiron, the wise teacher of heroes, or with Crotus, a satyr credited with inventing archery.

More about Sagittarius

Other fire signs

Continue around the zodiac

Sources

Updated · How we write and check this guide