Zodiac signs: dates, symbols and traits of all 12
By Emily Hart, professional astrologer · updated September 7, 2026The twelve zodiac signs — also called astrology signs or star signs — are twelve ways of being in the world: the Sun spends about a month in each, and your date of birth decides which one is yours. Here you get the full dates chart in order, the four elements that group the signs, and a link to each sign's in-depth portrait — character, love, work, the man and the woman, compatibility.
Zodiac signs in order: the dates chart
| # | Sign | Dates | Element | Portrait |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ♈ Aries | March 21 – April 19 | Fire | read the portrait → |
| 2 | ♉ Taurus | April 20 – May 20 | Earth | read the portrait → |
| 3 | ♊ Gemini | May 21 – June 20 | Air | read the portrait → |
| 4 | ♋ Cancer | June 21 – July 22 | Water | read the portrait → |
| 5 | ♌ Leo | July 23 – August 22 | Fire | read the portrait → |
| 6 | ♍ Virgo | August 23 – September 22 | Earth | read the portrait → |
| 7 | ♎ Libra | September 23 – October 22 | Air | read the portrait → |
| 8 | ♏ Scorpio | October 23 – November 21 | Water | read the portrait → |
| 9 | ♐ Sagittarius | November 22 – December 21 | Fire | read the portrait → |
| 10 | ♑ Capricorn | December 22 – January 19 | Earth | read the portrait → |
| 11 | ♒ Aquarius | January 20 – February 18 | Air | read the portrait → |
| 12 | ♓ Pisces | February 19 – March 20 | Water | read the portrait → |
Born on a boundary day? The exact sign depends on the year and hour — check your sign by date of birth or settle it to the minute with a birth chart.
The four elements: what groups the signs
Elements are the first key to compatibility: Fire and Air feed each other, Earth and Water nourish each other. There are also the three modalities — cardinal (the starter), fixed (the keeper), mutable (the adapter) — which explain why two signs of the same element feel so different: Aries starts what Leo sustains and Sagittarius reinvents.
The 12 zodiac signs, one by one
Pick your sign
AriesMarch 21 – April 19 · drive, passion, initiative
TaurusApril 20 – May 20 · steadiness, patience, results
GeminiMay 21 – June 20 · ideas, connection, freedom
CancerJune 21 – July 22 · emotion, intuition, depth
LeoJuly 23 – August 22 · drive, passion, initiative
VirgoAugust 23 – September 22 · steadiness, patience, results
LibraSeptember 23 – October 22 · ideas, connection, freedom
ScorpioOctober 23 – November 21 · emotion, intuition, depth
SagittariusNovember 22 – December 21 · drive, passion, initiative
CapricornDecember 22 – January 19 · steadiness, patience, results
AquariusJanuary 20 – February 18 · ideas, connection, freedom
PiscesFebruary 19 – March 20 · emotion, intuition, depthYour portrait doesn't end at the Sun sign
Moon, rising sign, houses: your full birth chart explains what the sign alone can't. The calculation is free and takes 30 seconds.
Frequently asked questions
What are the 12 zodiac sign dates?
Aries Mar 21 – Apr 19, Taurus Apr 20 – May 20, Gemini May 21 – Jun 20, Cancer Jun 21 – Jul 22, Leo Jul 23 – Aug 22, Virgo Aug 23 – Sep 22, Libra Sep 23 – Oct 22, Scorpio Oct 23 – Nov 21, Sagittarius Nov 22 – Dec 21, Capricorn Dec 22 – Jan 19, Aquarius Jan 20 – Feb 18, Pisces Feb 19 – Mar 20. Born on a boundary day? The exact sign depends on your year and hour — a birth chart resolves it to the minute.
Why do zodiac sign dates differ slightly between sources?
Because the Sun doesn't change signs on the same day every year: the boundary shifts by up to a day depending on the year and your time zone. Charts publish average ranges; boundary birthdays are settled by the astronomical calculation of your date, time and place of birth.
What are the elements of the zodiac signs?
The 12 signs split into four elements: Fire (Aries, Leo, Sagittarius) — drive and initiative; Earth (Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn) — steadiness and results; Air (Gemini, Libra, Aquarius) — ideas and connection; Water (Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces) — emotion and intuition. The element sets a sign's base temperament.
Which zodiac signs are soulmates?
The easiest matches share an element or pair friendly ones (Fire with Air, Earth with Water) — but 'easy' isn't 'best': many strong couples run on the attraction of opposites. Check any two signs honestly, percentage included, on our compatibility pages.
Does my zodiac sign say everything about me?
No — the Sun sign is the ground floor of the portrait. Your Moon (emotional world) and rising sign (first impression) weigh just as much, and usually sit in other signs. That's why people sometimes 'don't recognize themselves' in their sign: calculate the full birth chart and the three together usually land strikingly close.
See also: zodiac signs dates + calculator · compatibility for all 78 pairs · today's horoscope · Chinese zodiac · Saturn return · planets in signs