Western astrology
Astrology The 12 star signs, the planets and what your birth chart says about you
Astrology reads the positions of the Sun, Moon and planets at the moment you were born. Your star sign is only the start: together with your Moon sign, rising sign and planets, it describes your character, your relationships and the cycles of your life. Find your sign to begin.
- 12 star signs
- 4 elements
- 10 planets
- 12 houses
Astrology: an introduction and short history
Astrology is the study of how the positions of the Sun, Moon and planets are thought to reflect human character and events. Western astrology divides the sky along the Sun's yearly path into twelve 30-degree signs, from Aries to Pisces. Your star sign, or Sun sign, is simply the sign the Sun was in on the day you were born.
It began in ancient Mesopotamia, where Babylonian scholars watched the sky for omens about the king and the kingdom. By about the 5th century BCE they had divided the zodiac into twelve equal signs, and the oldest known birth horoscope, from Babylon, dates to 410 BCE. In Hellenistic Egypt these ideas merged with Greek and Egyptian thought to create the horoscope as we know it, with its rising sign and twelve houses.
The Greek scholar Ptolemy summed up the tradition in his Tetrabiblos around 150 CE. Astrology then flourished in the Islamic world and in medieval and Renaissance Europe, faded as modern science grew, and returned in the 20th century as the popular Sun-sign astrology of newspaper and magazine horoscopes.
Timeline
- 2nd millennium BCEBabylonian scholars compile Enūma Anu Enlil, a great collection of celestial omens.
- c. 5th century BCEThe zodiac of twelve equal 30-degree signs appears in Babylon.
- 410 BCEThe oldest known birth horoscope is written on a cuneiform tablet.
- 2nd–1st century BCEHoroscopic astrology, with the rising sign and houses, develops in Hellenistic Egypt.
- c. 150 CEPtolemy writes the Tetrabiblos, the classic textbook of Western astrology.
- 8th–12th centuriesAstrologers in Baghdad, such as Abu Ma'shar, expand the tradition; their books are later translated into Latin.
- 1781–1930Uranus, Neptune and Pluto are discovered and added to the birth chart.
- 1930The first newspaper horoscope column appears in Britain's Sunday Express.
The 12 star signs
Each sign has its own element, quality and ruling planet. Click your sign for its personality, love compatibility, strengths and challenges.
Looking for today? Read your daily horoscope or check your love compatibility with another sign.
Which star sign are you?
Find your birthday in the table. The dates can shift by a day from year to year, because the Sun enters each sign at a slightly different time.
| Sign | Dates | Element | Quality | Ruling planet |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aries | 21 Mar – 19 Apr | Fire | Cardinal | Mars |
| Taurus | 20 Apr – 20 May | Earth | Fixed | Venus |
| Gemini | 21 May – 20 Jun | Air | Mutable | Mercury |
| Cancer | 21 Jun – 22 Jul | Water | Cardinal | Moon |
| Leo | 23 Jul – 22 Aug | Fire | Fixed | Sun |
| Virgo | 23 Aug – 22 Sep | Earth | Mutable | Mercury |
| Libra | 23 Sep – 22 Oct | Air | Cardinal | Venus |
| Scorpio | 23 Oct – 21 Nov | Water | Fixed | Mars and Pluto |
| Sagittarius | 22 Nov – 21 Dec | Fire | Mutable | Jupiter |
| Capricorn | 22 Dec – 19 Jan | Earth | Cardinal | Saturn |
| Aquarius | 20 Jan – 18 Feb | Air | Fixed | Saturn and Uranus |
| Pisces | 19 Feb – 20 Mar | Water | Mutable | Jupiter and Neptune |
The four elements and three qualities
Every sign combines one of four elements, which describes its temperament, with one of three qualities, which describes how it acts.
Cardinal
The initiators, who start each season: Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn. Energetic, ambitious and quick to lead.
Fixed
The stabilisers in the middle of each season: Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius. Loyal, determined and persistent.
Mutable
The adapters at the end of each season: Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces. Flexible, curious and open to change.
Your birth chart: more than your star sign
A birth chart is a map of the sky at the exact time and place you were born. Three points matter most.
Sun sign
Your core identity, will and purpose: the part of you that wants to shine. It is set by your birth date.
Moon sign
Your emotions, needs and inner self. The Moon changes sign every two to three days, so it can differ from your Sun sign.
See your whole chart. The free Birth Destiny calculator works out your Sun, Moon and rising signs, your planets and a chart wheel from your date, time and place of birth.
The planets and what they represent
In astrology each planet stands for a part of life, and the sign it occupies colours how that part of you works.
| Planet | Represents | Rules |
|---|---|---|
| Sun | Identity, vitality and purpose | Leo |
| Moon | Emotions, instincts and home | Cancer |
| Mercury | Thinking, speech and learning | Gemini, Virgo |
| Venus | Love, beauty and values | Taurus, Libra |
| Mars | Drive, courage and desire | Aries |
| Jupiter | Growth, luck and wisdom | Sagittarius |
| Saturn | Discipline, time and responsibility | Capricorn |
| Uranus | Change, originality and freedom | Aquarius |
| Neptune | Imagination, dreams and spirituality | Pisces |
| Pluto | Power, depth and transformation | Scorpio |
How astrology can be useful
What it is good for
- Reflecting on your strengths and blind spots
- Understanding people with a different temperament
- Noticing cycles and planning time to pause and review
- Starting conversations about personality and relationships
Keep in mind
- Astrology is not a science and cannot predict events
- Don't base medical, legal or money decisions on it
- Your whole chart matters more than your Sun sign alone
- Use it for reflection, not as fate
Astrology questions, answered
What is my star sign?
Your star sign, or Sun sign, is the sign the Sun was passing through on the day you were born. Find your birthday in the table above. If you were born near the start or end of a sign, use the Birth Destiny calculator, which works out the Sun's exact position for your year, time and place.
What is the difference between Sun, Moon and rising signs?
Your Sun sign describes your core identity, your Moon sign your emotional needs and inner self, and your rising sign (ascendant) the way you come across to others. The Moon changes sign every two to three days and the rising sign about every two hours, so these need your birth time.
What does it mean to be born on the cusp?
The Sun moves into the next sign on slightly different dates each year, usually between the 19th and 23rd of the month. If you were born on one of those dates, your sign depends on the exact year and time, which the calculator can check for you.
What is the difference between Western and Vedic astrology?
Western astrology uses the tropical zodiac, tied to the seasons and the spring equinox. Vedic (Indian) astrology uses the sidereal zodiac, tied to the stars, which today sits about 24 degrees behind, so many people's Vedic sign is one sign earlier. The Birth Destiny report shows both.
Is astrology scientific?
No. Scientific studies have not found that the planets shape personality or events. Many people still enjoy astrology as a language for reflection and conversation, which is how we suggest using it. It is not a substitute for professional advice.
Find your star sign and birth chart
Enter your date, time and place of birth to see your Sun, Moon and rising signs, your planets, your Chinese zodiac animal, your numerology and your I Ching hexagrams in one free report.