What is a sun sign?
Your sun sign - often just called your zodiac sign or star sign - is the sign of the tropical zodiac the Sun was passing through when you were born. The Sun spends roughly a month in each of the twelve signs, which is why a birthday is usually enough to find it, and why newspaper horoscopes are written for sun signs.
In astrology the sun sign is read as your core identity: your basic drive, the way you want to shine, and the qualities you are growing into across your life. It is the headline of the birth chart - the Moon sign and rising sign add the emotional and outer layers, which is why two people with the same sun sign can still be very different.
This calculator uses the tropical zodiac (the Western system, tied to the seasons and the March equinox), which is the system most Western astrologers and horoscopes use. Vedic astrology uses the sidereal zodiac, currently about 24 degrees different, so your Vedic sign may be the previous one.
How this calculator works
Most sun sign pages match your birthday against a fixed table of dates. That works for most birthdays, but the Sun does not change sign at midnight or on the same calendar date every year - the exact moment moves by up to a day between years. This calculator instead computes the Sun's actual ecliptic longitude for your birth moment with standard astronomical formulas (Jean Meeus, Astronomical Algorithms), then reads off the sign and its exact degree. On a cusp day, your birth time and city decide the answer, and the calculator tells you when that is your situation.
Sun sign dates at a glance
The usual calendar ranges - remember the exact changeover moment moves by up to a day between years, which is why this page calculates rather than looks up:
| Sign | Usual dates | Element | Ruled by |
|---|---|---|---|
| ♈ Aries | Mar 21 - Apr 19 | Fire | Mars |
| ♉ Taurus | Apr 20 - May 20 | Earth | Venus |
| ♊ Gemini | May 21 - Jun 20 | Air | Mercury |
| ♋ Cancer | Jun 21 - Jul 22 | Water | Moon |
| ♌ Leo | Jul 23 - Aug 22 | Fire | Sun |
| ♍ Virgo | Aug 23 - Sep 22 | Earth | Mercury |
| ♎ Libra | Sep 23 - Oct 22 | Air | Venus |
| ♏ Scorpio | Oct 23 - Nov 21 | Water | Pluto (traditional: Mars) |
| ♐ Sagittarius | Nov 22 - Dec 21 | Fire | Jupiter |
| ♑ Capricorn | Dec 22 - Jan 19 | Earth | Saturn |
| ♒ Aquarius | Jan 20 - Feb 18 | Air | Uranus (traditional: Saturn) |
| ♓ Pisces | Feb 19 - Mar 20 | Water | Neptune (traditional: Jupiter) |
The 12 sun signs at a glance
♈ Aries
Bold starter, honest heart - Mar 21 - Apr 19
♉ Taurus
Steady builder, deep roots - Apr 20 - May 20
♊ Gemini
Curious mind, quick spark - May 21 - Jun 20
♋ Cancer
Protective heart, long memory - Jun 21 - Jul 22
♌ Leo
Warm spotlight, generous spirit - Jul 23 - Aug 22
♍ Virgo
Skilled hands, clear standards - Aug 23 - Sep 22
♎ Libra
Graceful diplomat, beauty-seeker - Sep 23 - Oct 22
♏ Scorpio
Intense focus, total loyalty - Oct 23 - Nov 21
♐ Sagittarius
Honest explorer, big-picture thinker - Nov 22 - Dec 21
♑ Capricorn
Patient climber, quiet ambition - Dec 22 - Jan 19
♒ Aquarius
Original thinker, future-facing - Jan 20 - Feb 18
♓ Pisces
Gentle dreamer, deep feeler - Feb 19 - Mar 20
Frequently asked questions
What is my sun sign if I was born on a cusp?
A cusp birth means the Sun changed sign on your birthday, so the answer depends on your birth time and time zone, not just the date. Tick "I know my birth time" in the calculator and add both: it computes the Sun's exact position at that moment and gives a definite sign. Without a time, no honest calculator can settle a cusp birthday.
Why do sun sign date ranges differ between websites?
Because the Sun changes sign at a different moment each year - the March equinox, for example, can fall on March 19, 20 or 21 depending on the year and time zone. Fixed date tables are approximations; this calculator computes the Sun's real position for your year, which removes most of the disagreement.
Do I need my birth time for my sun sign?
Almost never. The Sun stays in one sign for about a month, so the date settles it - unless your birthday is the day the Sun changes sign (a cusp day, roughly the 19th to 23rd of a month). The calculator checks this automatically and tells you if your time is needed.
What is the difference between a sun sign and a moon sign?
Your sun sign comes from the Sun's position (your core identity, changing sign monthly). Your moon sign comes from the Moon's position (your emotional nature, changing sign every two to two and a half days), and usually needs your birth time. Your rising sign needs time and place as well. Together the three are called the Big Three.
Is this the same as my Chinese zodiac sign?
No. The Chinese zodiac is a 12-year cycle of animals based on your birth year and the lunar new year. This calculator gives your Western (tropical) sun sign, based on the Sun's position on your birth date.
More astrology calculators
Astrology Calculators - All ten sign calculators in one place. Moon Sign Calculator - Your emotional sign from birth date and time. Rising Sign Calculator - Your ascendant from birth time and place. Sun, Moon & Rising Calculator - Your Big Three in one calculation. Venus Sign Calculator - Your love and attraction style. Chiron Sign Calculator - Your wound-and-gift placement. Lilith Sign Calculator - Your Black Moon Lilith sign. North Node Calculator - Your growth direction and comfort zone. Part of Fortune Calculator - Where ease and fortune gather. Vertex Calculator - Your point of fated encounters.
ToolFoxHub astrology calculators are for entertainment and self-reflection. Astrology is a symbolic tradition, not a science, and these readings are traditional interpretations, not facts or advice. Positions use the tropical zodiac and standard astronomical formulas (Jean Meeus) computed in your browser - nothing you enter leaves your device. Results agree with professional ephemerides for the great majority of births; if you were born in the short window when a body was changing sign, your exact birth time and place decide the answer, and the calculator says so when that is the case.