What is a zodiac sign?
A zodiac sign is the slice of sky the sun was sitting in on the day you were born. That is the whole idea, and the rest is tradition built on top of it.
The simple version
As the Earth orbits the sun over a year, the sun appears to move against the background stars, tracing a path called the ecliptic. Long ago that path was divided into twelve equal parts, each named after a constellation. Your zodiac sign, also called your sun sign or star sign, is simply the part the sun was passing through when you were born. That is why your sign is fixed by your birth date and nothing else.
Sun sign, star sign, birth sign
These names all point to the same thing in everyday use. Sun sign is the precise term. Star sign and birth sign are the casual versions. When a horoscope asks for your sign, it wants the one set by your birthday, which you can find with the birth profile tool.
The twelve signs and their dates
The twelve signs, in order from the spring equinox, are Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius and Pisces. Each covers about a month. See the full zodiac signs and dates reference for the exact ranges.
Elements and modalities
Beyond the dates, each sign is sorted into one of four elements (fire, earth, air, water) and one of three modalities (cardinal, fixed, mutable). Those two labels are the shorthand astrologers use to describe a sign's temperament and to work out compatibility between signs.
Are they real?
The astronomy is real: the dates and the sun's position are facts you can check. The personality meanings attached to each sign are a cultural tradition thousands of years old, not a scientific claim. We present them as reference and fun, which is exactly how they are best enjoyed.
Frequently asked questions
What is a zodiac sign?
A zodiac sign is one of twelve equal sections of the sky along the sun's yearly path. Your sign, often called your sun sign or star sign, is the section the sun was passing through on the day you were born.
What is the difference between a star sign and a sun sign?
They mean the same thing in everyday use. Sun sign is the precise term, because it refers to the sun's position at your birth. Star sign is the common casual name for it.
Are zodiac signs real?
The dates and the sun's position are astronomical facts. The personality meanings attached to each sign are a cultural tradition, not science, so they are best enjoyed as reference and fun rather than prediction.
Last updated 2 July 2026.