How your sun sign is determined
Your sun sign is simply the zodiac sign the sun was passing through on the day you were born. Unlike your moon sign or rising sign, it needs no birth time or birth place — only your birth date — because the sun moves through the entire zodiac just once a year, spending roughly a month in each sign.
This calculator uses the standard tropical zodiac dates, the system most familiar in Western astrology and used by most horoscope columns and apps.
Worked example
Someone born on August 10th falls between July 23 and August 22, so their sun sign is Leo. Someone born right on a boundary date, like August 22nd or August 23rd, is on the cusp between Leo and Virgo — the sun is still fully in one sign, but it is worth checking the exact time of the changeover in that specific year if the date matters to you.
Sun sign date ranges and meanings
| Sign | Date range | Core theme |
|---|---|---|
| Aries | Mar 21 – Apr 19 | Initiative, courage, competitive drive |
| Taurus | Apr 20 – May 20 | Stability, patience, sensory pleasure |
| Gemini | May 21 – Jun 20 | Curiosity, communication, adaptability |
| Cancer | Jun 21 – Jul 22 | Nurturing, intuition, emotional depth |
| Leo | Jul 23 – Aug 22 | Confidence, warmth, creative self-expression |
| Virgo | Aug 23 – Sep 22 | Precision, service, practical analysis |
| Libra | Sep 23 – Oct 22 | Balance, harmony, partnership |
| Scorpio | Oct 23 – Nov 21 | Intensity, transformation, depth |
| Sagittarius | Nov 22 – Dec 21 | Optimism, exploration, philosophy |
| Capricorn | Dec 22 – Jan 19 | Discipline, ambition, long-term planning |
| Aquarius | Jan 20 – Feb 18 | Independence, innovation, humanitarian ideals |
| Pisces | Feb 19 – Mar 20 | Empathy, imagination, spiritual sensitivity |
These are standard tropical zodiac dates. Boundary dates can shift by a day depending on the exact year, so if your birthday falls right on one of these edges, an exact birth time and a proper ephemeris will confirm your sign with certainty.