What Is My Sun Sign? Here's How To Find It And What It Means

You've probably been asked about your sun sign before, and even if you have an idea what yours is, you might not know what it's all about.

Before we get into each of the 12 signs, let's unpack what a sun sign actually is. For starters, there are 12 signs in the zodiac, each of them a constellation that resides in its own 30-degree portion of the sky.

Altogether, the zodiac fills up the 360-degree chart that is Earth's orbit around the sun.

Throughout the course of the year, the sun "moves" through each of these 30-degree sections of the sky for roughly one month. These are known as the astrological seasons. (In reality, the Earth is what's moving, but from our vantage point, it looks like the sun is in a certain part of the sky.)

If you want to map your entire birth chart, you'll need to know the exact time and location of your birth. But when it comes to sun signs, all you need is your birthday.

Here are the dates for the 12 astrological seasons of the year—whichever window your birthday falls in is your sun sign.

Aries is the first sign of the zodiac, and is ruled by the planet of action and aggression, Mars. It is both a cardinal sign and a fire sign and is represented by the Ram. Aries also rules the first house of self-identity and self-image in astrology.

Following Aries, Taurus is the second sign of the zodiac and is ruled by Venus, the planet of love, beauty, and pleasure. Taurus is a fixed earth sign and is represented by the Bull. Taurus rules over the second house of money and stability in astrology.

The third sign of the zodiac and the first of the air signs, Gemini is a mutable sign ruled by the planet of communication and information, Mercury. It is represented by the Twins and rules over the third house of communication and local community.

Cancer is the fourth sign of the zodiac and the first water sign of the astrological year. It's the only sign ruled by the moon and is a cardinal sign. Cancer is represented by the Crab and rules over the fourth house of home and family.

The fifth sign of the astrological year, Leo is the only zodiac sign ruled by the sun itself and, fittingly, happens to be a fire sign. Leo's modality is fixed, and the sign is represented by the Lion. This sign rules over the fifth house of creativity and self-expression.

Coming in after Leo we have Virgo, a mutable earth sign that is ruled by Mercury, the planet of communication and information. Virgo is represented by the Virgin and rules over the sixth house of health and service.

Marking the halfway point of the astrological year, and fittingly represented by the Scales of Justice, we have Libra. Libra is a cardinal air sign ruled by the planet of love, beauty, and pleasure, Venus. It rules over the seventh house of relationships.

Following Libra, the eighth sign of the zodiac is Scorpio. Ruled by Pluto (the planet of transformation) in modern astrology and Mars in ancient astrology, Scorpio is a fixed water sign and is represented by the Scorpion. It rules over the eighth house of rebirth.

The ninth sign of the astrological year is Sagittarius, represented by the Archer (a centaur with a bow and arrow). Sagittarius is ruled by Jupiter, the planet of abundance, and is a mutable fire sign. Sag also rules over the ninth house of growth and expansion.

Coming in after Sag, we have Capricorn, a cardinal earth sign ruled by Saturn, the planet of discipline and responsibility. Capricorn is represented by the mythical sea goat and rules over the 10th house of achievement and public reputation.

Aquarius is the second-to-last sign of the astrological year and is a fixed air sign. Represented by the water-bearer, Aquarius is ruled by Uranus, the planet of innovation and change, while the sign itself rules the 11th house of large groups and networks.

Last but never least, we have Pisces, a mutable water sign ruled by Neptune, the planet of illusion and the subconscious. Pisces is represented by two fish swimming together and rules over the 12th house of endings and surrender.

Now that you know a bit about your sun sign, there's so much more to explore.

As you'll come to find, your full birth chart involves all the planets, not just the sun—with your sun sign being the mere tip of the iceberg.