What is your sun sign?

Your sun sign is the zodiac sign the Sun stood in when you were born. It is the sign most people mean when they say "I'm a Taurus" or "she's a Scorpio". Over a year the Sun passes through all twelve signs once and stays about a month in each. Which days belong to which sign is listed in the zodiac sign dates; they shift by about a day from year to year.

Below you find all twelve sun signs with core theme, element, strengths and the typical stumbling block. Each section starts with a short answer in case you only want to know what your sign stands for.

What the sun sign describes

In astrology the Sun stands for the centre of the personality: will, vitality and the sense of who you are at your core. The sign it stands in describes the way this core shows itself. Every sign belongs to one of four elements (fire, earth, air, water) and one of three qualities (cardinal begins, fixed holds, mutable changes). Element and quality give a basic tone that you will find again in the sections below.

The sun sign is one part of the picture, not all of it. Two people with the same sign can seem very different, because the Moon, ascendant, houses and aspects add to it. Take the descriptions as an invitation to reflect, not as a verdict on you.

Sun sign, moon sign and ascendant

The Sun shows who you want to be, the Moon your emotional world and the ascendant the first impression you make. Find your moon sign with the moon sign calculator and your ascendant with the ascendant calculator. The ascendant needs the time and place of your birth.

How to find your sun sign

Enter your birth date in the sun sign calculator and it names your sign. If you were born on a day when the Sun changes sign (a so-called cusp birth), year, time and birthplace decide which sign it was in. Depending on the year the changes mostly fall between the 19th and the 23rd of a month. If your birthday is near a border, calculate it with the time of birth rather than relying on a fixed table. UmbraLux calculates your horoscope from your birth data and shows your sun sign exactly.

Where the Sun is strong and where it struggles

In classical teaching the Sun rules Leo: it is at home there and can show its warmth openly. It is considered exalted in Aries, where its expression becomes especially direct. In Aquarius it is in detriment, in Libra in its fall. There the personal self steps back behind ideals or relationships. This is not a grade but a description of the path on which your nature shines most easily.

Sun in Aries

The sun sign Aries (roughly March 21 to April 19) stands for drive, courage and the will to take the first step. A fire sign of the cardinal quality, Aries opens the zodiac: in interpretation it is the beginning, the spark, the "I want". People with the Sun here often move before everyone else has made up their mind.

The strengths are initiative, directness and enthusiasm. You say what you think and start instead of planning for ages. In classical teaching the Sun is exalted in Aries: its power is expressed especially openly here. The stumbling block is impatience. Whatever lacks momentum soon loses its appeal, and a plain word can land sharper than intended. An everyday example: at work you launch the new project while the meeting is still collecting questions. That brings speed, but staying with it after the first win is the real task. Lived maturely, the urge becomes real leadership: you go first and take others along instead of overtaking them.

Sun in Taurus

The sun sign Taurus (roughly April 20 to May 20) stands for steadiness, enjoyment and the need to build something reliable. An earth sign of the fixed quality, Taurus holds on to what has proven itself. In interpretation it is the ground underfoot: it wants to feel, taste and touch what is real.

The strengths are endurance, loyalty and a good sense of value and quality. People with the Sun in Taurus decide slowly, but then they stay with it. The stumbling block is stubbornness: a decision, once made, is defended even when the situation has long changed, and habit can turn into comfort. An everyday example: for years you have been saving steadily towards a home and no quick offer distracts you. That carries far. It gets hard when a move or a new job demands change. Lived maturely, the Taurus Sun shows as a calm that steadies others and as the ability to truly enjoy life instead of merely owning things.

Sun in Gemini

The sun sign Gemini (roughly May 21 to June 20) stands for curiosity, language and agility. An air sign of the mutable quality, it takes in the new quickly and connects people and ideas. People with the Sun in Gemini ask, exchange and learn best in conversation. The strength is versatility, the stumbling block scattering: much begun, little deepened. An everyday example: you have five tabs open and are chatting with three people at once. Lived maturely, this becomes an alert mind that passes knowledge on clearly.

In depth: Sun in Gemini: Personality, Strengths and Shadows.

Sun in Cancer

The sun sign Cancer (roughly June 21 to July 22) stands for care, feeling and the need to belong. A water sign of the cardinal quality, Cancer creates a home and protects what matters to it. The strength is empathy and loyalty, the stumbling block withdrawal into the shell when hurt. An everyday example: you are the first to notice a friend is not well, and you cook for him before he asks. Lived maturely, this is a safe harbour that offers closeness without clinging.

In depth: Sun in Cancer: Emotional Depth and the Home of the Soul.

Sun in Leo

The sun sign Leo (roughly July 23 to August 22) stands for self-expression, warmth and the wish to be seen. A fire sign of the fixed quality, Leo stays true to its path. In classical teaching the Sun rules this sign itself: it is at home here. The strength is generosity and warm-heartedness, the stumbling block pride that needs recognition. An everyday example: you host the party, set the mood and feel hurt when nobody notices your effort. Lived maturely, this becomes leadership with heart.

In depth: Sun Sign Leo: Meaning, Strengths and Shadow Sides.

Sun in Virgo

The sun sign Virgo (roughly August 23 to September 22) stands for care, intellect and the wish to make things better. An earth sign of the mutable quality, Virgo closes the summer and sorts the harvest. In interpretation it is the craftsperson and analyst of the zodiac: it asks what works and how it could work better.

The strengths are precision, reliability and helpfulness. People with the Sun in Virgo notice mistakes and improvements others miss, and promise a task only if it will get done. The stumbling block is perfectionism: the inner critic is often harsher on you than any boss, and worries easily go in circles. An everyday example: quietly you correct the spreadsheet everyone else thought finished, and only later notice that you expected no praise but would have liked some. Lived maturely, criticism becomes a clear eye with kindness: good is often good enough, and help may also be accepted.

Sun in Libra

The sun sign Libra (roughly September 23 to October 22) stands for balance, relationship and a sense of beauty and fairness. An air sign of the cardinal quality, Libra opens autumn and the question: how do we live with one another? In interpretation it seeks the balance between me and you.

The strengths are tact, a gift for mediating and a feel for harmony, in conversation as in a room. People with the Sun in Libra hear both sides and often find words that connect. In classical teaching the Sun is in its fall here: self-will steps back because the other person gets so much room. The stumbling block is indecision and the wish to please everyone. An everyday example: choosing a restaurant, you weigh what the others might like for so long that you no longer know what you feel like eating. Lived maturely, this becomes real fairness: you say what you need and hold tension instead of smoothing it over.

Sun in Scorpio

The sun sign Scorpio (roughly October 23 to November 21) stands for intensity, depth and the wish to look behind the facade. A water sign of the fixed quality, Scorpio holds on to feelings and tests what truly lasts. In interpretation it is the sign of transformation, trust and commitment.

The strengths are focus, loyalty and the courage to look at uncomfortable truths. People with the Sun in Scorpio pick up moods early and are rarely content with the surface. The stumbling block is control and mistrust: those who feel a lot and show little may test closeness instead of asking for it, and carry hurts for a long time. An everyday example: a friend cancels briefly and you read a message into it, though she was only tired. A question often helps more than silent guessing. Lived maturely, the intensity becomes dependability: you stay in hard times and let others see what moves you.

Sun in Sagittarius

The sun sign Sagittarius (roughly November 22 to December 21) stands for vision, love of freedom and the search for meaning. A fire sign of the mutable quality, Sagittarius looks beyond the horizon and asks what it is all for. In interpretation it is the explorer, the teacher and the optimist.

The strengths are openness, humour and confidence. People with the Sun in Sagittarius grow through travel, ideas and encounters and infect others with their enthusiasm. The stumbling block is imprecision: big plans are made quickly, while details and commitments are left lying, and honest words can come across as tactless. An everyday example: you enthusiastically say yes to three trips and then find your calendar has room for one. The need for freedom shows in relationships too, which need space. Lived maturely, the long view joins reliability in small things: you keep your promises and stay curious all the same.

Sun in Capricorn

The sun sign Capricorn (roughly December 22 to January 19) stands for responsibility, endurance and the pursuit of a tangible goal. An earth sign of the cardinal quality, Capricorn begins the year looking at the summit: what should last, and how do I get there? In interpretation it is the master builder of the zodiac.

The strengths are discipline, realism and reliability. People with the Sun in Capricorn plan far ahead, carry duties without fuss and gain authority through skill rather than volume. The stumbling block is strictness, towards others and towards yourself: work can push out everything else, and feelings get postponed. An everyday example: you take over the club's accounts because nobody else would do it properly, and after years notice you have hardly ever asked for help. Lived maturely, seriousness turns into calm with humour: success is measured by what truly matters to you, and closeness may be part of the plan.

Sun in Aquarius

The sun sign Aquarius (roughly January 20 to February 18) stands for independence, ideas and a view of the bigger picture. An air sign of the fixed quality, Aquarius holds on to its convictions even when they are inconvenient. In interpretation it is the renewer: it asks why something is the way it is, and whether it could be better otherwise.

The strengths are originality, independence and a sense of community and fairness. People with the Sun in Aquarius often think in possibilities and gladly let others be as they are. In classical teaching the Sun is in detriment here: the personal self steps back behind ideals. The stumbling block is distance. Feelings are discussed rather than shown, and strong-mindedness can look like being right at all costs. An everyday example: you have a smart idea for the neighbourhood initiative but explain it so abstractly that the others miss the use of it. Lived maturely, the sense of freedom joins closeness: you stay yourself and still let yourself be touched.

Sun in Pisces

The sun sign Pisces (roughly February 19 to March 20) stands for empathy, imagination and a feel for what lies between the lines. A water sign of the mutable quality, Pisces closes the zodiac and dissolves boundaries. In interpretation it is the sign of compassion, art and spirituality.

The strengths are empathy, creativity and an openness to what cannot be put into numbers. People with the Sun in Pisces often sense early how others are doing and find images, music or words for it. The stumbling block is missing boundaries: other people's moods become your own, and everyday life can blur behind dreams and thoughts of escape. An everyday example: after a talk with a colleague you are exhausted because you carried her worries without noticing. Firm routines, time alone and clear agreements help. Lived maturely, the permeability becomes a quiet kindness that gives support without losing yourself.

Frequently asked questions about the sun signs

What does my sun sign mean?

In interpretation it describes your basic nature: how you show will and drive, what carries you and where your typical stumbling blocks lie. It is the best-known but not the only part of your horoscope.

How many sun signs are there?

Twelve: Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius and Pisces. The Sun stays about a month in each.

Is the sun sign the same as the zodiac sign?

In everyday speech, yes: whoever says "star sign" means the sun sign. Astrologically every chart also has a moon sign, an ascendant and signs for all the other planets.

What if I was born on the border of two signs?

Then the exact time and place of birth count, because the Sun changes sign at a specific moment, not at midnight. The sun sign calculator tells you your sign exactly.

Do sun signs match each other?

Astrology compares signs by element and quality, such as fire with air or earth with water. That is a starting point for conversation, not a verdict. How well two people fit together shows in the whole chart and in shared everyday life.

How do I find out more about my Sun?

With birth time and place, your chart also shows the house of your Sun and its aspects. UmbraLux calculates this for you, and Verus, the AI companion, knows your profile and talks with you about what it can mean for your daily life.

Sources

Sun sign astrology on Wikipedia (development and interpretation of the sun sign).
Astrological sign on Wikipedia (elements, qualities and rulers).

Sun Signs: The Sun in All Twelve Signs