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What Is a Zodiac Sign?

Ancient peoples studied how the sun traveled each year through the zodiac, or the 12 constellations around the ecliptic, the celestial path of the sun. In Western astrology, zodiac signs, also known as suns signs, refer to which constellation was behind the sun at the time of a person's birth. Astrologers believe that a person's zodiac sign can reveal his or her character. Each of the 12 zodiac signs is associated with an animal or mythical figure, as well as a season, a month, an element, a planet and a quality.

Spring Signs
- As the first sign of the zodiac and of spring, Aries is associated with people born between March 21 and April 19. The ram is its animal symbol and the sign's element is fire. Aries is linked to the planet Mars and has a cardinal quality, which relates to beginnings. The second zodiac sign, Taurus, occurs from April 20 to May 20 and is a fixed earth sign. A fixed quality refers to completions. The bull symbolizes Taurus and the planet Venus rules it. People born between May 21 and June 20 have Gemini as their zodiac sign. Gemini is represented by the symbol of the twins and is a mutable air sign ruled by the planet Mercury. A mutable quality relates to seeing things through.
Summer Signs
- Cancer is the first zodiac sign of summer and the fourth zodiac sign of the astrological year. It presides over birth dates that occur between June 21 and July 22. Represented by the crab, Cancer is a water sign with a cardinal quality. The moon rules Cancer. The fifth zodiac sign, Leo, occurs from July 23 to August 22. Individuals born under Leo have a lion as their zodiac animal. Ruled by the sun, Leo is known as a fixed fire sign. Virgo -- August 23 to September 22 -- is the sixth sign of the zodiac and represents a mutable earth sign. The symbol of Virgo is the Virgin, a goddess of justice, and its ruling planet is Mercury.
Fall Signs
- In fall, the sun enters the seventh, eighth and ninth zodiac signs of Libra, Scorpio and Sagittarius. Libras, or people born between September 23 and October 22, are born under a cardinal air sign with Venus as their ruling planet. The symbol of Libra is not an animal; it is a set of scales. Scorpio -- October 23 to November 21 -- has the scorpion as its animal symbol and Pluto as its ruling planet. Like Cancer, Scorpio is a water sign; however, Scorpio has a fixed quality. The symbol of the mythical archer represents the mutable fire sign of Sagittarius. People born between November 22 and December 21 are Sagittarians, and Jupiter is their ruling planet.
Winter Signs
- The 10th zodiac sign, Capricorn, is associated with December 22 to January 19. The goat represents Capricorn, and Saturn is its ruling planet. Capricorn has a cardinal quality, and similar to Virgo and Taurus, it is an earth sign. Aquarius -- January 20 to February 18 -- is a fixed air sign symbolized by a water bearer, a figure pouring water from a vessel. The planet presiding over this 11th zodiac sign is Uranus. The 12th and final zodiac sign, Pisces, occurs from February 19 to March 20. Pisces is a mutable water sign represented by two fish. Its ruling planet is Neptune.

Astrology