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sun signs

sun signs
astrology: qualities/planets

Your sun sign is a more complex thing than you may realise - are you first, second or third decan? Or a cusper? Find out below.

quick links

48 SUN SIGNS? In a way... yes. I'm not referring to long lost signs like 'Nigel', the Newt; 'Gloomy', the Cloud that Might Bring Rain; or 'Dennis', the Donkey - although signs have come and gone in the past - nor to the issue of whether constellations like Ophiucus should be added, or that the Unicorn is an appropriate image for Virgo (it is, but that is another matter). Astrology is at it's functional best when dealing with character, personality and behaviour; each of the 12 signs is divided into four decanates of around a week, the last of which is the week of the cusp when the signs change, and these 'mini signs' refine the traits of the overall sign, adding a distinct 'flavour' that makes a Leo 1, say, quite noticeably different to a Leo 3. Scroll to your birthdate or sign, or use the quick links on the right. Find your birthdate and see the additional info for your Decan. I also give some celebrity examples. This fine tuning can also be taken to individual days and I recommend Joost & Elffers excellent 'The Secret Language of Birthdays' - Amazon link available from the shop now. Cuspers! No other site gives you more detail about the cusps, and helps you understand your special place in the astrological scheme. Each cusp's main sign shown here is technically the first named of the two signs in the cusp - if you are a cusper, your sun is close to the end of that first named sign where the next sign takes over and if you are born on the day the signs change you will need to check which sun sign applies as it isn't a neat midnight switch. The actual moment when the sign changes from one to the other requires a proper birth chart to calculate and knowledge of your time of birth.
the decans
march 19-24 celebs: William Shatner, Ursula Andress, Chaka Khan & Steve McQueen	pisces - aries cusp
	element	quality	rulers	image
	water / fire	mutable / cardinal	Neptune / Mars	Rebirth
	Direct and outspoken, and equally admired and misunderstood as a result, these indomitable characters refuse to moderate their attitudes and often get their own way through sheer insistence. They combine the deep and dreamy sensitivity and emotiveness of Pisces with Aries' willful energy - dreamers and doers all in one.
	attractions		advice
	other cusps, especially Libra-Scorpio & taurus-gemini		Learn to be patient. Cultivate social skills & be less impetuous

march 25 - april 2 celebs: Eric Idle, Frieda Hughes & Vincent van Gogh	aries I
	element	quality	rulers	image
	fire	cardinal	Mars	The Child
	Open and energetic, frank yet child-like. They are sensitive to criticism and can sulk and withdraw when tasked. A low frustration level can see tempers flare up but its usually brief. Spontaneous & lively they are highly independent but need to share and will suffer if they go overlong without affection, and the chance to show it.
	attractions		advice
	Gemini, Leo, Libra, Scorpio		Cultivate a quiet side and focus aggressive tendencies. Do not deny yourself affection and support.
april 3- 10 celebs: Bette Davis Jacques Brel Eddie Murphy	aries II
	element	quality	rulers	image
	fire	cardinal	Mars	The Star
	Success oriented & driven to attract attention, can be egotistical but sometimes lack this altogether. Self important, they need sympathy and understanding but often rebuff it when it is offered. Relentless pursuers of their dreams they sometimes lose touch with their true personalities and rely on trusted advisors to keep them grounded.
	attractions		advice
	Gemini, Leo, Libra, Scorpio		Develop hidden talents, don't tease, be less needy of affection

april 11 - 18 celebs: Sir John Gielgud Loretta Lynn & Charlie Chaplin	aries III
	element	quality	rulers	image
	fire	cardinal	Mars	the pioneer
	Inspirational & drawn to causes rather their own careers.Strong believers in the power of human thought, especially when used collectively, towards creating a better world and tireless campaigners. Can be swept away with themselves and do things for others' own good whether they want it or not, sometimes causing harm to make little progress.
	attractions		advice
	Gemini, Leo, Libra, Scorpio		Curb your enthusiasm! Beware of people takig advantage & using you. Listen more.

april 19-24 celebs: Shakespeare & Barbra Streisand, Hitler, Lenin, & Lucrezia Borgia!	aries - taurus cusp
	element	quality	rulers	image
	fire / earth	cardinal / fixed	Mars / venus	power
	Influential and dominant personalities who are not comfortable when being dominated by another or by authority generally. Unrushed and capable of excellent planning and preparation they can succeed against the odds & the calmer, grounded side of their character can usually balance their fiery energy and determination.
	attractions		advice
	other cusps, especially taurus-gemini and Scorpio-Sagittarius		Be less overpowering, learn to delegate. Be more sensitive to the feelings of others

note - the advice given to those who share a cusp with Hitler, Lenin & Lucretia Borgia (also Catherine the Great) begins " be less overpowering..."

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april 25 - may 2 celebs: Al Pacino, Michelle Pfeiffer & Saddam Hussein	taurus I
	element	quality	rulers	image
	earth	fixed	venus	manifestation
	Pragmatic, often stubborn but susceptible to charm. Decisive but agreeable and easy going, when things are going well, but prone to depression when not so well. Patient but sometimes missing the boat through excessive caution, they are not natural leaders but excellent parents and protectors.
	attractions		advice
	Libra, Scorpio, capricorn		Avoid too much responsibility where possible, avoid putting things off , work on surprising others - and yourself

may 3 - may 10 celebs: Machiavelli, Karl Marx, Eva Peron & Fred Astaire	taurus II
	element	quality	rulers	image
	earth	fixed	venus	the teacher
	These characters have a message and are fascinated by developing techniques concerned with transmitting ideas. Natural teachers and leaders by example, they often combine all this with radical and unconventional ideas
	attractions		advice
	Libra, Scorpio, capricorn		Take the time to play, chill. Admit your own errors and find a teacher you can follow, too.

may 11 - may 18 celebs: George Lucas, Katherine Hepburn, Stevie Wonder, & Dennis Hopper	taurus III
	element	quality	rulers	image
	earth	fixed	venus	the natural
	Highly sensitive, often self-taught to a high standard, they value natural behaviour and nature. Free spirits often chided for being naive or even primitive in outlook, they can be inhibited by criticism and are generally less 'together' than they seem. Often displaying a natural grace.
	attractions		advice
	Libra, Scorpio, capricorn		Set personal standards even higher & explore the depths of your own personality.

may 19 - may 24 celebs: Cher, Bob Dylan, Queen Victoria & Joan Collins	taurus-gemini cusp
	element	quality	rulers	image
	earth/air	fixed/mutable	venus/mercury	energy
	The eternal adolescents of the zodiac, energetic & convincing.Whatever they like to do, they do a lot. Versatile but sometimes stretch themselves too much and wear themselves out. Much more talkative than most Taureans, they lack some of that signs emotional sensitivity but are less unstable than Geminis can be, though can display a cool and unsympathetic side at times.
	attractions		advice
	other cusps, especially ARIES-taurus & Sagittarius-Capricorn		Pace yourself and be more consistent. Confront fears & insecurities, be less possessive.

may 25 - june 2 celebs: Clint Eastwood, Brooke Shields, Marilyn Monroe & Thomas Hardy	gemini I
	element	quality	rulers	image
	air	mutable	mercury	freedom
	Fighters for what they believe in and often arouse antagonism. They haste wasting time, especially in needless discussion and feel that if they are not understood then it isn't their problem. Unfinished projects can abound as they hop from idea to idea but they are capable of taking responsibilities very seriously - without this, they often wind up troubled and erratic types.
	attractions		advice
	virgo libra sagittarius		Learn to see things through. Find an outlet for your aggression. Avoid escapism.

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june 3 - 10 celebs: Prince, Judy Garland, Cole Porter Shilpa Shetty	gemini II
	element	quality	rulers	image
	air	mutable	mercury	new language
	Love to be original but may sometimes baffle others in the process. Complex in their thoughts, quick to criticise but themselves as much as others and can be obsessed with details. Lovers of debate and discussion.
	attractions		advice
	virgo libra sagittarius		Slow down... learn the values of silence, cultivate friendships beyond the superficial

june 11 - 18 celebs: Paul McCartney, Che Guevara & Jacques Cousteau	gemini III
	element	quality	rulers	image
	air	mutable	mercury	the seeker
	Adventurers in both the physical and metaphysical realms. Restless, hard to pin down & keep up with but can get bogged down with pleasing others. Lively, rarely dull, will always find something to explore, even when housebound - and this can include cooking, finances & raising the family in novel but effective ways.
	attractions		advice
	virgo libra sagittarius		You are likely to miss what is right in front of you. Don't feel you have to explore everything deeply and allow yourself to be pessimistic now and then.
John Lennon is Libra 2, George Harrison Pisces 1, and Ringo is a Cancer 2

june 19 - 24 celebs: Errol Flynn, Meryl Streep, Salman Rushdie	gemini-cancer cusp
	element	quality	rulers	image

	air / water	mutable / cardinal	mercury / moon	Magic
	Inspired and with a devotional streak often demonstrated in caring for others or for a cause, egos - often significant - can be put on hold or used in a practical way. Caught in the clash between their sharp, logical thinking and their emotional nature, Canceminis are able to make magic from this, especially when they seek the ecstatic moments life can deliver.
	attractions		advice
	other cusps, aquarius-pisces & scorpio sagittarius especially		Use your magical gift wisely & sparingly. Beware of losing yourself in the moment and taking your eye off the ball & of letting destructive emotions have their way.
june 25 - july 2 celebs: Princess Diana, Carly Simon & Mike Tyson	cancer I
	element	quality	rulers	image
	water	cardinal	moon	the empath
	Quick intuitive understanding of the needs of others and their motives, a skill that allows Cancer I to get its own way quite easily in life. Inclined to be shrewd in business and finances, these natural sellers often succeed in material life, which they devote to their home. They can be defensive but are not afraid to use that best form of defence, attack and the sudden switch from one to other can be startling.
	attractions		advice
	pisces scorpio aquarius		Don't bottle up feelings and try not to let your aggressive side run riot when feeling threatened or cheated.

july 3 - 10 celebs: Franz Kafka, George W Bush Shelley Duvall Ringo Starr & Sylvester Stallone	cancer II
	element	quality	rulers	image
	water	cardinal	moon	the unconventional
	Not always as they seem and a rich, 'fantasy' life just below the surface. In touch with their unconscious and drawn to the strange & mystical, the occult. Good observers and storytellers who tend to keep in the background.
	attractions		advice
	pisces scorpio aquarius		Get out more! Work on being less sensitive, on being thicker skinned. Put that imagination to creative use.

july 11 - 18 celebs: Harrison Ford, Nelson Mandela, Patrick Stewart Burt Kwouk	cancer III
	element	quality	rulers	image
	water	cardinal	moon	the persuader
	Natural people managers and team builders, persuasive but can become overbearing and repressive. Can manipulate others feelings and need to respect this ability as they can be upsetting but are usually well motivated, and good at motivating others
	attractions		advice
	pisces scorpio aquarius		Allow others their freedom of expression and don't assume you are always right - but be more confident, at a deep level, about what you do well. You really do!

july 19 - 25 celebs: Diana Rigg, Ernest Hemingway & Alexander the Great	cancer-leo cusp
	element	quality	rulers	image
	water / fire	cardinal / fixed	moon / sun	oscillation
	Volatile and almost bi-polar in their personality shifts, as they shift from thought mode to feeling mode and back again but rarely blending the two. Vibrant, exciting and needing challenges, strength and natural grace typify them.
	attractions		advice
	other cusps and especially libra-scorpio & capricorn-aquarius		Work on putting thought behind your feelings and letting feelings into your deeper thoughts, try to smooth out the highs and the lows, aiming for confident, self-disciplined calm first.

july 26 - august 2 celebs: Carl Jung, Marcel Duchamp, Mussolini,Arnold Schwarzenegger & J K Rowling	leo I
	element	quality	rulers	image
	fire	fixed	sun	authority
	Powerfully authoritative, natural leaders who like to assert themselves and be taken seriously. Energy is channeled inwards and their goals tend to be private. They don't blend into the wallpaper but leap out. They find moodiness and negativity in others hard to deal with.
	attractions		advice
	other leos! also scorpio & capricorn		Accept people as they are, be more diplomatic & sensitive. Don't overlook your own life decisions...

august 3 -10 celebs: Andy Warhol, Dustin Hoffman, Neil Armstrong	leo II
	element	quality	rulers	image
	fire	fixed	sun	balanced strength
	Proud, gravitating to challenging activities with risk and danger. Faithful, loyal, champions of the underdog & downtrodden. They mix well at all levels and lack pretension. Taking disappointment well, they are able to play the 'long game' - they prefer independence to leadership, and like a well-defined life.
	attractions		advice
	other leos! also scorpio & capricorn		Cultivate compromise & diplomacy. Stay open and be more vulnerable to emotion. Be easier on yourself & your expectations.

august 11 -18 celebs: Fidel Castro, Napoleon, Madonna, Robert de Niro Ted Hughes Halle Berry	leo III
	element	quality	rulers	image
	fire	fixed	sun	leadership
	Born leaders, whether ruling outright or leading through ideas & ethics, they do not like to bring up the rear. Deep, emotionally complex with dark, volcanic energies which can erupt in great bursts of energy or anger. They demand a lot of understanding from those close, and even from themselves, but they are very uncomfortable if they sense that they are not liked or thought strange. Great self-confidence leads them to be seen as egotists but their capacity for self-sacrifice is immense.
	attractions		advice
	other leos! also scorpio & capricorn		Examine your motivations carefully, find some distance from yourself and let someone else have a starring role in your story now and then.

august 19 -25 celebs: Bill Clinton, Coco Chanel, Jacqueline Susann & Deng Xiao Ping	leo-virgo cusp
	element	quality	rulers	image
	fire / earth	fixed / mutable	sun / mercury	exposure
	Secretive extroverts? A great sense of timing, of knowing when to speak up or out and when to keep mum, and using both to the best advantage. Subtle or dramatic these types enjoy life on many levels, their practicality balances their expressiveness and their intuitiveness is at least double the average, but there is a tendency to watch life from the shadows.
	attractions		advice
	other cusps, especially pisces-aries and taurus-gemini		Recognition will not come if you hide away, or hide your real self. Secrets are one thing but don't become obsessed with them.

august 26 - september2 celebs: Ingrid Bergman, Yasser Arafat Shirley Manson & David Soul top of page	virgo I
	element	quality	rulers	image
	earth	mutable	mercury	System builder
	Straightforward & direct, good leadership abilities when applied to a group or cause, less successful when acting more independently. Virgos are more organised than they appear and can be surprisingly strict but more in the need for structures to be followed and maintained than in the rules themselves. Dependable and, partly as a result of this, tending to attract unstable individuals.
	attractions		advice
	gemini Pisces taurus		Soften your stance a bit. Separate home and work more. Be more selfish and pamper yourself more.

september 3 - september 10 celebs: Elizabeth 1st, Peter Sellers, Raquel Welch	virgo II
	element	quality	rulers	image
	earth	mutable	mercury	the enigma
	Paradoxical and different to fathom with a mysterious nature rooted in intellectual tussles with highly personal quests they find hard to communicate. A mild and agreeable exterior hides a critical and judgmental nature swift to disapprove however keen to approve. Often with a striking appearance, their steely resolve surprises.
	attractions		advice
	gemini Pisces taurus		Be more flexible, you don't need to compromise your standards. Gentleness and diplomacy can offset your ctitical nature and don't be afraid to show vulnerability.

september 11 - september 18 celebs: Henry V, D H Lawrence, Greta Garbo Tommy Lee Jones	virgo III
	element	quality	rulers	image
	earth	mutable	mercury	the literalist
	Not slow to demand what they want and Virgo's dutiful side is less apparent. Though they may seem mercenary they do need to give and receive warmth but are highly selective about this. Emotions are difficult to deal with and they don't show a lot of sympathy. Self pity and a lack of self-criticism appalls them, and betrayal is never forgiven.
	attractions		advice
	gemini Pisces taurus		Try to be more sympathetic. Ground your energy by cultivating a love of food, sensuality & good sleep. Don't rely too heavily on others.

september 19 - september 24 celebs: Twiggy, Sophia Loren, H G Wells, Fay Weldon, Maggie Cheung, Anna Karina & Bruce Springsteen	virgo-libra cusp
	element	quality	rulers	image