Cancer dates and key facts
The conventional dates for Cancer are June 21 – July 22. The exact start shifts a little from year to year: depending on the year, the Sun’s entry into Cancer falls in the window June 20 – 22 (UTC), so if you were born on a boundary day, add your birth time and place in the calculator above. Cancer is a water sign of the cardinal modality, ruled by Moon; its symbol is the Crab. The opposite sign is Capricorn.
Cancer personality
Cancer is the cardinal water sign and the only sign ruled by the Moon. Astrologers associate it with home, family, memory and emotional security. The water element is linked with feeling and intuition, the cardinal modality with initiative, and the Moon with moods and care. Cancer is said to take the lead when it comes to looking after people, often quietly. Like its symbol, the Crab, it is described as having a protective shell: reserved with strangers, warm and devoted with those it trusts. In the traditional picture, Cancer has a strong memory, a rich imagination and a keen sense of what other people need.
Cancer strengths and weaknesses
Strengths traditionally attributed to Cancer: caring, intuitive, loyal and protective. Typical weaknesses: moody, oversensitive and clingy. Cancer is traditionally said to grow by expressing its needs directly instead of hoping others will guess them. Letting go of old hurts, setting healthy boundaries and looking after itself as well as it looks after others are classic themes. Cancer is also encouraged to trust that a change of mood is not a change of heart, in itself or in others.
Cancer in love
In love, Cancer is described as tender, loyal and attentive. The sign is said to show affection through care: cooking, remembering anniversaries, checking in during a hard day. Cancer usually needs to feel safe before it opens up, so trust is built step by step. Once committed, it is protective and invested in building a shared home. Astrologers note that Cancer may retreat into its shell when hurt instead of saying what is wrong. A partner who is reassuring, patient and emotionally honest brings out the warmest side of the sign. By the traditional rules used in our compatibility tool, the best matches for Cancer are Pisces, Scorpio and Virgo.
Cancer at work
At work, Cancer is associated with care, loyalty and a good sense of what people need. Astrologers often link the sign with healthcare, teaching, social work, hospitality, food, property, history or family businesses. Cancer is said to work best in a team that feels a little like a family, where people look out for one another, and it can be a protective leader for that team. Harsh criticism or a cold, purely competitive atmosphere is said to drain the sign, while genuine appreciation brings out its dedication.
Zodiac Sign Calculator
How to use
- 1Enter your date of birth.
- 2Born on a day when the sign changes? Add your birth time and place: search for a city, or enter latitude, longitude and time zone.
- 3Read your sign with its element, modality, ruling planet, symbol, traits, strengths, weaknesses and opposite sign.
- 4Open the compatibility pages for your three best matches, or check the table of all 12 sign dates.
How the calculator finds your sign
Your zodiac sign, also called your star sign or Sun sign, is the sign the Sun was in on the day you were born. With only a date, the calculator uses the conventional date ranges. The Sun does not change sign on the same day every year, though: depending on the year, the change can fall a day earlier or later. If you add your birth time and place, the tool computes the Sun’s exact ecliptic longitude and shows its degree, so a boundary (cusp) birthday is settled precisely. Daylight saving time is handled automatically, and the tool warns you when your date is a boundary day and no time has been entered.
Zodiac sign dates
The conventional dates are: Aries March 21 – April 19, Taurus April 20 – May 20, Gemini May 21 – June 20, Cancer June 21 – July 22, Leo July 23 – August 22, Virgo August 23 – September 22, Libra September 23 – October 22, Scorpio October 23 – November 21, Sagittarius November 22 – December 21, Capricorn December 22 – January 19, Aquarius January 20 – February 18 and Pisces February 19 – March 20. The calculator uses the tropical zodiac of Western astrology, which is tied to the seasons rather than to the constellations.
Elements, modalities and ruling planets
Each sign belongs to one of four elements (fire, earth, air, water) and one of three modalities (cardinal, fixed, mutable), and has a ruling planet; for Scorpio, Aquarius and Pisces both the modern and the traditional ruler are shown. Astrologers use these building blocks to describe a sign’s temperament: fire is associated with enthusiasm, earth with practicality, air with ideas and water with feelings. The result card also names your opposite sign and the three signs that score highest with yours in the compatibility tool.
Astrology is for entertainment
Astrology is a cultural tradition, not a science. There is no scientific evidence that the position of the Sun at birth shapes personality, relationships or the future. The descriptions on this page summarise what astrologers traditionally say about each sign. Enjoy them as a conversation starter, not as advice for real decisions. Your date of birth stays in your browser and is not sent anywhere.
Frequently asked questions
What is my zodiac sign?
It is the sign the Sun was in when you were born. Enter your date of birth above; for example, someone born on May 1 is a Taurus.
What if I was born on the cusp?
On boundary days the sign depends on the year and the exact time. Add your birth time and place and the calculator works out which side of the line the Sun was on.
Is a zodiac sign the same as a star sign or Sun sign?
Yes. All three terms mean the sign the Sun was in at your birth. Your Moon sign and rising sign are different and need a birth time.
Why do some websites give slightly different dates?
Because the Sun enters each sign on a slightly different day each year, sites round the boundaries differently. The calculator avoids this by computing the Sun’s actual position when you give a birth time.
Is this the tropical or the sidereal zodiac?
Tropical, as used in Western astrology. Vedic (sidereal) astrology usually places the Sun about one sign earlier.
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