Astrological sign facts for kids

Have you ever heard someone ask, "What's your sign?" They're probably talking about astrological signs, also known as zodiac signs! These are twelve special sections of the sky that the Sun appears to travel through each year. Imagine the Sun following a big, invisible path called the Ecliptic across our sky. Astrological signs divide this path into twelve 30-degree slices.

The idea of these signs started a long time ago in ancient Babylon and was later shaped by ancient Greek culture. Each sign was named after a constellation that the Sun seemed to pass through. However, because Earth wobbles very slowly over thousands of years (this is called axial precession), the astrological signs and the actual constellations they were named after are no longer perfectly lined up.

It's important to know that astrology is considered a pseudoscience. This means that while many people find it interesting and fun, scientific studies haven't found evidence to support its claims about how celestial bodies affect our personalities or future. Still, learning about astrological signs can be a fascinating way to explore different cultural beliefs and historical ideas about the sky!

Western Zodiac Signs

What are Western Zodiac Signs?

In Western astrology, there are twelve main astrological signs. These signs mark different parts of the Sun's yearly journey through the sky. The zodiac year traditionally begins with Aries on the first day of spring, around March 21st, which is called the vernal equinox.

The twelve Western astrological signs are:

• Aries
• Taurus
• Gemini
• Cancer
• Leo
• Virgo
• Libra
• Scorpio
• Sagittarius
• Capricorn
• Aquarius
• Pisces

A Look at History

The roots of Western astrology go way back to ancient Babylon. Later, Greek thinkers added their own ideas, creating the system we know today. A very important book from the 2nd century, called Tetrabiblos by Ptolemy, helped shape these ideas.

Ancient astrologers believed that the positions of the Sun, Moon, and planets at the moment you were born could tell you things about your personality. This led to the creation of horoscopes, which are like a map of the sky at your birth.

Your Western Zodiac Sign: Dates and Symbols

Your astrological sign depends on the Sun's position in the sky on your birthday. The exact dates can shift slightly each year because of how our calendar works. Here's a quick overview of the twelve signs, their symbols, and their approximate dates:

Overview of Western Astrological Signs

Sign	Meaning	Symbol	Unicode Symbol	Approximate Start Date	Approximate End Date	Main Ruler
Aries	The Ram		♈︎	21 March	20 April	Mars
Taurus	The Bull		♉︎	21 April	21 May	Venus
Gemini	The Twins		♊︎	22 May	21 June	Mercury
Cancer	The Crab		♋︎	22 June	23 July	Moon
Leo	The Lion		♌︎	24 July	23 August	Sun
Virgo	The Maiden, Virgin		♍︎	24 August	23 September	Mercury
Libra	The Scales		♎︎	24 September	23 October	Venus
Scorpio	The Scorpion		♏︎	24 October	22 November	Pluto (modern) or Mars (classic)
Sagittarius	The Archer (Centaur)		♐︎	23 November	21 December	Jupiter
Capricorn	The Goat		♑︎	22 December	20 January	Saturn
Aquarius	The Water-bearer		♒︎	21 January	19 February	Uranus (modern) or Saturn (classic)
Pisces	The Fish		♓︎	20 February	20 March	Neptune (modern) or Jupiter (classic)

Understanding Sign Characteristics

Astrology groups signs in different ways to describe their traits. These groupings help to understand the unique "personality" of each sign.

Polarity: Active and Passive Energy

In Western astrology, signs are divided into two groups:

• Positive polarity signs are seen as active, outgoing, and expressive. These are the odd-numbered signs: Aries, Gemini, Leo, Libra, Sagittarius, and Aquarius. They are often linked to the fire and air elements.
• Negative polarity signs are seen as passive, receptive, and inward-focused. These are the even-numbered signs: Taurus, Cancer, Virgo, Scorpio, Capricorn, and Pisces. They are often linked to the earth and water elements.

Modalities: Cardinal, Fixed, and Mutable

The modality of a sign describes its role within a season. There are three modalities:

• Cardinal signs start a new season. They are known for action, initiative, and being dynamic. (Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn)
• Fixed signs are in the middle of a season. They are known for stability, strong will, and resistance to change. (Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, Aquarius)
• Mutable signs come at the end of a season, preparing for the next. They are known for adaptability, flexibility, and resourcefulness. (Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, Pisces)

Elements: Fire, Earth, Air, and Water

The idea of four elements (fire, earth, air, and water) is very old, going back to the Greek philosopher Empedocles. In astrology, these elements are linked to different personality types and ways of experiencing the world. Each element is connected to three zodiac signs, forming what are called "triplicities."

Triplicities of the Four Elements

Polarity	Element	Symbol	Keywords	Sign Triplicity
Positive	Fire		Assertion, drive, willpower	Aries, Leo, Sagittarius
	Air		Communication, socialization, conceptualization	Gemini, Libra, Aquarius
Negative	Earth		Practicality, caution, material world	Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn
	Water		Emotion, empathy, sensitivity	Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces

Planets and Their Signs

In astrology, each sign is traditionally "ruled" by a specific planet or celestial body. This connection is called rulership. For example:

• Aries: Mars
• Taurus: Venus
• Gemini: Mercury
• Cancer: Moon
• Leo: Sun
• Virgo: Mercury
• Libra: Venus
• Scorpio: Pluto (modern) or Mars (classic)
• Sagittarius: Jupiter
• Capricorn: Saturn
• Aquarius: Uranus (modern) or Saturn (classic)
• Pisces: Neptune (modern) or Jupiter (classic)

Indian Astrology

The Five Elements in Indian Astrology

The planets' sign positions on May 16, 2012. The signs are colored according to the associated element.

In Indian astrology (called Jyotiṣa), the universe is thought to be made of five great elements, known as the Pancha Mahābhūta: Fire (Agni), Earth (Pṛthvī), Air (Vāyu), Water (Jala), and Ether (Ākāśa).

Each of the five visible planets (not including the Sun and Moon) is connected to one of these elements:

• Mars (Maṅgala) is linked to Fire
• Mercury (Budha) rules Earth
• Saturn (Śani) governs Air
• Venus (Śukra) rules Water
• Jupiter (Bṛhaspati) governs Ether

Just like Western astrology, Jyotisha also uses twelve zodiac signs (Rāśi), and their connections to the elements are similar to the Western system.

Chinese Zodiac Signs

Animal Signs and Cycles

Chart showing the 24 cardinal directions and the symbols of the sign associated with them.

Chinese astrology uses a different system based on cycles of years, lunar months, and even two-hour periods of the day. Instead of planets, it features twelve animal signs. These animal signs work together with the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Metal, Water, and Earth) in a 60-year cycle.

Some researchers believe there's a link between the Chinese 12-year cycle and the position of Jupiter. For example, in the year of the Snake, Jupiter is in the sign of Gemini. This shows how the Chinese calendar combines solar, lunar, and Jovian (Jupiter-related) cycles.

Chinese Zodiac Symbolism

Here's a table showing the twelve Chinese zodiac signs and some of their main characteristics:

The Twelve Animal Signs

In Chinese astrology, the twelve animal signs represent different personality types. The zodiac traditionally starts with the Rat. There are many old stories that explain why the Rat is first! These signs are also known as the twelve Earthly Branches. The Chinese zodiac follows a lunisolar calendar, so the exact "changeover" day for signs can vary each year.

Here are the twelve animal signs in order, along with some example years and their associated hours of the day:

1. 子 Rat (Yang, Water): Years include 1900, 1912, 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020, 2032. The hours of the Rat are 11pm – 1am.
2. 丑 Ox (Yin, Earth): Years include 1901, 1913, 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009, 2021, 2033. The hours of the Ox are 1am – 3am.
3. 寅 Tiger (Yang, Wood): Years include 1902, 1914, 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022, 2034. The hours of the Tiger are 3am – 5am.
4. 卯 Rabbit (Yin, Wood): Years include 1903, 1915, 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011, 2023, 2035. The hours of the Rabbit are 5am – 7am.
5. 辰 Dragon (Yang, Earth): Years include 1904, 1916, 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012, 2024, 2036. The hours of the Dragon are 7am – 9am.
6. 巳 Snake (Yin, Fire): Years include 1905, 1917, 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013, 2025, 2037. The hours of the Snake are 9am – 11am.
7. 午 Horse (Yang, Fire): Years include 1906, 1918, 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014, 2026, 2038. The hours of the Horse are 11am – 1pm.
8. 未 Goat (Yin, Earth): Years include 1907, 1919, 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015, 2027, 2039. The hours of the Goat are 1pm – 3pm.
9. 申 Monkey (Yang, Metal): Years include 1908, 1920, 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016, 2028, 2040. The hours of the Monkey are 3pm – 5pm.
10. 酉 Rooster (Yin, Metal): Years include 1909, 1921, 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017, 2029, 2041. The hours of the Rooster are 5pm – 7pm.
11. 戌 Dog (Yang, Earth): Years include 1910, 1922, 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018, 2030, 2042. The hours of the Dog are 7pm – 9pm.
12. 亥 Pig (Yin, Water): Years include 1911, 1923, 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019, 2031, 2043. The hours of the Pig are 9pm – 11pm.

The Five Elements in Chinese Astrology

The five elements in Chinese astrology are Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water. They each have different qualities and are linked to directions and seasons:

• Wood: People with a strong Wood influence are often seen as moral, confident, and cooperative. They have many interests and big goals. Wood is linked to the East and spring.
• Fire: Fire people are often leaders, full of passion, and very decisive. They are confident and assertive. Fire is linked to the South and summer.
• Earth: Earth people are usually serious, logical, and good at planning. They are intelligent and objective. Earth is linked to the Center and the changing points of the seasons.
• Metal: Metal people are sincere, have strong beliefs, and are good at expressing themselves. Metal is linked to the West and autumn.
• Water: Water people are often persuasive, intuitive, and understanding. They give good advice. Water is linked to the North and winter.

These five elements combine with the twelve animal signs in a 60-year calendar cycle. The elements also appear in both their yin and yang forms, known as the ten Heavenly Stems. Years ending in an even number are considered Yang (active, light), and those ending in an odd number are Yin (passive, dark), depending on the Chinese New Year.

See also

• Influence of seasonal birth in humans
• Chinese zodiac
• Glossary of astrology