Cancer (astrology) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Cancer
Zodiac symbol	Crab
Duration (tropical, western)	June 21 – July 22 (2025, UT1)
Constellation	Cancer
Zodiac element	Water
Zodiac quality	Cardinal
Sign ruler	Moon
Detriment	Saturn
Exaltation	Jupiter
Fall	Mars

Cancer (♋︎) is the fourth astrological sign out of twelve in the zodiac. It gets its name from the constellation of Cancer, which looks like a crab.

In astrology, if you were born between approximately June 22 and July 22, your zodiac sign is Cancer. The symbol for Cancer is usually a crab, though sometimes you might see a lobster or crayfish. This sign is linked to the Karkinos, a giant crab from ancient Greek myths.

Cancer is known as a cardinal sign, which means it's associated with new beginnings and leadership. It's also a Water sign, along with Pisces and Scorpio. These three signs together form what's called the Water trigon.

The Moon is considered the ruling planet for Cancer.

Astrology

Cancer is the fourth sign in the zodiac. The Sun enters this sign around the summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere. This means that people born roughly between June 22 and July 22 are considered to be Cancerians.

• Element: Cancer is a Water sign. Water signs are often seen as emotional, intuitive, and sensitive.
• Quality: It's a Cardinal sign. Cardinal signs are known for being initiators and leaders.
• Ruling Planet: The Moon rules Cancer. The Moon is often associated with emotions, instincts, and nurturing.
• Opposite Sign: Cancer's opposite sign is Capricorn.

In Hindu astrology, the sign of Cancer is called Karka, and its ruler is also the Moon.

History

The word "Cancer" is very old, coming from a language root that means "to scratch." Different ancient cultures had their own symbols for this zodiac sign.

• In ancient Egypt, the sign of Cancer was shown as a scarab beetle.
• In Mesopotamia, it was represented by a turtle.

In both cases, these animals were thought to "push" the sun across the sky, starting the summer season.

The Latin word cancer simply means 'crab'. The symbol of the crab for Cancer comes from Greek mythology. The story tells of the Karkinos, a giant crab that was crushed by the hero Heracles during a fight. The goddess Hera (or Juno in Roman myths) then placed the crab's remains in the sky, forming the Cancer constellation.

An old saying from 1899 described Cancer as the "most inconspicuous figure in the zodiac," meaning it's hard to see. It added that its story "apologizes for its being there" by explaining how the crab ended up in the sky after being crushed by Hercules.

In Art and Culture

Throughout history, the zodiac symbol of Cancer has appeared in many artworks and buildings.

• During the Middle Ages, you could find the Cancer symbol in religious books and carved into large sculptures.
• The image of Cancer as a crab is most common in art from the Mediterranean and Western Europe.

The famous Italian poet Dante Alighieri mentioned Cancer in his work Paradiso, writing about how bright a light would be if Cancer had such a crystal.

Artists like Giovanni Maria Falconetto and Agostino di Duccio also included the Cancer symbol in their works, often linking it to cities or specific views. In Giorgio Vasari's fresco called the Chamber of Fortune, Cancer is shown in the northern part of the ceiling, with the goddess Diana holding the moon and a crab.

Gallery

See also

See also

In Spanish: Cáncer (astrología) para niños