Ancient Babylonians were really into their star-gazing. They mapped out the zodiac and split it into 12 segments, which is how we ended up with the 12 signs we all know and love. These signs are named after constellations and arranged counterclockwise: Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces.
Ever wondered whether your zodiac sign is based on the lunar or solar calendar? Well, it’s the solar calendar, also known as the Gregorian calendar, which is the international standard. It’s got about 365 days and is based on the annual movement of the sun. There are leap years, which have one extra day, to keep everything in sync with the sun’s journey. Since the solar calendar is what we use globally, zodiac signs are calculated using it too.
The origins of the zodiac can be traced back to one of the cradles of civilization: Babylon. Back in the day, they divided the sky into different areas called "constellations." Since Western birthdays are typically recorded using the solar calendar (or the Gregorian calendar), it makes sense that zodiac signs are calculated the same way.
Now, here’s the deal: Your zodiac sign is determined by where the sun was in the zodiac when you were born.
Let’s talk about the rough dates for each sign:
- Pisces: February 20th to March 20th
- Aries: March 21st to April 20th
- Taurus: April 21st to May 21st
- Gemini: May 22nd to June 21st
- Cancer: June 22nd to July 22nd
- Leo: July 23rd to August 22nd
- Virgo: August 23rd to September 23rd
- Libra: September 24th to October 23rd
- Scorpio: October 24th to November 22nd
- Sagittarius: November 23rd to December 21st
- Capricorn: December 22nd to January 20th
- Aquarius: January 21st to February 19th
These dates are just a general guide. If you only know your birthday according to the lunar calendar, you can find out your solar birthday with a perpetual calendar and then figure out your sign.
But what if you’re born on the cusp, right between two signs? Don’t worry, I’ve got a trick for you. You can use the traditional 24 solar terms in Chinese calendar to help pin down your exact sign. For instance, if you were born on March 21st, 2024, you’d look up that date in an old-style Chinese calendar to see which solar term it falls under. In 2024, the Spring Equinox is on March 20th at 11:06:12. Use that info to figure out your true sign.
The precise division of zodiac signs goes by these 12 solar terms:
- Spring Equinox to Aries to Grain Rain
- Grain Rain to Taurus to Grain Full
- Grain Full to Gemini to Summer Solstice
- Summer Solstice to Cancer to Great Heat
- Great Heat to Leo to Start of Autumn
- Start of Autumn to Virgo to Autumnal Equinox
- Autumnal Equinox to Libra to Frost’s Descent
- Frost’s Descent to Scorpio to Snow’s Beginning
- Snow’s Beginning to Sagittarius to Winter Solstice
- Winter Solstice to Capricorn to Great Cold
- Great Cold to Aquarius to Rain’s Start
- Rain’s Start to Pisces to Spring Equinox
Remember, you need to check the solar terms for the year you were born because they shift every year.
If you’re still confused, don’t hesitate to reach out. I’m always here to help you sort out your star sign stuff!
