Zodiac

The zodiac is a circular belt of the sky, centered on the ecliptic (the Sun's apparent path), that is divided into 12 equal segments of 30° each. Each segment is named after a constellation and is called a zodiac sign. In astrology, the zodiac serves as a coordinate system for mapping planetary positions at any given moment.

How it works

When you look at a natal chart, the zodiac appears as the outermost ring, divided into 12 slices. Each slice corresponds to one of the 12 signs: Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces. The planets, Sun, and Moon are placed within these signs based on their celestial longitude at the time of birth. For example, if the Sun was at 15° of the sign Aries at your birth, your Sun sign is Aries. The zodiac also determines the houses, which are divisions of the chart based on the local horizon and meridian.

In practice

When interpreting a chart, the zodiac sign of a planet reveals the basic energy and style of that planet's expression. For instance, Mars in Aries acts impulsively and directly, while Mars in Libra seeks balance and may hesitate. The zodiac also interacts with houses: a planet in the 10th house in Capricorn amplifies career ambitions. Understanding the zodiac is the first step to reading any birth chart.

Explore your own zodiac placements by building your chart.