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From Earth we see the Sun, the Moon, the planets, etc. move in a circle in a particular part of the heavens. The area in which they move is a circular section of stars that astrology refers to as the zodiac. It contains 12 sections, and each has an astrological sign associated with it. The signs of the zodiac that we all know are actually what are called "sun signs." This refers to the placement of the Sun relative to the Earth, because even though the Sun doesn't actually move, it appears to because the Earth moves. The sun signs are as follows:

Zodiac Sign	Sun Sign Dates	Symbol	House	Planetary Association	Elemental Association	Mode	Celestial Symbol	Color	Stone
Aries	March 21 - April 19		1	Mars	Fire	Cardinal	Ram	Red	Diamond
Taurus	April 20 - May 20		2	Venus	Earth	Fixed	Bull	Pink	Emerald
Gemini	May 21 - June 21		3	Mercury	Air	Mutable	Twins	Green	Moss Agate
Cancer	June 22 - July 22		4	Moon	Water	Cardinal	Crab	Silver	Pearl
Leo	July 23 - August 22		5	Sun	Fire	Fixed	Lion	Gold	Ruby
Virgo	August 23 - September 22		6	Mercury	Earth	Mutable	Virgin	Green/Dark Brown	Sardonyx
Libra	September 23 - October 22		7	Venus	Air	Cardinal	Scales (of justice)	Blue	Sapphire
Scorpio	October 23 - November 21		8	Pluto	Water	Fixed	Scorpion	Dark Red/Maroon	Opal
Sagittarius	November 22 - December 21		9	Jupiter	Fire	Mutable	Archer	Purple	Topaz
Capricorn	December 21 - January 19		10	Saturn	Earth	Cardinal	Goat	Brown	Black Onyx
Aquarius	January 20 - February 18		11	Uranus	Air	Fixed	Water-Bearer	Turquoise	Turquoise
Pisces	February 19 - March 20		12	Neptune	Water	Mutable	Fish	Sea Green	Moonstone

For example, I was born on January 1, so my sun sign is Capricorn. Each sun sign has its own characteristics, which play a role in your personality, views, and opinions:

Aries is a sign of action. You are probably very energetic and outgoing, love adventure, and have a natural knack for leadership because you are a very "take charge" kind of person. You like things to be fast-paced and can be impatient. You're a very passionate lover with a high sex drive and you're very direct in your relationships (romantic and otherwise). Sometimes you can be too direct and aggressive and hurt others' feelings or push them away, and your preference for life in the fast lane can mean some will get left in the dust.

Taurus is a sign of stability. You tend to be very reliable and steadfast, and you're not a big risk-taker. You have a very powerful will and once you set a goal, you work hard and are determined to accomplish it. Having a financially comfortable life is your main goal. You have the capacity to be highly artistic, enjoying the finer things in life: art, music, and beauty. You are unlikely to surround yourself with items that aren't pleasing to the eye. You are a faithful mate and friend, being very devoted to your relationships. Sometimes your determination goes too far, making you stubborn and unyielding, and your desire for financial security has the capacity to lead to materialism and a obsession with money.

Gemini is a sign of adaptability. You are often fun-loving, witty, charming, social butterflies who are playful and easily win over new friends. They have a gift for communication and conversation, and are very intelligent and enjoy a good intellectual conversation. You may have difficulty making decisions or, more likely, sticking to those you've made, and sometimes you can be "two-faced" in your dealings with others. Although you have a strong sense of morality, it may be hard for you to abide by it, and you may be of the opinion that "the ends justify the means."

Cancer is a sign of emotionality. You will be a very caring, intuitive person and may be a very adept empath - if not, it's possible that you are so sensitive that you learned to "turn it off" at an early age to avoid discomfort. However you may seem on the outside, inside you crave love, affection, and strong bonds with others. You love theater and the arts, and may even have some talent yourself. You enjoy fantasy and are yourself a romantic at heart. Family is extremely important to you, particularly your children, and you are a very paternal person who is extremely loyal to your family and your home. Your emotional personality can lead to moodiness and mood instability, and you may find yourself experiencing a wide range of emotions in a short period of time. You may find that you often brood over words or situations rather than letting them go, and things that happened to you as a child have a strong effect long after they're over and done with.

Leo is a sign of extroversion. You are a "people person," and you find that your strong sense of morality and commanding manner make you both a good friend and respected leader. Like Aries, you are ambitious and like to cause change, but you prefer that it be change for the better. You are competitive and idealistic and are driven to be the best. You also enjoy the physical comforts that comes with being the best, and like your home to be comfortable, luxurious, and stylish. You can sometimes be overly-competitive in your climb to the top, and your pride can often get in the way. You have a high sex drive and so enjoy being adored that you have difficulty settling down or being faithful.

Virgo is a sign of propriety. You desire order, cleanliness, and proper social behavior. You are dignified and studious, honest, practical and discreet, and soft-spoken, but with an underlying will of iron that no one would mistake for weakness. Your preference for sophistication and acting appropriately can lead to a suppression of emotion, making you seem cold and heartless. If you have children, you may concentrate so much on raising them to be polite and proper can sidetrack you from expressing your love and affection for them. Although affectionate with your mate, it is difficult for you to express burning passion, but you are certainly steadfast in your commitment to him/her.

Libra is a sign of leisure. You are relaxed and easy-going, getting along well with almost everyone. You love the arts, music, poetry, and literature, and are very creative. You have the gift of empathy and know just how to make others feel better. You are elegant and have excellent taste - you are the perfect host/ess. You are a peacemaker and others often come to you for advice. It is very important that your mate be on the same mental level, and you are both friends and lovers. Your laid-back attitude can lead to laziness, and you find yourself being indecisive and impatient on occasion. Any extra-marital affairs are probably romantic and sentimental in nature, but you also crave physical affection, so be careful.

Scorpio is a sign of intensity. You have a strong will and a powerful personality, drawing others to you out of sheer awe of your personal energy. You have the ability to be charming and unassuming one moment, and pierce the very soul of your companion the next. Others may find this frightening, but your inherent mysteriousness is also intriguing. You are very sensitive and are highly attuned to your emotions. You are deep and passionate beyond the conception of most people, and are well aware of your abilities. These abilities can be used for good or evil, so be cognizant of your choice when you make it. You have a tendency to be secretive and easily become jealous, and may be tempted to use your power over others for manipulation.

Sagittarius is a sign of idealism. You are optimistic, honest, loyal, trustworthy, and thrive on justice. People born sunder this sign make good lawyers and judicial officials. You love ritual and are deeply religious, although you may be more concerned with the details than the "big picture." You are friendly, intellectual, enjoy freedom, and are willing to fight for what's right. You are concerned with the long-term as well as the short and love to travel. You may become restless if your freedom is impinged, and you have a tendency to be optimistic to a fault, making the same mistakes over and over again hoping that "this time it will be different."

Capricorn is a sign of hard work. You are stable, and highly ambitious with the ability to accomplish any goal you set, no matter how daunting. You are responsible, practical, rational and logical, never allowing your emotions to interfere with your decisions. You are methodical, thrive in a disciplined environment, and a big planner. You have the capacity to attain great wealth and manage your finances carefully. You are highly organized and often take on more than one project at once. You always prefer the safe road to the unpredictable one, no matter what you might gain by taking the latter. You are highly loyal in your romantic relationships, although you are wary and choose carefully before making a commitment. Your unemotional attitude can make you hard and bitter and have difficulty relating to others, particularly those that aren't like you. You have a tendency to be pessimistic and hold grudges with a tenacity that surprises yourself at times (Can you believe I still resent my fourth grade teacher for withholding a reading contest prize?). You may also be somewhat moody, changing your personality instantaneously.

Aquarius is a sign of individualism. You are honest and hold truth above all else - even if it means you have to admit you were wrong and change your opinion. You don't "wear your heart on your sleeve," and rarely show your inner self to the outside world. You are friendly but don't make friends easily, and you often find that you need to take a break from the world for some "me time." You are intelligent and logical, individualistic, and have a strong humanitarian streak. You are extremely devoted once you make a commitment. You work best in groups, and add a lot of originality and inventiveness. You can be highly unpredictable and have a tendency to be considered cold and condescending, eccentric, and others find themselves having to work for your approval.

Pisces is a sign of sensitivity. You are very compassionate and gentle, kind, and sympathetic. You have tremendous psychic potential and love daydreaming. You are impressionable and shy, sometimes even naive. You are creative, artistic, and very spiritual (although not necessarily religious). You prefer to think with your heart and not your head. You let your instincts guide you and try not to clutter your decisions with details. You need to be treated delicately by your lover and are more concerned with being in tune with him/her mentally and spiritually than being sexually compatible. You require some form of creative outlet to be happy. In marriage, you may be unhappy but will remain faithful, even if it means you'll be miserable for the rest of your life - in such cases you simply withdraw into your own personal fantasy world and leave living rationally to those with less vision.

For more information about the zodiac and its role in Western astrology, visit the Divination page.