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In astrology, sun sign refers to the astrological sign the sun is in at a particular moment in time such as an individual's birth.
Definition
Each zodiac sign is an equal division of twelve parts of the ecliptic (the apparent path of the Sun through the sky, as seen from Earth). When the sun enters a sign (where it will spend one month), that zodiac sign is the sun sign. For an individual born that month, that sign is their sun sign (commonly birth sign or star sign).
Interpretation
In typical horoscopic astrology, all of the planets are taken into account for interpretation. In sun sign astrology, however, only placements affecting the Sun are used.
The concept of sun signs is most commonly used in the West where the majority of people are familiar with their sun sign.
The reason why sun-signs are commonly called star-signs is because the sun is a star, not because of any link with the backdrop of other stars.
Sun sign dates
Below are the signs and their approximate corresponding dates when the sun enters and leaves each sign using the tropical zodiac. The precise date varies slightly from year to year, owing to the leap year adjustment.
- Aries (March 21 - April 19)
- Taurus (April 20 - May 20)
- Gemini (May 21 - June 20)
- Cancer (June 21 - July 22)
- Leo (July 23 - August 22)
- Virgo (August 23 - September 22)
- Libra (September 23 - October 22)
- Scorpio (October 23 - November 21)
- Sagittarius (November 22 - December 21)
- Capricorn (December 22 - January 19)
- Aquarius (January 20 - February 18)
- Pisces (February 19 - March 20)
Criticisms of sun sign astrology
Owing to the popularity of horoscope columns in many newspapers and magazines, it is often erroneously believed that sun sign astrology is the whole extent of astrology. Some, perhaps many Horoscopic astrologers view these predictions as highly generalized and of little value.
For example, each person also has a Moon sign, a Mercury sign, a Venus sign etc, and these do NOT conform to the above dates, and change greatly from year to year. Sun-sign astrologers are unable to take these and many other variables into account.
Counter Criticisms
The argument for sun sign astrology holds that everyone and everything is subject to general forces. For example, a person may plan to walk to the shop the following day, but when they see the weather (which affects everyone) they may change their mind and drive there instead. In this example, a general influence has overcome a personal one. Sun sign astrology says that such generally-applicable factors are also found astrologically.
If a rapist who targets women is known to be on the loose in the shopping centre, many women might choose not to go shopping at all that day, and this is a simple example of how a sub-section of the population can be selectively affected by these general forces. Sun signs are held to represent certain sub-sections of the population. Research by insurance companies within their own massive databases is reported to have revealed differences between the relative safety on the roads of people born at different times of year - a boost for the sun sign astrologers if it proves to be true. The Sunday Times, Sept 14th 1997 mentions this research and also the remarkable results of a marketing company analysing shopping habits by zodiac sign.
The Swiss mathematician and astrologer Gunter Sachs did some extensive research on massive samples (using nearly a million data sets) and demonstrated striking differences between people of different zodiac signs. These results were reported in newspapers all over the world, for example the Daily Mail, November 6th 1997. Link to that report.
See also
"Sun sign"