Zodiac - Table of Dates

Table of Dates

The following table compares the Gregorian dates on which the Sun enters

  • a sign in the Ptolemaic tropical zodiac
  • a sign in the Hindu sidereal system
  • the astronomical constellation of the same name as the sign, with constellation boundaries as defined in 1930 by the International Astronomical Union.

The theoretical beginning of Aries is the moment of vernal equinox, and all other dates shift accordingly. The precise Gregorian times and dates vary slightly from year to year as the Gregorian calendar shifts relative to the tropical year. These variations remain within less than two days' difference in the recent past and the near-future, vernal equinox in UT always falling either on 20 or 21 of March in the period of 1797 to 2043, falling on 19 March in 1796 the last time and in 2044 the next.

Sign Constellation
Name Symbol Tropical zodiac
(2011)		 Sidereal zodiac
(2011)		 Name IAU boundaries Solar stay Brightest star
Aries 21 March –
20 April		 15 April -
15 May		 Aries 19 April – 13 May 25 days Hamal
Taurus 21 April –
21 May		 16 May -
15 June		 Taurus 14 May – 19 June 37 days Aldebaran
Gemini 22 May –
21 June		 16 June -
15 July		 Gemini 20 June – 20 July 31 days Pollux
Cancer 22 June –
22 July		 16 July -
15 August		 Cancer 21 July – 9 August 20 days Al Tarf
Leo 23 July –
22 August		 16 August -
15 September		 Leo 10 August – 15 September 37 days Regulus
Virgo 23 August –
23 September		 16 September -
15 October		 Virgo 16 September – 30 October 45 days Spica
Libra 24 September –
23 October		 16 October -
16 November		 Libra 31 October – 22 November 23 days Zubeneschamali
Scorpio 24 October –
22 November		 16 November -
15 December		 Scorpius 23 November – 29 November 7 days Antares
Ophiuchus n/a Ophiuchus 30 November – 17 December 18 days Rasalhague
Sagittarius 23 November –
21 December		 16 December -
14 January		 Sagittarius 18 December – 18 January 32 days Kaus Australis
Capricorn 22 December –
20 January		 15 January –
14 February		 Capricornus 19 January – 15 February 28 days Deneb Algedi
Aquarius 21 January –
19 February		 15 February -
14 March		 Aquarius 16 February – 11 March 24 days Sadalsuud
Pisces 20 February –
20 March		 15 March -
14 April		 Pisces 12 March – 18 April 38 days Eta Piscium

Because the Earth's axis is at an angle, some signs take longer to rise than others, and the farther away from the equator the observer is situated, the greater the difference. Thus, signs are spoken of as "long" or "short" ascension.

Read more about this topic:  Zodiac

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