You may think you're unfamiliar with your sun sign, but spoiler alert – you probably know more than you think.

The ‘sun sign’ is actually just another astrological term for your principal (so to speak) zodiac sign. So, our sun sign is the sign that most of us know to be our ‘star sign’ – a.k.a. the one determined by our birth date (for example, those born on 11 November have the sun sign of Scorpio).

However, there's a lot more to learn about your sun sign than you might initially think – so here's everything you need to know, with a little help from astrologer and author of Trust Your Timing, Alice Bell.

What is a sun sign?

“Your sun sign is also simply referred to as just ‘your sign’,” says Alice. “It is indicative of which sign’s season you were born during. The sun spends roughly 30 days in each sign, so if you are born within that month-long time frame, that is your sun sign. For example if you are a Virgo, it means your sun is in Virgo, and if you are a Sagittarius you can know that your sun is in Sagittarius.”

How do I find out my sun sign?

“To determine your sun sign you just need to know what zodiac season you’re born during. That’s why it’s usually the sign that everyone automatically knows,” says Alice.

For reference, here are the dates of each sun sign:

• 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)

What does my sun sign tell me about my personality?

“The sun describes your core sense of self, your unique passions and interests, as well as what motivates you and informs your bigger goals and decisions,” says Alice. “Your sun sign also describes the traits that you will spend your entire life developing, which is why sometimes people don’t fully resonate with their sun sign when they are younger.”

She adds: “The sun sign is only a sliver of your personality and it doesn’t completely define who you are. It’s not any more important than other parts of your chart, it’s just the one everyone knows because you only have to know what month you were born in, rather than knowing your exact time of birth. You really have to take in consideration the moon and rising, as well as all other parts of someone’s birth chart like their Mars and Venus signs, or their Saturn placement, etc, to get the full picture of who that person really is.”

To get your full chart, you need to find out your moon sign and your rising sign – which is a little more complicated, as you need to know your exact time of birth, down to the minute.

How do sun signs work with moon and rising signs?

Some might say that your moon sign is a more obvious reflection of your personality. “Your moon sign describes your innermost emotions and how you process and express your feelings," says Alice. “It’s often the side of yourself that comes out more in close, intimate relationships. Your moon sign also describes your childhood conditioning, your family background, as well as how you’re learning to nurture yourself as an adult. Whereas with the sun sign, you have to work a little to embody those traits, the moon sign describes the behaviours you automatically revert back to in the heat of the moment.”

Your rising sign is the sign that was on the eastern horizon at the moment you were born. “It is the part of yourself you are comfortable showing to the world,” adds Alice. “It describes your personal style and appearance, as well as what traits you project when you’re meeting someone. It’s basically the vibe you give off at first. You can also think of your rising sign as the lens through which you approach all other areas of your life, and how you initiate new experiences. If you’re a Leo rising, you will want to put a creative spin on projects that you start, while a Capricorn rising may like to plan out and think of the longterm potential of something first.”

Why are sun signs divided into elements?

“All signs can be divided into four different elements, which are earth, fire, air and water,” says Alice. “The signs that fall under the same element tend to share similar qualities.”

Water signs: “Water signs Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces will all be extra intuitive, and they may make decisions based on their initial gut instincts and how they’re feeling in the moment. They’re also easily able to help other people through any emotional problems, because they give off a nurturing and giving energy.”

Air signs: “Air signs Aquarius, Gemini and Libra are geared more towards the mind and the sharing of information. They tend to be more social, and they crave interactions with people where they can bounce ideas off of one another and get someone else’s perspective. They are also easily able to step back and look at the bigger picture or think of solutions for the future.”

Earth signs: “Capricorn, Taurus, and Virgo like to have a plan in place before starting anything, and they like to know that what they’re agreeing to serves a purpose. They’re typically better at organising things and keeping everyone on track, and they may enjoy having a list of goals that they’re working towards.”

Fire signs: “Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius like to take action and are always looking forward to having that next new experience. They bring a lot of enthusiasm and passion to whatever they’re working on, and they’re very fun to be around. They can be a little impatient at times though.”

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