Zodiac Season Dates 2026 & 2027
The exact moment the Sun enters each sign — to the minute, computed from the Swiss Ephemeris and shown in US Eastern Time. These are the real boundaries, not the rounded date ranges usually printed.
✦Reviewed by the CosmyDay Astrology TeamLast reviewed August 2026
Zodiac Seasons in 2026
| Season | Begins | Time (ET) | Ends |
|---|---|---|---|
| ♒Aquarius | January 19, 2026 | 8:45 PM | February 18, 2026 |
| ♓Pisces | February 18, 2026 | 10:52 AM | March 20, 2026 |
| ♈Aries | March 20, 2026 | 10:46 AM | April 19, 2026 |
| ♉Taurus | April 19, 2026 | 9:39 PM | May 20, 2026 |
| ♊Gemini | May 20, 2026 | 8:37 PM | June 21, 2026 |
| ♋Cancer | June 21, 2026 | 4:25 AM | July 22, 2026 |
| ♌Leo | July 22, 2026 | 3:13 PM | August 22, 2026 |
| ♍Virgo | August 22, 2026 | 10:19 PM | September 22, 2026 |
| ♎Libra | September 22, 2026 | 8:05 PM | October 23, 2026 |
| ♏Scorpio | October 23, 2026 | 5:38 AM | November 22, 2026 |
| ♐Sagittarius | November 22, 2026 | 2:23 AM | December 21, 2026 |
| ♑Capricorn | December 21, 2026 | 3:50 PM | January 20, 2027 |
Zodiac Seasons in 2027
| Season | Begins | Time (ET) | Ends |
|---|---|---|---|
| ♒Aquarius | January 20, 2027 | 2:30 AM | February 18, 2027 |
| ♓Pisces | February 18, 2027 | 4:33 PM | March 20, 2027 |
| ♈Aries | March 20, 2027 | 4:25 PM | April 20, 2027 |
| ♉Taurus | April 20, 2027 | 3:18 AM | May 21, 2027 |
| ♊Gemini | May 21, 2027 | 2:18 AM | June 21, 2027 |
| ♋Cancer | June 21, 2027 | 10:11 AM | July 22, 2027 |
| ♌Leo | July 22, 2027 | 9:05 PM | August 23, 2027 |
| ♍Virgo | August 23, 2027 | 4:14 AM | September 23, 2027 |
| ♎Libra | September 23, 2027 | 2:02 AM | October 23, 2027 |
| ♏Scorpio | October 23, 2027 | 11:33 AM | November 22, 2027 |
| ♐Sagittarius | November 22, 2027 | 8:16 AM | December 21, 2027 |
| ♑Capricorn | December 21, 2027 | 9:42 PM | January 20, 2028 |
Why the dates move
A zodiac season does not begin on a fixed calendar date. It begins the instant the Sun crosses an exact 30° boundary of the tropical zodiac, and the tropical year runs about 365.2422 days. That extra quarter-day pushes each crossing roughly six hours later per year until a leap day resets it, so a boundary can land on either side of midnight — and the calendar date shifts with it. Anyone born within a day of a cusp needs the exact time, not the date, to know their sun sign.
Four of these boundaries are the seasons in the ordinary sense too: 0° Aries is the March equinox, and Cancer, Libra and Capricorn begin at the June solstice, September equinox and December solstice respectively. Tropical astrology defines the zodiac against those points rather than against the constellations, which is why it stays aligned with the seasons while the background stars drift.
To see which sign the Sun occupied at your own birth moment — and every other placement — cast your free natal chart. For the other bodies' sign changes, see the planetary ingress calendar.
Related calendars
Zodiac seasons in your calendar
The exact moment the Sun enters each sign, subscribed once and updated automatically.
Free, no signup. Works in Google Calendar, Apple Calendar and Outlook — the dates update automatically when we extend the calendar to new years.
Frequently asked questions
When does Leo season start in 2026?
Leo season 2026 begins July 22, 2026 at 3:13 PM US Eastern, when the Sun reaches 0° Leo, and runs until August 22, 2026.
Why do zodiac season dates shift by a day between years?
A zodiac season starts at the instant the Sun reaches an exact 30° boundary, and the tropical year is about 365.2422 days rather than a whole number. That quarter-day remainder pushes the moment later each year until a leap day pulls it back, so the calendar date can move by a day either way. This is why fixed date ranges printed in magazines are approximations.
Is a zodiac season the same as a sun sign?
Yes — your sun sign is simply the zodiac season you were born into. If you were born close to a boundary, the exact time matters, because the Sun can change signs partway through the day. That is why two people born on the same calendar date a year apart can have different sun signs.
Does the Aries season start on the equinox?
Yes. Aries season begins at the March equinox — March 20, 2026 at 10:46 AM US Eastern in 2026 — because 0° Aries is defined as the equinox point in tropical astrology. The Cancer, Libra and Capricorn seasons likewise begin at the June solstice, September equinox and December solstice.