Zodiac constellations vs. zodiac signs
You might know that the real sun in the real sky does not appear in front of a constellation of the
zodiac
within the same range of dates you’ll see listed in astrological horoscopes. That’s because
astrology
and
astronomy
are different systems. Astrologers typically indicate the sun’s position with
signs
while astronomers use
constellations
. We were asked for:
… a list of the constellations that fall on the ecliptic with the exact degrees.
And we’ve located this information in
Guy Ottewell’s
Timetable of astronomical events
. Below, you’ll find the dates for the sun’s entry into each
zodiacal constellation
during the year 2018, plus the sun’s
ecliptic longitude
– its position east of the March equinox point on the
ecliptic
– for each given date.
We are using the boundaries for the zodiacal constellations established by the
International Astronomical Union
in the 1930s.
Dates of sun’s entry into zodiac constellations
Date of sun’s entry into each zodiacal constellation (and corresponding ecliptic longitude):
Dec 18, 2017: Sun enters constellation Sagittarius (266.59
o
)
Jan 19, 2018: Sun enters constellation Capricornus (299.71
o
)
Feb 16, 2018: Sun enters constellation Aquarius (327.88
o
)
Mar 12, 2018: Sun enters constellation Pisces (351.57
o
)
Apr 19, 2018: Sun enters constellation Aries (29.08
o
)
May 14, 2018: Sun enters constellation Taurus (53.46
o
)
Jun 21, 2018: Sun enters constellation Gemini (90.43
o
)
Jul 21, 2018: Sun enters constellation Cancer (118.25
o
)
Aug 10, 2018: Sun enters constellation Leo (138.18
o
)
Sep 17, 2018: Sun enters constellation Virgo (174.15
o
)
Oct 31, 2018: Sun enters constellation Libra (217.80
o
)
Nov 23, 2018: Sun enters constellation Scorpius (241.14
o
)
Nov 30, 2018: Sun enters constellation Ophiuchus (248.03
o
)
Dec 18, 2018: Sun enters constellation Sagittarius (266.60
o
)
Source: Guy Ottewell’s
Timetable of astronomical events
Zodiac constellations
Taurus? Here’s your constellation
Gemini? Here’s your constellation
Cancer? Here’s your constellation
Leo? Here’s your constellation
Virgo? Here’s your constellation
Libra? Here’s your constellation
Scorpius? Here’s your constellation
Sagittarius? Here’s your constellation
Capricornus? Here’s your constellation
Aquarius? Here’s your constellation
Pisces? Here’s your constellation
Aries? Here’s your constellation
Birthday late November to early December? Here’s your constellation
Bottom line: Sun-entry dates to zodiac constellations in 2018, using boundaries for constellations set by the International Astronomical Union in the 1930s.
Sun’s entry into astrological signs of the zodiac
What is the zodiac?
Bruce McClure
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About the Author:
Bruce McClure served as lead writer for EarthSky's popular Tonight pages from 2004 to 2021, when he opted for a much-deserved retirement. He's a sundial aficionado, whose love for the heavens has taken him to Lake Titicaca in Bolivia and sailing in the North Atlantic, where he earned his celestial navigation certificate through the School of Ocean Sailing and Navigation. He also wrote and hosted public astronomy programs and planetarium programs in and around his home in upstate New York.