Astrology Explained!
We have received many requests for horoscopes. So we thought we’d start with an explainer of the Western Zodiac! Even if you’re a ‘non-believer’, it’s fascinating how it continues to grip us!
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History
Astrology and the interpretation of the stars and planets have been around for millennia. First originating in ancient Mesopotamia, astrology began by using the stars to decipher messages from the gods. Here, 12 astrological signs were developed, which the ancient Greeks later connected to constellations and dates and named accordingly.
Both the ancient Greeks and Mesopotamians used astrology to connect with the gods and interpret how celestial positions affected events on earth. The 12 signs we know today were not used to describe individuals until the Egyptian astrologer, Claudius Ptolemy, linked them to personal attributes and events.
This is where Western astrology emerged, and it grew popular in the Middle Ages, when even doctors used it to diagnose. Most commonly, astrologers were found in royal courts, where they provided horoscopes to monarchs. During the witch trials of the 15th century, astrology became associated with sorcery and paganism, and the attitude towards it shifted.
There was an astrological resurgence during the Renaissance, but its popularity faded again with the Age of Enlightenment and the Scientific Revolution. The modern (20th-century) resurgence began with a newspaper column in The Sunday Express, and more newspapers began running horoscope columns. By the 1980s, these were common in media outlets, and people indulged in star readings to predict their personality traits and future life events.
Star Signs and Their Qualities
The zodiac we know today has 12 signs, and can be grouped according to the four elements they correspond to: Fire, Water, Earth and Air.
Of course, not everyone born within the dates have these strict personality traits. They say that everyone has a ‘chart’ mapping the placement of the planets at their time of birth. This results in an intersection of meanings that go beyond the ‘main’ sign, changing our personalities into different shapes. But that is too much for our introductory explainer. So let’s stick with the main signs. (You also don’t have to ‘believe’ in astrology to get some enjoyment from it!)
The following traits and personalities are based on the astrology app, Co-Star.
Fire Signs
Fire signs are passionate, energetic, bold and motivated. Equally, they can be stubborn and impulsive. The fire signs are Aries, Leo and Sagittarius.
Aries
Symbol: The ram
Dates (2026): March 20 to April 19
Characteristics: Aries often speak without thinking, have a short temper and sometimes lose track of their emotions. They are competitive, will take on any challenge and get bored easily.
Leo
Symbol: The lion
Dates (2026): July 22 to August 22
Characteristics: Leos radiate warmth and creativity, and often have larger-than-life personalities. They love being in the spotlight, are drawn to the finer things in life, and often at times come across
as vain.
Sagittarius
Symbol: The archer
Characteristics: Sagittariuses tend to form opinions based on their feelings, are committed to personal growth, speak loudly and unapologetically, and are often the most outgoing and entertaining people in the room.
Water Signs
Water signs have strong emotions, intuition, imagination and are nurturing. They can also be insecure, easily overwhelmed and escapist. The water signs are Pisces, Cancer and Scorpio.
Pisces
Symbol: The fishes
Dates (2026): February 18 to March 20
Characteristics: Pisces are very romantic and creatively inclined, with a dreamy quality that draws them towards fantasy. They tend to overlook boundaries and interpret everything as a sign. They seem both childlike and wise at the same time.
Cancer
Symbol: The crab
Dates (2026): June 21 to July 22
Characteristics: Cancers are sensitive and often look for reassurance and comfort. They are strict about the very few boundaries they set for themselves and tend to take on other people’s problems as their own.
Scorpio
Symbol: The scorpion
Dates (2026): October 23 to November 22
Characteristics: Scorpios are sensitive to betrayal and are protective of the people they love. They are comfortable with silence and can be misleading at times, however they are a sharp judge of character.
Earth Signs
Earth signs are grounded, practical, hard-working, stable and loyal. They can also be stubborn and stuck in their routines. The earth signs are Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn.
Taurus
Symbol: The bull
Dates (2026): April 19 to May 20
Characteristics: Tauruses adore physical affection and are homebodies. They’re creatures of habit, often wearing the same outfit every day, and aren’t fond of sudden change. They know how to work hard but also how to relax hard.
Virgo
Symbol: The virgin
Dates (2026): August 22 to September 22
Characteristics: Virgos thrive on feeling helpful and tend to have quick fixes for everything. They have strong attention to detail and spatial awareness, but are often critical and have a need to be correct.
Capricorn
Symbol: The sea goat
Dates (2026): December 21 to January 20
Characteristics: Capricorns show maturity from a young age. They are responsible and have a strong sense of duty. They can take a while to open up to people and will quickly set aside their feelings to focus on their goals.
Air Signs
Air signs are intellectual, communicative, analytical and confident. They lead with their brains but can also be inconsistent, emotionally detached and prone to overthinking. The air signs are Aquarius, Gemini and Libra.
Aquarius
Symbol: The water bearer
Dates (2026): January 19 to February 18
Characteristics: Aquarians are unconventional and idea-driven, valuing ideas over emotions. They can be drawn to conspiracy theories and frequently feel like outsiders, even though they crave independence.
Libra
Symbol: The scales
Dates (2026): September 22 to October 23
Characteristics: Libras dislike solitude and have an eye for style. They avoid conflict and are dedicated to keeping the peace, often seeing multiple perspectives and embracing nuance. They are dreamy and often struggle to make decisions.
Gemini
Symbol: The twins
Dates (2026): May 20 to June 21
Characteristics: Geminis are charismatic and sociable, able to strike up a conversation with anyone. They enjoy playful debates and use humour to navigate tricky situations. They often show different sides of their personality depending on the moment.
Let us know if you’d like horoscopes!
History
Astrology and the interpretation of the stars and planets have been around for millennia. First originating in ancient Mesopotamia, astrology began by using the stars to decipher messages from the gods. Here, 12 astrological signs were developed, which the ancient Greeks later connected to constellations and dates and named accordingly.
Both the ancient Greeks and Mesopotamians used astrology to connect with the gods and interpret how celestial positions affected events on earth. The 12 signs we know today were not used to describe individuals until the Egyptian astrologer, Claudius Ptolemy, linked them to personal attributes and events.
This is where Western astrology emerged, and it grew popular in the Middle Ages, when even doctors used it to diagnose. Most commonly, astrologers were found in royal courts, where they provided horoscopes to monarchs. During the witch trials of the 15th century, astrology became associated with sorcery and paganism, and the attitude towards it shifted.
There was an astrological resurgence during the Renaissance, but its popularity faded again with the Age of Enlightenment and the Scientific Revolution. The modern (20th-century) resurgence began with a newspaper column in The Sunday Express, and more newspapers began running horoscope columns. By the 1980s, these were common in media outlets, and people indulged in star readings to predict their personality traits and future life events.
Star Signs and Their Qualities
The zodiac we know today has 12 signs, and can be grouped according to the four elements they correspond to: Fire, Water, Earth and Air.
Of course, not everyone born within the dates have these strict personality traits. They say that everyone has a ‘chart’ mapping the placement of the planets at their time of birth. This results in an intersection of meanings that go beyond the ‘main’ sign, changing our personalities into different shapes. But that is too much for our introductory explainer. So let’s stick with the main signs. (You also don’t have to ‘believe’ in astrology to get some enjoyment from it!)
The following traits and personalities are based on the astrology app, Co-Star.
Fire Signs
Fire signs are passionate, energetic, bold and motivated. Equally, they can be stubborn and impulsive. The fire signs are Aries, Leo and Sagittarius.
Aries
Symbol: The ram
Dates (2026): March 20 to April 19
Characteristics: Aries often speak without thinking, have a short temper and sometimes lose track of their emotions. They are competitive, will take on any challenge and get bored easily.
Leo
Symbol: The lion
Dates (2026): July 22 to August 22
Characteristics: Leos radiate warmth and creativity, and often have larger-than-life personalities. They love being in the spotlight, are drawn to the finer things in life, and often at times come across
as vain.
Sagittarius
Symbol: The archer
Characteristics: Sagittariuses tend to form opinions based on their feelings, are committed to personal growth, speak loudly and unapologetically, and are often the most outgoing and entertaining people in the room.
Water Signs
Water signs have strong emotions, intuition, imagination and are nurturing. They can also be insecure, easily overwhelmed and escapist. The water signs are Pisces, Cancer and Scorpio.
Pisces
Symbol: The fishes
Dates (2026): February 18 to March 20
Characteristics: Pisces are very romantic and creatively inclined, with a dreamy quality that draws them towards fantasy. They tend to overlook boundaries and interpret everything as a sign. They seem both childlike and wise at the same time.
Cancer
Symbol: The crab
Dates (2026): June 21 to July 22
Characteristics: Cancers are sensitive and often look for reassurance and comfort. They are strict about the very few boundaries they set for themselves and tend to take on other people’s problems as their own.
Scorpio
Symbol: The scorpion
Dates (2026): October 23 to November 22
Characteristics: Scorpios are sensitive to betrayal and are protective of the people they love. They are comfortable with silence and can be misleading at times, however they are a sharp judge of character.
Earth Signs
Earth signs are grounded, practical, hard-working, stable and loyal. They can also be stubborn and stuck in their routines. The earth signs are Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn.
Taurus
Symbol: The bull
Dates (2026): April 19 to May 20
Characteristics: Tauruses adore physical affection and are homebodies. They’re creatures of habit, often wearing the same outfit every day, and aren’t fond of sudden change. They know how to work hard but also how to relax hard.
Virgo
Symbol: The virgin
Dates (2026): August 22 to September 22
Characteristics: Virgos thrive on feeling helpful and tend to have quick fixes for everything. They have strong attention to detail and spatial awareness, but are often critical and have a need to be correct.
Capricorn
Symbol: The sea goat
Dates (2026): December 21 to January 20
Characteristics: Capricorns show maturity from a young age. They are responsible and have a strong sense of duty. They can take a while to open up to people and will quickly set aside their feelings to focus on their goals.
Air Signs
Air signs are intellectual, communicative, analytical and confident. They lead with their brains but can also be inconsistent, emotionally detached and prone to overthinking. The air signs are Aquarius, Gemini and Libra.
Aquarius
Symbol: The water bearer
Dates (2026): January 19 to February 18
Characteristics: Aquarians are unconventional and idea-driven, valuing ideas over emotions. They can be drawn to conspiracy theories and frequently feel like outsiders, even though they crave independence.
Libra
Symbol: The scales
Dates (2026): September 22 to October 23
Characteristics: Libras dislike solitude and have an eye for style. They avoid conflict and are dedicated to keeping the peace, often seeing multiple perspectives and embracing nuance. They are dreamy and often struggle to make decisions.
Gemini
Symbol: The twins
Dates (2026): May 20 to June 21
Characteristics: Geminis are charismatic and sociable, able to strike up a conversation with anyone. They enjoy playful debates and use humour to navigate tricky situations. They often show different sides of their personality depending on the moment.
Let us know if you’d like horoscopes!
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