Why Zodiac Signs Begin on Different Days Each Year

If you are a cusper — born between two zodiac signs — it’s even more important to look up your natal chart for accuracy. Many people assume their zodiac sign but may not know that the zodiacal seasons don’t begin on the same day every year.

Just because someone is born in what is often considered a date within a certain sign, knowing the year and time may shift the sign. Because Earth’s orbit around the Sun is elliptical and not a perfect circle, it is sometimes closer to the Sun and sometimes farther away. This variation in distance affects the length of time it takes for the Earth to travel through each zodiac sign, causing dates to shift slightly.

Please note, this doesn’t mean there is a 13th zodiac sign and it also depends on which zodiac system you use.

What is Precession?

Imagine a spinning top. As it slows down, its axis begins to wobble. This wobbling motion is called precession. Our planet Earth also experiences a similar precession. Over thousands of years, the Earth’s axis slowly wobbles, causing the celestial poles to shift.

How Does Precession Affect Zodiac Signs?

The zodiac signs are based on the positions of the Sun relative to the constellations. As the Earth’s axis precesses, the positions of the…