Aquarius season runs from about January 20 to February 18. Aquarius is a fixed air sign, symbolized by the Water Bearer and ruled by Uranus (traditionally Saturn). Here's what the Aquarius zodiac sign means, from personality to love, career and compatibility.
Aquarius at a glance
- Dates: about January 20 – February 18
- Symbol: Water Bearer
- Element: Air
- Modality: Fixed
- Ruling planet: Uranus (traditionally Saturn)
- Opposite sign: Leo
- Keywords: independent, original, humanitarian
Aquarius dates
The Sun enters Aquarius around January 20 and leaves around February 18. The exact day and time shift slightly from year to year, so if you were born on the first or last day of the sign, check your exact placement with the free birth chart calculator.
Aquarius personality traits
Aquarius is the innovator of the zodiac. Despite the Water Bearer symbol, it's an air sign: idea-driven, future-minded and independent. Aquarius cares about people and causes in the big picture, and it insists on doing things its own way.
Aquarius strengths
- Originality
- Independence
- Open-mindedness
- Loyalty to friends
Aquarius weaknesses
- Emotional detachment
- Stubbornness
- Unpredictability
- Aloofness
Aquarius in love
In love, Aquarius wants a friend first. They value independence, ideas and honesty, and they show affection in unconventional ways. They need space, and they give it. Aquarius needs a partner who is independent, open-minded and a true friend.
Aquarius at work
Aquarius suits forward-looking and community-minded work: technology, science, engineering, activism, nonprofit work, design and anything that changes how things are done.
Aquarius compatibility
Traditionally, Aquarius gets along most easily with fellow air signs Gemini and Libra, and with the fire signs Aries and Sagittarius. Taurus and Scorpio are considered more challenging, and Leo, the opposite sign, is the classic case of attraction between opposites.
See every pairing in the Aquarius compatibility guide, or compare two birthdays with the compatibility test.
What "fixed air" means
Air signs (Gemini, Libra, Aquarius) are social, curious and driven by ideas and conversation. Fixed signs (Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, Aquarius) fall in the middle of each season and like to sustain things. Put together, Aquarius expresses air energy in a fixed way. See how all twelve compare in our zodiac signs guide.
Beyond your sun sign
Being an Aquarius means the Sun was in Aquarius when you were born. Your moon sign (emotions) and rising sign (first impressions) are often in different signs, which is why two people with the same sun sign can seem so different.
- Find them with the moon sign calculator and the rising sign calculator.
- If they're in Aquarius too, read about the Aquarius moon and Aquarius rising.
- New to this? Start with the big three in astrology.
Astrology is a symbolic tradition, and these descriptions are for reflection and entertainment. Your whole chart, and your own choices, say far more than any single placement.
FAQ
What are the Aquarius dates?
Aquarius runs from about January 20 – February 18. The exact start and end can shift by a day depending on the year.
What kind of sign is Aquarius?
Aquarius is a fixed air sign ruled by Uranus (traditionally Saturn). Its symbol is the Water Bearer.
What are Aquarius's main traits?
Aquarius is known for being independent, original, humanitarian.
Who is Aquarius most compatible with?
Traditionally Gemini, Libra, Aries and Sagittarius. Sun signs are only a general guide; full charts matter more.
What is Aquarius's opposite sign?
Leo. Opposite signs often attract and balance each other.