2027 Forecast

June 21 – July 22 · Water · Cardinal · ruled by the Moon

Cancer

Cancer covers June 21 – July 22 and is the 4th sign of the zodiac: water, cardinal, ruled by the Moon. Its keynote is protection, memory and deep attachment. In 2026 the Sun spends 31.45 days in it — the longest of the twelve, because the signs are not equal in length.

Sun enters 2027
Jun 21 2:11 PM UTC
Sun leaves
Jul 23 1:05 AM UTC
Season length
31.5 days 31 d 10 h 54 min
US births
8.84% 3rd most common of 12

Times: NASA JPL DE440. Births: US Social Security Administration, 2000–2014.

The Cancer man The Cancer woman

For Cancer today: Cancer horoscope today, Cancer compatibility and Cancer birthstones.

The animal each of the twelve signs is paired with, and why the two calendars disagree: spirit animal by zodiac sign.

The same sign on the horizon instead of behind the Sun: Cancer rising — a different reading, and one that needs a birth time.

90°–120°

Exact times

Cancer season 2027: the exact start in your city

The Sun enters Cancer at 2:11 PM UTC on June 21, 2027 — 10:11 AM in Santiago, 10:11 AM in New York, 3:11 PM in London and 11:11 PM in Tokyo — and leaves it for Leo at 1:05 AM UTC on July 23, after 31 d 10 h 54 min.

City Sun enters Cancer Sun moves on to Leo
UTC Mon, Jun 21 Fri, Jul 23
Honolulu United States 4:11 AM Mon, Jun 21 · UTC−10 3:05 PM Thu, Jul 22 · UTC−10
Anchorage United States 6:11 AM Mon, Jun 21 · UTC−8 5:05 PM Thu, Jul 22 · UTC−8
Los Angeles United States 7:11 AM Mon, Jun 21 · UTC−7 6:05 PM Thu, Jul 22 · UTC−7
Phoenix United States 7:11 AM Mon, Jun 21 · UTC−7 6:05 PM Thu, Jul 22 · UTC−7
Denver United States 8:11 AM Mon, Jun 21 · UTC−6 7:05 PM Thu, Jul 22 · UTC−6
Chicago United States 9:11 AM Mon, Jun 21 · UTC−5 8:05 PM Thu, Jul 22 · UTC−5
Mexico City Mexico 8:11 AM Mon, Jun 21 · UTC−6 7:05 PM Thu, Jul 22 · UTC−6
New York United States 10:11 AM Mon, Jun 21 · UTC−4 9:05 PM Thu, Jul 22 · UTC−4
Toronto Canada 10:11 AM Mon, Jun 21 · UTC−4 9:05 PM Thu, Jul 22 · UTC−4
Bogotá Colombia 9:11 AM Mon, Jun 21 · UTC−5 8:05 PM Thu, Jul 22 · UTC−5
Lima Peru 9:11 AM Mon, Jun 21 · UTC−5 8:05 PM Thu, Jul 22 · UTC−5
Caracas Venezuela 10:11 AM Mon, Jun 21 · UTC−4 9:05 PM Thu, Jul 22 · UTC−4
Santiago Chile 10:11 AM Mon, Jun 21 · UTC−4 9:05 PM Thu, Jul 22 · UTC−4
Buenos Aires Argentina 11:11 AM Mon, Jun 21 · UTC−3 10:05 PM Thu, Jul 22 · UTC−3
São Paulo Brazil 11:11 AM Mon, Jun 21 · UTC−3 10:05 PM Thu, Jul 22 · UTC−3
Reykjavík Iceland 2:11 PM Mon, Jun 21 · UTC 1:05 AM Fri, Jul 23 · UTC
London United Kingdom 3:11 PM Mon, Jun 21 · UTC+1 2:05 AM Fri, Jul 23 · UTC+1
Lagos Nigeria 3:11 PM Mon, Jun 21 · UTC+1 2:05 AM Fri, Jul 23 · UTC+1
Paris France 4:11 PM Mon, Jun 21 · UTC+2 3:05 AM Fri, Jul 23 · UTC+2
Berlin Germany 4:11 PM Mon, Jun 21 · UTC+2 3:05 AM Fri, Jul 23 · UTC+2
Johannesburg South Africa 4:11 PM Mon, Jun 21 · UTC+2 3:05 AM Fri, Jul 23 · UTC+2
Cairo Egypt 5:11 PM Mon, Jun 21 · UTC+3 4:05 AM Fri, Jul 23 · UTC+3
Athens Greece 5:11 PM Mon, Jun 21 · UTC+3 4:05 AM Fri, Jul 23 · UTC+3
Istanbul Turkey 5:11 PM Mon, Jun 21 · UTC+3 4:05 AM Fri, Jul 23 · UTC+3
Moscow Russia 5:11 PM Mon, Jun 21 · UTC+3 4:05 AM Fri, Jul 23 · UTC+3
Nairobi Kenya 5:11 PM Mon, Jun 21 · UTC+3 4:05 AM Fri, Jul 23 · UTC+3
Tehran Iran 5:41 PM Mon, Jun 21 · UTC+3:30 4:35 AM Fri, Jul 23 · UTC+3:30
Dubai United Arab Emirates 6:11 PM Mon, Jun 21 · UTC+4 5:05 AM Fri, Jul 23 · UTC+4
Karachi Pakistan 7:11 PM Mon, Jun 21 · UTC+5 6:05 AM Fri, Jul 23 · UTC+5
New Delhi India 7:41 PM Mon, Jun 21 · UTC+5:30 6:35 AM Fri, Jul 23 · UTC+5:30
Kathmandu Nepal 7:56 PM Mon, Jun 21 · UTC+5:45 6:50 AM Fri, Jul 23 · UTC+5:45
Dhaka Bangladesh 8:11 PM Mon, Jun 21 · UTC+6 7:05 AM Fri, Jul 23 · UTC+6
Bangkok Thailand 9:11 PM Mon, Jun 21 · UTC+7 8:05 AM Fri, Jul 23 · UTC+7
Jakarta Indonesia 9:11 PM Mon, Jun 21 · UTC+7 8:05 AM Fri, Jul 23 · UTC+7
Singapore 10:11 PM Mon, Jun 21 · UTC+8 9:05 AM Fri, Jul 23 · UTC+8
Beijing China 10:11 PM Mon, Jun 21 · UTC+8 9:05 AM Fri, Jul 23 · UTC+8
Manila Philippines 10:11 PM Mon, Jun 21 · UTC+8 9:05 AM Fri, Jul 23 · UTC+8
Perth Australia 10:11 PM Mon, Jun 21 · UTC+8 9:05 AM Fri, Jul 23 · UTC+8
Seoul South Korea 11:11 PM Mon, Jun 21 · UTC+9 10:05 AM Fri, Jul 23 · UTC+9
Tokyo Japan 11:11 PM Mon, Jun 21 · UTC+9 10:05 AM Fri, Jul 23 · UTC+9
Adelaide Australia 11:41 PM Mon, Jun 21 · UTC+9:30 10:35 AM Fri, Jul 23 · UTC+9:30
Brisbane Australia 12:11 AM Tue, Jun 22 · UTC+10 11:05 AM Fri, Jul 23 · UTC+10
Sydney Australia 12:11 AM Tue, Jun 22 · UTC+10 11:05 AM Fri, Jul 23 · UTC+10
Auckland New Zealand 2:11 AM Tue, Jun 22 · UTC+12 1:05 PM Fri, Jul 23 · UTC+12

Sun’s ingress from the NASA JPL DE440 ephemeris; Swiss Ephemeris agrees within 5 seconds. Local times: IANA time zones, to the minute.

DatesJune 21 – July 22
SymbolCrab
ElementWater
ModalityCardinal
Ruling planetMoon
House4
PolarityNegative
Lucky numbers2, 7
Lucky dayMonday
ColorSilver, white
BirthstoneRuby, moonstone
Best matches Scorpio, Pisces, Taurus
Hardest matches Leo, Sagittarius, Aquarius
Rules the bodyChest and stomach

Calculated, not approximated

Exact Cancer dates for 2026

Sun enters Cancer June 21, 8:25 AM UTC
Sun leaves Cancer July 22, 7:13 PM UTC
Length this year 31.5 days

The usual "June 21 – July 22" is an average. The Sun enters Cancer at 90° of ecliptic longitude, and the exact minute of that crossing — given above for the coming season — moves a little every year, which is what a boundary birthday needs.

When the Sun enters Cancer, every year 1900–2050 (UTC)
When the Sun enters Cancer, every year 1900–2050 (UTC) Cancer season started as late as Jun 22, 3:04 PM UTC in 1903 and will start as early as Jun 20, 3:54 PM UTC in 2048; in 2026 it is Jun 21, 8:25 AM UTC. A common year moves the ingress about 5 h 47 min later and a leap day pulls it back about 18 h 9 min, so it saw-tooths between June 20 and 22. The season itself has run from 31 d 10 h 47 min to 31 d 10 h 58 min — a spread of 12 minutes over 151 years. Jun 20Jun 21Jun 22Jun 23latest 1903latest 1903earliest 2048earliest 2048202620261900192519501975200020252050Source: NASA JPL DE440 ephemeris, Sun’s ingress at 90°astrohot.com

Cancer season started as late as Jun 22, 3:04 PM UTC in 1903 and will start as early as Jun 20, 3:54 PM UTC in 2048; in 2026 it is Jun 21, 8:25 AM UTC. A common year moves the ingress about 5 h 47 min later and a leap day pulls it back about 18 h 9 min, so it saw-tooths between June 20 and 22. The season itself has run from 31 d 10 h 47 min to 31 d 10 h 58 min — a spread of 12 minutes over 151 years.

Calculated from the Sun's actual motion

The zodiac signs are not equal

Cancer lasts 31.45 days
Rank by length 1 of 12
Share of all births 8.84%
If signs were even 30.44 days · 8.33%

Cancer runs 31.45 days in 2026 — one of the long signs the Sun crosses in the months around aphelion, when Earth moves slowest. Just behind is Gemini at 31.32.

With US births also peaking between July and September, Cancer took 8.84% of them in 2000–2014. All twelve lengths, and why they differ, are on the zodiac dates page.

Share of US births by Sun sign, 2000–2014 — Cancer highlighted
Share of US births by Sun sign, 2000–2014 — Cancer highlighted Cancer: 8.84% of the 62.2 million births, with each birth assigned by the Sun’s ingress time — the 3rd most common of twelve. Leo leads with 8.96% and Capricorn trails with 7.63%. An even split would give 8.33%. LeoLeo: 8.96%8.96%VirgoVirgo: 8.94%8.94%CancerCancer: 8.84%8.84%GeminiGemini: 8.56%8.56%LibraLibra: 8.52%8.52%TaurusTaurus: 8.29%8.29%ScorpioScorpio: 8.18%8.18%AriesAries: 8.14%8.14%PiscesPisces: 8.04%8.04%SagittariusSagittarius: 7.95%7.95%AquariusAquarius: 7.93%7.93%CapricornCapricorn: 7.63%7.63%Source: US SSA births 2000–2014 via FiveThirtyEightastrohot.com

Cancer: 8.84% of the 62.2 million births, with each birth assigned by the Sun’s ingress time — the 3rd most common of twelve. Leo leads with 8.96% and Capricorn trails with 7.63%. An even split would give 8.33%.

Rarely covered

The three Cancer decans

Ten degrees each. Modern astrologers give them to the three water signs' rulers — the Moon, Pluto and Neptune; the older Chaldean order, used on our birth date pages, gives Venus, Mercury and the Moon.

Decan 1 · 0°–10°

Sub-ruler: Moon

Double Moon — the most emotionally attuned and most easily flooded.

2026: Jun 21 – Jul 1 · Chaldean order: Venus

Decan 2 · 10°–20°

Sub-ruler: Pluto

Deeper and more intense. Holds things longer.

2026: Jul 1 – Jul 12 · Chaldean order: Mercury

Decan 3 · 20°–30°

Sub-ruler: Neptune

Dreamier and more compassionate, with weaker boundaries.

2026: Jul 12 – Jul 22 · Chaldean order: Moon

Cancer personality

Nurturing
Guarded
Loyal
Moody
Intuitive

Strengths

Reads emotional undercurrents accurately and looks after people without being asked.

Weaknesses

Withdraws instead of stating the problem, and keeps score in silence.

Cancer is the one cardinal water sign — and that pairing is the whole explanation. The element sets temperament: water signs read the room before anyone speaks. The modality decides what happens when circumstances change: cardinal signs start the change themselves.

No other sign is cardinal water, so Cancer cannot stand in for the other water signs — which share the temperament and divide the work between them differently.

Primary source

Why the Moon rules Cancer, in Ptolemy’s words

Tetrabiblos, second century AD
“Cancer and Leo are the most northerly of all the twelve signs; they approach nearer than the other signs to the zenith of this part of the earth, and thereby cause warmth and heat: they are consequently appropriated as houses for the two principal and greater luminaries; Leo for the Sun, as being masculine; and Cancer for the Moon, as being feminine.”
Claudius Ptolemy, Tetrabiblos, book I, chapter XX, translated by J. M. Ashmand from the Greek paraphrase of Proclus (London, 1822) — read the original text. Ptolemy wrote in Alexandria, and his reasoning is from the northern hemisphere, where Cancer and Leo are the summer signs. He knew seven planets, and this scheme of rulers is still the one astrologers use.

Primary source

What William Lilly wrote about Cancer in 1647

The sign’s nature
“[Cancer] is the onely house of the Moon, and is the first Signe of the Watry or Northerne Triplicity, is Watry, Cold, Moyst, Flegmatick, Feminine, Nocturnal, Moveable, a Solstice Signe, mute and slow of Voyce, Fruitful, Northerne.”
The person it describes
“Generally a low and small stature, the upper parts of more bignesse then the lower, a round Visage; sickly, pale, a whitely Complexion, the Haire a sad browne, little Eyes, prone to have many Children, if a Woman.”
William Lilly, Christian Astrology (London, 1647), book I, chapter XVI — read the original text. Christian Astrology was the first astrology textbook of its kind printed in English rather than Latin. Lilly used these descriptions mainly for the sign rising at a birth or at the moment a question was asked; reading character from the Sun’s sign alone was popularized by newspaper horoscopes in the 1930s. Spelling and punctuation are as printed, with the long s and u/v modernized; signs and planets printed as symbols are given in square brackets.

The Cancer man and woman

Cancer man

Guarded until certain, then entirely committed. Withdraws instead of arguing.

Cancer woman

Nurturing and unusually perceptive about mood. Takes small slights harder than she admits.

Astrology gives Cancer no gendered meaning; the two sketches follow how the sign is usually written about.

Cancer in each area of life

In love and relationships

Slow to open, fiercely loyal once it does. Takes small slights harder than it admits.

As a friend

Remembers everything — birthdays, grievances, what you said in 2019.

At work

Good in roles requiring care and institutional memory. Sensitive to hostile environments.

Career that suits

Care work, hospitality, property, history, anything involving looking after or preserving.

With money

Saves for security rather than pleasure. Property is the instinctive investment.

As a child

Sensitive and home-oriented. Needs a stable base before venturing out.

As a parent

The archetypal nurturer. Devoted, protective, occasionally too protective to let go.

Health and the body

Chest and stomach — Cancer rules them, and stress goes straight to the gut.

Cancer compatibility with every sign

Ranked by the angle from Cancer on the wheel; how the angle is read is explained on the compatibility hub.

WithAspectAngleScoreElement
Scorpio Trine 120° 88% Water
Pisces Trine 120° 88% Water
Taurus Sextile 60° 82% Earth
Virgo Sextile 60° 82% Earth
Cancer Conjunction 0° 78% Water
Capricorn Opposition 180° 75% Earth
Aries Square 90° 62% Fire
Libra Square 90° 62% Air
Gemini Semi-sextile 30° 58% Air
Leo Semi-sextile 30° 58% Fire
Sagittarius Quincunx 150° 55% Fire
Aquarius Quincunx 150° 55% Air

Famous Cancers

Ariana Grande, Tom Hanks, Frida Kahlo, Nelson Mandela

Cancer accounts for 8.84% of US births, so a list of famous Cancers is trivia rather than evidence.

Today's horoscope Calculated from where the Moon actually is right now. This week The lunar events falling in the next seven days. Cancer birthstone Composition, hardness and origin of each stone.

Common questions about Cancer

What are the exact Cancer dates?

June 21 – July 22 as usually published. In 2026 the Sun enters Cancer on June 21 at 8:24 AM UTC and leaves on July 22 at 7:13 PM UTC.

Who is Cancer most compatible with?

By aspect, Scorpio, Pisces and Taurus — they sit at the easiest angles from Cancer.

What is a Cancer decan?

A ten-degree third of the sign with its own sub-ruler: the Moon, Pluto and Neptune in the modern scheme, Venus, Mercury and the Moon in the older Chaldean order.

What body part does Cancer rule?

Chest and stomach — Cancer rules them, and stress goes straight to the gut.

Is the Cancer man different from the woman?

Not in the chart: the Sun in Cancer works the same for everyone. The difference is in how it is written about — the Cancer man is usually read through Mars, which spends 9.3% of days in Cancer, and the Cancer woman through Venus, at 8.5%.

Other signs

Aries Taurus Gemini Leo Virgo Libra Scorpio Sagittarius Capricorn Aquarius Pisces

Sources

  1. Claudius Ptolemy, Tetrabiblos, book I, chapter XX, translated by J. M. Ashmand from the Greek paraphrase of Proclus (London, 1822)
  2. William Lilly, Christian Astrology (London, 1647), book I, chapter XVI

Statements of fact on this page were checked against these sources in October 2026. How we choose and check sources: editorial policy.

Cite this page

AstroHot. “Cancer (June 21 – July 22): Traits and Compatibility.” Accessed October 27, 2026. https://astrohot.com/zodiac-signs/cancer/

For Wikipedia {{cite web |title=Cancer (June 21 – July 22): Traits and Compatibility |url=https://astrohot.com/zodiac-signs/cancer/ |website=AstroHot |access-date=2026-10-27}}