2027 Forecast

December 22 – January 19 · Earth · Cardinal · ruled by Saturn

Capricorn

Capricorn covers December 22 – January 19 and is the 10th sign of the zodiac: earth, cardinal, ruled by Saturn. Its keynote is ambition, structure and playing the long game. In 2026 the Sun spends 29.44 days in it — the shortest of the twelve, because the signs are not equal in length.

Sun enters 2026
Dec 21 8:50 PM UTC
Sun leaves
Jan 20 7:30 AM UTC
Season length
29.4 days 29 d 10 h 40 min
US births
7.63% least common of 12

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

The Capricorn man The Capricorn woman

For Capricorn today: Capricorn horoscope today, Capricorn compatibility and Capricorn 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: Capricorn rising — a different reading, and one that needs a birth time.

270°–300°

Exact times

Capricorn season 2026: the exact start in your city

The Sun enters Capricorn at 8:50 PM UTC on December 21, 2026 — 5:50 PM in Santiago, 3:50 PM in New York, 8:50 PM in London and 5:50 AM on December 22 in Tokyo — and leaves it for Aquarius at 7:30 AM UTC on January 20, after 29 d 10 h 40 min.

City Sun enters Capricorn Sun moves on to Aquarius
UTC Mon, Dec 21, 2026 Wed, Jan 20, 2027
Honolulu United States 10:50 AM Mon, Dec 21, 2026 · UTC−10 9:30 PM Tue, Jan 19, 2027 · UTC−10
Anchorage United States 11:50 AM Mon, Dec 21, 2026 · UTC−9 10:30 PM Tue, Jan 19, 2027 · UTC−9
Los Angeles United States 12:50 PM Mon, Dec 21, 2026 · UTC−8 11:30 PM Tue, Jan 19, 2027 · UTC−8
Phoenix United States 1:50 PM Mon, Dec 21, 2026 · UTC−7 12:30 AM Wed, Jan 20, 2027 · UTC−7
Denver United States 1:50 PM Mon, Dec 21, 2026 · UTC−7 12:30 AM Wed, Jan 20, 2027 · UTC−7
Chicago United States 2:50 PM Mon, Dec 21, 2026 · UTC−6 1:30 AM Wed, Jan 20, 2027 · UTC−6
Mexico City Mexico 2:50 PM Mon, Dec 21, 2026 · UTC−6 1:30 AM Wed, Jan 20, 2027 · UTC−6
New York United States 3:50 PM Mon, Dec 21, 2026 · UTC−5 2:30 AM Wed, Jan 20, 2027 · UTC−5
Toronto Canada 3:50 PM Mon, Dec 21, 2026 · UTC−5 2:30 AM Wed, Jan 20, 2027 · UTC−5
Bogotá Colombia 3:50 PM Mon, Dec 21, 2026 · UTC−5 2:30 AM Wed, Jan 20, 2027 · UTC−5
Lima Peru 3:50 PM Mon, Dec 21, 2026 · UTC−5 2:30 AM Wed, Jan 20, 2027 · UTC−5
Caracas Venezuela 4:50 PM Mon, Dec 21, 2026 · UTC−4 3:30 AM Wed, Jan 20, 2027 · UTC−4
Santiago Chile 5:50 PM Mon, Dec 21, 2026 · UTC−3 4:30 AM Wed, Jan 20, 2027 · UTC−3
Buenos Aires Argentina 5:50 PM Mon, Dec 21, 2026 · UTC−3 4:30 AM Wed, Jan 20, 2027 · UTC−3
São Paulo Brazil 5:50 PM Mon, Dec 21, 2026 · UTC−3 4:30 AM Wed, Jan 20, 2027 · UTC−3
Reykjavík Iceland 8:50 PM Mon, Dec 21, 2026 · UTC 7:30 AM Wed, Jan 20, 2027 · UTC
London United Kingdom 8:50 PM Mon, Dec 21, 2026 · UTC 7:30 AM Wed, Jan 20, 2027 · UTC
Lagos Nigeria 9:50 PM Mon, Dec 21, 2026 · UTC+1 8:30 AM Wed, Jan 20, 2027 · UTC+1
Paris France 9:50 PM Mon, Dec 21, 2026 · UTC+1 8:30 AM Wed, Jan 20, 2027 · UTC+1
Berlin Germany 9:50 PM Mon, Dec 21, 2026 · UTC+1 8:30 AM Wed, Jan 20, 2027 · UTC+1
Johannesburg South Africa 10:50 PM Mon, Dec 21, 2026 · UTC+2 9:30 AM Wed, Jan 20, 2027 · UTC+2
Cairo Egypt 10:50 PM Mon, Dec 21, 2026 · UTC+2 9:30 AM Wed, Jan 20, 2027 · UTC+2
Athens Greece 10:50 PM Mon, Dec 21, 2026 · UTC+2 9:30 AM Wed, Jan 20, 2027 · UTC+2
Istanbul Turkey 11:50 PM Mon, Dec 21, 2026 · UTC+3 10:30 AM Wed, Jan 20, 2027 · UTC+3
Moscow Russia 11:50 PM Mon, Dec 21, 2026 · UTC+3 10:30 AM Wed, Jan 20, 2027 · UTC+3
Nairobi Kenya 11:50 PM Mon, Dec 21, 2026 · UTC+3 10:30 AM Wed, Jan 20, 2027 · UTC+3
Tehran Iran 12:20 AM Tue, Dec 22, 2026 · UTC+3:30 11:00 AM Wed, Jan 20, 2027 · UTC+3:30
Dubai United Arab Emirates 12:50 AM Tue, Dec 22, 2026 · UTC+4 11:30 AM Wed, Jan 20, 2027 · UTC+4
Karachi Pakistan 1:50 AM Tue, Dec 22, 2026 · UTC+5 12:30 PM Wed, Jan 20, 2027 · UTC+5
New Delhi India 2:20 AM Tue, Dec 22, 2026 · UTC+5:30 1:00 PM Wed, Jan 20, 2027 · UTC+5:30
Kathmandu Nepal 2:35 AM Tue, Dec 22, 2026 · UTC+5:45 1:15 PM Wed, Jan 20, 2027 · UTC+5:45
Dhaka Bangladesh 2:50 AM Tue, Dec 22, 2026 · UTC+6 1:30 PM Wed, Jan 20, 2027 · UTC+6
Bangkok Thailand 3:50 AM Tue, Dec 22, 2026 · UTC+7 2:30 PM Wed, Jan 20, 2027 · UTC+7
Jakarta Indonesia 3:50 AM Tue, Dec 22, 2026 · UTC+7 2:30 PM Wed, Jan 20, 2027 · UTC+7
Singapore 4:50 AM Tue, Dec 22, 2026 · UTC+8 3:30 PM Wed, Jan 20, 2027 · UTC+8
Beijing China 4:50 AM Tue, Dec 22, 2026 · UTC+8 3:30 PM Wed, Jan 20, 2027 · UTC+8
Manila Philippines 4:50 AM Tue, Dec 22, 2026 · UTC+8 3:30 PM Wed, Jan 20, 2027 · UTC+8
Perth Australia 4:50 AM Tue, Dec 22, 2026 · UTC+8 3:30 PM Wed, Jan 20, 2027 · UTC+8
Seoul South Korea 5:50 AM Tue, Dec 22, 2026 · UTC+9 4:30 PM Wed, Jan 20, 2027 · UTC+9
Tokyo Japan 5:50 AM Tue, Dec 22, 2026 · UTC+9 4:30 PM Wed, Jan 20, 2027 · UTC+9
Adelaide Australia 7:20 AM Tue, Dec 22, 2026 · UTC+10:30 6:00 PM Wed, Jan 20, 2027 · UTC+10:30
Brisbane Australia 6:50 AM Tue, Dec 22, 2026 · UTC+10 5:30 PM Wed, Jan 20, 2027 · UTC+10
Sydney Australia 7:50 AM Tue, Dec 22, 2026 · UTC+11 6:30 PM Wed, Jan 20, 2027 · UTC+11
Auckland New Zealand 9:50 AM Tue, Dec 22, 2026 · UTC+13 8:30 PM Wed, Jan 20, 2027 · UTC+13

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

DatesDecember 22 – January 19
SymbolSea-Goat
ElementEarth
ModalityCardinal
Ruling planetSaturn
House10
PolarityNegative
Lucky numbers4, 8
Lucky daySaturday
ColorBrown, charcoal
BirthstoneGarnet, ruby
Best matches Taurus, Virgo, Scorpio
Hardest matches Aquarius, Gemini, Leo
Rules the bodyBones, knees and skin

Calculated, not approximated

Exact Capricorn dates for 2026

Sun enters Capricorn December 21, 8:50 PM UTC
Sun leaves Capricorn January 20, 2027, 7:30 AM UTC
Length this year 29.4 days

The usual "December 22 – January 19" is an average. The Sun enters Capricorn at 270° 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 Capricorn, every year 1900–2050 (UTC)
When the Sun enters Capricorn, every year 1900–2050 (UTC) Capricorn season started as late as Dec 23, 12:20 AM UTC in 1903 and will start as early as Dec 21, 5:02 AM UTC in 2048; in 2026 it is Dec 21, 8:50 PM UTC. A common year moves the ingress about 5 h 50 min later and a leap day pulls it back about 18 h 12 min, so it saw-tooths between December 21 and 23. The season itself has run from 29 d 10 h 34 min to 29 d 10 h 42 min — a spread of 9 minutes over 151 years. Dec 21Dec 22Dec 23Dec 24latest 1903latest 1903earliest 2048earliest 2048202620261900192519501975200020252050Source: NASA JPL DE440 ephemeris, Sun’s ingress at 270°astrohot.com

Capricorn season started as late as Dec 23, 12:20 AM UTC in 1903 and will start as early as Dec 21, 5:02 AM UTC in 2048; in 2026 it is Dec 21, 8:50 PM UTC. A common year moves the ingress about 5 h 50 min later and a leap day pulls it back about 18 h 12 min, so it saw-tooths between December 21 and 23. The season itself has run from 29 d 10 h 34 min to 29 d 10 h 42 min — a spread of 9 minutes over 151 years.

Calculated from the Sun's actual motion

The zodiac signs are not equal

Capricorn lasts 29.44 days
Rank by length 12 of 12
Share of all births 7.63%
If signs were even 30.44 days · 8.33%

Capricorn runs 29.44 days in 2026 — one of the short signs the Sun crosses in the months around perihelion, when Earth moves fastest. Only just longer is Sagittarius at 29.56 days.

With US births also peaking between July and September, Capricorn took 7.63% 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 — Capricorn highlighted
Share of US births by Sun sign, 2000–2014 — Capricorn highlighted Capricorn: 7.63% of the 62.2 million births, with each birth assigned by the Sun’s ingress time — the least common of the twelve. The most common, Leo, took 8.96% — 17.4% more than Capricorn. 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

Capricorn: 7.63% of the 62.2 million births, with each birth assigned by the Sun’s ingress time — the least common of the twelve. The most common, Leo, took 8.96% — 17.4% more than Capricorn. An even split would give 8.33%.

Rarely covered

The three Capricorn decans

Ten degrees each. Modern astrologers give them to the three earth signs' rulers — Saturn, Venus and Mercury; the older Chaldean order, used on our birth date pages, gives Jupiter, Mars and the Sun.

Decan 1 · 0°–10°

Sub-ruler: Saturn

Double Saturn — the most disciplined and most self-denying.

2026: Dec 21 – Dec 31 · Chaldean order: Jupiter

Decan 2 · 10°–20°

Sub-ruler: Venus

Warmer and more sociable. Ambition with charm attached.

2026: Dec 31 – Jan 10 · Chaldean order: Mars

Decan 3 · 20°–30°

Sub-ruler: Mercury

Strategic and analytical. Plans several moves ahead.

2026: Jan 10 – Jan 20 · Chaldean order: Sun

Capricorn personality

Disciplined
Reserved
Ambitious
Pessimistic
Responsible

Strengths

Plans in decades and executes without needing encouragement along the way.

Weaknesses

Measures worth by achievement, and struggles to rest without guilt.

Capricorn is the one cardinal earth sign — and that pairing is the whole explanation. The element sets temperament: earth signs test everything against what can be touched. The modality decides what happens when circumstances change: cardinal signs start the change themselves.

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

Primary source

Why Saturn rules Capricorn, in Ptolemy’s words

Tetrabiblos, second century AD
“Saturn, therefore, since he is cold and inimical to heat, moving also in a superior orbit most remote from the luminaries, occupies the signs opposite to Cancer and Leo: these are Aquarius and Capricorn; and they are assigned to him in consideration of their cold and wintry nature; and because the configuration by opposition does not co-operate towards the production of good.”
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 Capricorn in 1647

The sign’s nature
“It’s the House of Saturn, and is Nocturnal, Cold, Dry, Melancholly, Earthly, Feminine, Solsticiall, Cardinall, Moveable, Domesticall, Fourfooted, Southerne; the exaltation of [Mars].”
The person it describes
“Usually dry Bodies, not high of Stature, long, leane and slender Visage, thin Beard, black Haire, a narrow Chin, long small Necke and narrow Brest, I have found many times [Capricorn] ascending, the party to have white Hair, but in the seventh ever Blacke, I conceive the whitenesse proceeded from the nature of the Family rather then of the Signe.”
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 Capricorn man and woman

Capricorn man

Reserved, ambitious and dependable. Commitment is demonstrated, not stated.

Capricorn woman

Composed and quietly determined. Builds slowly and does not explain herself.

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

Capricorn in each area of life

In love and relationships

Undemonstrative but dependable. Commitment is shown by showing up, not by saying so.

As a friend

Undemonstrative and completely reliable. Turns up with a solution, not sympathy.

At work

Built for institutions and long climbs. Impatient with people who need motivating.

Career that suits

Management, institutions, architecture, law, finance — anywhere a long climb pays.

With money

The most disciplined saver, with a tendency to under-enjoy the results.

As a child

Serious and self-sufficient early. Often described as an old soul, and needs permission to play.

As a parent

Responsible, structured and reliable. Risks valuing achievement over affection.

Health and the body

Bones, knees and skin — Capricorn rules the skeleton, the structure of the body.

Capricorn compatibility with every sign

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

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

Famous Capricorns

Michelle Obama, Denzel Washington, Isaac Newton, David Bowie

Capricorn accounts for 7.63% of US births, so a list of famous Capricorns 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. Capricorn birthstone Composition, hardness and origin of each stone.

Common questions about Capricorn

What are the exact Capricorn dates?

December 22 – January 19 as usually published. In 2026 the Sun enters Capricorn on December 21 at 8:50 PM UTC and leaves on January 20, 2027 at 7:29 AM UTC.

Who is Capricorn most compatible with?

By aspect, Taurus, Virgo and Scorpio — they sit at the easiest angles from Capricorn.

What is a Capricorn decan?

A ten-degree third of the sign with its own sub-ruler: Saturn, Venus and Mercury in the modern scheme, Jupiter, Mars and the Sun in the older Chaldean order.

What body part does Capricorn rule?

Bones, knees and skin — Capricorn rules the skeleton, the structure of the body.

Is the Capricorn man different from the woman?

Not in the chart: the Sun in Capricorn works the same for everyone. The difference is in how it is written about — the Capricorn man is usually read through Mars, which spends 7.3% of days in Capricorn, and the Capricorn woman through Venus, at 8.2%.

Other signs

Aries Taurus Gemini Cancer Leo Virgo Libra Scorpio Sagittarius 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. “Capricorn Zodiac Sign: Dates, Traits and Compatibility.” Accessed October 28, 2026. https://astrohot.com/zodiac-signs/capricorn/

For Wikipedia {{cite web |title=Capricorn Zodiac Sign: Dates, Traits and Compatibility |url=https://astrohot.com/zodiac-signs/capricorn/ |website=AstroHot |access-date=2026-10-28}}