Zodiac Constellations: How to Find Your Star Sign in the Sky

Short answer: Each star sign is named after a real constellation along the Sun's yearly path. Some are easy to spot, like Leo, Scorpius and Taurus. Others are faint. You can't see your own sign on your birthday, because the Sun is in front of it. The best time is usually about six months later, in the evening.

What are the zodiac constellations?

They're the constellations the Sun appears to pass through over a year. There are 12 familiar ones. Using the official IAU borders, the Sun also passes through a 13th, Ophiuchus (IAU). Astrology's sign dates and the real constellations don't line up exactly.

Why can't I see my sign on my birthday?

On your birthday, the Sun sits in front of your sign's constellation. So it's up in the daytime, lost in sunlight. Look roughly six months later, in the evening.

Your sign in the sky

Months are rough guides for evening viewing. North and south see them at different heights.

Easiest ones to find

• Leo: a backwards question mark, called the Sickle, with Regulus at the bottom.
• Taurus: a V shape with orange Aldebaran, and the Pleiades nearby.
• Scorpius: a long hooked tail with red Antares. Read its myth with Orion.

Can I name a star in my star sign?

Yes. Pick the constellation when you order, as long as it rises where they live. It's a symbolic gift in our register, not an official name. How it works. Want their planet too? See what is my ruling planet.

You can name a star inside your own zodiac constellation. See how naming a star works, then find your named star in the sky.

Questions people ask

What is the 13th zodiac constellation?

Ophiuchus, the serpent bearer. The Sun passes through it in late November and early December.

Which zodiac constellation is the brightest?

Scorpius and Taurus have some of the brightest stars, Antares and Aldebaran.

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