What If I Was Born On The Cusp?

The Sun's movement into the signs fluctuates from year to year by anywhere from a few hours to a day or two. So someone born on 24 October one year might be a Scorpio, while someone born that same day during another year might be a Libra.

What Does 'Born On The Cusp' Mean?

If you were born within a couple of days of when the Sun changes signs, you may have been told you were "born on the cusp," meaning you are on the edge between two zodiac signs. One way to work with this situation is to blend meanings from both signs when thinking about your personal astrology.

If you know your date, time, and place of birth, however, you can confirm your true Sun sign by getting a free copy of your birth chart. Once you have your chart, you will see that you are no longer "on the cusp" because you will know for sure what your Sun sign is.

NOTE: Once you have your chart, go to our free birth chart page to start learning how to "read" some of the symbols in your chart - including the zodiac signs, so you can tell which sign you are, immediately!

Why It's So Important To Confirm Your Sun Sign

Here are some notable examples of how the Sun's movement from one sign to the next can vary from year to year:

• Comedian and political critic Bill Maher, born 20 January 1956, is an Aquarius, while violinist and conductor Uto Ughi, born 21 January 1944, is a Capricorn—the sign that comes before Aquarius—despite being born a day after Maher.
• Sculptor Daniel Chester French (born 1850) was born 20 April and had the Sun in Aries, yet artists Joan Miro (born 1893) and Odilon Redon (born 1840) were born the same day but were Tauruses.

When Birth Time Matters Most

For someone born on a day the Sun changed signs, an accurate birth time is needed to verify that person's Sun sign.

For example, actor Lee Marvin was born 19 February 1924 in New York City. On that day, the Sun moved out of Aquarius and into Pisces at 4:51 p.m. (New York time). Without the exact time of Marvin's birth, we do not know for certain whether he was an Aquarius or a Pisces.

Get Your Birth Chart Now

You can get your birth chart now with our free, instant birth chart service.

It’s best if you have the exact time you were born. If you have only an approximate time or no time at all, see these other questions in our FAQ section:

• How Can I Find Out My Birth Time?
• How Do I Get A Simplified Birth Chart For An Unknown Birth Time?
• How Do I Use The Simplified Birth Chart?

Keep in mind that, even if you cannot obtain your birth time, you still can benefit greatly from astrology.

Astrology can give you a wealth of information about yourself to help you understand who you are and why you’re here. It also can help you understand other people much better so you can enjoy happy relationships.

Learn How To "Read" Your Chart

Once you have your chart, go to our free birth chart page to start learning how to "read" some of the symbols in your chart.

You'll find information and illustrations showing you how to read or interpret the basics of your chart.