In astrology, each zodiac sign is subdivided into three segments known as decans or decanates. Ancient astrologers created this system to provide a more nuanced interpretation of the zodiac signs.
What are Decans?
Every zodiac sign has three decans, or three subdivisions. You can be a First Decan, Second Decan or Third Decan Aries, for example. In order to give fuller interpretation to the zodiac signs, ancient astrologers subdivided each sign into periods of approximately ten days. These divisions are known as the "decans" or "decanates" and cover modifications of individual traits, attributed to minor planetary influences, which temper or blend with the ruling influence of the period. Modern astrology updates the rulerships.
The Sun falling into the first 0-9 degrees of any sign is the First Decan. The Sun falling into the second lot of 10-19 degrees is the Second Decan. The Sun falling into the final 20-29 degrees is the Third Decan. So, there are three types of Aries, three types of Taurus and so on.
Determining Your Decan
If you were born on the first day or last day of a decan, check the degree of your Sun Sign to find out if you have your Sun at 0-9, 10-19 or 20-29 degrees of the sign. That’s the big deciding factor.
So, for example, if you were born on April 21, the first day of the Taurus First Decan, you would use the calculator on this page to make sure your Sun really is 0 Taurus and thus you really are a Taurus First Decan person.
Read also: Artistic Alchemists of Taurus
If you don’t know your birth time then you may be the decan before, or after. One decan will usually ring true, far more than the other. For the vast majority of people though, this general guide to decans is true and accurate. You can just use your date of birth.
Accurately find your Sun’s decan with the HOROSCOPE MAKER. Each decan is made up of 10º divided as follows.
- Decan 1 = 0º up to (but not including) 10º
- Decan 2 = 10º up to (but not including) 20º
- Decan 3 = 20º up to (but not including) 30º
Decan Examples by Zodiac Sign
Here are some examples of how decans manifest in different zodiac signs:
Aries
First Decan (March 21st - 30th)
Your Sun is at 0-9 degrees of Aries. You are usually born from March 21st to 30th, but enter your time, place and date of birth to confirm that your Aries First Decan sign is true. You were born in the first decan of the first sign of the zodiac. Your projects, ideas and plans are your number one priority. Ruled by Mars, you are a strong action man or action woman. You make a bold impression on people. Aries, your profile and image do a lot of the work for you. You also find it easy to be at the centre, or upfront. Your zodiac sign is the ram. Rams mean lambs and your children or grandchildren define who you are as you have a strong vision about the next generation. Even if you do not become a parent, Aries, you will still powerfully influence younger people. You may become a godparent, stepparent or teacher, for example. You possess a mixture of male and female qualities. You may be the Aries alpha female you have read about, or a male ram who has a feminine side to his strong nature. Famous Aries First Decan: Aretha Franklin.
Second Decan (March 31st - April 9th)
Your Sun is at 10-19 degrees of Aries, usually March 31 to April 9. You are productive, hard-working and capable of sustaining your income by reproducing your well-crafted projects, products or plans to meet demand. This may be hit podcasts or soda bread. You were born in the second decan of Aries, a sign associated with energy and action and there is nothing lazy about you. You are aware of your reputation (Aries rules how you are seen) within your industry, field or profession. Meeting that reputation for being the reliable producer or craftsperson is not difficult because you have what it takes to keep going (rather like a battery) when other people might want time off. You are also competitive by nature. Aries is associated with the ram who competes for dominance. You may or may not want to come first and be first (as Aries traditionally does) but you certainly want to hold your own against others in your chosen field. This characterises your personality and life. The money is solid. So are you. Famous Aries Second Decan: Ravi Shankar, April 7
Read also: Learn about Rick Levine and his contributions to astrology.
Third Decan (April 10th - 20th)
Your Sun is at 20-29 degrees of Aries. You are usually born April 10 to 20 but check on the decan calculator. You are strong, have great willpower and staying power and are capable of turning any situation around. Your ruling planet is Mars and you are by nature a fighter. The great transformation in your life happens when you realise that you can fight anything you do not want in your own mind, body and spirit too - and win. This makes you a natural meditator, for example, or a good self-hypnotist. Over time you will come to terms with the role that conflicts play in your life as Aries is also the sign of the warrior woman or man. This may be in any kind of duel, from personal to professional. It is part of who you are. Taking the psychological fencing out of an Aries is taking away who she or he is. Yet, you are the person who has to live with this sparring.
Taurus
First Decan (April 21st - 30th)
Your Sun is at 0-9 degrees of Taurus. You are usually born from April 21 to 30. You are able to channel ideas, insights and inspiration and make money. Taurus rules income. You are also an earth sign. You ground these impressions and visions and bring them down to terra firma. You are also ruled by Venus, who is in charge of husbands and wives, lovers, mothers and sons and also in-laws. Relationships are another area where you bring your received brilliance, down to earth. Taurus is a practical, can-do sign. There is no point living in your head. Everything is there to be used. The bull, for which your sign is named, is a powerful and formidable creature. So are you. You are a fixed sign and are quite fixed about your convictions. Firmly planted to the spot, you have the ability to tune into the invisible world at the same time that you base it in the real one. You may call yourself religious or spiritual (or may not) but it is a fact of life that your sign rules the Second House of values, principles, morals and ethics. Yes, you know how to make life work financially, but your soul is far more important. Famous Taurus First Decan: Jean Paul Gaultier, April 24.
Second Decan (May 1st - May 10th)
Your Sun is at 10-19 degrees of Taurus. You are usually born from May 1 to May 10. Your zodiac sign rules the Second House of real-estate, property, material security and both land and all kinds of residences. Taurus is associated with the builder and the rebuilder. Despite this, there will be regular crossroads in your life when you are free to choose to walk away and start again. Every time change arrives in your life, you must decide if you are going to opt for familiarity and security, and go back to restructure, or simply leave and create a brand new life for yourself. Relationships are central to you, as Venus rules Taurus. She describes lovers, partners, parents and children and in-laws too. Walking away and starting again, or going back to rebuild, depends on the other person who matters most at the time. In your solar chart Uranus rules your mission, position and ambition. Uranus is about electrical storms, lightning bolts and sudden change. This is why the mighty structures in your life are impermanent. Again and again you face these crossroads. Famous Taurus Second Decan: Audrey Hepburn, May 4
Third Decan (May 11th - May 20th)
Your Sun is at 20-29 degrees of Taurus. You are usually born from May 11 to May 20. Venus rules your sign and she is associated with the scales of justice, thanks to her dual rulership of Libra. The scales for Taurus are different as they weigh money, business, valuables and property. You are the balanced individual who spends a lifetime weighing things up. Sometimes it is about the joint bank account and property in a marriage or professional partnership. You may even work in the law and decide what is fair for others. In other cases your famous Venusian scales must balance art against commerce. For obvious reasons, your decan is also associated with evaluating different but equally precious assets. Taurus is associated with all that is valuable and also priced. You are a fixed sign and are fixed in your judgements. You don’t waver once you have weighed things up. Taurus the bull rules gold bullion and the scales, weights and balances used in the gold business.
Gemini
First Decan (May 21st - May 31st)
You were born with the Sun at 0-9 Gemini. You are usually born between May 21 to May 31. You were born under the sign of the twins and regularly find yourself in crucial duets, double-acts, partnerships, duels, pairs and couples. Gemini is ruled by Mercury the planet of communication and your lifelong task is to articulate what you feel in a way that can be translated, as you wish, by the other person. This may be just one marriage which encapsulates this quest for understanding and connection. Sometimes you have a variety of professional or personal ‘twins’. There may also be a real sibling relationship in your life where you are permanently negotiating the space between you. Gemini the twins is based on Castor and Pollux, the half-brothers. Pollux gave half his immortality to his brother. Traditionally, women swear by Castor and men swear by Pollux. It is through male-female relationships that you will discover your purpose, which is to use your way with words to bargain and trade with the other person. To reach understanding. Famous Gemini First Decan: Morrissey, May 22
Read also: The Secrets of Astrology and Numerology
Second Decan (June 1st - June 10th)
The Gemini Second Decan usually runs from June 1 to June 10. Your Sun is at 10-19 Gemini. You are ruled by the planet Mercury, linked to the Third House, are a mutable air sign and associated with the twins, Castor and Pollux. Going back to childhood, one of the driving forces in your life is your mother, who may or may not have given you siblings. Your memory of being an only child with the absence of a brother or sister (or perhaps the memory of one, or your mother’s hopes for one) is central. Even if you did have brothers or sisters, your mother’s exclusive and close relationship with you, or your sibling, shapes who you are. Pollux gave half his immortality to his brother, Castor. You regularly resurrect yourself. You rise again. You are a creature of transition who repeatedly recovers from the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune to reincarnate. However it happens all in one lifetime - your own. Find out more about the myth of Castor and Pollux, ruling Gemini as you may find parallels. Famous Gemini Second Decan: Johnny Depp, June 9
Third Decan (June 11th - June 21st)
You were born from, typically, June 11 to June 21 and your Sun is at 20-29 Gemini. Gemini is ruled by Mercury, the planet of the mind. Your state of mind, psychology and analysis of yourself and your life has more impact on your relationships than any other factor. The great discovery you make from adolescence into advanced old age, is that your mind controls so much. Learning how to work with your mind is the key to more fulfilling relationships. Gemini is associated with brothers, sisters and cousins and so your family tree is always omnipresent. Going back to your roots can help to ground you, no matter if the relationship with your siblings or cousins was good, bad or indifferent. You don’t really know yourself until you dig more deeply into your family tree, as the impact of a brother, sister and/or cousin is usually profound for a Third Decan Gemini. Grounding yourself in the past can help you with the present. So can finding a technique for mind, body and spirit.
Cancer
First Decan (June 22nd - July 1st)
Your Sun is at 0-9 degrees of Cancer and you are typically born from June 22 to July 1. You are ruled by the Moon, associated with the crab and also the Fourth House of extended family, ancestors, heritage, history and origins. You were born into a tradition of religion or anti-religion, on either side of the family. If you are also religious you are here to teach, instruct, guide, mentor, tutor and perhaps lead. If you are not, it may be because you questioned what your ancestry and family circle were handing down. Alternatively, you may have been born into a strong tradition of questioning religious dogma, so may have found yourself more convinced by the Tarot (for example) or alternative doctrines and philosophies. You will take turns at being both the true believer and the sceptical questioner at different times in your life. If you are Italian, for example, you may be a devout Roman Catholic - or here to be convinced by the Pope. It is hard to get away from your upbringing but you must have a philosophy, no matter if it is pro, anti or somewhere in between. Famous Cancer First Decan: Ricky Gervais, June 25
Second Decan (July 2nd - July 11th)
Your Sun is at 10-19 degrees of Cancer. You are usually born from July 2 to July 11. All your life you will either be in the family circle, in the group or in the community - or leading it. Taking turns at being part of the collective or being front-and-centre with it, is part of your path. Fortunately for you, experiencing both sides means you are in a better position to be sensitive to individual needs within a clan or collection of people. This enables you to ensure everybody is content as there is always a risk with large numbers of people that you are missing signs that not everybody is fixed in position. This matters, as if one leaves, so might another - and so on. As you are ruled by the Moon you value emotional security very highly so when it is your turn to be at the front of a group, you find the backing and support is almost like a force-field. Cancer rules the extended family tree on your mother’s side and father’s side and this collective psychological and spiritual backing, might be the inspiration for your clubs, teams, bands, charities, political parties, societies, associations and so on. As with all family matters (and so with the crowd) it is important to understand that sharing a label or name does not deny individuality. Famous Cancer Second Decan: His Holiness the Dalai Lama, July 6
Third Decan (July 12th - July 22nd)
Your Sun is at 20-29 degrees of Cancer and you are usually born between July 12 and 22. The solution to everything for you, as a highly emotional, sensitive Cancerian - is the family tree. This means understanding your roots in terms of the places where your relatives have lived, as well as your connection to the ancestors. It can be illuminating and even life-changing to discover who is there on your mother’s side and father’s side of the clan. In the modern world we are not encouraged to live like this and identifying so strongly with the past is often ditched in favour of changing times. For you, though, it can be grounding, centring and extremely reassuring to cling on to where you come from (and who you come from, too). This can help a lot with the famous moods of Cancer. The connection with moods comes from the Moon, your ruler, which fluctuates through phases over her four-weekly cycle. The emotional security and fulfilment you need so much can only be there for you, when you are feeling at home with yourself. Is it you or them? Often, it’s you.
Leo
First Decan (July 23rd - August 1st)
Your Sun is at 0-9 degrees of Leo. You are usually born from July 23rd to August 1st, Leo. Let’s just say, you have a complicated love life. Love triangles are common. Leo rules the heart in astrology and your heart is often on the line. Born in the first decan of the sign, you need to come first, but sometimes find you must accept second or third place when two others are involved. When this happens, you usually leave, as you are far too proud to stay. It is also the case that you can be courted by two people pulling you in opposite directions, competing to be your King or Queen. A triangular three-way situation ca...
Note: Dates may vary slightly each year. Use a decan calculator to confirm your specific decan.
Our decan calculator allows you to explore the intricate details of your astrological profile. Understand the influence of decans on your personality and destiny.
Select the specific aspect or pattern you are interested in, such as Decan, Cradle, or Yod. Astrology Patterns Learn about various aspect patterns in astrology and how they shape your personal and professional life. Our tool provides detailed analysis and insights.
Thank you for joining this space! Here you’ll find detailed descriptions of the zodiac decans - but before you dive in, I want to share how these writings are meant to be used. The decan archetypes you’ll encounter here are presented as symbolic patterns and psychological types. These personalities are based on the mythology associated with the fixed stars and constellations found within each decan. They are not meant to predict the future, assign fate, or lock anyone into a fixed personality. Instead, think of these archetypes as mirrors for reflection. They offer themes and imagery you can use to explore your own inner life - your strengths, your struggles, and the patterns you may notice in yourself or in others.
Each of us is created with free will. We are not controlled by the stars or by archetypes. Rather, we are shaped by our choices, our environment, and ultimately by God’s grace. Archetypes like these can be useful as tools of self-discovery and growth, but they do not define who you are or what will happen to you.
So, as you read, I encourage you to approach the decan descriptions with curiosity and openness. Use them as inspiration for journaling, meditation, or creative exploration. See what resonates with you, set aside what doesn’t, and above all remember: you are free, and your life is guided not by symbols, but by the Holy Spirit who dwells within you. Welcome, and enjoy exploring the patterns and stories in this libraryBecome a member for full access to all 36 Decans
Additional Astrology Concepts
Rare Astrology Concepts Are cradles rare in astrology? Discover the significance of rare birth chart patterns and how they can reveal unique insights about your life.
Look up your moon sign with this calculator. Your moon sign describes what gives you that deepest, most secure feeling. We all need to feel like that once in a while. If our moon sign needs are never met, we can’t go on. When bad things happen, we seek to meet the needs of our moon sign more than anything else. When our moon sign needs are met, we feel secure. Birth time is not always required because the moon doesn’t change signs every day. If the moon changed signs on your birthday, this calculator will tell you your two possible moon signs. Enter your birth date and time in the provided field.Specify your birth location for accurate calculations.
Astrology Decans
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