What dates does the Sun spend in Capricorn?

Roughly December 22 to January 19. These are tropical-zodiac dates, measured from the equinox rather than from the constellation of the same name, and the exact ingress moves by up to a day or so between years because the tropical year is not a whole number of days. If a birth falls within a day of either boundary, the sign has to be computed for that specific date and time - a fixed date table will get some of those cases wrong.

Which planet rules Capricorn?

Saturn, in both the classical and the modern scheme. Capricorn is one of the signs whose rulership was never reassigned after the outer planets were found, so traditional and modern sources agree here.

What does it mean that Capricorn is a cardinal earth sign?

Capricorn belongs to the earth triplicity, described as cold and dry, which it shares with Taurus and Virgo. Cardinal signs open a season: the Sun enters one at each equinox or solstice. The pairing of one element with one modality is unique to each sign - twelve signs, four elements, three modalities - so earth plus cardinal identifies Capricorn and no other sign. Polarity is receptive, alternating around the zodiac so that every sign sits between its two opposites in polarity.

Which planets are strong or weak in Capricorn?

Mars is exalted in Capricorn, Jupiter is in fall here, Moon is in detriment here. Exaltation and fall are a fixed table inherited from Hellenistic astrology, not a judgment computed from the chart: they say a planet is easier or harder to work with in that sign regardless of anything else in the figure. Detriment is simply the sign opposite the one a planet rules. A planet with no listed dignity in Capricorn is called peregrine, which means unaspected by dignity rather than weak.

What are the three decans of Capricorn?

0 to 10 degrees is subruled by Capricorn (Saturn); 10 to 20 degrees is subruled by Taurus (Venus); 20 to 30 degrees is subruled by Virgo (Mercury). This is the triplicity system, where a sign's three decans go to the three signs of its own element in zodiacal order, starting with itself. A competing Chaldean system assigns decan rulers by planetary order instead and produces different rulers for the same degrees, so a decan reading is only meaningful once you know which of the two systems it came from.

Capricorn

12-22 - 01-19 · earth · cardinal · receptive

Dignities

Ruler: ♄ Saturn
Exaltation: ♂ Mars
Fall: ♃ Jupiter
Detriment: ☽ Moon
Symbol: Sea-Goat

Hellenistic tradition

Capricorn is the nocturnal domicile of Saturn and exaltation of Mars. Cardinal earth, traditionally tied to structure and accomplishment.

Modern Western reading

Modern Western astrology reads Capricorn as associated with discipline, ambition, and durable structures.

Same element

Decans

Planets in Capricorn

Compatibility with all signs

All Capricorn compatibility detail →

Questions

What dates does the Sun spend in Capricorn?: Roughly December 22 to January 19. These are tropical-zodiac dates, measured from the equinox rather than from the constellation of the same name, and the exact ingress moves by up to a day or so between years because the tropical year is not a whole number of days. If a birth falls within a day of either boundary, the sign has to be computed for that specific date and time - a fixed date table will get some of those cases wrong.
Which planet rules Capricorn?: Saturn, in both the classical and the modern scheme. Capricorn is one of the signs whose rulership was never reassigned after the outer planets were found, so traditional and modern sources agree here.
What does it mean that Capricorn is a cardinal earth sign?: Capricorn belongs to the earth triplicity, described as cold and dry, which it shares with Taurus and Virgo. Cardinal signs open a season: the Sun enters one at each equinox or solstice. The pairing of one element with one modality is unique to each sign - twelve signs, four elements, three modalities - so earth plus cardinal identifies Capricorn and no other sign. Polarity is receptive, alternating around the zodiac so that every sign sits between its two opposites in polarity.
Which planets are strong or weak in Capricorn?: Mars is exalted in Capricorn, Jupiter is in fall here, Moon is in detriment here. Exaltation and fall are a fixed table inherited from Hellenistic astrology, not a judgment computed from the chart: they say a planet is easier or harder to work with in that sign regardless of anything else in the figure. Detriment is simply the sign opposite the one a planet rules. A planet with no listed dignity in Capricorn is called peregrine, which means unaspected by dignity rather than weak.
What are the three decans of Capricorn?: 0 to 10 degrees is subruled by Capricorn (Saturn); 10 to 20 degrees is subruled by Taurus (Venus); 20 to 30 degrees is subruled by Virgo (Mercury). This is the triplicity system, where a sign's three decans go to the three signs of its own element in zodiacal order, starting with itself. A competing Chaldean system assigns decan rulers by planetary order instead and produces different rulers for the same degrees, so a decan reading is only meaningful once you know which of the two systems it came from.

Reference, not advice

This is cultural and astronomical reference, not personal prediction or advice.

Tropical zodiac dates are astronomical conventions. Traditional interpretations are paraphrased from primary classical and modern sources. See sources and methodology.

Sources

Last reviewed 2026-05-28.