What dates does the Sun spend in Leo?

Roughly July 23 to August 22. 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 Leo?

Sun, in both the classical and the modern scheme. Leo 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 Leo is a fixed fire sign?

Leo belongs to the fire triplicity, which classical sources describe as hot and dry, which it shares with Aries and Sagittarius. Fixed signs sit at the middle of a season, when it is most established. The pairing of one element with one modality is unique to each sign - twelve signs, four elements, three modalities - so fire plus fixed identifies Leo and no other sign. Polarity is active, alternating around the zodiac so that every sign sits between its two opposites in polarity.

Which planets are strong or weak in Leo?

Saturn 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 Leo is called peregrine, which means unaspected by dignity rather than weak.

What are the three decans of Leo?

0 to 10 degrees is subruled by Leo (Sun); 10 to 20 degrees is subruled by Sagittarius (Jupiter); 20 to 30 degrees is subruled by Aries (Mars). 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.

Leo

07-23 - 08-22 · fire · fixed · active

Dignities

Ruler: ☉ Sun
Detriment: ♄ Saturn
Symbol: Lion

Hellenistic tradition

Leo is the sole domicile of the Sun. Fixed fire, traditionally tied to sovereignty and visible display.

Modern Western reading

Modern Western astrology associates Leo with expression, generosity, and creative identity.

Same element

Decans

Planets in Leo

Compatibility with all signs

All Leo compatibility detail →

Questions

What dates does the Sun spend in Leo?: Roughly July 23 to August 22. 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 Leo?: Sun, in both the classical and the modern scheme. Leo 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 Leo is a fixed fire sign?: Leo belongs to the fire triplicity, which classical sources describe as hot and dry, which it shares with Aries and Sagittarius. Fixed signs sit at the middle of a season, when it is most established. The pairing of one element with one modality is unique to each sign - twelve signs, four elements, three modalities - so fire plus fixed identifies Leo and no other sign. Polarity is active, alternating around the zodiac so that every sign sits between its two opposites in polarity.
Which planets are strong or weak in Leo?: Saturn 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 Leo is called peregrine, which means unaspected by dignity rather than weak.
What are the three decans of Leo?: 0 to 10 degrees is subruled by Leo (Sun); 10 to 20 degrees is subruled by Sagittarius (Jupiter); 20 to 30 degrees is subruled by Aries (Mars). 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.