What dates does the Sun spend in Libra?

Roughly September 23 to October 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 Libra?

Venus, in both the classical and the modern scheme. Libra 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 Libra is a cardinal air sign?

Libra belongs to the air triplicity, described as hot and moist, which it shares with Gemini and Aquarius. 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 air plus cardinal identifies Libra 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 Libra?

Saturn is exalted in Libra, Sun is in fall here, Mars 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 Libra is called peregrine, which means unaspected by dignity rather than weak.

What are the three decans of Libra?

0 to 10 degrees is subruled by Libra (Venus); 10 to 20 degrees is subruled by Aquarius (Uranus); 20 to 30 degrees is subruled by Gemini (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.

Libra

09-23 - 10-22 · air · cardinal · active

Dignities

Ruler: ♀ Venus
Exaltation: ♄ Saturn
Fall: ☉ Sun
Detriment: ♂ Mars
Symbol: Scales

Hellenistic tradition

Libra is the diurnal domicile of Venus and exaltation of Saturn. Cardinal air, traditionally tied to weighing and judgment.

Modern Western reading

Modern Western astrology associates Libra with relationship, balance, and aesthetic comparison.

Same element

Decans

Planets in Libra

Compatibility with all signs

All Libra compatibility detail →

Questions

What dates does the Sun spend in Libra?: Roughly September 23 to October 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 Libra?: Venus, in both the classical and the modern scheme. Libra 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 Libra is a cardinal air sign?: Libra belongs to the air triplicity, described as hot and moist, which it shares with Gemini and Aquarius. 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 air plus cardinal identifies Libra 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 Libra?: Saturn is exalted in Libra, Sun is in fall here, Mars 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 Libra is called peregrine, which means unaspected by dignity rather than weak.
What are the three decans of Libra?: 0 to 10 degrees is subruled by Libra (Venus); 10 to 20 degrees is subruled by Aquarius (Uranus); 20 to 30 degrees is subruled by Gemini (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.