Sign 04 · Western tropical zodiac

Cancer
June 21 - July 22

Cancer in the Western tropical zodiac: conventional June 21 - July 22 range, Water element, Cardinal modality, and clearly labeled astrological interpretations.

Astrology note: Date range, element, modality, and ruling planet describe a conventional astrological system. Personality, luck, compatibility, and career material below are interpretations—not scientific findings or predictions.

Immediate answer

Cancer at a glance

Conventional dates: June 21 - July 22
Element: Water
Modality: Cardinal
Ruling planet: Moon

Calendar fact

Born near the Gemini–Cancer boundary?

A sign starts the moment the Sun reaches its position on the ecliptic, not at midnight on a fixed calendar date. Because the tropical year is about 365.2422 days long, that moment moves by up to about a day from one year to the next and resets with the leap-year cycle. This is why reputable tables list a sign as beginning on, for example, 20 or 21 March and both are correct for different years.

How the two boundaries around Cancer behave, and what decides a borderline birthday.
Boundary	Dates it can fall on	What decides it
Gemini Cancer	June 20 or June 21	The birth year, then the birth time and time zoneNot resolvable from a date table alone
Cancer Leo	July 22 or July 23	The birth year, then the birth time and time zoneSame drift applies at both ends

How to read this: if a birthday falls squarely inside June 21 - July 22, the sign is Cancer in every year. If it falls on June 20, June 21, July 22 or July 23, a published table cannot answer it and this site does not pretend otherwise. This site uses the conventional ranges for a month-and-day lookup and does not compute the Sun's exact position, which is what an ephemeris-backed natal chart does.

Astrological profile

How tradition describes Cancer

Cancer is the nurturer of the zodiac. Those born under this sign are deeply connected to home and family. They're highly intuitive and emotional, often picking up on others' feelings. Cancer individuals are protective of their loved ones and will go to great lengths to ensure their comfort and security.

IntuitiveSentimentalCompassionateProtectiveTenaciousLoyalNurturing

Traditional strengths

Common themes

Deeply caring · Intuitive · Loyal · Protective of loved ones · Imaginative

Traditional challenges

Common cautions

Moody · Clingy · Overly sensitive · Pessimistic · Manipulative when hurt

Astrological interpretation

Compatibility themes

Astrologers compare elements and other chart placements. This simplified sun-sign list is for exploring the tradition, not assessing a relationship.

Scorpiohigh in this simplified readingDeep emotional and intuitive connection Pisceshigh in this simplified readingSensitive souls who understand each other Taurushigh in this simplified readingBoth value security and domestic life Arieslow in this simplified readingDifferent emotional needs and paces Libralow in this simplified readingCancer's emotions may overwhelm Libra

Traditional associations

Colors, numbers, day, and symbols

Traditional numbers: 2 · 3 · 15 · 20
Traditional colors: White · Silver · Sea Green
Traditional day: Monday
Associated symbols: Ruby · Larkspur

Interpretation label: “Lucky” associations are traditional correspondences. They do not change probability or predict outcomes.

Astrological interpretation

Career themes in sign guides

Popular astrology often connects Cancer with the following fields. Career fit depends on a person's skills, interests, access, and circumstances—not a zodiac sign.

HealthcareSocial workEducationHospitalityReal estate

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the conventional Cancer dates?▼

Cancer is commonly assigned to June 21 - July 22 in the tropical zodiac. Boundary dates can vary by source, and a full natal chart uses year, time, and location.

Am I Cancer or Gemini if I was born on June 20?▼

It depends on the year. Cancer begins the moment the Sun reaches its point on the ecliptic, and that moment shifts by up to about a day across the leap-year cycle, so June 20 falls in Gemini in some years and Cancer in others. A table cannot settle it; the birth year, and strictly the birth time and time zone, are needed.

Is there really a Gemini–Cancer cusp sign?▼

No. In astrological tradition the Sun occupies exactly one sign at any moment, so there is no thirteenth "cusp" sign. "Cusp" is popular shorthand for a birthday close to a boundary, where the published date alone is not decisive.

What are the Cancer element and modality?▼

Cancer is classified as a Water sign with a Cardinal modality in Western astrological tradition.

Are Cancer personality and compatibility readings scientific?▼

No. They are interpretations within astrology, not scientific measurements or reliable predictions about personality, relationships, career, or future events.