December 22 - January 19 · Earth · Cardinal · The Goat
Capricorn
Capricorn embodies the archetype of the Builder and Elder—the disciplined, enduring force that creates lasting structures and transmits wisdom through lineage and tradition. As an earth sign ruled by Saturn, Capricorn represents the principle of maturation, responsibility, and the patient climb toward mastery that requires facing limitations and overcoming obstacles. Capricorn possesses exceptional ambition, strategic intelligence, and quiet dignity that approaches life as a long-term investment. While sometimes overly serious or status-conscious, Capricorn's greatest gifts lie in their ability to build enduring legacies, establish solid foundations, and model integrity through their disciplined approach, practical wisdom, and commitment to excellence.
At a glance
- Dates
- December 22 - January 19
- Element
- Earth
- Modality
- Cardinal
- Ruling planet
- Saturn
- Symbol
- The Goat (Feminine)
- Opposite sign
- Cancer
- Focus
- Achievement, structure, and mastery through time
- Best trait
- Steadiness
Capricorn as a Sun sign
Capricorn is the sign of ambition and achievement, the sign of the builder and the organizer. You have a strong need to achieve and succeed, and you are naturally practical and responsible. You have excellent organizational abilities and a talent for building solid, lasting structures. You are also somewhat serious and may have difficulty relaxing and enjoying yourself. You need to feel that you are making progress toward your goals, and you have a natural talent for business and management. You are patient and persistent, willing to work hard and wait for results.
Capricorn by life area
- general
- ambitious and disciplined
- career
- achievement and structure
- relationships
- commitment and tradition
- health
- endurance and bones
- spirituality
- practical wisdom
- personal growth
- self-mastery
The three Capricorn decans
Every sign spans thirty degrees, and those thirty are traditionally read as three ten-degree decans, each sub-ruled by a different planet. Two people born three weeks apart under the same sign can be describing genuinely different versions of it.
First decan (December 22 - December 31): Responsibility, sub-ruled by Saturn.
Second decan (January 1 - January 10): Fairness, sub-ruled by Venus.
Third decan (January 11 - January 19): Honor, sub-ruled by Mercury.
Capricorn Moon and Capricorn Rising
The same sign reads differently depending on which point occupies it. As a Moon sign it describes emotional need rather than conscious identity; on the Ascendant it describes how a person comes across before anyone knows them.
Capricorn Moon
You have a strong need for security and structure in your emotional life. You process feelings through practical achievement and responsibility. You are somewhat reserved in expressing emotions and may appear cold or distant to others. You need to feel you are making progress and achieving goals to be emotionally satisfied. You may be hard on yourself emotionally.
Capricorn Rising
You project an image of authority and competence. Others see you as someone who is serious and responsible. You have a dignified presence and a concern for status and position. You move with deliberation and speak with authority. You may have a tendency to appear somewhat stern or reserved to others. You have a professional manner that commands respect.
Correspondences
Birthstone: Garnet. Lucky day: Saturday. Keywords: ambitious, disciplined, responsible, strategic, persistent, dignified.
Common questions
- What are the Capricorn dates?
- Capricorn runs from roughly December 22 - January 19. Birthdays at either end fall on a cusp, where the Sun may have changed sign - the only way to be certain is to calculate the chart for the exact date, time and place of birth.
- What element is Capricorn?
- Capricorn is a Earth sign, along with Taurus and Virgo. practicality, stability, patience, and resourcefulness
- What planet rules Capricorn?
- Capricorn is ruled by Saturn. The ruling planet colours how the sign expresses itself, and in a birth chart the position of Saturn says a great deal about how someone's Capricorn side actually operates.
- Is Capricorn cardinal, fixed, or mutable?
- Capricorn is a Cardinal sign. initiating action, leadership, and starting new things
- Which signs are most compatible with Capricorn?
- Traditionally Taurus and Virgo and Scorpio and Pisces and Cancer. That is a starting point rather than an answer, though - real compatibility depends on the Moon, Venus, Mars and the aspects between two whole charts, not on Sun signs alone.
- What are the three Capricorn decans?
- The first decan (December 22 - December 31) is sub-ruled by Saturn and emphasises responsibility. The second decan (January 1 - January 10) is sub-ruled by Venus and emphasises fairness. The third decan (January 11 - January 19) is sub-ruled by Mercury and emphasises honor.