Aries is the first sign of the zodiac, for people born roughly from March 21 to April 19. It is a cardinal fire sign ruled by Mars: bold, energetic and direct, a natural starter. Its symbol is the Ram and its tarot card is The Emperor. Read today's Aries horoscope.
Aries at a glance
| Dates | March 21 – April 19 (varies by a day; see the finder) |
|---|---|
| Element | Fire: passion, courage and energy |
| Modality | Cardinal: starts things and takes the lead |
| Ruling planet | Mars |
| Symbol | The Ram |
| Tarot card | The Emperor |
| Opposite sign | Libra |
Are you really a Aries? Exact sign finder
Sign dates shift by a day from year to year. Enter your birth date (and time, if you know it) and we calculate where the Sun really was, so cusp birthdays get the right answer.
Aries personality: strengths and challenges
Aries in love and compatibility
Aries loves with passion and honesty: they pursue openly and like a partner who can keep up. Excitement and spontaneity matter. The growth point is patience: letting a relationship deepen after the thrill of the beginning.
| Match type | Signs | Why, in traditional astrology |
|---|---|---|
| Easiest matches | Leo, Sagittarius, Gemini, Aquarius | Signs of the same element, or of the element that complements fire, tend to understand each other easily. |
| Opposites attract | Libra | The opposite sign has what Aries lacks: strong attraction, and something to learn from each other. |
| More friction | Cancer, Capricorn | Signs three apart ("square") have different needs; it can work, but takes more compromise. |
Sun signs are only one part of compatibility. For a reading based on your birth cards instead, try the tarot love compatibility calculator.
Aries careers
Aries tends to do well where initiative and speed count: entrepreneurship, sales, emergency services, sports and fitness, the military and any role that means starting new projects.
Aries tarot card: The Emperor
In the tradition of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, each zodiac sign is linked with a Major Arcana card. Aries's card is The Emperor. Reading it alongside your sign adds another layer: its themes often echo the strengths and lessons above.
Born on the cusp?
Born on March 20 or 21, or on April 19 or 20? The Sun changes sign at a different time each year, so use the sign finder above with your birth time to know whether you are Pisces or Aries, or Aries or Taurus.
Aries horoscope
Read the Aries horoscope today, the weekly Aries horoscope or the monthly Aries tarot horoscope, each with a tarot card drawn for the sign.
Frequently asked questions
What are the dates for Aries?
Usually March 21 to April 19, starting around the March equinox. The exact days change slightly each year, so check the sign finder if you were born on an edge.
What is Aries' element and ruling planet?
Aries is a fire sign, ruled by Mars, and it is cardinal, the sign that starts the zodiac year.
Which signs are most compatible with Aries?
Traditionally the other fire signs, Leo and Sagittarius, and the air signs Gemini and Aquarius. Libra, the opposite sign, often brings strong attraction.
What tarot card is Aries?
The Emperor, the card of leadership, structure and authority.
Why is Aries the first sign?
The zodiac starts at the March equinox, when the Sun enters Aries, which in the Northern Hemisphere marks the start of spring.
Other zodiac signs
Sources and further reading
- Zodiac · Encyclopaedia Britannica
- Astrology · Encyclopaedia Britannica
- Jean Meeus, Astronomical Algorithms (2nd ed., 1998), chapter 25: the solar position formula used by the sign finder
- How our readings work: randomness, use of AI and limits · The Mystica
Written by The Mystica Editorial Team under our editorial standards. Last reviewed: October 25, 2026. Astrology is a traditional belief system; personality descriptions are offered for reflection and entertainment, not as scientific findings.