Capricorn is the tenth sign of the zodiac, for people born roughly from December 22 to January 19. It is a cardinal earth sign ruled by Saturn: ambitious, disciplined and responsible, playing the long game. Its symbol is the Sea-Goat and its tarot card is The Devil. Read today's Capricorn horoscope.
Capricorn at a glance
| Dates | December 22 – January 19 (varies by a day; see the finder) |
|---|---|
| Element | Earth: practicality, patience and the material world |
| Modality | Cardinal: starts things and takes the lead |
| Ruling planet | Saturn |
| Symbol | The Sea-Goat |
| Tarot card | The Devil |
| Opposite sign | Cancer |
Are you really a Capricorn? 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.
Capricorn personality: strengths and challenges
Capricorn in love and compatibility
Capricorn loves seriously and for the long term, showing care through commitment and building a shared future. Respect matters as much as romance. The growth point is softness: making time for play and saying feelings out loud.
| Match type | Signs | Why, in traditional astrology |
|---|---|---|
| Easiest matches | Taurus, Virgo, Pisces, Scorpio | Signs of the same element, or of the element that complements earth, tend to understand each other easily. |
| Opposites attract | Cancer | The opposite sign has what Capricorn lacks: strong attraction, and something to learn from each other. |
| More friction | Aries, Libra | 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.
Capricorn careers
Capricorn tends to excel where structure and ambition pay off: management, business, finance, law, engineering, architecture, government and any long-term career path.
Capricorn tarot card: The Devil
In the tradition of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, each zodiac sign is linked with a Major Arcana card. Capricorn's card is The Devil. Reading it alongside your sign adds another layer: its themes often echo the strengths and lessons above.
Born on the cusp?
Born on December 21 or 22, or on January 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 Sagittarius or Capricorn, or Capricorn or Aquarius.
Capricorn horoscope
Read the Capricorn horoscope today, the weekly Capricorn horoscope or the monthly Capricorn tarot horoscope, each with a tarot card drawn for the sign.
Frequently asked questions
What are the dates for Capricorn?
Usually December 22 to January 19. The exact start and end change by a day or so from year to year, so people born on those edges should check with the sign finder on this page.
What is Capricorn's element and ruling planet?
Capricorn is a cardinal earth sign, ruled by Saturn.
Which signs are most compatible with Capricorn?
Traditionally the other earth signs, Taurus and Virgo, and the water signs Scorpio and Pisces. Cancer, the opposite sign, often brings strong attraction.
What tarot card is Capricorn?
The Devil, the card of material ties, ambition and the chains we can choose to break.
Why is Capricorn a Sea-Goat?
The Sea-Goat, half goat and half fish, comes from ancient Mesopotamian imagery; it is often read as climbing high while keeping emotional depth.
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.