Scorpio is the eighth sign of the zodiac, for people born roughly from October 23 to November 21. It is a fixed water sign, traditionally ruled by Mars (Pluto in modern astrology): intense, perceptive and deeply loyal. Its symbol is the Scorpion and its tarot card is Death, the card of transformation. Read today's Scorpio horoscope.
Scorpio at a glance
| Dates | October 23 – November 21 (varies by a day; see the finder) |
|---|---|
| Element | Water: emotion, intuition and empathy |
| Modality | Fixed: sustains, commits and resists change |
| Ruling planet | Mars (modern: Pluto) |
| Symbol | The Scorpion |
| Tarot card | Death |
| Opposite sign | Taurus |
Are you really a Scorpio? 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.
Scorpio personality: strengths and challenges
Scorpio in love and compatibility
Scorpio loves intensely and wants depth: honesty, loyalty and real intimacy. Trust is everything, and betrayal is hard to forgive. The growth point is letting go of control and sharing feelings before they build up.
| Match type | Signs | Why, in traditional astrology |
|---|---|---|
| Easiest matches | Pisces, Cancer, Capricorn, Virgo | Signs of the same element, or of the element that complements water, tend to understand each other easily. |
| Opposites attract | Taurus | The opposite sign has what Scorpio lacks: strong attraction, and something to learn from each other. |
| More friction | Aquarius, Leo | 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.
Scorpio careers
Scorpio tends to excel in work that needs depth and focus: research, investigation, psychology, medicine, finance, crisis management and anything that uncovers what is hidden.
Scorpio tarot card: Death
In the tradition of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, each zodiac sign is linked with a Major Arcana card. Scorpio's card is Death. Reading it alongside your sign adds another layer: its themes often echo the strengths and lessons above.
Born on the cusp?
Born on October 22 or 23, or on November 21 or 22? 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 Libra or Scorpio, or Scorpio or Sagittarius.
Scorpio horoscope
Read the Scorpio horoscope today, the weekly Scorpio horoscope or the monthly Scorpio tarot horoscope, each with a tarot card drawn for the sign.
Frequently asked questions
What are the dates for Scorpio?
Usually October 23 to November 21. 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 Scorpio's element and ruling planet?
Scorpio is a fixed water sign, ruled by Mars in traditional astrology and Pluto in modern astrology.
Which signs are most compatible with Scorpio?
Traditionally the other water signs, Cancer and Pisces, and the earth signs Virgo and Capricorn. Taurus, the opposite sign, often brings strong attraction.
What tarot card is Scorpio?
Death, the card of endings, transformation and new beginnings (not literal death).
When is Scorpio season?
Scorpio season is when the Sun is in Scorpio, from about October 23 to November 21.
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.