Have you ever heard the phrase “born on the cusp?” In astrology, the concept of a cusp sign refers to someone whose birthdate falls on the edge of two sun signs’ date ranges. If you were born around the first or last day of a given sun sign’s date range, you might be considered a cusp sign. What does that mean? Well, it’s complicated. There’s a lot of confusion surrounding the idea of cusp signs in astrology. Many astrologers insist that you can’t be more than one sign, but it’s not uncommon for people report that they relate to more than one sign. Before we dive into this mysterious topic, let’s clarify what exactly a zodiac cusp is.
What Are the Zodiac Cusps?
There are twelve cusp periods in the astrological calendar – one for each month of the year. A zodiac cusp is just a fancy way of referring to the time period surrounding the transition from one astrological sign into the next. Each cusp has a distinct type of energy associated with it, which is reflected in its name. Cusps are generally highly energetic times and it’s thought to be auspicious to be born during one of these periods. If your birthday falls around the third week of the month, check the list of cusp dates below to see if you were born on the cusp of two signs:
Cusp Dates
Cusp of Power: April 16 - 22
Cusp of Energy: May 17 - 23
Cusp of Magic: June 17 - 23
Cusp of Oscillation: July 19 - 25
Cusp of Exposure: August 19 - 25
Cusp of Beauty: September 19 - 25
Cusp of Drama: October 19 - 25
Cusp of Revolution: November 18 - 24
Cusp of Prophecy: December 18 - 24
Cusp of Mystery: January 16 - 23
Cusp of Sensitivity: February 15 - 21
Cusp of Rebirth: March 17 - 23
Understanding Cusp Signs
If you were born on the cusp of two different signs, it’s not uncommon to feel that you have qualities of both signs instead of falling squarely into one or the other. For example, if you were born between May 17 and May 23, you may find that you relate to qualities found in Taurus and Gemini. This is where is gets confusing, because while there is some debate around the validity of cusp signs, most astrologists say that you can’t really be more than one sign. This is because even if you are born on the cusp between two signs, the sun can only be in one place at a given time, and the placement of the sun at the moment you were born is what determines your sun sign. However, if you don’t fully identify with your sun sign – or if you identify strongly with more than one sign – there could be a reason!
Cusp Signs, Moon Signs, and Ascendant Signs
Astrology is a complex system, and your sun sign doesn’t tell the whole story. If you relate very strongly to a sign other than your sun sign, it could be that you have a connection to that sign. To be sure, you should calculate your moon sign and ascendant sign. You may find that the sign you were relating to so strongly is your sign – just not your sun sign. While sun signs are great at giving an overall picture of your personality and are most often used for horoscopes, your moon sign and ascendant sign are also hugely important to consider. If you don’t feel an instant connection with your sun sign, check your moon and ascendant signs to see if something there clicks for you.
Still confused? If you don’t feel that calculating your moon sign or ascendant sign explains your affinity toward another sign, don’t worry. Your astrological birth chart is rich and complex. It incorporates multiple planets along with locations for each, so you may want to have a professional astrologer read your chart. Your astrologer may be able to offer insights that explain the connection that you feel to an adjacent sign. But if it’s really bothering you, keep in mind that you know yourself best and that in the end, you are the person who defines who you are.
True Cusp Signs
It’s true that many astrologers deny the existence of cusp signs. But the universe is vast and complicated, and at the end of the day, you are the only person in charge of what you think and feel. If you feel strongly that you are a true cusp sign, well, maybe you are! A true cusp sign is a person born during the period of transition from one sign to the next whose personality incorporates qualities of both signs. If being a true cusp sign is an important part of your astrological identity, then we say embrace it! Check out our list of true cusp signs below to see if one of them rings true for you:
True Cusp Signs
Aries-Taurus Cusp: April 16 - 22
Taurus-Gemini Cusp: May 17 - 23
Gemini-Cancer Cusp: June 17 - 23
Cancer-Leo Cusp: July 19 - 25
Leo-Virgo Cusp: August 19 - 25
Virgo-Libra Cusp: September 19 - 25
Libra-Scorpio Cusp: October 19 - 25
Scorpio-Sagittarius Cusp: November 18 - 24
Sagittarius-Capricorn Cusp: December 18 - 24
Capricorn-Aquarius Cusp: January 16 - 23
Aquarius-Pisces Cusp: February 15 - 21
Pisces-Aries Cusp: March 17 - 23