INTRODUCTION

Cancer

Cancer (♋️) is the fourth astrological sign in the Zodiac, originating from the constellation of Cancer. It spans 90° and 120° celestial longitude. Under the tropical zodiac, the Sun transits this area between approximately June 21 and July 23,^[2] and under the sidereal zodiac, the Sun transits this area between approximately July 16 and August 15.

In astrology, Cancer is the cardinal sign of the Water trigon, which is made up of Cancer, Pisces, and Scorpio.^[4] It is considered a negative sign, whose domicile, or ruling planet, is the Moon. Though some depictions of Cancer feature a lobster, the sign is most often represented by the crab, based on the Karkinos, a giant crab that harassed Heracles during his fight with the Hydra.

In Dante's Paradiso, he makes reference to Cancer, writing:

Thereafterward a light among them brightened,
So that, if Cancer one such crystal had,
Winter would have a month of one sole day.

— Dante, Paradiso

Zodiac symbol	Crab
Duration (tropical, western)	June 21 – July 22 (2018, UT1)[1]
Constellation	Cancer
Zodiac element	Water
Zodiac quality	Cardinal
Sign ruler	Moon
Detriment	Saturn
Exaltation	Jupiter
Fall	Mars