It is a fact, each and every person has heard about the zodiac signs - the moon signs and sun signs. There are 12 sun signs and the Sun's movement in each sign lasts for thirty days. The zodiac sign cycle or the chart of the zodiac signs starts with "Aries".

A 'horoscope' is a diagrammatic representation of the positions of the planets, moon and the sun at the time of birth of a person. The term horoscope is derived from the Greek word "horoskopos" meaning "a look at the hours". An astrologer interprets and writes the horoscope based on the date of birth and the time of birth. A few common names for horoscope are "Astro-chart", "Star-chart" and "Cosmogram". Horoscope is an integral part of astrology - Western or Asian.

Personality of Zodiac Signs

The characteristics and the traits of each and every zodiac sign are different. If you know the zodiac signs of the people with whom you are closely associated with, it would be easy to establish an amicable relationship (in personal and professional life). Here we look at the characteristics of the twelve zodiac signs.

Aries (21 March - 20 April): Fire is the element of this zodiac sign. Aries is ruled by the planet Mars. The lucky colors of this horoscope sign are shades of red including scarlet and carmine. Shades of color green help to promote social harmony and romance. The best day of the week for an Arian is Tuesday; the numbers 1, 2, 4 are the lucky numbers. The animal symbol of this horoscope sign is "Ram". Diamond, Ruby and Amethyst are the lucky stones. An Arian by nature is active, straightforward and energetic. The other qualities of this star include honesty, independence, impetuousness and aggressiveness. An Arian is said to be incompatible with Capricorn, Libra and Cancer. This sun sign is compatible with Leo and Sagittarius.

Taurus (21 April - 21 May): Taurus is ruled by the planet Venus and controlled by the element Earth. The shades of green, cream, yellow and orange are the colors, which bring luck. Romance and social harmony could be balanced by using the shades of red and violet. Numbers 4, 6, 7 and 8 are the lucky numbers; while the best day of the week for a Taurean is Friday. Emerald, Coral and Jade are the gems that bring luck. The animal symbol of Taurus is "Bull". One of the major characteristics of Taurus is reliability and loyalty. People belonging to this star are stable and possessive about their relationships. The other qualities of this star are affection, endurance and lack of flexibility. The compatible sun signs with Taurus are Capricorn and Virgo, while they are incompatible with Aquarius, Leo and Scorpio.

Gemini (22 May - 21 June): The element of Gemini is Air and the planet is Mercury. The lucky colors are shades of yellow, blue, white and black. The shades of blue promote social harmony and romance. The lucky numbers are 3, 5 and 8. Wednesday is the lucky day of the week. Gems such as Agate, Aquamarine and Tiger’s eye are the lucky stones for a Geminian. "Monkey" is the animal sign of this star. A person who is born under this star is agile, quick learner and has great communication skills (verbal and non-verbal). The other characteristics of Gemini are optimism, intellectual and flexibility. A Gemini is most compatible with Libra and Aquarius and least compatible with Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces.

Cancer (22 June - 22 July): Water is the element and the ruling planet is the Moon of the sun sign Cancer. The shades of pastels, blue and silver are the lucky colors while the colors indigo and black help in promoting love affairs and establishes social harmony. The numbers 2, 3, 5, and 9 are the lucky numbers. Monday is the best day of the week for a Cancerian. "Crab" is the animal sign of this star. One of the virtues of this star is perfectionism and nurturing. The other qualities include secretiveness, emotional and over-sensitiveness. Scorpio and Pisces are the most compatible sun signs while Libra, Aries and Capricorn are least compatible with Cancer zodiac sign.

Leo (23 July - 22 August): Fire is the element and the ruling planet of Leo is Sun. The lucky colors are shades of orange, red and gold. The colors indigo, black and shades of blue helps to establish harmony and promote love. The lucky numbers are 1,3, and 9. Sunday is the luckiest day. Gems such as Yellow Diamond, Amber and Chrysolite are the lucky stones. Qualities such as leadership and confidence are associated with the sign Leo. They are generous and caring people. However, they could also be arrogant and self-centered. A Leo is compatible with Aries and Sagittarius. They are not compatible with Taurus, Scorpio and Aquarius. The animal symbol is "Lion".

Virgo (23 August - 21 September): Mercury is the ruling planet and the element is Earth. The shades of green, yellow, orange and brown are the colors that bring luck, while the shades of blue promote romance and harmony. Numbers 1, 3, 4, 6 and 8 are the lucky numbers. Wednesday is the best day of the week for a Virgo. The animal symbol is "Magpie". Agate and Hyacinth are the lucky stones. A person born under this sign has an active and analytical mind. They are very observant and organized by nature. Virgo is compatible with Taurus and Capricorn. However, they are least compatible with Gemini, Pisces and Sagittarius.

Libra (22 September - 22 October): Air is the element and Venus is the ruling planet of Libra. Colors such as pale and jade green and shades of pink and blue are the lucky colors. The shades of the color red such as carmine and scarlet help to promote love and romance. Libra is sensitive to the problems of others. They are well-balanced in their personal and official life. They are diplomatic, charming and graceful by nature. A "Dove" is the animal sign for Libra. The numbers 1, 7, 8 and 9 are the lucky numbers, while Friday is the luckiest day. Coral, Jade, Emerald and Quartz are the gems for this sun sign. Libra is compatible with Gemini and Aquarius and incompatible with Aries, Capricorn and Cancer.

Scorpio (23 October - 21 November): Pluto is the ruling planet and Water is the element of this sun sign. The shades of red, brown and violet are the lucky colors; green is the color for love and harmony. The numbers 2, 5 and 7 are the lucky numbers, while Tuesday is the luckiest day of the week. Bloodstone, Jasper and Topaz are the lucky gems for Scorpio. The animal symbol of Scorpio is "Scorpion". By nature, a Scorpio is jealous, possessive, courageous and determinant. They are also loyal to their loved ones. They are best compatible with Cancer and Pisces, and least compatible with Leo, Aquarius and Taurus.

Sagittarius (22 November - 21 December): Jupiter is the ruling planet while Fire is the element. The shade of purple, blue, red and orange are the lucky colors. The colors that promote harmony and love are yellow and orange. The numbers 1, 3, 5 and 9 are the lucky numbers. Thursday is the luckiest day of the week. The lucky stones are Amethyst, Turquoise and Carbuncle. "Horse" is the animal symbol. The strongest virtues of Sagittarius are innovativeness, optimism and generosity. They make good administrators. The other qualities of this sun sign are self-reliance, practicality and straightforwardness. Aries and Leo are the most compatible signs. Gemini, Pisces and Virgo are incompatible with Sagittarius.

Capricorn (22 December - 20 January): Earth is the element and Saturn is the ruling planet. The lucky colors are brown, black and indigo. The colors that promote love and establish harmony are the shades of silver, brown and purple. The lucky numbers are 1, 2 and 8. Saturday is the best day of the week and the animal is "Goat". Lucky gems are Black Onyx and Jet. A Capricorn by nature is introvert, reserved and patient. The other virtues of this horoscope sign include conservativeness, sense of humor and spontaneity. Taurus and Virgo are the most compatible sun signs, while Aries, Cancer and Libra are the incompatible signs.

Aquarius (21 January - 19 February): Uranus is the ruling planet and the element is Air. The shades of blue, gray and pink are the lucky colors. A shade of orange promotes love and romance. The numbers 1, 2 and 4 are the lucky numbers and the best day of the week is Saturday. Opal, Garnet, Sapphire and Black Pearl are the lucky stones. "Fox" is the animal symbol of this sign. One of the virtues of an Aquarian is the critical thinking ability. They are independent and emotional by nature. The characteristics that an Aquarian should avoid include fixed ideas, inflexibility and rebelliousness. An Aquarian is most compatible with Gemini and Libra and least with Taurus, Leo and Scorpio.

Pisces (20 February - 20 March): Water is the element and Neptune is the ruling planet of Pisces. All shades of aqua green, blue and gray are considered as the lucky colors. Earth tones, yellow and orange are the colors that promote love, harmony and romance of people born under this star. The numbers that are lucky are 2, 4, 5 and 6. "Fish" is animal symbol and the lucky day of Pisces is Thursday. The gems associated with Pisces are Diamond and Camelian. Pisceans are creative, emotional and intuitive in nature. They are sensitive to the needs of others. Pisces are compatible with Scorpio and Cancer. Gemini, Sagittarius and Virgo are the least compatible sun signs.

By Maya Pillai