July is three weeks of Cancer and one of Leo. Birthdays from 1 to 22 July are Cancer, the water sign of the Moon, and birthdays from 23 to 31 July are Leo, the fire sign of the Sun. The month therefore passes from the most private sign to the most public one, and people born near the 22nd and 23rd often ask which of the two they are. The answer depends on the year.

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The moment the Sun enters Leo, for each birth year

Universal Time (UTC). Add or subtract the time zone of the birthplace.

The decans of July

Cancer Through the 22nd, Leo from the 23rd

Cancer is cardinal water. Its planet is the Moon, and astrology gives it care, memory, caution and a strong sense of belonging. Leo is fixed fire and the only sign ruled by the Sun: confident, warm, proud and made to be seen. The two are neighbours with little in common on the surface. Cancer protects what it loves by drawing it close; Leo protects it by standing in front.

22 July and 23 July: Almost Even

This boundary is nearly a tie. Counting the birth years from 1940 to 2040 in Universal Time, the Sun entered Leo on 22 July in 53 years and on 23 July in 48. A printed range that says Leo starts on the 23rd is right about half the time. For a birth on either date the table of years is the only reliable guide, together with the hour and the time zone, since a difference of a few hours is enough to move the Sun across the line.

July Cancer and July Leo

The Cancers of July are described as loyal, intuitive and home-loving, with a dry sense of humour that appears once they feel safe. They remember everything, including slights. The Leos of late July are sunnier and louder: generous, dramatic, natural organisers who like to be appreciated and who give appreciation freely in return. Both signs lead with the heart. The difference is the direction, towards the family table for Cancer and towards the stage for Leo.

July in the Calendar and the Sky

July was Quintilis, the fifth month, until it was renamed for Julius Caesar, who was born in it. The birthstone is the ruby and the flowers are the larkspur and the water lily. Early in July the Earth is at aphelion, its farthest point from the Sun, in the middle of the northern summer. The star Sirius begins to rise before dawn at the end of the month, the origin of the phrase dog days.

Frequently asked

What zodiac sign is July?

Cancer from 1 to 22 July and Leo from 23 to 31 July.

Is 22 July Cancer or Leo?

It can be either. The Sun entered Leo on 22 July in 53 of the years from 1940 to 2040 and on 23 July in the other 48, so the birth year and hour decide.

What is the birthstone for July?

The ruby. July's flowers are the larkspur and the water lily.

July birthdays, day by day

The two signs

Zodiac signs, month by month