Aquarius [20 January – 18 February] | star sign, horoscope, astrology and zodiac facts

November 15, 2018

Aquarius is the eleventh astrological sign of the zodiac spanning 20 January – 18 February. It’s also an air sign – the others being Gemini and Libra. Aquarius’ symbol is the water-bearer.

Aquarius’ lucky colours are blue and silver. Its celestial body is Uranus. Aquarius is associated with the fixed quality; that of preparation, breaking free and taking control.

Dates: January 20 – February 18
Symbol: The water-bearer
Element: Air
Colour: Blue, silver
Day: Saturday
Celestial: Uranus
Quality: Fixed
Most compatible: Gemini, Libra
Birthstones: garnet, amethyst, moss agate, opal and sugilite, turquoise
Scent: Seaweed, juniper and eucalyptus

Traits of an Aquarian

Strengths: Independence, originality, listening, progressiveness

Weaknesses: Uncompromising, temperamental, hides from emotional displays

Those born under the Aquarius constellation are often thought of as shy or quiet to those on the outside, but they can be eccentric and full of energy in the company of themselves and close friends, seeing the world awash with possibility. Internally their minds are flowing with ideas, which are often put towards visions of freedom and equality.

Aquarians can be great listeners and deep thinkers, who often enjoy using their mental independence to help others. An Aquarian that hones their listening skills can be a good problem solver who’s great at looking at things from different, encompassing perspectives.

Aquarians sometimes feel the need to be alone, to get their thoughts in order and prepare themselves for the next intellectual challenge. Deep thinkers need their rest!

Aquarius’ ruling planet – Uranus, is responsible for this astrological sign’s timid, abrupt and sometimes forceful nature, on the other hand it gives this zodiac sign perspective, helping those born under it to perceive how they want the future to be and in turn how they can shape it.

The downside of being an Aquarian is that without sufficient mental stimulation they can often succumb to boredom or lack of motivation. This in turn can make Aquarians feel limited or constrained. Aquarians can also come across as cold or insensitive at times; this is usually because they hide from premature intimacy and the emotional expressions of others.

The solution? Find a focus for your thoughts, trust your friends and don’t be afraid to open up to emotion when the time is right, so you can direct your waves of enthusiasm to the future and turn the tides of change.

The Aquarius Constellation

The Aquarius zodiac constellation in the night sky.

The Aquarius constellation is one of the zodiac’s oldest constellations, sitting between Capricornus and Pisces in the a region of the night sky called the Sea (due to its proliferation of watery constellations).

Despite being a rather large and prominently positioned constellation, Aquarius doesn’t have many bright stars, but the brightest two are Alpha and Beta Aquarii. Beta (named Sadalsuud) is the brightest of the pair and has cooled and swollen to about 50 times the diameter of the Sun. It’s 6.4 times Sun’s mass and is 56 million years old.

Twelve exoplanet systems have been found in Aquarius one of which was the first red dwarf star to be found to possess a planetary system.

An ultracool dwarf star (TRAPPIST-1) in Aquarius has been found to be orbited by seven Earth-like rocky planets - three of which are in the habitable zone, and may contain water.

Aquarius is also the home of the Saturn and Helix nebulae as well as three major meteor showers: The Eta, Delta and Lota Aquarids. The parent body of the Eta Aquarids if the famous Halley’s Comet.

The Aquarius constellation is best seen in the evening sky during a Northern Hemisphere autumn or Southern Hemisphere spring.

Aquarius in History and Mythology

In Babylonian star catalogues Aquarius is called GU.LA "The Great One" and represents the god Ea, who was often depicted holding an overflowing vase. The zodiac constellation was also associated with the destructive flooding that the Babylonians experienced.

In Ancient Egypt astronomy Aquarius was associated with the annual flood of the Nile - its banks were said to flood when Aquarius put his jar into the river, marking the beginning of spring.

In Greek mythology Aquarius has several associations: Probably the most common is that of Ganymede, a male youth and son of the Trojan King Tros. Ganymede, a boy of unparalleled beauty (in the eyes of Zeus at least) was taken to Mount Olympus to be the God’s cup-bearer. The neighbouring Aquila constellation represents an eagle (either a transformation of Zeus, or creature under his command) that stole the boy away to the mountain. An alternative version tells of how Ganymede was stolen originally by Eos, the goddess of dawn, before being snatched by Zeus.

Other figures associated with Aquarius the water bearer are Cecrops - an Athenian king who sacrificed water to the gods instead of wine and Deucalion (the son of Prometheus), who built a ship with his wife to avoid an impending flood.