The dates printed beside each sign are a convention. The Sun crosses from Gemini into Cancer at one exact moment, and that moment moves: about six hours later each year, then back a day in leap years. So on June 21 the answer depends on the year, and in some years on the hour.
Sign by birth date
What zodiac sign is June 21?
June 21 sits on the line between Gemini and Cancer: the year and the hour of birth decide which. The usual table counts this day in Cancer.
Sun signGemini / Cancer
The sign runsJune 21 – July 22
ElementWater
ModalityCardinal
Ruling planetthe Moon
Decanfirst, under the Moon
Day in the sign1 of 32
Persian calendar31 Khordad, in most years
Between Gemini and Cancer: the year decides
The whole day is Gemini in:
1942, 1943, 1946, 1947, 1951, 1955, 1959, 1963, 1967, 1971, 1975
The Sun enters Cancer during the day in (time in UTC):
1940 (13:38), 1941 (19:29), 1944 (12:59), 1945 (18:47), 1948 (12:09), 1949 (17:55), 1950 (23:40), 1952 (11:12), 1953 (16:58), 1954 (22:45), 1956 (10:21), 1957 (16:10), 1958 (22:00), 1960 (09:41), 1961 (15:31), 1962 (21:21), 1964 (08:58), 1965 (14:46), 1966 (20:33), 1968 (08:05), 1969 (13:50), 1970 (19:36), 1972 (07:08), 1973 (12:55), 1974 (18:43), 1976 (06:22), 1977 (12:12), 1978 (18:02), 1979 (23:52), 1980 (05:42), 1981 (11:32), 1982 (17:21), 1983 (23:09), 1984 (04:56), 1985 (10:43), 1986 (16:29), 1987 (22:15), 1988 (04:00), 1989 (09:46), 1990 (15:32), 1991 (21:19), 1992 (03:06), 1993 (08:54), 1994 (14:44), 1995 (20:33), 1996 (02:23), 1997 (08:14), 1998 (14:04), 1999 (19:54), 2000 (01:43), 2001 (07:32), 2002 (13:20), 2003 (19:07), 2004 (00:53), 2005 (06:39), 2006 (12:25), 2007 (18:10), 2009 (05:42), 2010 (11:29), 2011 (17:17), 2013 (04:55), 2014 (10:45), 2015 (16:35), 2017 (04:16), 2018 (10:06), 2019 (15:55), 2021 (03:30), 2022 (09:17), 2023 (15:03), 2025 (02:35), 2026 (08:20), 2027 (14:06), 2029 (01:40), 2030 (07:28)
The whole day is Cancer in:
2008, 2012, 2016, 2020, 2024, 2028
Times are in UTC and exact to about a quarter of an hour; set them against the place and hour of birth. A birth that close to the line is settled by the birth chart, which is computed to the minute. Calculate the birth chart, free
The sign: Cancer
Cancer begins at the summer solstice, cardinal water ruled by the Moon. Its natives feel first and reason after, remember everything, and protect what they love with a shell that hides a soft interior. Home, family and the past matter to them more than to any other sign, and their moods follow the Moon's own rhythm.
The first decan, and what it changes
The first decan is the Moon twice over. Feeling is strongest and nearest the surface here: these natives are tender, protective and devoted to home, and their moods move with the Moon from one day to the next.
The sign: Gemini
Gemini is mutable air under Mercury: the sign of the messenger. Its natives think in pairs, speak easily, learn fast and tire of anything that stands still. They are the ones who carry news between rooms and ideas between people. Their gift is the quick connection; their task is to stay with one thing until it deepens.
The third decan, and what it changes
The third decan is Saturn's, through Aquarius. The quick mind steadies and looks further: these natives are original thinkers, loyal to friends and to ideas, and more consistent than the other Gemini decans.
In short
What zodiac sign is June 21?
Gemini or Cancer, depending on the year and hour of birth: the Sun changes sign on or next to this day. The table above gives the answer year by year.
Which decan is June 21?
The first decan of Cancer, governed by the Moon.
What are the element and ruling planet of Cancer?
Cancer is a Cardinal Water sign ruled by the Moon.