Home › Zodiac signs › Aries
♈︎ Aries Mesha rashi · मेष
The first sign of the zodiac, and the one most tied to beginnings. Astrologers describe Aries as direct, quick to act and quick to move on, better at starting than at waiting. The usual shadow side is impatience.
Aries at a glance
| Western dates | 21 Mar – 19 Apr (tropical zodiac) |
|---|---|
| Vedic name | Mesha rashi (मेष) |
| Sun in Mesha (Vedic) | about 14 Apr – 14 May (sidereal, Lahiri) |
| Element | Fire |
| Quality | Cardinal |
| Ruling planet | Mars |
| Opposite sign | Libra |
| Same element | Leo, Sagittarius |
| Nakshatras in Mesha | Ashwini (all four padas); Bharani (all four padas); Krittika (pada 1) |
When the Moon is in Aries
The Moon spends about two and a half days in Aries each month. The mood people tend to notice: quick tempers, quick starts. Things want to begin today, and they want to begin now. Where is the Moon today?
Western Aries and Vedic Mesha
Western astrology measures signs from the seasons (the tropical zodiac); Vedic astrology measures them from the stars (the sidereal zodiac). The two are about 24° apart now, which is why the Sun is in Aries from 21 Mar – 19 Apr but in Mesha from about 14 Apr – 14 May. Your Moon sign can differ between the two systems for the same reason. Find yours in both.
Your birth card
Aries has its own birth card in the online deck. It stays face down until you add your birth date to today's reading, then it joins your collection.