Cancer at a Glance
| Dates | Jun 21 – Jul 22 |
| Symbol | the Crab |
| Element | Water |
| Modality | Cardinal |
| Ruler | the Moon |
| Keywords | nurturing, protective, intuitive, sentimental |
Strengths & Challenges
Strengths
- Caring
- Intuitive
- Loyal
- Protective
Challenges
- Moody
- Overly sensitive
- Clingy
Cancer Beyond Your Sun Sign
You may have Cancer energy even if it isn't your Sun sign. Any planet in Cancer — or Cancer rising — expresses itself in a nurturing, protective, intuitive, sentimental way. Check your full chart with our natal chart calculator.
Cancer at Work
Cancer thrives in caregiving, hospitality, real estate, education or family businesses.
Cancer in Love
In love, Cancer energy is nurturing, protective, intuitive, sentimental. It looks for emotional depth, trust and tenderness and shows care with empathy, loyalty and emotional attunement. For the full picture, look at Venus, Mars and the Moon in a chart: see Venus in Cancer.
Cancer as a Friend
As a friend, Cancer is caring and intuitive. Friends appreciate its nurturing energy; the challenge is that it can be moody under stress.
Cancer Compatibility
| Match | Signs | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Natural harmony | Taurus, Virgo, Scorpio, Capricorn, Pisces | Same Water element or complementary Earth element |
| Growth through tension | Libra and Aries | Square signs: same cardinal modality, different element |
| Magnetic opposite | Capricorn | Polar sign across the zodiac |
Real compatibility depends on whole charts; compare yours with the synastry calculator.
Cancer Through the Planets
| Placement | In a nutshell |
|---|---|
| Sun in Cancer | With your Sun in Cancer you are caring, intuitive and protective. |
| Moon in Cancer | Your Moon in Cancer is in its home sign: deeply caring, intuitive and protective. |
| Mercury in Cancer | Mercury in Cancer thinks with feeling and memory. |
| Venus in Cancer | Venus in Cancer loves tenderly and protectively. |
| Mars in Cancer | Mars in Cancer is protective and emotional. |
| Cancer Rising | Cancer rising gives a gentle, protective first impression. |
Placements in Cancer
Sun in Cancer
☽︎Moon in Cancer
☿︎Mercury in Cancer
♀︎Venus in Cancer
♂︎Mars in Cancer
♃︎Jupiter in Cancer
♄︎Saturn in Cancer
↑Cancer Rising
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Cancer's dates?
Jun 21 – Jul 22 (exact dates shift slightly by year).
What element is Cancer?
Water, cardinal modality.
What planet rules Cancer?
the Moon.
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