Capricorn Season
The Sun moves into Capricorn at the December solstice and the year turns toward structure and long-range goals. Here's when Capricorn season starts and ends in your own time zone, what the month means for every sign, and everything our astrologers have written about it.
When is Capricorn season?
–
Capricorn season starts on , , when the Sun reaches 0° Capricorn, and ends on , .
Every Capricorn season, 2024–2031
| Year | Starts | Ends |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | , | , |
| 2017 | , | , |
| 2018 | , | , |
| 2019 | , | , |
| 2020 | , | , |
| 2021 | , | , |
| 2022 | , | , |
| 2023 | , | , |
| 2024 | , | , |
| 2025 | , | , |
| 2026Next | , | , |
| 2027 | , | , |
| 2028 | , | , |
| 2029 | , | , |
| 2030 | , | , |
| 2031 | , | , |
| 2032 | , | , |
| 2033 | , | , |
| 2034 | , | , |
| 2035 | , | , |
| 2036 | , | , |
Capricorn season doesn't begin on a fixed calendar day. It starts the moment the Sun reaches 0° Capricorn — the December solstice, which slips about six hours later each year, then jumps back a day at each leap year. That's why in recent years it has started on December 21 or 22 in UTC, and a day either side in some time zones.
Where Capricorn season falls in the year
Capricorn season begins at the exact moment of the December solstice — the instant the Sun reaches its southernmost point in the sky and enters 0° Capricorn. The two are one event seen two ways: astronomers call it the solstice, astrologers call it the start of Capricorn season.
It opens the last quarter of the astrological year, and it straddles the calendar New Year: it starts around December 21–22 and runs until the Sun enters Aquarius around January 19–20. In the Northern Hemisphere it's midwinter and the shortest day; south of the equator, midsummer and the longest.
Like Aries, Cancer and Libra, Capricorn is a cardinal sign — it begins a quarter of the year — which is part of why its season, with New Year resolutions in the middle of it, is read as the time to set long-term goals.
What Capricorn season actually is
For about thirty days the Sun travels through the tenth thirty degrees of the zodiac — the sign of Capricorn, ruled by Saturn. It's the backdrop of the month for everyone. Capricorn is an earth sign associated with ambition, structure, responsibility, reputation and the long climb toward a goal.
In plain terms, it's the month to make a plan you can keep — to decide what you're building and take the first disciplined steps.
What to expect during Capricorn season
Focus and discipline come more easily this month. It's a good time to set goals, plan the year, tackle work you've been postponing and take your responsibilities seriously. What's harder is rest — pressure to perform can crowd out fun and feelings. None of that is a rule. If you've been wanting to commit to a long-term goal, Capricorn season is a fair time to write it down and start.
Capricorn season for every sign
The Sun lights up a different area of life depending on your rising sign. Find your ascendant to see which house Capricorn season falls in for you — and what it nudges.
| Rising sign | Where Capricorn season lands for you | What it asks |
|---|---|---|
| Aries | 10th house · career & public role | Aim for promotion; own your ambition. |
| Taurus | 9th house · travel & study | Study for a qualification; plan long-term travel. |
| Gemini | 8th house · depth & shared money | Plan for shared money, taxes and security. |
| Cancer | 7th house · partners & others | Talk commitment; define roles in a partnership. |
| Leo | 6th house · work & health | Build a sustainable routine; pace yourself. |
| Virgo | 5th house · play & romance | Take your creative work seriously. |
| Libra | 4th house · home & roots | Shoulder family duties; strengthen your base. |
| Scorpio | 3rd house · talk & learning | Choose your words carefully; finish the course. |
| Sagittarius | 2nd house · money & worth | Make a long-term money plan; invest. |
| Capricorn | 1st house · self & fresh starts | Set a personal goal; carry yourself with authority. |
| Aquarius | 12th house · rest & endings | Rest before the climb; end what drains you. |
| Pisces | 11th house · friends & hopes | Organise your circle around shared goals. |
Capricorn season FAQ
When exactly does Capricorn season start?
Capricorn season begins the instant the Sun reaches 0° Capricorn — the same moment as the December solstice. In recent years that has fallen on December 21 or 22 in UTC, and a day either side in some time zones; the table above shows the exact time in your own zone. It then runs about 29 days, until the Sun enters Aquarius around January 19 or 20.
Why does the date change every year?
Because it is tied to the Sun's exact position, not the calendar. Earth's orbit isn't a whole number of days, so the moment the Sun reaches 0° Capricorn drifts about six hours later each year, then jumps back roughly a day when a leap year adds February 29. That's why Capricorn season doesn't start on the same date every year.
Why does Capricorn season span two years?
Because it starts at the December solstice, around December 21–22, and runs until the Sun enters Aquarius around January 19–20 — so it always crosses New Year. On this page each Capricorn season is listed under the year it starts in.
Does Capricorn season affect me if I'm not a Capricorn?
Yes — it's the backdrop for everyone, not only Capricorn Suns. For about a month the Sun sits in one house of your chart and lights up that area of life. Which house depends on your rising sign; the table above maps it for all twelve.
What's the difference between Capricorn season and Capricorn the sign?
Capricorn the sign is a 30° slice of the zodiac and, for some people, where their Sun, Moon or rising sits. Capricorn season is simply the month or so each year when the Sun is travelling through that slice — a timing, not a birth placement.
