Tropical zodiac
Glossary · Last updated: 2026-07-26
The tropical zodiac divides the ecliptic into twelve equal signs starting at the vernal equinox (0 degrees Aries). It tracks seasons, not fixed star clusters.
Western sun-sign columns, birth charts in most English-language apps, and our Western card use this frame.
Fixed stars drift
Because equinox points precess, tropical signs slowly slide against the star background over centuries. That gap is why sidereal signs differ.