Scorpio Zodiac Sign: Dates, Traits and Personality

The Scorpio zodiac sign runs from October 23 to November 21, and the exact first and last hours change a little every year. Scorpio is the eighth sign, a fixed water sign with two rulers: Mars in the classical tradition and Pluto in modern astrology. Its season falls in the middle of fall, as the days shorten quickly. The zodiac guide places Scorpio among the other signs; this page covers its dates, the exact changeover in 2026, and the character tradition gives it.

Fact	Scorpio
Usual dates	October 23 to November 21
Sun enters Scorpio, 2026	October 23, 5:38 a.m. ET
Sun leaves Scorpio, 2026	November 22, 2:23 a.m. ET
Element	Water
Modality	Fixed
Ruler	Mars (classical), Pluto (modern)
Opposite sign	Taurus
Symbol	The scorpion

Scorpio dates and the exact 2026 times

In 2026 the Sun's ingress into Scorpio comes on October 23 at 5:38 a.m. EDT, which is 09:38 UTC. A birth on October 23 before that time, in Eastern time, is Libra; from 5:38 a.m. onward it is Scorpio.

Daylight saving time ends on November 1, so the exit is given in standard time. The Sun leaves Scorpio for Sagittarius on November 22 at 2:23 a.m. EST. Most tables put November 22 in Sagittarius, but in 2026 a birth before 2:23 a.m. Eastern on that date is still Scorpio. These are the NovaOracles astronomy engine's figures in Eastern time. The instants are the same everywhere and only the clock differs: Chicago reads one hour earlier, Los Angeles three, so in Los Angeles Scorpio ends at 11:23 p.m. PST on November 21. For other years or places, the zodiac sign dates tool finds the sign for a specific date.

Water, fixed, and two rulers

Scorpio is the second of the three water signs, after Cancer and before Pisces. Water is the element of emotion and bonds in the tradition, and the fixed quality makes Scorpio's feelings deep and lasting instead of changeable. Where Cancer's water protects and Pisces' water flows, Scorpio's runs still and holds its ground.

For most of astrology's history, Mars ruled Scorpio, giving it a share of the planet's courage and fight. After Pluto was discovered in 1930, modern astrologers made it Scorpio's co-ruler, linking the sign with depth, secrets and transformation. Astronomers reclassified Pluto as a dwarf planet in 2006, and astrology still uses it. The opposite sign is Taurus. Taurus holds on to what is simple and visible, Scorpio to what lies beneath, so the pair form an axis of ownership and shared resources. The main symbol is the scorpion, and some traditions add the eagle as the sign's higher form. The glyph ♏ ends in an arrow that recalls the scorpion's sting.

Scorpio traits: depth and intensity

Tradition describes Scorpio as the sign of intensity. Scorpio feels strongly, commits fully and often sees through surface politeness to what is really going on. Loyalty, once given, is fierce. Scorpio can keep a secret and follow a hard task all the way through, and in an emergency it is often the steady one in the room.

That intensity has a darker edge. Jealousy, suspicion and a need for control are the traits tradition lists on the shadow side, along with a long memory for betrayal. Scorpio may test people before trusting them, and all-or-nothing thinking can make a small hurt feel like a major one. Look at them honestly and keep what fits. You are a Scorpio because of the date and time of your birth, whatever you make of the description.

Scorpio in love and compatibility

In love, tradition reads Scorpio as passionate and loyal, looking for a bond that goes all the way down. Casual flirting interests Scorpio less than real closeness, and trust matters more than almost anything. Once it is broken, it is hard to rebuild.

Tradition sees Cancer and Pisces, the other water signs, as the easiest partners. Cancer and Scorpio share emotional depth and a protective streak, and Scorpio and Pisces share intuition and a sense of the unseen. Across the zodiac, Taurus and Scorpio is the opposite pairing, strongly drawn together and equally stubborn. Two real people need more than their Sun signs, and the compatibility calculator compares the full charts.

Scorpio at work

At work, Scorpio's focus and nerve suit jobs that go below the surface. Tradition names research, investigation, psychology, surgery, crisis work and finance as examples. A Scorpio works best with autonomy and a real problem to solve, and often says little until the job is done. Office politics that feel dishonest are what drain the sign fastest.

A Scorpio Sun is one part of the chart

Everything above is about the Sun in Scorpio. Your Moon sign shows your emotional needs, and your rising sign, set by the exact time and place of birth, shows your outward style. A Scorpio with a Sagittarius rising may come across as open and cheerful long before the depth appears. The big three tool combines the three signs, and the guide to how the rising sign works explains the one that needs a birth time.

Scorpio follows Libra and comes before Sagittarius.