Mars sign calculator
Mars is your engine: how you chase goals, compete, flirt and fight. The date gives the sign; the time adds the house.
Mars in your chart
Mars is traditionally at home in Aries and Scorpio, “exalted” in Capricorn (disciplined, strategic effort) and considered weaker in Libra and Cancer, where direct confrontation feels uncomfortable and energy comes out indirectly. That doesn’t make a Libra Mars weak, just diplomatic: it fights for fairness rather than for itself.
Look at the house Mars occupies in your birth chart to see where you put in the most effort, and at its aspects to see whether that drive flows easily or meets friction.
Mars in each sign
| Glyph | Sign | Element · mode | In short |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mars in Aries ruler Mars · Fire · Cardinal | Fire · Cardinal | Mars in Aries: you go after what you want in a direct, brave way. You are energised by a challenge and room to act first; anger shows up as rushing, flaring up, dropping things once the thrill fades. | |
| Mars in Taurus ruler Venus · Earth · Fixed | Earth · Fixed | Mars in Taurus: you go after what you want in a steady, sensual way. You are energised by comfort, security and time; anger shows up as digging in, resisting change, over-indulging. | |
| Mars in Gemini ruler Mercury · Air · Mutable | Air · Mutable | Mars in Gemini: you go after what you want in a curious, quick way. You are energised by variety, conversation and mental play; anger shows up as scattering energy, skimming, saying what the room wants. | |
| Mars in Cancer ruler Moon · Water · Cardinal | Water · Cardinal | Mars in Cancer: you go after what you want in a protective, intuitive way. You are energised by belonging and a safe home base; anger shows up as retreating into a shell, holding on, indirect sulks. | |
| Mars in Leo ruler Sun · Fire · Fixed | Fire · Fixed | Mars in Leo: you go after what you want in a warm, expressive way. You are energised by to create, to be seen and to be appreciated; anger shows up as needing applause, taking things personally, drama. | |
| Mars in Virgo ruler Mercury · Earth · Mutable | Earth · Mutable | Mars in Virgo: you go after what you want in a precise, helpful way. You are energised by useful work and a sense of order; anger shows up as worry, perfectionism, criticism aimed inward or out. | |
| Mars in Libra ruler Venus · Air · Cardinal | Air · Cardinal | Mars in Libra: you go after what you want in a fair, charming way. You are energised by partnership, beauty and balance; anger shows up as people-pleasing, avoiding conflict, fence-sitting. | |
| Mars in Scorpio ruler Pluto (trad. Mars) · Water · Fixed | Water · Fixed | Mars in Scorpio: you go after what you want in a intense, loyal way. You are energised by trust, depth and emotional honesty; anger shows up as control, suspicion, keeping score. | |
| Mars in Sagittarius ruler Jupiter · Fire · Mutable | Fire · Mutable | Mars in Sagittarius: you go after what you want in a optimistic, candid way. You are energised by freedom, travel and ideas to believe in; anger shows up as over-promising, bluntness, bolting when bored. | |
| Mars in Capricorn ruler Saturn · Earth · Cardinal | Earth · Cardinal | Mars in Capricorn: you go after what you want in a ambitious, disciplined way. You are energised by goals, structure and respect; anger shows up as workaholism, coldness, fear of failure. | |
| Mars in Aquarius ruler Uranus (trad. Saturn) · Air · Fixed | Air · Fixed | Mars in Aquarius: you go after what you want in a original, principled way. You are energised by independence, friendship and a cause; anger shows up as aloofness, contrarianism, head over heart. | |
| Mars in Pisces ruler Neptune (trad. Jupiter) · Water · Mutable | Water · Mutable | Mars in Pisces: you go after what you want in a imaginative, empathic way. You are energised by creativity, compassion and time to dream; anger shows up as escapism, blurry boundaries, avoiding hard facts. |
Mars sign by birth date
Computed from Mars’s actual position; dates are in UTC. If you were born on a change-over date, use the calculator above with your birth time. “Rx” marks a sign Mars moved back into while retrograde.
| From | Until | Mars in |
|---|---|---|
| Dec 18, 1989 | Jan 29, 1990 | Sagittarius |
| Jan 29, 1990 | Mar 11, 1990 | Capricorn |
| Mar 11, 1990 | Apr 20, 1990 | Aquarius |
| Apr 20, 1990 | May 31, 1990 | Pisces |
| May 31, 1990 | Jul 12, 1990 | Aries |
| Jul 12, 1990 | Aug 31, 1990 | Taurus |
| Aug 31, 1990 | Dec 14, 1990 | Gemini |
| Dec 14, 1990 | Jan 21, 1991 | TaurusRx |
| Jan 21, 1991 | Apr 3, 1991 | Gemini |
| Apr 3, 1991 | May 26, 1991 | Cancer |
| May 26, 1991 | Jul 15, 1991 | Leo |
| Jul 15, 1991 | Sep 1, 1991 | Virgo |
| Sep 1, 1991 | Oct 16, 1991 | Libra |
| Oct 16, 1991 | Nov 29, 1991 | Scorpio |
| Nov 29, 1991 | Jan 9, 1992 | Sagittarius |
| Jan 9, 1992 | Feb 18, 1992 | Capricorn |
| Feb 18, 1992 | Mar 28, 1992 | Aquarius |
| Mar 28, 1992 | May 5, 1992 | Pisces |
| May 5, 1992 | Jun 14, 1992 | Aries |
| Jun 14, 1992 | Jul 26, 1992 | Taurus |
| Jul 26, 1992 | Sep 12, 1992 | Gemini |
| Sep 12, 1992 | Apr 27, 1993 | Cancer |
| Apr 27, 1993 | Jun 23, 1993 | Leo |
| Jun 23, 1993 | Aug 12, 1993 | Virgo |
| Aug 12, 1993 | Sep 27, 1993 | Libra |
| Sep 27, 1993 | Nov 9, 1993 | Scorpio |
| Nov 9, 1993 | Dec 20, 1993 | Sagittarius |
| Dec 20, 1993 | Jan 28, 1994 | Capricorn |
| Jan 28, 1994 | Mar 7, 1994 | Aquarius |
| Mar 7, 1994 | Apr 14, 1994 | Pisces |
| Apr 14, 1994 | May 23, 1994 | Aries |
| May 23, 1994 | Jul 3, 1994 | Taurus |
| Jul 3, 1994 | Aug 16, 1994 | Gemini |
| Aug 16, 1994 | Oct 4, 1994 | Cancer |
| Oct 4, 1994 | Dec 12, 1994 | Leo |
| Dec 12, 1994 | Jan 22, 1995 | Virgo |
| Jan 22, 1995 | May 25, 1995 | LeoRx |
| May 25, 1995 | Jul 21, 1995 | Virgo |
| Jul 21, 1995 | Sep 7, 1995 | Libra |
| Sep 7, 1995 | Oct 20, 1995 | Scorpio |
| Oct 20, 1995 | Nov 30, 1995 | Sagittarius |
| Nov 30, 1995 | Jan 8, 1996 | Capricorn |
| Jan 8, 1996 | Feb 15, 1996 | Aquarius |
| Feb 15, 1996 | Mar 24, 1996 | Pisces |
| Mar 24, 1996 | May 2, 1996 | Aries |
| May 2, 1996 | Jun 12, 1996 | Taurus |
| Jun 12, 1996 | Jul 25, 1996 | Gemini |
| Jul 25, 1996 | Sep 9, 1996 | Cancer |
| Sep 9, 1996 | Oct 30, 1996 | Leo |
| Oct 30, 1996 | Jan 3, 1997 | Virgo |
| Jan 3, 1997 | Mar 8, 1997 | Libra |
| Mar 8, 1997 | Jun 19, 1997 | VirgoRx |
| Jun 19, 1997 | Aug 14, 1997 | Libra |
| Aug 14, 1997 | Sep 28, 1997 | Scorpio |
| Sep 28, 1997 | Nov 9, 1997 | Sagittarius |
| Nov 9, 1997 | Dec 18, 1997 | Capricorn |
| Dec 18, 1997 | Jan 25, 1998 | Aquarius |
| Jan 25, 1998 | Mar 4, 1998 | Pisces |
| Mar 4, 1998 | Apr 13, 1998 | Aries |
| Apr 13, 1998 | May 24, 1998 | Taurus |
| May 24, 1998 | Jul 6, 1998 | Gemini |
| Jul 6, 1998 | Aug 20, 1998 | Cancer |
| Aug 20, 1998 | Oct 7, 1998 | Leo |
| Oct 7, 1998 | Nov 27, 1998 | Virgo |
| Nov 27, 1998 | Jan 26, 1999 | Libra |
| Jan 26, 1999 | May 5, 1999 | Scorpio |
| May 5, 1999 | Jul 5, 1999 | LibraRx |
| Jul 5, 1999 | Sep 2, 1999 | Scorpio |
| Sep 2, 1999 | Oct 17, 1999 | Sagittarius |
| Oct 17, 1999 | Nov 26, 1999 | Capricorn |
| Nov 26, 1999 | Jan 4, 2000 | Aquarius |
Mars through the houses
The sign says how Mars behaves; the house (needs a birth time) says where in life it shows up. More on the 12 houses.
Mars in the 1st house
You push hardest and compete over body, appearance, first impressions, how you start things.
Mars in the 2nd house
You push hardest and compete over money, possessions, self-worth, what you value.
Mars in the 3rd house
You push hardest and compete over siblings, neighbours, short trips, learning, daily talk.
Mars in the 4th house
You push hardest and compete over family, home, ancestry, your private foundation.
Mars in the 5th house
You push hardest and compete over romance, children, play, self-expression.
Mars in the 6th house
You push hardest and compete over daily routines, service, habits, the body’s upkeep.
Mars in the 7th house
You push hardest and compete over marriage, close partners, contracts, open rivals.
Mars in the 8th house
You push hardest and compete over intimacy, debts, inheritance, crisis and renewal.
Mars in the 9th house
You push hardest and compete over higher learning, travel abroad, beliefs, publishing.
Mars in the 10th house
You push hardest and compete over vocation, reputation, authority, public life.
Mars in the 11th house
You push hardest and compete over friends, groups, networks, hopes for the future.
Mars in the 12th house
You push hardest and compete over solitude, the unconscious, retreat, what you keep private.
Questions people ask
What is my Mars sign?
The sign Mars was in when you were born. Mars spends about 6–7 weeks in most signs, and up to 7 months in one sign during a retrograde year. Enter your birth date above.
What does Mars mean in astrology?
Drive and ambition, physical energy, how you pursue what you want, sexuality and desire, and how you handle anger and competition.
Do I need my birth time for my Mars sign?
Usually not: Mars moves about half a degree a day, so the date is enough unless it changed sign that day (the calculator warns you). The time adds Mars’ house.
Where is Mars strongest?
Mars rules Aries and (traditionally) Scorpio and is exalted in Capricorn. It is in detriment in Libra and Taurus and in fall in Cancer, where its energy tends to come out indirectly.
What does Mars retrograde at birth mean?
Mars is retrograde for about 2½ months roughly every two years, so under 10% of people are born with it. It is read as drive that is turned inward: strategic, reflective, sometimes slow to anger and slow to forget.
Is Mars important for compatibility?
Yes. Mars–Venus contacts between two charts are the traditional marker of physical attraction, and Mars squares or oppositions to the other person’s planets show where arguments start.