June zodiac sign: Gemini, then Cancer at the solstice

June: the solstice splits the month

Cancer begins at the June solstice, the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, when the Sun reaches its farthest point north and stands overhead at the Tropic of Cancer. Like the March equinox for Aries, it is an astronomical moment you can look up: it drifts by about six hours a year, and on the Eastern clock it lands on June 21 in most years and June 20 in the rest.

Before it, June belongs to Gemini, the last spring sign, all motion and talk. After it, the Sun moves into the first summer sign, and the mood turns toward home, family and memory.

Two June signs, two ways to connect

Both June signs are about connection, in opposite styles. Gemini connects through words: it texts, chats, introduces people and knows everyone's news. Cancer connects through care: it feeds, protects, remembers birthdays and keeps families together. A Gemini June baby and a Cancer June baby will both call you, one to tell you a story and the other to ask if you have eaten.

• ✦Gemini, June 1 to 20: mutable air, ruled by Mercury, quick and curious.
• ✦Cancer, June 21 to 30: cardinal water, ruled by the Moon, protective and intuitive.

June zodiac signs, day by day

On the US Eastern clock, June 1 to 19 is always Gemini and June 22 onward is always Cancer. In between is the change: from 1970 to 2035 the Sun entered Cancer on June 21 in 51 of the 66 years and June 20 in 15. On the change day itself, a birth before the moment in the year table below is Gemini and a birth after it is Cancer.

When Cancer begins each year, in Eastern time

The Sun's entry into Cancer slides about six hours later each year and jumps back after a leap day. The next two are June 21, 2027 at 10:10 am Eastern, then June 20, 2028 at 3:50 pm Eastern. Times are good to within 15 minutes. For Central time take one hour off, for Mountain two and for Pacific three, which can move the change to the day before; the sign page lists the same moments in UTC.

June dates by sign

Juneteenth, June 19, falls in Gemini every year. Father's Day, the third Sunday of June, runs from June 15 to 21, so it is Gemini unless it falls on June 20 or 21 after the solstice moment. June has three traditional birthstones: the pearl, the moonstone and the alexandrite. The moonstone, named for the Moon, is the obvious match for Cancer, the one sign the Moon rules.

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