Leo (Simha)

Leo, the Lion, is a fixed fire sign ruled by the Sun. The Sun is in tropical (Western) Leo from July 23 – August 22, and in sidereal (Vedic) Leo — called Simha — from about August 17 – September 16. The sign is associated with self-expression, pride and generosity.

Why two sets of dates: the tropical zodiac is tied to the seasons and the sidereal zodiac to the constellations. The equinoxes have drifted about 24° against the stars since the zodiacs coincided (the Lahiri ayanamsa is 24°13′ in 2026), so the Sun enters sidereal Leo roughly three and a half weeks after it enters tropical Leo. The 2026 ingresses above are computed from the Sun's position, to the minute.

In Vedic astrology Simha holds Magha (all four padas), Purva Phalguni (all four padas) and Uttara Phalguni (pada 1). A Moon here is read through both the sign and its nakshatra.

Your Sun sign is only one placement: your Moon sign and your rising sign (ascendant) are read at least as closely, and Vedic astrology gives the Moon sign the most weight of all.

Questions

In Plutto
Plutto reads your Sun, Moon and rising sign in both zodiacs — and says which one each tradition means. Background: Western astrology.