Scorpio: dates, element, planet, symbolism and associated stones

Who is Scorpio?

Scorpio is the eighth sign of the zodiac. Its glyph looks like an M whose last leg ends in an arrow, recalling the stinger. A Greek myth tells that the giant hunter Orion was killed by a scorpion sent against him; both were placed in the sky so that they would never meet: Orion sets when Scorpio rises. It is a night-sky legend, and a lovely one to observe.

The main star of Scorpio is Antares, whose name roughly means "rival of Ares (Mars)," because it has a reddish colour like the planet. This kinship explains Mars's old rule over this sign.

The traditional sheet at a glance

Scorpio falls in the heart of autumn, when the days shorten quickly in the Northern Hemisphere. Dates in the "tropical" zodiac, the one used in most Western horoscopes, vary by a day from year to year (leap years, exact time and place of birth): if you were born on the day of transition between two signs, a birth chart calculated to the exact hour is needed to know which one applies.

The tropical zodiac starts at the spring equinox and divides the year into twelve equal segments of 30 degrees; it no longer matches the position of the constellations in the sky, because of the precession of the equinoxes, a slow movement of the Earth's axis that completes one turn in about 25,800 years. The "sidereal" zodiac, more used in India, follows the constellations instead and therefore gives dates shifted by about three weeks.

Element, modality and ruling planet

Water: the element of deep emotions. Fixed: Scorpio sits in the middle of autumn; fixed signs evoke perseverance, concentration and retention. Mars: the planet of energy and conflict, the traditional ruler of Scorpio in ancient astrology. After the discovery of Pluto in 1930, many modern astrologers assigned this sign to it: Pluto, the Roman god of the underworld, represents transformation, loss and rebirth. Some authors keep Mars, others prefer Pluto, and still others cite both: the traditions differ.

Symbolic qualities

Scorpio is associated with intensity, depth, discretion, a taste for secrets and mysteries, determination and loyalty. In traditional portraits, the flip side is distrust, jealousy or resentment.

These images should be held lightly: they are sometimes caricatured, and the "mysterious and dangerous Scorpio" is mostly a magazine cliché. The scorpion symbol invites reflection on transformation and on the ability to get through dark periods, without astrology being able to say how or when. For real grief, a human support network or a professional is worth far more than any sign.

Relationships with other signs

In astrology, the relationship between two signs is described by the angle separating them in the zodiac. Here is the common vocabulary, applied to Scorpio, with no compatibility prediction at all:

• Opposition (signs 180 degrees apart, six signs apart): Taurus. Astrologers see a face-to-face that complements, a mirror.
• Trine (same element, water): Pisces and Cancer. One speaks of a kinship of tone, an ease in understanding one another.
• Sextile (complementary elements): Capricorn and Virgo. A link described as stimulating and sociable.
• Square (same modality, different element): Aquarius and Leo. Tradition sees a tension that either drives things forward or irritates.

These relationships are astrological vocabulary, not verdicts: no combination guarantees or prevents a good understanding.

Traditionally associated stones

For Scorpio, traditions differ widely. Often cited are garnet, black obsidian, topaz, malachite or opal, for the depth of their dark and red shades. The lists tied to the stones of Aaron's breastplate and the 20th-century jewellery lists do not agree with one another.

Obsidian is a volcanic glass, natural but brittle, with sometimes sharp edges; blue topaz is very often irradiated and then heated. Refer to the page for each stone.

Mood tips

A "Scorpio" atmosphere is enveloping and intimate: low light, burgundy and black tones, candles, deep music. You might read a detective novel by the fire, keep a dream journal or sort through a drawer of memories. A resin such as myrrh or frankincense (see the smoke-cleansing precautions) fits naturally. These are ideas for atmosphere, nothing resembling a forecast.

What science says

Scientifically, studies to date have not shown that a birth sign allows a character to be described or events to be predicted; astrology remains a symbolic and cultural language, which can be appreciated for its tradition and its poetry without considering it a science.

Frequently asked questions

Also read

The meanings mentioned belong to tradition and symbolism. They are neither promises of results nor medical advice. Back to Guide to the astrological signs.