Aquarius

AquariusDepiction of the constellation Aquarius in an illumination from a book of hours, Italian, c. 1475; in the Pierpont Morgan Library, New York City (MS. G.14).

Aquarius, in astronomy, zodiacal constellation lying in the southern sky between Capricorn and Pisces, between about 21 and 0 hours right ascension and 0° and 20° south declination. It can be seen in the evening sky in late summer and early fall. Its brightest star, Beta Aquarii, or Sadalsuud (Arabic for “the luckiest of the lucky”), is only of magnitude 2.9. Its most notable feature is an asterism of four stars arranged in a Y-shape called the Water Jar. Aquarius lies in an area of the sky sometimes called the “Sea,” because of other nearby water-themed constellations such as Pisces, the fishes; Capricorn, the sea goat; and Cetus, the sea monster.

Medieval manuscript illustration of Aquarius as a figure pouring water from a jug, surrounded by red stars, with handwritten German text and astrological symbols.
AquariusDepiction of the constellation Aquarius (water bearer), watercolor and ink on paper, from a manuscript created in Ulm or Augsburg, Germany, c. 1464; in the J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles.

Its representation as a man pouring a stream of water out of a jug arose in Sumer in the third millennium bce when the constellation was identified with the god Ea, who was depicted with streams flowing from his hands. The constellations of ancient Mesopotamia were adopted by the Greeks, and Aquarius was sometimes identified with Ganymede, the cupbearer of the gods, or Deucalion, who, like Noah, survived a great flood in an ark.

Hand-colored etching by Sidney Hall shows Aquarius as a bearded male figure pouring water from a bowl, with a fish and a balloon at his feet, surrounded by constellation stars.
AquariusAstronomical chart showing a male figure holding an inverted bowl from which water flows, forming the constellation Aquarius; hand-colored etching by Sidney Hall from Urania's Mirror, 1825.

In astrology Aquarius is the 11th sign of the zodiac, considered as governing the period from January 20 to February 18. (The Sun is actually in Aquarius from February 16 to March 11.) It is one of the air signs along with Gemini and Libra. Of the three air signs, Aquarius has a fixed modality, meaning that it relates to sustaining. Traits associated with those born under the sign of Aquarius include being independent, intellectual, and detached.

The point where the Sun is at the vernal equinox gradually moves westward as a wobble in Earth’s axis. This movement is called the precession of the equinoxes. Currently the vernal equinox occurs when the Sun is in Pisces. According to the official boundaries of the constellations agreed upon by the International Astronomical Union in 1930, the vernal equinox will enter Aquarius in 2597.

However, astrologers divide the zodiac into 12 equal sections. The Age of Aquarius would be the time when the vernal equinox would be in Aquarius and is considered to be a time of great social change with growing harmony and connection among peoples. Many astrologers consider that the Age of Aquarius began in the 20th century, but there is no firm consensus, with possible dates ranging from 1447 to 3597.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica This article was most recently revised and updated by Erik Gregersen.
Citation Information
Article Title: Aquarius
Website Name: Encyclopaedia Britannica
Publisher: Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.
Date Published: 01 June 2026
Access Date: November 14, 2026