Tropical Zodiac

The tropical zodiac defines zodiac signs by Earth's relationship to the Sun and seasons. Zero degrees Aries always begins at the vernal (spring) equinox, regardless of which constellation is actually behind the Sun at that moment. Due to precession of the equinoxes, the tropical and sidereal zodiacs have drifted apart by approximately 24 degrees over two millennia. Western astrology's tropical system emphasizes seasonal and archetypal symbolism, while Vedic astrology's sidereal system tracks actual stellar positions.

The tropical zodiac is why your Western sign relates to seasonal energy. If you are a tropical Aries, you were born at the time of year when spring begins—new growth, initiative, and fresh starts.