The star sign Capricorn

Capricorn is the tenth sign of the zodiac, from 22 December to about 19 January. It begins at the winter solstice — the lowest point of the Sun, from which the days start to lengthen again.

Where it belongs

Element: earth — cold and dry, concerned with matter
Mode: cardinal — opens a season, sets things in motion
Ruler: Saturn
Exaltation: Mars, at 28 degrees
Detriment: the Moon · Fall: Jupiter, at 15 degrees

Saturn as ruler and Mars exalted: the two difficult planets in their best condition, in a sign that opens a season. From that comes the picture — something that limits and at the same time begins, that endures and carries through.

That Jupiter is in fall here and the Moon in detriment belongs to the same picture: generosity and yielding have a hard time of it where measure is kept and weight is carried.

What has been handed down

Endurance, responsibility, a sense of structure and duration, ambition for the long term — and the reverse side: hardness towards oneself, melancholy, difficulty with anything light-hearted.

The assignment to the knees, the bones and the skin belongs to the oldest layer (see melothesia): the frame and the outer limit of the body, both of them saturnine.

On calling a sign “unlucky”

There are no unlucky signs. There are planets in difficult condition.

Saturn in Capricorn is in its own sign, and therefore as strong as it can be — a Capricorn has the most difficult planet in the system in its best position. Whether that turns out well depends on which house Saturn is in, whether it is in its own sect, and which planets aspect it.

And in love: the seventh house, its ruler, Venus and the Moon decide — not the sun sign. See partnership in the chart.

The exaltation at 28 degrees

Like every exaltation, this one has a degree. Mars is exalted in Capricorn, but most strongly on the 28th degree. A Mars at 28 degrees of Capricorn is a different matter from one at 2 degrees.