Gemini (astrology)

The zodiacal sign of Gemini (ancient Greek δίδυμοι Dídymoi, Latin Gemini) corresponds to the third segment of the zodiac from 60° to 90° ecliptic longitude from the vernal equinox.

The Sun is in this sign on average between May 21 and June 21. Due to the migration of the vernal equinox, the zodiac sign Gemini no longer corresponds to the constellation Gemini today. The Sun is in the constellation Gemini approximately between June 21 and July 20.

According to the Tetrabiblos of Claudius Ptolemy

• the twins are male (I.12), and
• Mercury (I.17) is ruler of the sign.

As a Melothesian equivalent, the twins were assigned shoulders, arms, hands and fingers as human body parts in ancient iatroastrology. The assigned deity was Apollo.

With Libra and Aquarius, Gemini forms the trine of the element of air, and with Virgo, Sagittarius, and Pisces, the square of the four conjunct signs.

The sign was already part of the Babylonian zodiac. On the MUL.APIN tablets it appears as "Great Twins" (MAŠ.TAB.BA.GAL.GAL).

Since ancient times, the sign has been depicted as two young men embracing each other or holding hands. On the zodiac of Dendera, the twins appear as man and woman. The origin of the astrological symbol is unclear. It may be a stylization of the constellation or it may be the Roman numeral sign II, which then stands for the two twin stars Castor and Pollux.

The Unicode character for the symbol is U+264A (♊).