Tarot and astrology: signs, planets, decans and timing

The Golden Dawn system links every tarot card to the tropical zodiac, so one card can give a meaning, an element and a time of year.

Major Arcana: 12 signs, 7 planets, 3 elements

The 22 Hebrew letters divide into 3 mother letters (Air, Water, Fire), 7 double letters (the seven classical planets) and 12 single letters (the twelve signs), and the Majors divide the same way.

Card	Hebrew letter	Attribution	Path
0 The Fool	א Aleph	Air	11: Kether – Chokmah
I The Magician	ב Beth	Mercury	12: Kether – Binah
II The High Priestess	ג Gimel	Moon	13: Kether – Tiphareth
III The Empress	ד Daleth	Venus	14: Chokmah – Binah
IV The Emperor	ה Heh	Aries	15: Chokmah – Tiphareth
V The Hierophant	ו Vav	Taurus	16: Chokmah – Chesed
VI The Lovers	ז Zayin	Gemini	17: Binah – Tiphareth
VII The Chariot	ח Cheth	Cancer	18: Binah – Geburah
VIII Strength	ט Teth	Leo	19: Chesed – Geburah
IX The Hermit	י Yod	Virgo	20: Chesed – Tiphareth
X Wheel of Fortune	כ Kaph	Jupiter	21: Chesed – Netzach
XI Justice	ל Lamed	Libra	22: Geburah – Tiphareth
XII The Hanged Man	מ Mem	Water	23: Geburah – Hod
XIII Death	נ Nun	Scorpio	24: Tiphareth – Netzach
XIV Temperance	ס Samekh	Sagittarius	25: Tiphareth – Yesod
XV The Devil	ע Ayin	Capricorn	26: Tiphareth – Hod
XVI The Tower	פ Peh	Mars	27: Netzach – Hod
XVII The Star	צ Tzaddi	Aquarius	28: Netzach – Yesod
XVIII The Moon	ק Qoph	Pisces	29: Netzach – Malkuth
XIX The Sun	ר Resh	Sun	30: Hod – Yesod
XX Judgement	ש Shin	Fire	31: Hod – Malkuth
XXI The World	ת Tav	Saturn	32: Yesod – Malkuth

Minor cards 2–10: the 36 decans

The 360° zodiac divides into 36 decans of 10° each, and the 2s to 10s of the four suits number exactly 36. Each card rules one decan; decan rulers follow the Chaldean order (Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Sun, Venus, Mercury, Moon), starting with Mars at 0° Aries. Dates below come from the Sun's actual positions in 2026 and may shift by a day in other years.

Zodiac span	Decan ruler	Card	Approximate dates
0°–10° Aries	Mars	Two of Wands	21 Mar – 30 Mar
10°–20° Aries	Sun	Three of Wands	31 Mar – 9 Apr
20°–30° Aries	Venus	Four of Wands	10 Apr – 19 Apr
0°–10° Taurus	Mercury	Five of Pentacles	20 Apr – 29 Apr
10°–20° Taurus	Moon	Six of Pentacles	30 Apr – 10 May
20°–30° Taurus	Saturn	Seven of Pentacles	11 May – 20 May
0°–10° Gemini	Jupiter	Eight of Swords	21 May – 30 May
10°–20° Gemini	Mars	Nine of Swords	31 May – 10 Jun
20°–30° Gemini	Sun	Ten of Swords	11 Jun – 20 Jun
0°–10° Cancer	Venus	Two of Cups	21 Jun – 1 Jul
10°–20° Cancer	Mercury	Three of Cups	2 Jul – 11 Jul
20°–30° Cancer	Moon	Four of Cups	12 Jul – 22 Jul
0°–10° Leo	Saturn	Five of Wands	23 Jul – 1 Aug
10°–20° Leo	Jupiter	Six of Wands	2 Aug – 12 Aug
20°–30° Leo	Mars	Seven of Wands	13 Aug – 22 Aug
0°–10° Virgo	Sun	Eight of Pentacles	23 Aug – 1 Sep
10°–20° Virgo	Venus	Nine of Pentacles	2 Sep – 12 Sep
20°–30° Virgo	Mercury	Ten of Pentacles	13 Sep – 22 Sep
0°–10° Libra	Moon	Two of Swords	23 Sep – 2 Oct
10°–20° Libra	Saturn	Three of Swords	3 Oct – 12 Oct
20°–30° Libra	Jupiter	Four of Swords	13 Oct – 22 Oct
0°–10° Scorpio	Mars	Five of Cups	23 Oct – 1 Nov
10°–20° Scorpio	Sun	Six of Cups	2 Nov – 11 Nov
20°–30° Scorpio	Venus	Seven of Cups	12 Nov – 21 Nov
0°–10° Sagittarius	Mercury	Eight of Wands	22 Nov – 1 Dec
10°–20° Sagittarius	Moon	Nine of Wands	2 Dec – 11 Dec
20°–30° Sagittarius	Saturn	Ten of Wands	12 Dec – 21 Dec
0°–10° Capricorn	Jupiter	Two of Pentacles	22 Dec – 31 Dec
10°–20° Capricorn	Mars	Three of Pentacles	1 Jan – 9 Jan
20°–30° Capricorn	Sun	Four of Pentacles	10 Jan – 19 Jan
0°–10° Aquarius	Venus	Five of Swords	20 Jan – 29 Jan
10°–20° Aquarius	Mercury	Six of Swords	30 Jan – 8 Feb
20°–30° Aquarius	Moon	Seven of Swords	9 Feb – 18 Feb
0°–10° Pisces	Saturn	Eight of Cups	19 Feb – 28 Feb
10°–20° Pisces	Jupiter	Nine of Cups	1 Mar – 10 Mar
20°–30° Pisces	Mars	Ten of Cups	11 Mar – 20 Mar

Court cards and Aces

Kings, Queens and Knights rule 30° spans from 20° of one sign to 20° of the next. Pages and Aces rule a quarter of the zodiac (three signs). Each card page gives its degrees and dates.

Timing with the cards

Cards ruling a decan or sign point to when the Sun passes through it: the Three of Cups as an outcome may mean late October to early November.
Cards ruling a planet use the planet's speed: the Moon a few days, Mercury one to three weeks, Saturn months to a year.
Suits give the pace: Wands and Swords fast, Cups moderate, Pentacles slow but sure.

The Celtic Cross reader calculates timing from the outcome card automatically.