All About Air Signs, the Zodiac’s Social Smarties

In astrology, there are four elements (fire, water, earth, and air) that categorize and describe the 12 zodiac signs. The three air signs are Gemini, Libra, and Aquarius and they're the thinkers, communicators, and doers of the zodiac. They analyze, synthesize, and probe. They breeze through life, never stopping to catch their breath. They have a “live and let live” mentality, and their intelligence helps them make decisions easily.

Not to toot my own horn, because I am an air sign, but air signs are the leaders of society. They have the ability to see situations from an intellectual perspective without being clouded by emotion. Air signs are all about ideas, achievements, and correct information. They’re always focused on the details—and yes, they’ll point out every typo. If you need someone to think of a brilliant idea and then follow it through, call an air sign.

Did we forget to say they’re also extremely sociable? Air signs know how to get any party started! They can get along with anybody—including those who aren’t part of their social group. Air signs are masters of both small talk and deep convos, and they know how to use their wit to get them out of awkward moments. Their witty, charming natures mean they thrive at any social gathering.

Air signs are also the most forgiving signs of the zodiac—they can tell the difference between acting out and just plain old meanness, and they understand that in moments of strong emotion, people can say and do things to can hurt others. Not that they’d ever do the same! Their cool, collected vibe helps them navigate the drama, but although they’re mostly fair-minded, their gift of perspective means they can run colder than the other elements and might seem aloof compared to, say, an emotional water sign.

Elements are always four signs away from each other: For air signs, Gemini is the third sign of the zodiac, Libra is the sixth, and Aquarius is the ninth. This placement brings good vibes and means that air signs tend to get along with other air signs, whether as friends, lovers, family members, ore ven coworkers. They just ~get~ each other, y'know?

There’s one air sign for each modality—which, BTW, classifies zodiac signs by whether they fall in the beginning of a season (cardinal signs), middle of a season (fixed signs), or end of a season (mutable signs).

 

Get to know the air signs:

Gemini (May 21 to June 20)

Gemini is a mutable air sign, meaning it comes at the end of a season (spring, in this case) and is known to be flexible. This chatty sign has the ability to understand situations from a mile away, which helps them make decisions easily. There’s no right or wrong way to think or act, according to Gemini. As the sign represented by the twins, Geminis embrace fluidity in life and try to understand all sides of a situation, thanks to their dualistic nature. They’re the ones sharing important news, truth, and gossip.

 

Libra (September 23 to October 22)

Libra is a cardinal air sign, meaning it comes at the start of a season (fall) and is known to be a leader. Intellectual Libras critique art and society as they help shape the world. And the rumors are true—they’re the flirts of the zodiac. Libras are known for their ability to make fair decisions, but it often takes them a long time to make a choice because they can relate to both sides—which is why they can be indecisive and tend to go to others for advice.

 

Aquarius (January 20 to February 19)

Aquarius is a fixed air sign, meaning it falls in the middle of a season (winter) and is known to be stubborn. They’re represented by the water bearer because they give knowledge to the world. Aquarians are the humanitarians of the zodiac, and they speak to and for the collective. They process situations, relationships, and news at a deeper and slower pace than the other air signs because they’re focused on the big picture—they’re trying to see how the information they learn can help society evolve.