Aries is the first sign of the zodiac. It is a masculine, cardinal sign and is one of the three fire signs of the zodiac. It starts on the day of the spring equinox, at the precise moment when the Sun enters the sign to stay for the whole period lasting from 20 or 21 March until 20 or 21 April, according to the year.

Active instinctive, aggressive and energetic temperament. Careless enthusiasm, lack of awareness of risks taken or possible obstacles ahead. Will to succeed and satisfy one's desires immediately. Irritable, emotional, anxious and extrovert temperament featuring a constant need for action and a lack of patience, but counterbalanced by a moral outlook on life and an approach which is sometimes demanding and narrow-minded.

Psychologically, the sign of Aries is linked with action. Excitement, lack of insight, and too much haste can lead to disillusionment which is overcome with energy and a continual search for self-assertiveness. Arians need to fight, to aspire for a specific aim and to demonstrate their energy.

Arian love is love at first sight, primary, instinctive and absolute love, with a ceaseless need to reaffirm their passion and adore the object of their desires.

The Arian personality is adventurous and energetic with quick reactions that sometimes need tempering. Aries is the sign of achievement and those born under this sign need to feel that they are realising their goals in at least one area of their lives.

Arians should guard against being impulsive and quick-tempered but their major fault is selfishness, a by-product of their intense single-mindedness.

Arians are often successful in business, they can be determined, focused and well-organised.

They are better suited to a work environment where they can enjoy some freedom. A stuffy office is not the Arian ideal, indeed they thrive in busy, bustling surroundings.

With the Arian need to achieve, career is the obvious area for success and if this is not achieved they can quickly become disillusioned and difficult. It is important for an Aries to complement a less than inspiring job with a more active and dynamic hobby. Typical Arian careers are: entrepreneur, science-based or electronics, the armed forces.

Arians demand passionate, action-filled partnerships. They need to be sexually satisfied more than the more obviously sensual signs of the zodiac. Their desire for freedom coupled with a tendency towards behaving selfishly, can lead to affairs or a reluctance to commit but in reality Arians are looking for, and are comfortable in, a permanent emotional relationship. They make excellent parents as they are able to share their children's enthusiasms and hobbies although they need to be aware of pushing their children into activities the may not want to do. Arians are by nature competitive and although a friendship with an Arian will never be dull it can turn into an 'anything you can do I can do better' situation.

Arians have lots of energy and their general health is good. They need and thrive on plenty of exercise but the Arian need to excel and achieve can result in overdoing things. Arians could do with recognising their limits, particularly as they get older.

The Arian appetite for everything extends to food. They enjoy hearty and spicy meals. Their boundless energy usually means they can burn off any excess calories but again this is something that has to be watched as they grow older.

Anatomically, Aries is associated with the head, face and jaw. Arians may suffer from headaches and should guard against knocks and bumps.