The twelve constellations
Cancer constellation
The constellation Cancer lies on the ecliptic, the path the Sun, the Moon and the planets take across the sky. Along the ecliptic it is 20.1° wide. It belongs to the element Water, and in the calendar to the day type Leaf day.
Star map
The boundary is the one set by the International Astronomical Union in 1928. The horizontal line is the ecliptic, the band around it the Moon’s path.
Who is in front of it right now
- Mars
When the Moon is in front of it
The next dates. All dates of the year are on the page “Moon in Cancer”.
- Sun, Nov 1, 2026, 01:30 AM – Mon, Nov 2, 2026, 12:04 PM
- Sat, Nov 28, 2026, 08:38 AM – Sun, Nov 29, 2026, 06:13 PM
- Fri, Dec 25, 2026, 06:36 PM – Sun, Dec 27, 2026, 02:57 AM
- Fri, Jan 22, 2027, 06:10 AM – Sat, Jan 23, 2027, 02:01 PM
When the Sun is in front of it
2027: from Wed, Jul 21, 2027, 09:06 AM until Wed, Aug 11, 2027, 08:05 AM.
Width compared
The twelve constellations along the ecliptic, in degrees.
The other constellations
Frequently asked questions
How wide is the Cancer constellation?
20.1° along the ecliptic, rank 12 of the twelve. The Moon takes about 1.5 days on average to cross it.
Which element does the Cancer constellation belong to?
To the element Water. When the Moon stands in front of it, the calendar shows the day type Leaf day.
When is the Sun in front of the Cancer constellation in 2027?
From Wed, Jul 21, 2027, 09:06 AM until Wed, Aug 11, 2027, 08:05 AM, local time Europe/London.
Stars, figures and boundaries: d3-celestial by Olaf Frohn (BSD licence); IAU boundaries of 1928.