The 12 Signs of the Zodiac are separated into four elements: Fire, Earth, Air, and Water. By examining the different planets in these signs, astrologers can draw an in-depth profile analysis of you.

Fire: Aries, Leo, Sagittarius. People with fire signs are explosive, volatile, and energetic. They are leaders, inventors, and adventurers. Their weaknesses are their tendency to do their work to the extreme and burn themselves out. The Fire attributes are best to be counterbalanced by Earth signs.

Earth: Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn. People with Earth signs are practical, cautious, and reliable. If someone has very few Earth signs, they often lack imagination and creativity.

Air: Gemini, Libra, Aquarius. Air signs are responsible for intellectual activity, thought, and philosophy. People who possess many planets in the Air signs are good planners. Without Air signs, subjects may have difficulty communicating and be weak in artistic inclination. The excess of planets in Air signs is best counterbalanced by planets in the Water signs.

Water: Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces. These are emotional signs. The planets in the Water sign moderate the practicality of Earth, the ideas of Air, and the careless energy of Fire.

In astrological interpretation, element analysis is the most traditional. For example, many planets in the Fire sign of a chart indicate the subject’s lively and enthusiastic. Though this interpretation is simplistic and direct, astrologers must also consider the effect of the Qualities and Aspects of the subject's birth chart to draw a complete personality profile.