The small marks around a birth chart often name the zodiac signs. Use this key to read them one at a time. A sign symbol is a label, not a personality test.
♈ to ♋
♈ is Aries, ♉ Taurus, ♊ Gemini, and ♋ Cancer. These marks name signs, not planets. If the two sets of symbols look alike, check your chart's key.
♌ to ♏
♌ is Leo, ♍ Virgo, ♎ Libra, and ♏ Scorpio. Some charts print the names instead of the marks; they are labels for the same four signs.
♐ to ♓
♐ is Sagittarius, ♑ Capricorn, ♒ Aquarius, and ♓ Pisces. Keep the list beside your chart and look up only the marks you need. You do not have to memorize all twelve.
A few common questions
Do I need to memorize all twelve zodiac symbols?
No. A chart key is enough. Match each mark to a sign name as you read.
Sources & further reading
Astrology sources describe their own traditions and methods; they do not establish predictive accuracy. The writing exercises are original Lodestar editorial material.