Saju Character

The 24 solar terms of 2027: dates and times

Start of Spring (Ipchun) 2027 falls on Thu, Feb 4 at 10:46 Korea time. From that moment the Saju year becomes Jeong-mi (丁未). All 24 solar terms are listed in Korea Standard Time and UTC, with the twelve that change the Saju month marked.

Solar termDateTime (UTC+9)UTCIn Saju
Minor ColdTue, Jan 523:09Tue, Jan 5 14:09Month changes
Major ColdWed, Jan 2016:29Wed, Jan 20 07:29Mid-term
Start of SpringThu, Feb 410:46Thu, Feb 4 01:46Year and month change
Rain WaterFri, Feb 1906:33Thu, Feb 18 21:33Mid-term
Awakening of InsectsSat, Mar 604:39Fri, Mar 5 19:39Month changes
Spring EquinoxSun, Mar 2105:24Sat, Mar 20 20:24Mid-term
Clear and BrightMon, Apr 509:17Mon, Apr 5 00:17Month changes
Grain RainTue, Apr 2016:17Tue, Apr 20 07:17Mid-term
Start of SummerThu, May 602:25Wed, May 5 17:25Month changes
Grain BudsFri, May 2115:18Fri, May 21 06:18Mid-term
Grain in EarSun, Jun 606:25Sat, Jun 5 21:25Month changes
Summer SolsticeMon, Jun 2123:10Mon, Jun 21 14:10Mid-term
Minor HeatWed, Jul 716:37Wed, Jul 7 07:37Month changes
Major HeatFri, Jul 2310:04Fri, Jul 23 01:04Mid-term
Start of AutumnSun, Aug 802:26Sat, Aug 7 17:26Month changes
End of HeatMon, Aug 2317:14Mon, Aug 23 08:14Mid-term
White DewWed, Sep 805:28Tue, Sep 7 20:28Month changes
Autumn EquinoxThu, Sep 2315:01Thu, Sep 23 06:01Mid-term
Cold DewFri, Oct 821:16Fri, Oct 8 12:16Month changes
Frost's DescentSun, Oct 2400:32Sat, Oct 23 15:32Mid-term
Start of WinterMon, Nov 800:38Sun, Nov 7 15:38Month changes
Minor SnowMon, Nov 2222:16Mon, Nov 22 13:16Mid-term
Major SnowTue, Dec 717:37Tue, Dec 7 08:37Month changes
Winter SolsticeWed, Dec 2211:42Wed, Dec 22 02:42Mid-term

Times come from the VSOP87 solar longitude calculation and may differ from published almanacs by a minute or so. Bold rows are Saju month boundaries.

What are the 24 solar terms?

The sun's yearly path across the sky (the ecliptic) is divided into 24 steps of 15 degrees each. Solar terms therefore follow the sun, not the moon, so their calendar dates shift by only a day or so from year to year. The twelve that open a month (Ipchun, Gyeongchip, and so on) are called nodes, and the twelve that fall mid-month (Usu, the spring equinox, and so on) are called mid-terms.

Why solar terms matter in Saju

Saju divides years and months by solar terms, not by lunar dates. The year changes at Start of Spring, and the month changes at each of the twelve nodes. From Start of Spring until just before Awakening of Insects is the In (寅) month, and from Major Snow until just before the next Minor Cold is the Ja (子) month. If you were born close to a term, a few minutes can change your Month Pillar, which is why this site compares your birth time with the term time to the minute.

Start of Spring (Ipchun) 2027 and your zodiac animal

Start of Spring 2027 is on Thu, Feb 4 at 10:46 Korea time. In Saju the Jeong-mi year begins at that moment, making you a Goat; anyone born before it belongs to the Byeong-o year, the Horse. Folk custom often switches animals at Lunar New Year instead, so people born in January or early February may get a different animal depending on the rule.

See my chart by birthday

Common questions

Why do sites show slightly different times?

They use different astronomical formulas and rounding, which usually means a difference of one or two minutes. This site uses VSOP87 and matches the 40 equinox and solstice times published by the US Naval Observatory to within a minute.

Does the zodiac animal change at Lunar New Year or at the Start of Spring?

In Saju it changes at the Start of Spring (Ipchun). Switching at Lunar New Year (the first day of the first lunar month) is a widespread folk custom. The two dates are usually two to three weeks apart, so people born in between get a different animal depending on the rule.

Term times are calculated. For official times, check the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute almanac.