Lunar New Year is the observance of the start of a new year in a lunar or lunisolar calendar. The phrase is often used to refer to the Lunar New Year celebration held in China and worldwide by people of Chinese heritage, known as Chinese New Year. Chinese New Year usually falls in late January or early February. However, Lunar New Year is also observed in many other cultures. In the Chinese zodiac, an astrological system based on the lunar calendar, each year corresponds to one of 12 animals and its attributes.