Planets in astrology have a meaning different from the modern astronomical understanding of what a planet is.

Before the age of telescopes, the night sky was thought to consist of two very similar components: fixed stars, which remained motionless in relation to each other, and wandering stars, (in ancient Greek: asteres planetai), which moved relative to the fixed stars over the course of the year. To the Greeks and the other earliest astronomers, this group comprised the five planets visible to the naked eye, and excluded the Earth. Although strictly the term "planet" applied only to those five objects, the term was latterly broadened, particularly in the Middle Ages, to include the Sun and the Moon (sometimes referred to as "Lights"), making a total of seven planets. Astrologers retain this definition today. To ancient astrologers, the planets represented the will of the gods and their direct influence upon human affairs. To modern astrologers the planets represent basic drives or impulses in the human psyche.[dubious discuss] These drives express themselves with different qualities through the twelve signs of the zodiac, and in different spheres of life through the twelve houses. How exactly the planets manifest themselves also depends on the aspects (or angles) that they form with each other in the sky as seen from Earth. Modern astrologers differ on the source of the planets' power. Some hold that the planets exert their influence directly through gravitational or another unknown other power. Others hold that the planets have no direct influence in themselves, but are mirrors of basic organizing principles in the universe. In other words, the basic patterns of the universe repeat themselves everywhere, in fractal-like fashion, and "as above so below". Therefore, the patterns that the planets make in the sky reflect the ebb and flow of basic human impulses. The planets are also associated, especially in the Chinese tradition, with the basic forces of nature. Listed below are the specific meanings and domains associated with the astrological planets since ancient times, with the main focus on the Western astrological tradition. The planets in Hindu astrology are known as the Navagraha or "nine realms". In Chinese astrology, the planets are associated with the life forces of yin and yang and the five elements, which play an important role in the Chinese form of geomancy known asFeng Shui.
Contents
[hide]

 o o o o o o o o o o o o

1 Planetary symbolism 1.1 Motion 2 History 3 Classical planets 3.1 Sun 3.2 Moon 3.3 Mercury 3.4 Venus 3.5 Mars 3.6 Jupiter 3.7 Saturn 4 Modern planets 4.1 Uranus 4.2 Neptune 4.3 Pluto-Charon 4.4 Ceres 5 Planetary traditions compared 6 Other solar system bodies 7 Hypothetical planets 8 Ruling planets of the astrological signs and houses 9 See also 10 Notes 11 References

12 External links

[edit]Planetary

symbolism

Main article: Astrological symbol This table shows the astrological planets (as distinct from the astronomical) and the Greek and Roman deities associated with them. In most cases, the English name for planets derives from the name of a Roman god or goddess. Also of interest is the conflation of the Roman god with a similar Greek god. In some cases, it is the same deity with two different names.

Planet

Roman deity

Greek God

Hindu God

Highest speed[1] (geocentric)

connection

Meaning (European) Solar incarnation Golden god of Prophecy; Helios means "Sun."

Meaning (Vedic) The Sun God Son of Aditi and Kashyap; Surya means "the supreme light."

Sun

Sol Apollo

(Helios) (Apollon (Surya) )

0103'00"

ancient

Moon

Luna Diana

(Selene) (Chandra) (Artemis)

1630'00"

ancient

The Moon God Associated with Moon goddess impatience of human Goddess of nature. Hunt; Selene Always found and Luna both feathered on the head mean "moon." of LordShiva; Chandra means "shining." A planet god known for his intelligence; Budha means "awakening, clever, intelligent, wise, learned man, wise man, or sage".[2] The mentor of Asuras. Associated with fertility and enthusiasm. Always helped demons in the war against gods; Shukra means "clear, pure, brightness, or clearness."

Mercury Mercury

(Hermes) (Budha)

0225'00"

ancient

Messenger God

Venus

Venus

(Aphrodite)

(Shukra)

0122'00"

ancient

Goddess of romance; Venus means "love" or "sexual desire."[3]

Earth

Terra

(Gaia)

,, (Prithvi)

N/A

ancient

Goddess of the Earth; Gaia Goddess of Earth; and Terra both Prithvi means mean "earth" "Earth." or "land." Son of Earth. This planet is associated with unluckiness of brides. Also associated with strength. Mentor/Guru /teache r of gods. Always helped gods in war against demons. Guru means "teacher" or "priest." Brihaspati means "lord of prayer or devotion."[4] God of "Duty". Punishes the person who does not do his duty properly. Saturn (Shani) tests a person every 22.5 years; the test lasts for a period of 7.5 years (Sadesati). The origin of word Shani () comes from the following: Shanaye

Mars

Mars

(Ares)

(Mangala)

0052'00"

ancient

God of War

Jupiter

Jupiter

(Zeus)

, (Guru,Brihaspati)

0015'40"

ancient

Leader of the Gods; Jupiter means "Sky Father."

Saturn

Saturn

(Cronus) (Shani)

0008'48"

ancient

God of Agriculture

Kramati Sa: ( ) i.e. the one who moves slowly, as Saturn takes about 30 years to revolve around the Sun. (Uranos) God of the Sky; "Uranus" and "Caelus" both mean "sky." A mythological snake king in Indian Puranas. Vasuki means "of divine being."[5]

Uranus

Caelus

, (Vasuki)

0004'00"

modern

Neptune Neptune

(Poseidon)

(Varuna)

0002'25"

modern

God of rain in Indian mythology; Varuna God of the Sea means "God of Water" or "God of the Sea."[6]

PlutoCharon

Pluto/Orcus (Pluton)/ (Hades)

(Kubera)

0002'30"

modern

God of the Underworld; Hades means "the unseen" and Pluto means "wealth."

God of wealth. Kubera gave a loan to lord Vishnu to search for his wife Lakshmi who had quarreled with Vishnu and left their home. Kubera means "deformed" or "monstrous." The Great Divine Mother in Hinduism; Shakti means "power, strength, might, energy, or capacity."[9]

Ceres

Ceres

(Demeter)

(Shakti)

0030'00"

modern

Goddess of the seasons; Demeter means "Earth Mother."[7][8]

Pallas Athena

Minerva

(Athena)

(Durga)?

0040'30"

modern

Wise goddess of war Goddess of and good; Durga Brilliance; means "the Pallas means inaccessible" or "the "little maiden." invincible." Queen of the gods and women Goddess of the sacred hearth; Hestia means "hearth" or "fireside."[10] Wife of Brihaspati. Mountain-dwelling deity who represented subjugation and fascination in regard to sex.

Juno

Juno

(Hera)

Taraka?

0039'00"

modern

Vesta

Vesta

(Hestia)

Kurukull?

0036'00"

modern

Chiron

(Chiron) Ayyappan?

0010'00"

modern

Centaurtutor to many heroes Healer, leader and and master uniter who went into healer; Chiron seclusion. means [11] "hand."

[edit]Motion Average speed Highest speed Lowest speed (geocentric) (geocentric) (geocentric)
[1] [1] [12]

Planet Sun Moon Mercury Venus Mars Jupiter

0059'08" 1310'35" 0123'00" 0112'00" 0031'27" 0004'59"

0103'00" 1630'00" 0225'00" 0122'00" 0052'00" 0015'40"

0057'10" 1145'36" -0130'00" -0041'12" -0026'12" -0008'50"

Saturn Uranus Neptune

0002'01" 0000'42" 0000'24"

0008'48" 0004'00" 0002'25" 0002'30" 0030'00" 0040'30" 0039'00" 0036'00" 0010'00"

-0005'30" -0002'40" -0001'45" -0001'48" -0016'00" -0022'30" -0018'00" -0017'32" -0006'00"

Pluto-Charon 0000'15" Ceres Pallas Juno Vesta Chiron 0012'40" 0012'20" 0014'15" 0016'15" 0002'00"

[edit]History

Treatises on the Ptolemaic planets and their influence on people born "under their reign" appear in block book form, so-called "planet books" or Planetebcher, from about 1460 in southern Germany, and remain popular throughout the German Renaissance, exerting great iconographical influence far into the 17th century. A notable early example is the Hausbuch of Wolfegg of c. 1470. Even earlier,Hans Talhoffer, in a 1459 manuscript, includes a treatise on planets and planet-children. These books usually list a male and a female Titan with each planet, Cronus and Rhea with Saturn, Eurymedon and Themis with Jupiter, Hyperion and Theia with Sol, Oceanus and Tethys with Venus, Koios and Metis with Mercury, and Atlas and Phoibe with Luna.[13] The qualities inherited from the planets by their "children" are as follows:

Saturn: melancholy and apathy; Jupiter: hunting; Mars: soldiering and warfare; Sol: music and athleticism; Venus: amorousness and passion; Mercury: money and commerce; Luna: association with water and travel.[14] planets

[edit]Classical

The geocentric Ptolemaic system of the universe depicted by Andreas Cellarius, 166061

The seven classical planets are those easily seen with the naked eye, and were thus known to ancient astrologers. They are the Sun, the Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. Sometimes, the Sun and moon were referred to as "the lights" or the "luminaries".Ceres and Uranus can also just be seen with the naked eye, though no ancient culture appears to have taken note of them. The astrological descriptions attached to the seven classical planets have been preserved since ancient times. Astrologers call the seven classical planets "the seven personal and social planets", because they are said to represent the basic human drives of every individual.[citation
needed]

The personal planets are the Sun, Moon, Mercury, and Venus, while the social, or

transpersonal, planets are Mars, Jupiter and Saturn. Jupiter and Saturn are often called "transpersonal" or "transcendent" planets as they represent a transition from the inner personal planets to the outer modern, impersonal planets. The outer modern planets Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto are often called the collective or transcendental planets.
[15]

The following is a list of the planets and their associated characteristics.[16]

[edit]Sun

Main article: Sun (astrology)

Apollo with his lyre

The Sun (

) is the planetary ruler of Leo and is exalted in Aries. In Greek and Roman

mythology, the Sun is represented by Apollo, the god of light. The Sun is the star at the center of our solar system, around which the Earth and other planets revolve, and provides us with heat and light. The arc that the Sun travels in every year, rising and setting in a slightly different place each day, is therefore in reality a reflection of the Earth's own orbit around the Sun. This arc is larger the farther north or south from the equator the latitude is, giving a more extreme difference between day and night and between seasons during the year. The Sun travels through the twelve signs of the zodiac on its annual journey, spending about a month in each. The Sun's position on a person's birthday therefore determines what is usually called his or her "sun" sign.

The Sun, the star at the center of the Solar System

Astrologically, the Sun is usually thought to represent the consciousego, the self and its expression, personal power, pride, and authority; leadership qualities; and the principles of creativity, spontaneity, health, and vitality, the sum of which is named the "life force". The 1st-century poetMarcus Manilius in his epic, 8000-verse poem, Astronomica, described the Sun, or Sol, as benign and favorable. In medicine, the Sun is associated with the heart, circulatory system,[17] and the thymus. In modern astrology, the Sun is the ruler of the fifth house The Sun is associated with Sunday. Dante Alighieri associated the Sun with the liberal art of music. In Chinese astrology, the Sun represents Yang, the active, assertive masculine life principle. In Indian astrology, the Sun is called Surya, and represents the soul, kingship, highly placed persons, and father.[citation needed]
[edit]Moon

Main article: Moon (astrology)

Diana the huntress

The Moon (

) is the ruling planet of Cancer and is exalted in Taurus. In Roman

mythology, the Moon is represented by Diana, the hunter goddess. The Moon is large enough for its gravity to affect the Earth, stabilizing its orbit and producing the regular ebb and flow of the tides. The lunar day syncs up with its orbit around Earth in such a manner that the same side of the Moon always faces the Earth and the other side, known as the "far side of the Moon" faces towards space. Astrologically the Moon is associated with a person's emotional makeup, unconscioushabits, rhythms, memories and moods, and their ability to react and adapt to those around them. It is also associated with the mother, maternal instincts or the urge to nurture, the home, the need for security, and the past, especially early experiences and childhood. The 1st-century poet Manilius, described the Moon or Luna, as melancholic. In medicine, the Moon is associated with the digestive system, stomach, breasts, the ovaries, and menstruation (which does occur on a monthly cycle),[18] and the pancreas. Despite Manilius' assignation, the Moon is commonly associated with the phlegmatic humor; it ruled theanimal spirits together with Mercury. In modern astrology, the Moon is the ruler of the fourthhouse. Traditionally, it ruled the seventh house, the house of partnership, and had "joy" in the third house of neighbors. Dante Alighieri associated Luna with the liberal art of grammar.

Full Moon

The Moon or Luna is associated with Monday, and in Romance languages, the name for Monday comes from luna (e.g., luni in Romanian, lundi in French, de lunes in Spanish and lunedi in Italian). In Chinese astrology, the Moon represents Yin, the passive and receptive feminine life principle. In Indian astrology, the Moon is called Chandra or Soma and represents the mind, queenship, and mother. The north lunar node (called Rahu) and the south lunar node (called Ketu) are considered to be of particular importance, and are given an equal place alongside the seven classical planets as part of the nine navagraha. Also unique to Indian astrology is the system of 27 (or 28)[clarification needed] lunar stations or "mansions" called nakshatra, which are believed to be of major importance in indicating the life path of the individual.[citation needed]
[edit]Mercury

Mercury by 17th-century Flemish sculptorArtus Quellinus

Budha, British Museum

Mercury (

) is the ruling planet of Gemini and Virgo, and is exalted in the latter and

possibly in Aquarius. In Roman mythology, Mercury is the messenger of the gods, noted for his speed and swiftness. Echoing this, the scorching, airless world Mercury circles the Sun on the fastest orbit of any planet. Mercury takes only 88 days to orbit the Sun, spending about 7.33 days in each sign of the zodiac. Mercury is so close to the Sun that only a brief period exists after the Sun has set where it can be seen with the naked eye, before following the Sun beyond the horizon.[citation needed] Astrologically, Mercury represents the principles of communication, mentality, thinking patterns, rationality and reasoning, and adaptability and variability. Mercury governs schooling and education; the immediate environment of neighbors, siblings and cousins; transport over short distances; messages and forms of communication such as post, email and telephone; newspapers, journalism and writing, information gathering skills, and physical dexterity. The 1st-century poet Manilius described Mercury as an inconstant, vivacious, and curious planet.

The planetMercury

In medicine, Mercury is associated with the nervous system, the brain, the respiratory system, the thyroid, and the sense organs. It is traditionally held to be essentially cold and dry, according to its placement in the zodiac and in any aspects to other planets. It is linked to the animal spirits, alongside the Moon.

Today, Mercury is regarded as the ruler of the third and sixth houses; traditionally, it ruled the 6th house, and had joy in the first house. Mercury is the messenger of the gods in mythology. It is the planet of day-to-day expression and relationships. Mercury's action is to take things apart and put them back together again. It is an opportunistic planet, decidedly unemotional and curious. Mercury rules over Wednesday. In Romance languages, the word for Wednesday is often similar to Mercury (miercuri in Romanian, mercredi in French, miercoles in Spanish and "mercoled" in Italian). Dante Alighieri associated Mercury with the liberal art of dialectic.[citation needed] In Chinese astrology, Mercury is ruled by the element water, which is diplomatic, kind, and intuitive. In Indian astrology, Mercury is called Budha, a word related to Buddhi ("intelligence"), and represents communication.[citation needed]
[edit]Venus

Venus at the National Archaeological Museum of Athens

Venus (

) is the ruling planet of Taurus and Libra, and is exalted in Pisces. In Greek

mythology, Aphrodite (), In roman mythology, Venus is the goddess of love and beauty, famous for the passions she could stir among the gods. Venus orbits the Sun in 225 days, spending about 18.75 days in each sign of the zodiac. Venus is the second brightest object in the night sky, the Moon being the brightest. Astrologically, Venus is associated with the principles of harmony, beauty, balance, feelings and affections, and the urge to sympathize and unite with others. It is involved with the desire for pleasure, sensuality, personal possessions, comfort, and ease. It

governs romantic relations, marriage and business partnerships, sex (the origin of the words 'venery' and 'venereal'), the arts, fashion, and social life. The 1st-century poet Marcus Manilius described Venus as generous and fecund, and the lesser benefic.

The planetVenus

In medicine, Venus is associated with the lumbar region, the veins, parathyroids, throat, and kidneys. Venus was thought to be moderately warm and moist, and was associated with the phlegmatic humor. Venus is the modern ruler of the second and seventh houses, but traditionally ruled the fifth and twelve houses. Venus is the planet of Friday. In languages deriving from Latin, such as Romanian, Spanish, French, and Italian, the word for Friday often resembles the word Venus (vineri, viernes , vendredi, and "venerd" respectively). Dante Alighieri associated Venus with the liberal art of rhetoric.[citation needed] In Chinese astrology, Venus is associated with the elementmetal (or gold), which is unyielding, strong, and persistent. In Indian astrology, Venus is known as Shukra and represents wealth, pleasure, and reproduction. In Norse Paganism, the planet is associated to Freyja, the goddess of love, beauty, and fertility.[citation needed]
[edit]Mars

Mars outside the Villa Adriana

Mars (

) is the ruling planet of Aries and, in traditional western astrology, Scorpio, and

is exalted in Capricorn. Mars is the Roman god of war and bloodshed, whose symbol is a spear and shield. Both the soil of Mars and the hemoglobin of human blood are rich in iron, and because of this they share its distinct deep red color.[19] Mars orbits the Sun in 687 days, spending about 57.25 days in each sign of the zodiac. It is also the first planet that orbits outside of Earth's orbit, making it the first planet that does not set along with the Sun. Astrologically, Mars is associated with confidence and self assertion, aggression, sexuality, energy, strength, ambition, and impulsiveness. Mars governs sports, competitions and physical activities in general. The 1st-century poet Manilius, described the planet as ardent, and as the lesser malefic. In medicine, Mars presides over the genitals, the muscular system, the gonads, and adrenal glands. It was traditionally held to be hot and excessively dry, and ruled the choleric humor. It was associated with fever, accidents, trauma, pain, and surgery. In modern astrology, Mars is said to rule the first and eighth houses; traditionally, however, Mars ruled the third and tenth houses.

While Venus tends to the overall relationship atmosphere, Mars is the passionate impulse and action, the masculine aspect, discipline, will-power, and stamina.

The planet Mars

Before the discovery of Pluto, it was universally considered the ruler ofScorpio. Most modern astrologers consider Pluto the ruler of Scorpio, but many regard Mars as a coruler, while all traditional astrologers still regard Mars as the only ruler of Scorpio.[citation
needed]

Mars is associated with Tuesday, and in Romance languages the word for Tuesday often resembles Mars (in Romanian, mari , in Spanish,martes, in French, mardi and in Italian "marted"). Dante Alighieri associated Mars with the liberal art of arithmetic. In Chinese astrology, Mars is ruled by the element fire, which is passionate, energetic, and adventurous. In Indian astrology, Mars is called Mangala and represents energy, confidence, and ego.[citation needed]
[edit]Jupiter

Jupiter and Thetis (1811), Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres, huile sur toile, Aix-en-Provence, muse Granet

Jupiter (

) is the ruling planet of Sagittarius, and, in traditional western astrology, also

the ruler of Pisces, and is exalted in Cancer. In Roman mythology, Jupiter is the ruler of

the gods and their guardian and protector, and his symbol is the thunderbolt. In the same way, the planet Jupiter is the king of the other planets, a giant in size with spectacular, brightly colored clouds and intense storms.[citation needed] Astronomers believe that it plays an important protecting role in using its massive gravity to capture or expel from the solar system many comets and asteroids that would otherwise threaten Earth and the inner planets.[20] Jupiter takes 11.9 years to orbit the Sun, spending almost an earth year (361 days) in each sign of the zodiac. Astrologically, Jupiter is associated with the principles of growth, expansion, prosperity, and good fortune. Jupiter governs long distance and foreign travel, higher education, religion, and the law. It is also associated with the urge for freedom and exploration, humanitarian and protecting roles, and with gambling and merrymaking. The 1st-century poet Manilius described Jupiter as temperate and benign, and the greater benefic. It was regarded as warm and moist in nature, and therefore favorable to life.

The planetJupiter

In medicine, Jupiter is associated with the liver, pituitary gland, and the disposition of fats; it governed the sanguine humor. In modern times, Jupiter is said to be the ruler of the ninth and twelfth houses, but traditionally, Jupiter was assigned to the second and ninth houses: the house of values and the house of beliefs, respectively. Jupiter is associated with Thursday, and in Romance languages, the name for Thursday often comes from Jupiter (e.g., joi in Romanian, jeudi in French, jueves in Spanish, and gioved in Italian). Dante Alighieri associated Jupiter with the liberal art of geometry. In Chinese astrology, Jupiter is ruled by the element wood, which is patient, hardworking, and reliable. In Indian astrology, Jupiter is known as Guru or Brihaspati and is known as the 'great teacher'.[citation needed]
[edit]Saturn

A 1782 engraving of Shani after Pierre Sonnerat's painting made during India voyage in 1770s

Rubens's Saturn Devouring His Son (1636), Madrid, Prado

See also: Saturn (mythology)#Astrological beliefs

Saturn (

) is the ruling planet of Capricorn and, in traditional western

astrology, Aquarius, and is exalted in Libra. In Roman mythology, Saturn is the god of agriculture, founder of civilizations and of social order, and conformity. The glyph is most often seen as scythe-like[by whom?], but it is primarily known as the "crescent below the cross", whereas Jupiter's glyph is the "crescent above the cross". The famous rings of the planet Saturn that enclose and surround it, reflect this principle of man's limitations. Saturn takes 29.5 years to orbit the Sun, spending about 2.46 years in each sign of the zodiac. Astrologically, Saturn is associated with the principles of limitation, restrictions, boundaries, practicality and reality, crystallizing, and structures. Saturn governs ambition, career, authority and hierarchy, and conforming social structures. It concerns a person's sense of duty, discipline and responsibility, and their physical and emotional endurance during hardships. Saturn is also considered to represent the part of a person concerned with long-term planning. The Return of Saturn is said to mark significant events in each person's life. According to the 1st-century poet Manilius, Saturn is sad, morose, and cold, and is the greater malefic. According to Claudius Ptolemy, "Saturn is lord of the right ear, the spleen, the bladder, the phlegm, and the bones."[21] Saturn symbolized processes and things that were dry and cold, and therefore inimical to life. It governed the melancholic humor. Before the discovery of Uranus, Saturn was regarded as the ruling planet of Aquarius.

The planet Saturn

Many astrologers[who?] still use Saturn as the planetary ruler of both Capricorn and Aquarius; in modern astrology it is accordingly the ruler of the tenth and eleventh houses. Traditionally, however, Saturn was associated with the first and eighth houses. Saturn is associated with Saturday, which was named after the deity Saturn. Dante Alighieri associated Saturn with the liberal art of astronomia (astrology and astronomy). In Chinese astrology, Saturn is ruled by the elementearth, which is warm, generous, and co-operative. In Indian astrology, Saturn is called Shani or "Sani", and represents career and longevity. It is also the bringer of bad luck and hardship.[citation needed]
[edit]Modern

planets

Since the invention of the telescope, Western astrology has incorporated Uranus, Neptune, Ceres, Pluto, and other bodies into its methodology. The Indian and Chinese astrologies have tended to retain the ancient seven-planet system. Meanings have had to be assigned to them by modern astrologers, usually according to the major events that occurred in the world at the time of their discovery. As these astrologers are usually Western, the social and historical events they describe have an inevitable Western emphasis. Astrologers consider the "extra-Saturnian" planets to be "impersonal" or generational planets, meaning their effects are felt more across whole generations of society. Their effects in individuals depend upon how strongly they feature in that individual's birth-chart. There is also a great discussion going about what Ceres should rule in astrology.[citation needed] Some western astrologers hope that within a few years, astrological rulerships will be changed to include Ceres. The following are their characteristics as accepted by most astrologers.[22]
[edit]Uranus

Uranus with Terra on a roman mosaic

For some modern Western astrologers, the planet Uranus (

) is the ruling planet

ofAquarius and is possibly exalted in Scorpio. In Greek mythology, Uranus is the personification of the heavens and the night sky. The planet Uranus is very unusual among the planets in that it rotates on its side, so that it presents each of its poles to the Sun in turn during its orbit; causing both hemispheres to alternate between being bathed in light and lying in total darkness over the course of the orbit. Uranus takes 84 years to orbit the Sun, spending about 7 years in each sign of the zodiac. Uranus was discovered only in 1781 by Sir William Herschel. Astrologically modern interpretations associate Uranus with the principles of genius, individuality, new and unconventional ideas, discoveries, electricity, inventions, and the

beginnings of the industrial revolution. Uranus governs societies, clubs, and any group dedicated to humanitarian or progressive ideals. Uranus, the planet of sudden and unexpected changes, rules freedom and originality. In society, it rules radical ideas and people, as well as revolutionary events that upset established structures.

The planetUranus.

Uranus, among all planets, most governs genius. Historically, it was associated with the principles of the Enlightenment and radical political ideas of equality and freedom, among other things.[citation needed] Around the period of its discovery in 1781, the idea of democracy and human rights was prevalent, with the breakaway of the American colonies from England and a few years later in 1789, the French revolution. In art and literature, the discovery of Uranus coincided with the Romantic movement, which emphasized individuality and freedom of expression. In medicine, Uranus is believed to be particularly associated with the sympathetic nervous system, mental disorders, breakdowns and hysteria, spasms, and cramps. Uranus is considered by modern astrologers to be co-ruler of the eleventh house alongside Saturn.[citation needed]
[edit]Neptune

Angelo Bronzino: Neptune

For many astrologers, Neptune (

) is the ruling planet of Pisces. In Roman

mythology,Neptune is the god of the sea, and the deep, ocean blue color of the planet Neptune reflects this.[original research?] Its glyph is taken directly from Neptune's trident, symbolizing the curve of spirit being pierced by the cross of matter. Neptune takes 165 years to orbit the Sun, spending approximately 14 years (13.75) in each sign of the zodiac. Neptune was discovered in 1846.[citation needed] Astrologically, modern Western astrologers associate the planet Neptune with idealism and compassion, but also with illusion, confusion, and deception. Neptune governs hospitals, prisons, mental institutions, and any other place, such as a monastery, that involves a retreat from society. Its appearance coincided with the discovery of anesthetics andhypnotism. In political terms, Neptune was linked to the rise of nationalist movements throughout Europe in countries like Germany, Italy, Hungary, Ireland, and Serbia, seeking independence for their nations inspired by an idealized past of legend. It was also linked to the rise of socialism and the beginnings of the welfare state. Neptune coincided with the utopian ideals of Communism, when Marx and Engels first published 'The Communist Manifesto' in 1848.[citation needed]

The planetNeptune

In art, the impressionist movement began a trend away from literal representation, to one based on the subtle, changing moods of light and color. In medicine, Neptune is seen to be particularly associated with the thalamus, the spinal canal, and severe or mysterious illnesses and neuroses. Neptune is considered by modern astrologers to be co-ruler of the twelfth house with Jupiter. Nowadays, modern astrologers consider Neptune the ruler of Pisces; traditionally, Jupiter was the one considered as the ruler of Pisces, even though some modern astrologers consider Jupiter a co-ruler of Pisces. Some astrologers do not believe that Neptune rules any particular sign, although they may use the planet in interpretation.
[edit]Pluto-Charon

Bust of Hades. Marble, Roman copy after a Greek original from the 5th century BCE; the black mantle is a modern addition

To most modern Western astrologers, Pluto (

) is the ruling planet of Scorpio. In

Roman mythology, Pluto is the god of the underworld and of wealth. The alchemy symbol was given to Pluto on its discovery, three centuries after Alchemy practices had all but disappeared. The symbol can be interpreted in a number of ways as alchemy was a combination of modern day chemistry, astronomy and religious beliefs; the cross can represent the earth or matter or the body; the half circle represents silver or the moon or the mind (lunar) and the circle represents the sun and gold or spirit. The alchemy symbol can therefore be read as spirit over mind, transcending matter. The symbols were chosen given the close association with Mars which has a similar symbol. Pluto and its natural satellite, Charon, form a unique pairing in the solar system, because of Charon's mass in relation to Pluto. This means that they revolve in a 'dumbbell' formation around a common point in space, permanently locked in a "power struggle" for dominance.[23] Pluto takes 248 years to orbit the Sun, spending on average approximately 21 years (20.6) in each sign of the zodiac; however, Pluto's orbit is so eccentric that this can vary dramatically, from 25 years in Cancer (19131938) to a mere 12 years in Scorpio (19831995), when its orbit was actually closer to the Sun than Neptune's.[citation needed] Astrologically, Pluto is called "the great renewer", and is considered to represent the part of a person that destroys in order to renew, through bringing buried, but intense needs and drives to the surface, and expressing them, even at the expense of the existing

order. A commonly used keyword for Pluto is "transformation".[citation needed] It is associated with power and personal mastery, and the need to co-operate and share with another, if each is not to be destroyed. Pluto governs big business and wealth, mining, surgery and detective work, and any enterprise that involves digging under the surface to bring the truth to light. Pluto is also associated with the day Tuesday, along with Mars. Pluto is also associated with extreme power and corruption; the discovery of Pluto in 1930 coincided with the rise of fascism andStalinism in Europe, leading to World War II. It also coincided with the Great Depression and the major proliferation of organized crimein the United States.[citation needed]

The dwarf planet Pluto

Its entry into Cancer in 1913, the sign in which it was later discovered, coincided with World War I. It is also associated with nuclear armament, which had its genesis in the research of the 1930s and 40s. Later on, it gave rise to the polarized nuclear stand off of the Cold War, with the mass consumer societies of the United States and other democracies facing the totalitarian state of the USSR. The discovery of Pluto also occurred just after the birth of modern psycho-analysis, when Freud and Jung began to explore the depths of the unconscious. In real life events and culture, Pluto has been a major astrological aspect. In art, movements like Cubism andSurrealism began to de-construct the "normal" view of the world. In medicine, Pluto is seen to be associated with regenerative forces in the body involving cell formation and the reproductive system.[citation needed] Pluto is considered by modern astrologers to be co-ruler of the eighth house with Mars. Many traditional astrologers do not use Pluto as a ruling planet, but do use the planet for interpretation and predictive work, obliquely making reference to projections of influences from higher to lower dimensional spaces.[citation needed]
[edit]Ceres

Colossal Statue of Ceres, Vatican Museums, Rome, Italy. Demeter and Ceres sometimes are identified in art as holding a tuft of grain

Ceres (

) is the smallest identified dwarf planet in the Solar System. It was discovered

on 1 January 1801 by Giuseppe Piazzi, and is named after the Roman goddess Ceres, the goddess of growing plants, the harvest, and of motherly love. It was thought to be the first asteroid discovered, taking up about one-third of the entire mass of the asteroid belt.[24] The classification of Ceres has changed more than once and has been the subject of some disagreement.[citation needed] Discovered by Johann Elert Bode, he believed Ceres to be the "missing planet" he had proposed to exist between Mars and Jupiter, at a distance of 419 million km (2.8 AU) from the Sun. Ceres was assigned a planetary symbol, and remained listed as a planet in astronomy books and tables. The 2006 debate surrounding Pluto and what constitutes a planet led to Ceres being considered for reclassification as a planet, but being in the end was renamed with Pluto as the first members of the new dwarf planetcategory. In mythology, Ceres is the Roman equivalent of the Greek goddess Demeter, and is the goddess of agriculture. The planet is also associated with the reproductive issues of an adult woman, as well as pregnancy and other major transitions in a woman's life, including the nine months of gestation time, family bonds and relationships. But the Ceres archetype is not only a mother. For some astrologers Ceres is the ruling planet of Virgo, and it fix also with the archetype of a Virgin goddess in anthropology. Ceres reflects to independent women who are often unmarried (According to astrology, Ceres is a single goddess who chose to become a mother without a husband or partner). As seen, Ceres is very connected with the Moon, and with the emotional status. While the

moon represents our ideal of "motherhood", Ceres would represent how our real and nature motherhood should be.[25] Ceres, as the Goddess who has control over nature's resources and cycles, may be known also in astrology as the planet of the Environment. Returning to mythology, an early environmental villain is the figure of Erysichthon, the tearer up of the earth, who cut down trees in a grove sacred to Ceres-Demeter, for which he was punished by the goddess with fearful hunger.

The dwarf planet Ceres

In this sense Ceres became an emerging archetypal in the social response of becoming aware of the recentClimate Change, and is entering our collective consciousness as a need to take care of our natural and irreplaceable resources in the 21st Century. Just like the biological agriculture, also sinking the roots in the past, represents a leap towards a future of search of the natural taste and wholesome and the quality, of ecological responsibility and knowledge. As an indicator for environmental or community activism, Ceres would represent for some astrologers the wave of the future.[26] The status of Ceres is unknown at the moment in astrology. The possibility exists that Ceres is not involved with any sign, but it has been strongly suggested as the ruler of Virgo or Taurus. As in all cases of newer discoveries, for some, like Vedic astrologers, it will never be used.[clarification needed]
[edit]Planetary

traditions compared

Main article: List of astrological traditions The three most popular Eurasian traditions, Western astrology, Chinese astrology, and Hindu Astrology, accordingly share a large amount of common themes in their zodiacs and concepts of planetary meanings.[citation needed] This could fallaciously inflect that the three have an ancient common origin, whereas in fact the three developed mutually over millennia by diffusion, assimilation, scholarship, and trade across the whole of Eurasia and Africa. The Western and Hindu zodiacs essentially correspond to twelve similar archetypes, despite differences in tone, emphasis, motifs, andright ascension of their constellations, as do the twelve signs of the Chinese Zodiac; however, both Western and Hindu

astrology are based on four elements: fire, earth, air, water; whereas the Chinese is based on five: metal, water, wood, fire, and earth. Chinese elemental conceptions of the planets clearly correlate to their Western and Hindu counterparts in the case of Mars (Fire), Saturn (Earth), and Jupiter (Wood).[citation needed] The Chinese linkage of Mercury with Water is alien to Western astrology, but this combination shares the water themes, much of what is coined "mercurial" in Western thought, such as intellect, reason and communication.[citation needed] The Chinese association of Venus to Metal appears at first fundamentally different from Western notions of love and romance. In Babylonian mythology, her equivalent was Ishtar, goddess of both love and war. The Chinese metal representative is unyielding and forceful, set in their ways and taciturn; yet Venus' Western element is air, which is logical and sanguine. Metal is also sophisticated, and enjoys the good things in life. In Western astrology, Venus rules both Libra, which is sophisticated, logical, and romantic, andTaurus, which is reserved, sensual, and unyielding. In addition, some sources claim that Venus has an association with gold (metal) where counterpart of Venus is Freyja who is related to the element gold in Norse mythology. Some Western astrologers believe that metal is better associated with the qualities of the planet Saturn, arguing that metal equates to air in the western system, and that Saturn is linked to air in Vedic astrology. [27] [28] The cycle of the five Chinese elements operate completely differently from the Western cycle of four. This discrepancy between elements can be clarified by their geomancy, which is locked with Chinese astrology. On the Feng Shui compass, the five elements and the five visible planets are placed on the cardinal directions and center point, with Mercury-Water to the north, Jupiter-Wood to the east, Mars-Fire to the south, VenusMetal to the west, and Saturn-Earth in the center.[clarification needed] This also suggests that Western air best corresponds to metal, while Venus rules the west in both traditions. Wood in Chinese philosophy describes characteristics found in the Western element of fire.[citation needed]
[edit]Other

solar system bodies

See also: asteroids in astrology and centaurs in astrology Some asteroids such as Pallas ( ) and Vesta ( ), as well as Ceres, can be seen

with the naked eye, but these were not recognized as planetary, and perhaps not even noticed, until the early 19th century.[citation needed] In the early 19th century, Ceres, Juno( ), and the other two aforementioned asteroids, were scientifically recognized as planets.

Although asteroids have been known to both astronomers and astrologers for more than 200 years, they are often ignored by astrologers. The tradition of some astrologers casting charts with minor planets originates with these asteroids. Since the 1970s, and the discovery of Chiron ( ), some astrologers have been casting the new "planet", although astronomers consider it a comet.[29] In the 21st century, several new planet-sized bodies, including Sedna, Quaoar, Haumea, and Eris, have been discovered, but not yet incorporated into mainstream astrological predictions, although some more avant-garde groups have attempted to incorporate them.[30][31] Comets and novae have been observed and discussed for several thousand years.[citation
needed]

Comets in particular were portents of great interest to ancient people and given

various astrological interpretations. Both phenomena are rarely visible to the naked-eye, and are ignored by most modern astrologers.[citation needed]
[edit]Hypothetical

planets

Some astrologers have hypothesized about the existence of unseen or undiscovered planets. In 1918, astrologer Sepharial proposed the existence of Earth's "Dark Moon" Lilith, and since then, some astrologers have been using it in their charts. The 20th-century German school of astrology known as Uranian astrology also claimed that many undiscovered planets existed beyond the orbit of Neptune, giving them names such as Cupido, Hades, Zeus, Kronos, Apollon, Admetos, Vulcanus, and Poseidon, and charting their supposed orbits. These orbits have not coincided, however, with more recent discoveries by astronomers of objects beyond Neptune. Other astrologers have focused on the theory that in time, all twelve signs of the zodiac will each have their own ruler, so that another two planets have yet to be discovered; namely the "true" rulers of Taurus and Virgo. The names of the planets mentioned in this regard by some are Vulcan (ruler of Virgo) and Apollo, the Roman god of the Sun (ruler of Taurus).[32] Another version of this theory states that the modern planets discovered so far correspond to the elements known to the ancientsair (Uranus, god of the heavens), water (Neptune, god of the sea), and fire (Pluto, god of the underworld)which leaves the elements earth and ether (the fifth element of the fiery upper air). In other words, it is claimed that the two planets to be discovered will be named after an earth god or goddess (such as the Horae), and after Aether, the Roman and Greek god of the upper air and stars.[citation needed]

The Thema Mundi

[edit]Ruling

planets of the astrological signs and houses

Main article: Domicile (astrology) In Western astrology, the symbolism associated with the planets also relates to the zodiac signs and houses of the horoscope in their various rulerships. For instance, the description of Mars is masculine, impulsive, and active. Aries is ruled by Mars and has a similar description, representing an active, masculine archetype. Similarly, the first house is also ruled by Mars, and deals with a person's physical health and strength, and the manner in which they project themselves. Table 1: Modern signs, houses and planetary associations
Sign House Domicile Detriment Exaltation Fall Planetary Joy

Aries

1st House

Mars

Venus

Sun

Saturn

Jupiter

Taurus

2nd House Venus

Mars

Moon

N/A

Jupiter

Gemini

3rd House

Mercury Jupiter

N/A

N/A

Venus

Cancer

4th House

Moon

Saturn

Jupiter

Mars

Mercury

Leo

5th House

Sun

Saturn

Neptune

N/A

Mars

Virgo

6th House

Mercury Jupiter

Mercury

Venus

Saturn

Libra

7th House

Venus

Mars

Saturn

Sun

Moon

Scorpio

8th House

Mars

Venus

Uranus

Moon

Saturn

Sagittarius 9th House

Jupiter

Mercury

N/A

N/A

Sun

Capricorn 10th House Saturn

Moon

Mars

Jupiter

Mars

Aquarius

11th House Saturn

Sun

N/A

N/A

Mercury

Pisces

12th House Jupiter

Mercury

Venus

Mercury Moon

Note: The planets in the table rule the signs on the same row, and the houses do correspond with the signs on the same row (i.e. Mars rules Aries; Aries and first house share some correspondences). However, it is only modern astrology that links the planets to the houses in this order.[citation needed] The bulk of the tradition assigns planetary rulerships according to the ancient Chaldean astronomical order of the planets[citation
needed]

(Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Sun, Venus, Mercury, Moon; the former order of the planets

in distance from Earth geocentrically): Table 2: Traditional houses and planetary relationships.
House Traditional Ruling planet Planetary Joy

1st House

Saturn

Mercury

2nd House Jupiter

N/A

3rd House Mars

Moon

4th House Sun

N/A

5th House Venus

Venus

6th House Mercury

Mars

7th House Moon

N/A

8th House Saturn

N/A

9th House Jupiter

Sun

10th House Mars

N/A

11th House Sun

Jupiter

12th House Venus

Saturn

n antiquity the classical planets were the non-fixed objects visible in the sky, known to various ancient cultures. The classical planets were therefore the Sun and Moon and the five non-earth planets of our solar system closest to the sun (and closest to the Earth); all easily visible without a telescope. They areMercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. The name planet comes from the Greek term ,plants, meaning "wanderer", as ancient astronomers noted how certain lights moved across the sky with the other stars. They called these objects asteres planetai, or wandering stars. Together they form the seven classical planets, as well as the names of the seven days of the week - Sun-day, Moon-day, Saturn-day, and in Latin, 'Martis' (Mars, Tuesday), 'Mercurii' (Wednesday), 'Iovis' (Jupiter, Thursday) and 'Veneris' (Venus, Friday). Mercury and Venus are only visible in twilight hours as their orbits are interior to the Earth's orbit. The third brightest object in the sky, Venus is the most prominent planet. Mercury is more difficult to see due to its proximity to the Sun. Lengthy twilight and an extremely low angle at maximum elongations make optical filters necessary to see Mercury from extreme northerly locations like Scandinavia or Alaska.[1] Mars is at its brightest when it is in opposition to the Earth, which occurs approximately every twentyfive Earth-months. Jupiter and Saturn are the largest of the five planets, but are farther from the sun, and therefore receive less sunlight. Nonetheless, Jupiter is often the next brightest object in the sky after Venus. Saturn's luminosity is often enhanced by its rings, which reflect light back toward the Earth to varying degrees depending on their inclination to the ecliptic; however, the rings themselves are not visible to the naked eye from the Earth. Uranus and sometimes the asteroid Vesta are visible to the naked eye in principle on very clear nights, but unlike the true naked-eye planets they are always less luminous than several thousands of stars, and as such, do not stand out enough for their existences to be noticed without the aid of a telescope.
Contents
[hide]

 o o

1 History 1.1 Babylonian astronomy 1.2 Greek astrology

1.2.1 Symbols 1.2.2 Week-day names 1.3 Alchemy

2 Western astrology 3 Indian astrology 4 East Asia 5 See also 6 References

7 External links

[edit]History [edit]Babylonian

astronomy

Further information: Babylonian astronomy Babylonians grouped the stars in companies of seven. References are made to the seven Tikshi, the seven Lumashi, and the seven Mashi, which are older than the signs of the Zodiac; so far as can be ascertained these groups were selected from various constellations. When the five planets were identified, they were associated with the Sun and Moon and connected with the chief gods of the Hammurabi pantheon. A bilingual list in the British Museum arranges the sevenfold planetary group in the following order: [2]

Sumerian Akkadian

planet

godship

Aku

Sin

Moon

Sin/Suen

Biebi

ama

Sun

ama

Dapinu

Umun-sig-a

Jupiter

Marduk/Amarutu

Zib/Zig

Dele-bat

Venus

Itar

Lu-lim

Lu-bat-sag-u Saturn

Ninib/Nirig/Ninip[3]

Bibbu

Lubat-gud

Mercury Nabu/Nebo

Simutu

Mutabarru

Mars

Nergal

[edit]Greek

astrology

Main article: Planets in astrology [edit]Symbols Main articles: Astrological symbols and Planet symbol Symbols for the classical planets, zodiac signs, aspects, lots, and the lunar nodes appear in the medieval Byzantine codices in which many ancient horoscopes were preserved.[4] In the original papyri of these Greek horoscopes, there are found a circle with one ray ( ) for the Sun and a crescent for the Moon.[5] The written symbols for Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn have been

traced to forms found in late Greek papyri.[6] The symbols for Jupiter and Saturn are identified as monograms of the initial letters of the corresponding Greek names, and the symbol for Mercury is a stylized caduceus.[6] A. S. D. Maunder finds antecedents of the planetary symbols in earlier sources, used to represent the gods associated with the classical planets. Bianchini's planisphere, produced in the 2nd century,[7]shows Greek personifications of planetary gods charged with early versions of the planetary symbols: Mercury has a caduceus; Venus has, attached to her necklace, a cord connected to another necklace; Mars, a spear; Jupiter, a staff; Saturn, a scythe; the Sun, acirclet with rays radiating from it; and the Moon, a headdress with a crescent attached.
[8]

A diagram in Johannes Kamateros' 12th century Compendium of Astrology shows the Sun represented by the circle with a ray,

Jupiter by the letter zeta (the initial of Zeus, Jupiter's counterpart in Greek mythology), Mars by a shield crossed by a spear, and the remaining classical planets by symbols resembling the modern ones, without the cross-mark seen in modern versions of the symbols.[8] The modern sun symbol, pictured as a circle with a dot (), first appeared in the Renaissance.[5] [edit]Week-day names Main article: Week-day names The Ptolemaic system used in Greek astronomy placed the planets in order, closest to Earth to furthest, as the Moon, Mercury, Venus, Sun, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. In addition the day was divided into 7-hour intervals, each ruled by one of the planets. The first hour of each day was named after the ruling planet, giving rise to the names and order of the Roman seven-day week. Modern Latin-based cultures, in general, directly inherited the days of the week from the Romans and they were named after the classical planetsfor example in Spanish Mircoles = Mercury, in French Mardi = Mars. The modern English days of the week were inherited from gods of the old Germanic Norse cultureThursday = Thor (Jupiter), Friday =Frige (Venus). It can be correlated that the Norse gods were attributed to each Roman planets and its god, probably due to Roman influence rather than coincidentally by the naming of the planets. [edit]Alchemy Further information: Classical planets in Western alchemy In alchemy, each classical planet (Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn) was associated with one of the seven metals known to the classical world (gold, silver, mercury/quicksilver, copper, iron, tin and lead respectively). As a result

the alchemical glyphsfor the metal and associated planet coincide. Alchemists believed the other elemental metals were variants of these seven (e.g. zinc was known as "Indian tin" or "mock silver" [9]).

The Sun symbol has long represented gold.

The symbol for theMoon has been used since ancient times to represent silver.

The symbol has been used since ancient times to represent both the element quicksilver (mercury) and the planet Mercury.

The alchemical symbol for copper, perhaps a stylized mirror, was also the symbol for thegoddess and planetVenus.

The symbol for Marshas been used since ancient times to represent iron.

The alchemical symbol for tin is also used as the glyph forJupiter.

Saturn is represented by the alchemical symbol forlead.

Some alchemists (e.g. Paracelsus) adopted the Hermetic Qabalah assignment between the vital organs and the planets as follows [9]:

Planet

Organ

Sun

Heart

Moon

Brain

Mercury Lungs

Venus

Kidneys

Mars

Gall bladder

Jupiter

Liver

Saturn

Spleen

[edit]Western

astrology

Astrology: the Thema Mundi shows the naked-eye planets in their domicile

Main article: Planets in astrology This section does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations toreliable sources. Unsourced material may be challengedand removed. (November 2010)

Planet

Domicile sign(s)

Detriment sign(s)

Exaltation sign

Fall sign

Joy sign(s)

Sun

Leo

Aquarius

Aries

Libra

Sagittarius

Moon

Cancer

Capricorn

Taurus

Capricorn Pisces

Mercury

Gemini (diurnal) and Virgo(nocturnal)

Sagittarius(diurnal) andPisces(nocturnal)

Virgo

Pisces

Aries ,Scorpio,CapricornandAquarius

Venus

Libra (diurnal) and Taurus(nocturnal)

Aries (diurnal) and Scorpio(nocturnal)

Pisces

Virgo

Gemini,CancerandAquarius

Mars

Aries (diurnal) and Scorpio(nocturnal)

Libra (diurnal) and Taurus(nocturnal)

Capricorn

Cancer

Leo, VirgoandSagittarius

Jupiter

Sagittarius(diurnal) andPisces(nocturnal)

Gemini (diurnal) and Virgo(nocturnal)

Cancer

Capricorn Taurus,Leo andLibra

Saturn

Aquarius(diurnal) andCapricorn(nocturnal)

Leo (diurnal) and Cancer(nocturnal)

Libra

Aries

Gemini,Virgo andScorpio

[edit]Indian

astrology

Main article: Navagraha Indian astronomy and astrology (Jyotia) recognises seven visible planets (including the sun and moon) and two additional invisible planets.

Sanskrit Name

English Name

Guna

Represents

Day

Surya ()

Sun

Sattva Soul, king, highly placed persons, father.

Sunday

Chandra ()

Moon

Sattva Mind, queen, mother.

Monday

Mangala ()

Mars

Tamas energetic action, confidence and ego

Tuesday

Budha ()

Mercury

Rajas

Communication and analysis

Wednesday

Brihaspati()

Jupiter

Sattva the great teacher

Thursday

Shukra ()

Venus

Rajas

wealth, pleasure and reproduction

Friday

Shani ()

Saturn

Tamas learning the hard way. Career and Longevity

Saturday

Rahu ()

Ascending/North Lunar Node

Tamas

a Asura who does his best to plunge any area of one's life he controls into chaos

none

Ketu ()

Descending/South Lunar

Tamas supernatural influences

none

Node [edit]East

Asia

For the five true planets, their element's Chinese character, hanzi(), is also part of the names of weekdays in Japanese and Korean, complemented with Sunday and Monday.[10] However, Chinese and Vietnamese number the days other than Sunday.[11]

English Chinese/Japanese Associatedelement Chinesepinyin Japaneseromaji Name Characters

Korean Name

Vietnamese Name

Old astronomical names[12]

Mercury water

Shuxng

Suisei

(Suseong)

Sao Thy

Chnxng ( )

Venus

metal/gold

Jnxng

Kinsei

Sao Kim, also "Sao Mai" as (Geumseong) "morning star" Tibi () and "Sao Hm" as "evening star"

Mars

fire

Huxng

Kasei

(Hwaseong)

Sao Ha

Ynghu ( )

Jupiter

wood

Mxng

Mokusei

(Mokseong)

Sao Mc

Su ()

Saturn

earth

Txng

Dosei

(Toseong)

Sao Th

Zhnxng ( )

The cycles of the Chinese calendar are linked to the orbit of Jupiter, there being 12 sacred beasts in the Chinese dodecannualar geomantic and astrological cycle, and 12 years in the orbit of Jupiter.

History and origin Symbols for the classical planets, zodiac signs, aspects, lots, and the lunar nodes appear in the medieval Byzantine codices in which many ancient horoscopes were preserved.[1] In the original papyri of these Greek horoscopes, there are found a circle with one ray ( ) for the Sun and a crescent for the Moon.[2] The written symbols for Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn have been traced to forms found in late Greek papyri.[3] The symbols for Jupiter and Saturn are identified as monograms of the initial letters of the corresponding Greek names, and the symbol for Mercury is a stylized caduceus.[3] A. S. D. Maunder finds antecedents of the planetary symbols in earlier

sources, used to represent the gods associated with the classical planets. Bianchini's planisphere, produced in the 2nd century,[4] shows Greek personifications of planetary gods charged with early versions of the planetary symbols: Mercury has a caduceus; Venus has, attached to her necklace, a cord connected to another necklace; Mars, a spear; Jupiter, a staff; Saturn, a scythe; the Sun, a circlet with rays radiating from it; and the Moon, a headdress with a crescent attached.[5]A diagram in Johannes Kamateros' 12th century Compendium of Astrology shows the Sun represented by the circle with a ray, Jupiter by the letter zeta (the initial of Zeus, Jupiter's counterpart in Greek mythology), Mars by a shield crossed by a spear, and the remaining classical planets by symbols resembling the modern ones, without the crossmark seen in modern versions of the symbols.[5] The modern sun symbol, pictured as a circle with a dot (), first appeared in the Renaissance.[2] Symbols for Uranus and Neptune were created shortly after their discovery. For Uranus, two variant symbols are seen. One symbol, , invented by J. G. Khler and refined by Bode, was intended to represent the newly discovered metal platinum; since platinum, commonly called white gold, was found by chemists mixed with iron, the symbol for platinum combines the alchemical symbols for iron, , and gold, .[6]
[7]

Another symbol,

, was suggested by Lalande in 1784. In a letter to Herschel,

Lalande described it as "un globe surmont par la premire lettre de votre nom" ("a globe surmounted by the first letter of your name").[8] After Neptune was discovered, the Bureau des Longitudes proposed the name Neptune and the familiar trident for the planet's symbol.[9] The astrological symbols for three of the Big Four asteroidsCeres, Pallas, and Juno were also created after their discovery. Shortly after Giuseppe Piazzi's discovery of Ceres, a group of astronomers ratified the name, proposed by the discoverer, and chose the sickle as a symbol of the planet.[10] The symbol for Pallas, the spear of Pallas Athena, was invented by Baron Franz Xaver von Zach, and introduced in his Monatliche correspondenz zur befrderung der erd- und himmels-kunde.[11] Karl Ludwig Harding, who discovered and named Juno, assigned to it the symbol of a scepter topped with a star.[12] The modern astrological symbol for Vesta was created by Eleanor Bach,[13] who is credited with pioneering the use of the Big Four asteroids with the publication of her Ephemerides of the Asteroids.[14] Bach's symbol for Vesta is a simplified version of other representations of Vesta's altar.[13] The original form of the symbol for Vesta, was created by German mathematician Carl Friedrich Gauss. Dr. Olbers, having ,

previously discovered and named one new planet (as the asteroids were then classified), gave Gauss the honor of naming his newest discovery. Gauss decided to name the planet for the goddess Vesta, and also specified that the symbol should be the altar of the goddess with the sacred fire burning on it.[15][16] Pluto, like Uranus, has two symbols in use. One symbol, a monogram of the letters PL (which could be interpreted to stand for Pluto or for astronomer Percival Lowell), was announced with the name of the new planet by the discoverers on May 1, 1930.[17] The other symbol, which was popularized in Paul Clancy's astrological publications, is based on the symbol for Mercury, with the circle and arc of Mercury trading positions. This symbol is described by Dane Rudhyar as "suggest[ing] the planetary character of the Pluto mind by the circle, floating above the open cup."[18] The symbol for the centaur Chiron, a key with the letter K (for discoverer Charles T. Kowal) was proposed by astrologer Al Morrison, who presented the symbol as "an inspiration shared amongst Al H. Morrison, Joelle K.D. Mahoney, and Marlene Bassoff."[19] The symbol for retrograde motion is , a capital R with a tail stroke.[20][21][22] An R with a tail stroke was used to abbreviate many words beginning with the letter R; in medical prescriptions, it abbreviated the word recipe[23] (from the Latin imperative of recipere "to take"[24]), and in missals, an R with a tail stroke marked the responses.[23]
[edit]Meanings [edit]Celestial

of the symbols

bodies

The glyphs of the planets are usually (but not always) broken down into four common elements: A circle denoting spirit, a crescent denoting the mind, a cross denoting practical/physical matter and an arrow denoting action or direction.[25]

These are the astrological glyphs as most commonly used in Western Astrology.

Unicode:

Name

Symbol

Symbol represents

Meaning of symbol

Sun

Solar symbol (circled dot)

Divine spirit (circle) surrounding seed of potential

Moon

A crescent moon

Mind or evolving human spirit (crescent)

Mercury

Mercury's winged helmet and caduceus

Mind (crescent) poised over divine spirit (circle) and matter (cross)

Venus

Venus's hand mirror.

Divine spirit (circle) over matter (cross)

Earth

Earth; also a Solar symbol (sun cross)

Earth the cardinal directions

Mars

Mars's shield and spear.

Drive/aim/force (arrow) over divine spirit (circle)

Ceres

Scythe (handle down), emblematic of Ceresas goddess of grain

A stylized sickle, a crescent of receptivity resting on a cross of matter.

Jupiter

Jupiter's thunderbolt or eagle

Mind (crescent) rising above the horizon of matter (cross)

Saturn

Saturn's sickle or scythe

Matter (cross) taking precedence over mind or human spirit (crescent)

H in symbol taken from discoverer's last name,Herschel Uranus

The circle of spirit and a dominant cross of matter, in form of an antenna that uses matter as a way to insight.

derived from a combination of the Mars and Astronomical glyph often used astrologically. Drive/aim/force over a divine Sun symbols spirit (circle) surrounding seed of potential

Neptune

Neptune's trident

Mind or human spirit (crescent) transcending matter (cross)

Modification of Neptune's astrological symbol Pluto PL monogram for Pluto and Percival Lowell

Mind (crescent) transcending matter (cross) to reach for divine spirit (circle)

Astronomical symbol often used astrologically

an Eye of Providence; proposed by astrologer Zane B. Stein[26]

the Hand of Eris; also used non-astrologically by Discordians[26]

Eris in use by astrologers in Poland and by the astrology software Urania[26][27]

based on the symbols for Pluto, Mars, and Venus; proposed by Henry Seltzer and used in Time Passages[26][28]

[edit]Signs

of the zodiac

Further information: Zodiac and Astrological sign

The symbols used in Western astrology to represent the astrological signs of the Zodiac

Unicode:
Name Meaning Symbol Symbol Represents

Aries

Ram

Face and horns of ram

Taurus

Bull

Face and horns of bull

Gemini

Twins

Companion

Cancer

Crab

Crab's claws

Leo

Lion

Lion's head and mane

Virgo

Virgin

Sheaf of barley

Libra

Scale

Scales

Scorpio

Scorpion

Stinger of a scorpion

Sagittarius

Archer

Arrow of the centaur

Capricorn[29]

Sea-goat

Body and head of a goat with the tail of a fish.

Aquarius

Waterbearer

Ripples of water; sometimes modernly viewed as bolts of lightning, waves of aether, or electricallycharged water

Pisces

Fish

Two fish tied together yet swimming in opposite directions

[edit]Aspects

Further information: Astrological aspects

Name Symbol Explanation

Conjunction

0-10 angle/two or more planets in the same sign

Semisextile

30 angle/One sign apart

Semi-square

45 angle (also known as the "octile" or "semiquartile")

Sextile

60 angle/Two signs apart

Quintile

72 angle

Square

90 angle (also known as the "quartile")/Three signs apart/Same modality

Trine

120 angle/Four signs apart/Same elemental triplicity

Sesquiquadrate

135 angle (also known as the "sesquisquare," "square-and-a-half," and/or "trioctile")

Biquintile

144 angle

Quincunx

150 angle (also known as the "inconjunct")/Five signs apart

Opposition [edit]Lunar

180 angle/Six signs apart

phases

Further information: Lunar phase and Lunation type

Name Symbol[30][31] Explanation

New moon

Denotes the new moon or a soli-lunar arc in the range 0-45.

Crescent moon

Denotes a waxing crescent moon or a soli-lunar arc in the range 45-90.

First quarter moon

Denotes a first quarter moon or a soli-lunar arc in the range 90-135.

Gibbous moon

Denotes a waxing gibbous moon or a soli-lunar arc in the range 135-180.

Full moon

Denotes a full moon or a soli-lunar arc in the range 180-225.

Disseminating moon

Denotes a waning gibbous moon or a soli-lunar arc in the range 225-270.

Last quarter moon

Denotes a last quarter moon or a soli-lunar arc in the range 270-315.

Balsamic moon

Denotes a waning crescent moon or a soli-lunar arc in the range 315-360.

[edit]Miscellaneous

symbols

Astronomical symbols/glyphs representing the three most used asteroids Vesta, Juno, Pallas Athena and the comet Chironin Western astrology.

Name

Symbol

Symbol represents

Explanation

Ascendant

Angle

The ascendant is the angle rising over the eastern horizon at a particular moment in time; it is used in the construction of ahoroscope/natal chart (also known as the "rising sign")

Midheaven

Angle

The midheaven is the angle where the ecliptic crosses the meridian(line of longitude) in the south on northern hemisphere (and the point in north in the southern hemisphere); it is used in the construction of a horoscope/natal chart (also known as the "medium coeli" or "zenith")

AscendingNode

Lunar node Not all astrologers use the lunar nodes; however, their usage is very important in Vedic astrology. They are alternately known as the "Dragon's Head" (Rahu, Caput Draconis, or Anabibazon) and the "Dragon's Tail" (Ketu, Cauda Draconis, or Catabibazon). The two nodes together are most commonly referred to simply as the nodal axis, the lunar nodes, or the Moon's nodes.

DescendingNode

Lunar node

Black Moon Lilith

Lunarapogee

The traditional Black Moon Lilith is the position of the mean lunarapogee as measured from the geocenter; variants of the Black Moon include replacing the mean orbit with a "true" osculating orbit or with an interpolated orbit; charting the empty focus of the Moon's orbit instead of the apogee; and measuring the desired point's barycentricor topocentric position instead of its geocentric position.[32]

Retrograde motion

Apparent retrograde motion

Symbol represents the apparent retrograde motion of a planet in anastrological chart

Comet

Comet

Different comets often use different symbols, but the use of comets is not widespread in mainstream astrology

2 Pallas

Asteroid

(variant has triangle on top) Alchemical symbol for sulfur (both variants) see also Asteroids in astrology)

3 Juno

Asteroid

4 Vesta

Asteroid

2060 Chiron

Centaur

Lot of fortune

Lot

Glyph for planet Earth rotated 45 degrees.

Some other meanings are: The Ascendant/Descendant axis horizontal line is a symbol of Earth, while the vertical (MC/IC)line is a symbol of God (of course, the Circle representing the whole chart is symbolic of All is God - the entire Universe, God is Love, God is everlasting, He has no beginning and no end.
[edit]Unicode Symbol

encodings
Image Unicode[33] U+2609 Glyph

Sun U+1F71A U+263D Moon U+263E Mercury Venus Earth Mars Jupiter Saturn U+263F U+2640 U+1F728 U+2642 U+2643 U+2644

U+2645 Uranus U+26E2 Neptune 1 Ceres 2 Pallas 3 Juno 4 Vesta 2060 Chiron U+2646 U+26B3 U+26B4 U+26B5 U+26B6 U+26B7 not present not present Eris not present

---

--

not present U+2647 Pluto not present Aries Taurus Gemini Cancer Leo U+2648 U+2649 U+264A U+264B U+264C

- -

Virgo Libra Scorpio Sagittarius

U+264D U+264E U+264F U+2650

Capricorn

U+2651

Aquarius

U+2652

Pisces Conjunction Semisextile Semi-square Sextile Quintile Square Trine Sesquiquadrate Biquintile Quincunx Opposition New moon Crescent moon First quarter moon Gibbous moon Full moon Disseminating moon Last quarter moon Balsamic moon Ascendant Midheaven Ascending node Descending node Black Moon Lilith Retrograde motion

U+2653 U+260C U+26BA U+2220 U+26B9 U+0051 U+25A1 U+25B3 U+26BC

U+0062 U+0051 bQ U+26BB U+260D U+1F311 U+1F312 U+1F313 U+1F314 U+1F315 U+1F316 U+1F317 U+1F318 not plain text not plain text U+260A U+260B U+26B8 U+211E ASC MC

Lot of fortune Comet [edit]

not present U+2604