Planets in Astrology: The “What” Behind Every Story
Sun–Pluto • Functions • Cycles • DignitiesIf signs describe how energy behaves and houses describe where it shows up, planets are the what—drives, needs, and functions acting through your birth chart.
Planet Basics
- Personal planets: Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars — fast movers, strong in day-to-day life.
- Social planets: Jupiter, Saturn — growth and structure, bridge personal ↔ collective.
- Outer planets: Uranus, Neptune, Pluto — slow movers, generational flavor + big life pivots.
- Sect (day/night): Sun/Jupiter/Saturn (day), Moon/Venus/Mars (night), Mercury flexes; use if you practice traditional techniques.
The Big Ten (tap for deep dives)
Sun — Core, Will, Vitality
- How you create and lead
- Natural home: 5th
- Watch aspects like Sun trine Jupiter, Sun square Saturn
Moon — Needs, Mood, Memory
- Nervous system + attachment
- Natural home: 4th
- Check Moon trine Venus, Moon square Mars
Mercury — Mind, Message, Mapping
- Thinking style + communication
- Natural homes: 3rd, 6th
- Aspects: Mercury trine Uranus, Mercury square Neptune
Venus — Bonding, Taste, Values
- How you give/receive affection + money style
- Natural homes: 2nd, 7th
- Aspects: Venus trine Saturn, Venus square Uranus
Mars — Drive, Boundaries, Courage
- How you pursue, protect, and fight
- Natural home: 1st
- Aspects: Mars trine Jupiter, Mars square Saturn
Jupiter — Growth, Faith, Opportunity
- Where life opens doors
- Natural homes: 9th, 11th
- Aspects: Jupiter trine Sun, Jupiter square Venus
Saturn — Structure, Limits, Mastery
- Where reality sets the rules
- Natural home: 10th
- Aspects: Saturn sextile Mars, Saturn opposition Moon
Uranus — Shock, Freedom, Innovation
- Disruption that wakes you up
- Natural home: 11th
- Aspects: Uranus conjunction Venus
Neptune — Vision, Fog, Surrender
- Dreams, ideals, mysticism, mirages
- Natural home: 12th
- Aspects: Neptune trine Moon, Neptune square Mercury
Pluto — Power, Shadow, Renewal
- Truth-serum events → transformation
- Natural home: 8th
- Aspects: Pluto sextile Sun, Pluto square Venus
Dignities & Rulerships (Quick Table)
| Planet | Domicile (Home) | Detriment | Exaltation | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | Leo | Aquarius | Aries | Libra |
| Moon | Cancer | Capricorn | Taurus | Scorpio |
| Mercury | Gemini, Virgo | Sagittarius, Pisces | Virgo | Pisces |
| Venus | Taurus, Libra | Scorpio, Aries | Pisces | Virgo |
| Mars | Aries, Scorpio (trad.) | Libra, Taurus | Capricorn | Cancer |
| Jupiter | Sagittarius, Pisces (trad.) | Gemini, Virgo | Cancer | Capricorn |
| Saturn | Capricorn, Aquarius (trad.) | Cancer, Leo | Libra | Aries |
| Uranus | Aquarius (mod.) | Leo | — | — |
| Neptune | Pisces (mod.) | Virgo | — | — |
| Pluto | Scorpio (mod.) | Taurus | — | — |
Traditional vs. modern rulerships are both used. Test what reads true in practice.
Speed & Cycles (Approximate)
| Body | Zodiac Cycle | Retrograde Pattern | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | ~1 year | Never | Annual solar return = birthday reset |
| Moon | ~27–29.5 days (orbital/synodic) | — | Monthly cycles: New/First/Full/Last Quarter |
| Mercury | ~1 year (loops) | 3–4×/yr, ~3 weeks | Re-check comms, travel, tech |
| Venus | ~1 year (sticks near Sun) | ~every 18 months, ~6 weeks | Value/relationship reviews |
| Mars | ~2 years | ~every 26 months, ~8–10 weeks | Pace + anger/drive resets |
| Jupiter | ~12 years | Yearly, ~4 months | Growth themes by sign/house |
| Saturn | ~29 years | Yearly, ~4–4.5 months | Saturn return ≈ age 29–30, 58–59 |
| Uranus | ~84 years | ~5 months/yr | Midlife Uranus-opposition ≈ age 42 |
| Neptune | ~165 years | ~5 months/yr | Generational ideals/fog cycles |
| Pluto | ~248 years (uneven) | ~5 months/yr | Deep transformation chapters |
Retrogrades (Review, Not Ruin)
Personal Retrogrades
- Mercury: edit, backup, confirm times/places
- Venus: review values, art, money, relationships
- Mars: rework strategy, heal anger, adjust pace
Social/Outer Retrogrades
- Jupiter/Saturn: policy shifts, commitments, scope
- Uranus/Neptune/Pluto: slow rewrites of systems, beliefs, power
Checklist
- Revisit the house the planet is transiting
- Review natal aspects to that planet
- Renegotiate agreements; build buffers
How to Read Planets (Simple Flow)
- Planet function: What does it want? (e.g., Venus wants harmony/values.)
- Sign: How does it behave? (e.g., Venus in Leo seeks bold affection.)
- House: Where does it play out? (e.g., 11th = friends, networks.)
- Aspects: What helps/hinders? (e.g., trine Saturn = committed; square Uranus = freedom tensions.)
- Rulership chain: If the planet rules a cusp, follow it to see that house story (see houses page).
Start by mapping your placements with a free birth chart.
Aspects Cheatsheet (Flavor, Not Fate)
Harmonious
- Sun trine Jupiter — generous confidence
- Moon sextile Venus — easy affection
- Mercury trine Uranus — original ideas flow
Dynamic
- Mars square Saturn — drive meets friction → plan
- Venus square Uranus — closeness vs freedom
- Neptune opposition Mercury — facts vs fantasy
Conjunctions (Power-Ups)
- Moon conjunction Sun — feelings = identity
- Venus conjunction Mars — chemistry/initiative
- Pluto conjunction Ascendant — intense presence
Planets FAQ
Which matters more: sign or house?
House = where the action lands. Sign sets style. They work together; weight the house a bit more for real-life events.
Are outer planets personal?
They’re generational, but personal if tightly aspecting your Sun, Moon, Ascendant (1st house), or Midheaven (10th).
I have an “afflicted” planet. Am I doomed?
No. Hard aspects = training. They sharpen the skill. Use 6th house habits to work the edge.
Explore more
- All planets: https://skygram.ai/planets
- All signs: https://skygram.ai/signs
- Houses: https://skygram.ai/houses
- Aspects: https://skygram.ai/aspects
- Astrology charts 101: https://skygram.ai/astrology-charts
- Compatibility hub: https://skygram.ai/compatibility