In some ways, the forces between the Planets involved in Astrology can be simplified into one word:  gravity.  The Sun has the greatest gravity and the strongest effect in Astrology, followed by the Moon, the Earth's satellite.  The other Planets are not truly satellites of the Earth, but they nonetheless have gravity and thus effect the Earth as well.  The Sun controls the Earth's motion and the Moon controls its tides, but the other Planets have their own effects on the Earth -- and on the people who live here.  Each has a unique energy.  Sometimes their influence can be so strong that they outweigh the Sun's energy!

Aries is ruled by the planet Mars.

Representing:  Impulse, Action, Bravery.

As the traditional ruler of Aries (and Scorpio to the Ancients), it is the masculine and sexual side of love, strength and courage or destructive fighting.  It represents action, passion, drive, determination and spirit.  It deals with one's sexuality, force, determination, daring, courage, power, competitive nature, aggression and assertion.  Without Mars, we would never accomplish anything as he provides the initiative to go forward, even against impossible odds.

 

Taurus is ruled by the planet Venus.

Representing:  Acceptance, Vanity, Love.

The natural ruler of Taurus and Libra, Venus represents acceptability, sociability, friendliness, affection, harmony, balance, values, art, beauty, aesthetics, good taste, culture, and romantic love (as opposed to sexual love which is Mars' domain).  It shows your artistic side, what you value, how you relate to others.

 

Gemini is ruled by the planet Mercury.

Representing:  the Intellect, Change, Adaptability.

As the ruler of Gemini and Virgo, it is clever, facile, adaptable, and represents the mind, intellect, consciousness, education, dexterity, writing (and other forms of communication), transportation, short trips, and the immediate environment.

 

Cancer is ruled by the Moon.

Representing:  Receptivity, Emotion, Viscera.

The Moon represents nurturing, your ancestry and roots, immediate environment, emotions, instincts and your memory and daily functions.  It also represents how you emotionally respond to situations and experiences.

To view the Moon's phase as it is at THIS VERY minute, or for the Moon's astronomical data, please click here.

 

Leo is ruled by the Sun.

Representing:  Assertiveness, Will, Majesty.

The Sun represents the ego, self, willpower, your uniqueness and individuality.  It is your identity.  It also represents the male influence in one's life generally.

 

Virgo is ruled by the planet Mercury.

Representing:  Analysis, Absorption, Logic.

As the ruler of Gemini and Virgo, it is clever, facile, adaptable, and represents the mind, intellect, consciousness, education, dexterity, writing (and other forms of communication), transportation, short trips, and the immediate environment.

 

Libra is ruled by the planet Venus.

Representing:  Sociability, Persuasion, Luxury.

The natural ruler of Taurus and Libra, Venus represents acceptability, sociability, friendliness, affection, harmony, balance, values, art, beauty, aesthetics, good taste, culture, and romantic love (as opposed to sexual love which is Mars' domain).  It shows your artistic side, what you value, how you relate to others.

 

Scorpio is ruled by the planets Mars and Pluto.

Representing:  Courage, Creation, Passion.

As the traditional ruler of Aries (and Scorpio to the Ancients), Mars is the masculine and sexual side of love, strength and courage or destructive fighting.  It represents action, passion, drive, determination and spirit.  It deals with one's sexuality, force, determination, daring, courage, power, competitive nature, aggression and assertion.  Without Mars, we would never accomplish anything as he provides the initiative to go forward, even against impossible odds.

As the higher octave of Mars, Pluto is the modern ruler of Scorpio and deals with renewal, power, destruction, and rebuilding.  Pluto rules transformation, regeneration, rebirth, destruction, power, and elimination.  It also represents intensity and that which is hidden but exerts a great influence.

 

Sagittarius is ruled by the planet Jupiter.

Representing:  Expansion, Vision, Justice.

The natural ruler of Sagittarius (and Pisces to the Ancients), Jupiter shows where we grow and expand - for good or ill (the choice is ours). It represents luck, philosophy, religion, higher learning, ethical and moral values, expansion and abundance as well as excesses and also rules long distance travel, aspirations, and judgement.  Jupiter is associated with wealth, good humor, tolerance, yet under certain conditions, it can show overconfidence and boorish behavior.  Jupiter shows our beliefs, philosophy, and growth into the outer.

 

Capricorn is ruled by the planet Saturn.

Representing:  Solitude, Rigidity, Ambition.

The natural ruler of Capricorn (and Aquarius to the Ancients), Saturn represents limitations, restrictions, challenges, discipline, ambition, confinement, delays and the lessons we all must go through.  Saturn shows how we discipline ourselves through effort and hard work; it gives clues to type of work we do and the type of obstacles we come up against.  It embodies the qualities of responsibility, stability, and conservatism, and is represented by authority figures, a father-figure, a teacher, an older person and rules tradition, authority, obedience, structure, patience and wisdom through perseverance and age.  It teaches us our lessons in life.

 

Aquarius is ruled by the planets Saturn and Uranus. .

Representing:  Individuality, Cosmic Consciousness, Obligation.

The natural ruler of Capricorn (and Aquarius to the Ancients), Saturn represents limitations, restrictions, challenges, discipline, ambition, confinement, delays and the lessons we all must go through.  Saturn shows how we discipline ourselves through effort and hard work; it gives clues to type of work we do and the type of obstacles we come up against.  It embodies the qualities of responsibility, stability, and conservatism, and is represented by authority figures, a father-figure, a teacher, an older person and rules tradition, authority, obedience, structure, patience and wisdom through perseverance and age.  It teaches us our lessons in life.

For Uranus, freedom and change are its keywords, and it usually brings new experiences and ideas to which we must adjust.  It represents the erratic, the bizarre, and the different.  Never static, always changing, and usually very quickly, that is Uranus.  It rules freedom, inventiveness, originality, rebellion, genius, science, astrology, technology, electronics, computers, humanitarianism, revolution, rebellion and change.  As the higher octave of Mercury (conscious thought), it is also referred to as the Awakener, and its purpose is to bring new ideas to the conscious mind, to show us something we have never before noticed, all for the purpose of freeing us from our own mental limitations.  Uranus breaks through barriers and tradition.  Interesting to note, that the planet is unusual in that it has an almost 90 degree tilt, so it spins on its side.  "Unusual" is a keyword used in describing Aquarians, the sign that Uranus rules.

 

Pisces is ruled by the planets Neptune and Jupiter. .

Representing:  Enigma, Inspiration, Compassion.

As the modern ruler of Pisces and the higher octave of Venus, Neptune is associated with the subtle, yet invasive forces that obscure and obfuscate.  Reality and non-Reality become confused as boundaries blur and we are forced to rely on our own inner guidance system.  It is the opposite of "solid", just like its physical characteristics.  It is Neptune’s job to put us in touch with the true Reality, that which we create.  Neptune is associated with idealism, compassion, self-sacrifice, vagueness, illusion, deception, as well as art, poetry, films, glamour, dance, music, and inspiration.  It rules music, television, movies, fashion, glamour, dreams, illusion, the intangible, and the elusive.  It also represents abstract thought, drugs, alcohol, the universal subconscious, the oceans of the Earth, and the mysterious.

The natural ruler of Sagittarius (and Pisces to the Ancients), Jupiter shows where we grow and expand - for good or ill (the choice is ours). It represents luck, philosophy, religion, higher learning, ethical and moral values, expansion and abundance as well as excesses and also rules long distance travel, aspirations, and judgement.  Jupiter is associated with wealth, good humor, tolerance, yet under certain conditions, it can show overconfidence and boorish behavior.  Jupiter shows our beliefs, philosophy, and growth into the outer.