How do you do astrology at the North Pole? Contrary to what you may think, this isn’t a trick question. Astrologers encounter unique problems drawing up birth charts for people born at high latitudes or near both polar circles. As communication technologies continue to connect us, astrologers work with clients born in the southernmost reaches of Argentina and Chile, along with those far north in Canada, Norway, and Siberia. So how do you do a birth chart properly when the ascendant moves backward or the Sun never rises? The answers aren’t as easy as you may think.
Time and Place in Birth ChartsIn Astrology
Astrologers create charts to reflect the movement and positions of planets and points in the sky. When drawing someone’s natal chart, you need the precise date, place, and time of birth. How does this work in a practical sense? Take two people born on August 14 in the same year – Person A at 4 p.m. and Person B at 10 p.m. Their charts look similar in many ways but different in others. For instance, they probably won’t have the same rising sign. Why? Because it changes every two hours thanks to our 24-hour day and 12-sign zodiac.
Now, let’s say that Person A was born in Nairobi, Kenya, and Person B’s birthplace was Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Both individuals may also have planets sitting in the same signs. But because the ascendant determines the first house’s placement, those zodiac signs will be in different spots on the chart wheel. In our example, Person A’s ascendant is in Capricorn but Person B has an Aries rising sign.
Latitude, Longitude, and the Sun
Eratosthenes, the same Greek mathematician who calculated Earth’s circumference, was also the first to propose a mapping schema using both latitude and longitude. Our modern system came from Greenwich’s Royal Observatory, adopted by 22 countries in 1884. We have undeniable proof that Earth is a sphere, widest at its equator and narrowest at the poles. Its 23.5-degree axial tilt also contributes to the Sun’s position in our skies at any given location.
You can observe how the sky’s view changes wherever you go on Earth. But you’ll notice drastic changes at extreme latitudes. And you can’t get more extreme than the Arctic and Antarctic polar circles, located at 66.6 degrees north and south respectively. The Sun’s altitude is much lower in those areas. It also doesn’t rise or set at the poles but remains at a constant altitude for each 24-hour period.
How the Sun’s Position Affects Birth Charts
Sure, the Sun’s behavior can seem strange in polar regions. But what does this have to do with astrology? As Astrodienst explains, astrologers would have problems plotting the ascendant, midheaven, and some horoscope houses. On a natal chart, the horizon line connects the ascendant and descendant. The midheaven, which represents career and public image, normally sits far above this line at the highest point on the chart. But in the Arctic Circle, it can end up below the horizon.
The ascendant also acts weird, ending up in the west instead of the east. This defies the original idea of a “rising sign” because it’s not actually rising in polar regions. The ascendant can also be retrograde, suddenly jump by 180 degrees, and fail to even move through all 360 degrees of the zodiac.
Geography’s Impact on Astrology
Astrology is a changing art, incorporating new information about our universe as it’s uncovered. Ancient Babylonians weren’t thinking about the North Pole when they charted planets’ movements thousands of years ago. But as astrology and astronomy are closely linked, geography affects how we do birth charts and horoscopes. Astrologers repeatedly show that they have the creativity and flexibility to meet each challenge as it comes.
The outer planets of our Solar System hold just as many secrets and messages as our closer neighbors. See what can these giants tell us about our lives.
Astrology is big. A quick look at the internet reveals just how ingrained it is into our modern ethos and thought. While much of it focuses on the sun and closest celestial bodies, it discerns patterns and meanings from Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto. Astrologers believe that these distant outer planets may provide some wisdom of their own.
An Introduction to the Outer Planets
The outer planets exhibit a wide range of physical compositions and environments: gas giants, ice giants, and one icy chunk of rock. These celestial objects represent the vital energies of their mythological counterparts. Since they take a long time to orbit our sun, their effects are seen by astrologers as generational and more long term.
Jupiter: A Jovial and Generous King
With its 12-year orbit around our sun, Jupiter has the shortest transits of any outer planet. This massive traveler inhabits each zodiac sign for around a year, but Cafe Astrology explains that it can retrograde for up to four months at a stretch. This regal celestial body governs generosity, optimism, honor, good fortune, ethics, and as the Astro Codex reveals, higher education. Since its effects in a sign can span for up to a year, they’re thought to impact everyone born during that same time period in similar ways.
Saturn: Growth, Discipline, and Legacies
Saturn makes a complete orbit around our sun in 29.5 years, taking around two and a half years to travel through each zodiac sign. Astrostyle discusses this titan’s key energies: time, maturity, structure, karma, discipline, and prestige. If you’ve heard the phrase “Saturn return,” you likely got the impression that it can signify life-changing events. As the Cut’s Claire Comstock-Gay clarifies, Saturn comes back to its original position in our natal charts during our late 20s, our late 50s, and our mid-to-late 80s. These all coincide with major life transitions or turning points during which we may reassess our life goals and make significant new plans.
Uranus: Technology, Enlightenment, and Innovation
Uranus is a weird planet for many reasons. It’s not just the only one named for a Greek deity instead of a Roman god, but it’s also the only one that rotates on its side. Christened after the primordial sky father, it takes 84 years to orbit our sun and seven years to pass through a zodiac sign. Cafe Astrology mentions that Uranus represents invention, innovation, intuitiveness, and individuality. Astrostyle also nicknames Uranus the “mad scientist” for its association with eccentricity.
Neptune: What Lies Beneath the Surface
Discovered in 1846, Neptune got its name from the Roman god of the sea. This planet completes one orbit around the sun in 165 years, which means that it makes a 14-year trip through each zodiac sign. As a result, those energies impact large generational groups. The Astro Codex mentions that Neptune governs spirituality, dreams, illusions, artistic creation, and even addiction.
Pluto: Secrets, Transformation, and Rebirth
Reclassified as a dwarf planet in 2006, Pluto represents the Roman ruler of the Underworld. Astrostyle comments that it governs the secrets we keep within ourselves, including sensitive matters such as money, shame, and sexuality, yet it also speaks to how we share or hoard our resources. As a symbol of transformation, it signifies intense and sometimes painful changes that end in positive results. Pluto takes around 30 years to move through each sign and 248 years to orbit the sun.
Since astrology is gaining greater traction in popular culture, it’s no surprise that many people have more than a passing curiosity about their planets and signs. Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto all display extreme physical characteristics. Their astrological impacts are just as massive, affecting large cohorts of people as they complete their lengthy orbits.
A planet’s effects can be positive, powerful, negative, or hindered. These positions, or planetary dignities, reveal a lot going on beneath the surface.
If you’re like many young Canadian adults, you probably have a passing interest in astrology. You at least know your Sun sign, but you may have also looked up your chart and know what your planets’ positions mean. Yet there’s always more to learn, right? Based on the signs they inhabit, a planet’s effects can be positive, powerful, negative, or hindered. These positions, also known as planetary dignities, reveal a lot more going on beneath the surface.
What Are Dignities?
In astrology, dignities are simply shorthand for each planet’s strengths and weaknesses. Writing at The Tarot Lady, astrologer Theresa Reed discusses how dignities work. All the zodiac signs and planets have their own unique energies. These energies can blend harmoniously or clash horribly. Sometimes they enhance each other to produce powerful results. At other times, a zodiac sign’s energies diminish a planet’s nature like water being dumped onto a fire.
Dignities are these specific energy combinations. Meanwhile, a planet is said to be peregrine when it doesn’t possess any dignities at all. A peregrine state doesn’t inherently have positive or negative effects since the planet’s and sign’s influences don’t impact each other in any extreme ways.
Domicile: A Planet in Its Home Turf
Each zodiac sign is ruled by at least one planet. You can think of that sign as the planet’s “home base,” but astrologers refer to the planet as being in domicile or ruler-ship. Thanks to their compatible natures, these energies blend successfully and result in positive, natural impacts. For instance, someone with a natal Mercury in Virgo is an adept communicator with a quick intellect and ability to work with large amounts of information. Astrostyle offers a helpful list of ruling planets and their corresponding signs.
Detriment: Walking on Shaky Ground
When a planet’s in the zodiac sign opposite its domicile, astrologers say that it is in detriment. This position creates an awkward clash between the planet’s and sign’s influences, rendering the planet weaker and less effective. Some astrologers consider Saturn to be in detriment when it’s in Leo. Individuals with this placement may struggle with self-expression, confidence, and spontaneity: all Leonine traits impacted by Saturn’s restraining nature.
Exaltation: Strength in Numbers
If a planet’s influence feels the most natural in a domicile sign, then it enjoys a boost of power and strength when it’s in exaltation. Astrologers believe that this is a planet’s best possible placement because its exaltation sign multiplies and enhances its native energies. Uranus in Scorpio is one great example of this. As a planet governing innovation, technology, eccentricity, and rebellion, its presence in the ultimate sign of mystery, sexuality, and intensity magnifies its influence. Uranus was exalted in Scorpio between late 1975 and late 1981, and this confluence suggests people with unorthodox approaches to sexuality and resistance against traditional norms.
Fall: Incompatibility at Its Worst
A planet’s exaltation and fall signs can be located at opposite ends of the zodiac. When a planet’s in fall, its native energies don’t function well or at all because they’re completely incongruent with those of the sign. For instance, a Venus in Virgo within someone’s natal chart may result in a person who demonstrates love through service yet struggles with being overly critical of romantic partners. That’s because the planet of love and attraction finds its influence constricted by Virgo’s practical, precise, and analytical nature.
The Relationships Between Planets and Signs
A lot of people may know their sun signs and a few planets in their charts. However, many complex ideas are involved with a chart’s interpretation. Planetary dignity is one such concept, describing the unique relationships between each planet and the sign in which it’s present. When you’re reading your chart, look at these planet-sign positions to better understand their effects.
Astrology is more than just zodiac signs. Horoscope house systems can map life concerns to specific celestial regions.
When many people learn about astrology, they focus mostly on the signs in which planets are positioned. Yet for professional astrologers and many enthusiasts, there’s much more to a person’s birth chart than just zodiac signs. With collections of unique energies and traits, horoscope houses can reveal much more information about an individual’s personality and life path.
A Quick History of Horoscope Houses
The Babylonians had developed a form of horoscopic astrology for drawing up natal charts by the end of the Iron Age. Astrodienst explains that the ancient Greeks were among the first to use astrological house systems. Kepler College adds that more than 20 house systems exist, each using a different approach to divide the natal chart. Today, the most popular ones are the Placidus, Koch, Equal House and Whole Sign systems. Each house represents a specific area of a person’s life.
Drawing the Houses on a Birth Chart
Birth charts are typically drawn as circles, each with two concentric rings on the perimeter. The 12 zodiac signs are placed on the outer ring, but horoscope houses are mapped on the inner ring. Astrologers use the ascendant, or rising sign, to determine the first house’s placement.
Finding an ascendant requires the person’s exact date, time and place of birth. Remember that the birth chart contains a snapshot of planet and point positions in the sky when an individual is born. The ascendant on the left side represents the eastern horizon, and the descendant on the right side signifies the western horizon. While the horizons are fixed, the zodiac sign sitting at that point shifts as the earth rotates.
Horoscope Houses and Their Meanings
Astrostyle offers a quick guide to the 12 horoscope houses. If you draw a straight line between the ascendant and descendant points on a birth chart, this splits the chart horizontally into two halves. The six horoscope houses below this axis represent personal concerns:
First house: self, beginnings, identity, and appearances
Second house: money, material concerns, and self-esteem
Third house: the mind, communication, siblings, and education
Fourth house: privacy, security, self-care, and nurturing
Sixth house: health, fitness, work habits, and service
Meanwhile, the six above the axis are referred to as interpersonal houses. This makes sense since the birth chart area below the axis denotes the night and the area above symbolizes the day. What’s personal remains below the surface, while social aspects are more readily seen by others in the light. Astrostyle briefly describes the six interpersonal houses:
Seventh house: relationships, partnerships, contracts, and marriage
Eighth house: transformation, sexuality, inheritances, and shared finances
Ninth house: travel, higher education, wisdom, and philosophy
Tenth house: career, long-term goals, status, and reputation
Eleventh house: social awareness, friends, technology, and the future
Twelfth house: endings, closure, death, and spirituality
The Blending of Planet and House Energies
Just as planet and zodiac sign energies combine, the same is true of planet and house energies. Each house has a ruling sign, so the sign’s and house’s traits tend to be similar. To understand how this works, consider a planet-house placement with compatible energies: a natal Sun in the fifth house. The Sun is Leo’s ruling planet, and Leo rules the fifth house. Self-expression, creativity, and romance would probably feel natural to a person with this placement.
Planet-house placements can also bring together less compatible influences. One example is restriction-minded Saturn appearing in moon-ruled Cancer’s fourth house. Saturn’s limiting energies could impact familial love and nurturing. A person with this placement may experience a childhood that seems cold and unloving.
Celestial Movements and Divination
Astrology is more than zodiac signs. Horoscope house systems map life concerns to specific celestial regions. Using planetary positions in these houses, astrologers try to make sense of how these energies impact our personalities and lives.
Meteor showers have many scientific and astrological impacts on Earth and its inhabitants beyond putting on a show in the night sky.
If you’re an astrology buff, you likely follow horoscopes with close interest. You comprehend planetary transits, and retrogrades are no longer a mystery. But when astrologers mention meteor showers, you may draw a blank. What do these streaking balls of dust and light mean? Understanding their scientific astrological impacts requires a little bit of background knowledge.
The Science of Meteor Showers
Space.com describes meteor showers as remnants of broken comets or asteroids traveling through our atmosphere at high speeds. During their atmospheric entry, air friction heats up and illuminates this debris. These objects can achieve average speeds of around 30,000 miles per house and temperatures of about 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit.
Meteor showers are named after the constellations in which they’re visible. The American Meteor Society lists several regular showers, including some within zodiac constellations such as Taurus, Gemini, Leo, Capricorn, and Aquarius. Most are visible at night, but one shower, the Arietids, can only be seen during daylight hours. The Perseids are some of the most popular and brightest showers, active during July and August each year.
Showers’ recurrence and visibility result from both their parental bodies’ and Earth’s orbits. That’s because our planet must be close enough to the comet or asteroid for its debris to enter our atmosphere. The Leonids are a yearly shower, for instance, but they’re the brightest when their parent body Comet Tempel–Tuttle is on its closest approach to our sun every 33 years.
Meteor Showers in Ancient Times
Scientists theorize that a comet or large meteor may have crashed about 66 million years ago, contributing to a mass extinction that killed dinosaurs and around 75% of other life on Earth. We still see possible evidence today: a 93-mile-wide crater on the Yucatan Peninsula’s northern coast.
Typical meteor showers don’t leave such earth-shaking impacts. However, historian Eve MacDonald explains that our ancestors regarded them as omens of either great promise or impending doom. In ancient times, humans referred to many celestial objects as “stars” regardless of their actual makeup. Because some meteors trailed brilliant streaks across the sky, people eventually called them “shooting stars.”
Some comets and meteor showers were thought to herald royal births or deaths. Roman historian Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus claimed that a comet was observed after Julius Caesar’s assassination in the spring of 44 BCE. Experts propose that if this “Caesar’s Comet” truly existed, it was traveling through our solar system on a parabolic escape orbit. In other words, it made a one-time-only trip past Earth and likely won’t return.
What Do Meteor Showers Mean Today?
While modern astrologers don’t regard comets and meteor showers as bad omens, they can assign a variety of meanings to these celestial events. To comprehend their interpretive approach, consider the nature of meteor showers. They’re always trailing their parent bodies, but we don’t always see them. Well+Good’s Allie Flinn quotes astrologer Rachel Lang, who says they may signal hidden or repressed things that must resurface: emotions, spiritual insights, or unforeseen changes.
Showers can also take on different meanings depending on the constellation in which they occur and who’s doing the interpretation. Since Leonid showers appear in Leo, they could indicate new shifts in a few key areas of life: the arts, theatre, creative expression, wealth, or even seats of power. Their magnitude of visible brightness from Earth can amplify these effects.
Astrology’s Keys: Symbolism and Interpretation
Meteor showers can have a significant effect on our planet, and ancient cultures once viewed them as major portents. Today, their physical impacts are mostly limited to curious spectators viewing meteor showers in our night skies. While they no longer necessarily signal bad news in an astrological sense, they can indicate significant cultural or individual developments affecting our lives.
Astrologers believe that each part of our birth charts tells us about ourselves and our lives. Taking a closer look at your sign can reveal some surprises.
Peruse astrology websites or hang around some enthusiasts and you’re likely to encounter a lot of discussions about rising signs. Perhaps you’ve pulled up your birth chart to find out your rising sign or heard the term “chart ruler” tossed around. Yet what does this all mean? Answering that question involves some science, geography, and a peek into the human psyche.
What Is Your Rising Sign?
Your birth chart shows quite a bit of information. Mastering the Zodiac briefly explains what each detail means, focusing on four primary elements: the Sun, the Moon, the rising sign, and the chart ruler. Mastering the Zodiac and other astrology sources sometimes refer to the rising sign as the “ascendant,” but it’s more than just a fancier word for the same concept. As Astrostyle reveals, it’s the zodiac sign that’s ascending above the eastern horizon at the time each person is born.
As you may already know, some planets and points change position more slowly than others. Consider our Moon, which makes its trip around the Earth in only 27 days. With such a short orbital period, our speedy satellite stays in each zodiac sign for only 2.5 days. The ascendant changes signs even faster than that. Depending on a location’s latitude, each sign takes anywhere between 30 minutes and three hours to cross the horizon. The earth’s axial tilt of 23.5 degrees also causes these differences, with the ascendant jumping 180 degrees or disappearing completely in extreme northern and southern locations.
Because of how quickly the rising sign changes, finding it requires knowing a precise time and place of birth. Even twins born a minute apart can have different ascendants if a sign finishes crossing the horizon before the younger one is born. If you’re not sure about your ascendant, check your birth certificate to get an accurate time of birth. You can plug this data into any free birth chart generator to see your results.
What Your Ascendant Means
You may have heard that our ascendants represent the masks that we wear, the faces that we choose to show to the world. This is one basic interpretation, but Astrostyle adds that it’s the sign of first impressions. The way you dress, your interpersonal style, your demeanor, and even how you style your hair are connected to your rising sign. It adds another layer to how you can be perceived by others. Astrologers often say that it’s one possible reason you could be mistaken for a zodiac signifier other than the one under which you were born.
Mastering the Zodiac suggests additional meanings for you. While it may speak to how you present yourself to others, it can also reveal the qualities you’re developing as you age. If we look at both points of view, the ascendant represents both the personality you show to others as well as the personality shaped by your life experiences.
Your Rising Sign and Chart Ruler
The rising sign has another important function: determining the chart ruler. In astrology-speak, the chart ruler is simply the ruling planet of your rising sign. For instance, someone with an Aries ascendant has Mars as a chart ruler. This planet exerts its influence over the entire natal chart in areas such as personality, goals, desires, and strategies for learning, relating to others, and solving problems. In our Aries ascendant example, Mars will significantly impact whatever signs and houses it’s in. This individual may love competition, testing oneself, and pushing the limits.
Astrologers believe that each part of our birth charts tells us about ourselves and our lives. The rising sign represents the impression we make on others, but it also speaks to central life themes. Taking a deeper look at your ascendant can reveal some surprising details.
What does it mean to have a Gemini rising sign, a Capricorn Moon, or your Venus in Leo? Astrology buffs may already get it, but you may be wondering about the significance of planetary positions in your birth chart. Understanding how sign and planet energies blend is key to comprehending how interpretive astrology works.
Why Are Planetary Positions Important in Astrology?
Astrologers examine and interpret how a planet’s energies combine with those of its resident sign. This synergy produces certain effects based on the date, time, and location of a person’s birth. Think of these combined energies like an equation: planet plus sign equals meaning. For reference, Mystica Astrology briefly explains the qualities represented by each planet. Astrostyle also offers an extensive guide to each of the astrological signs.
The Basics of Interpretation
While celestial energy combinations are an important basis of astrological interpretation, looking at how they specifically play out in someone’s chart can also be useful. A key starting point is the primal triad consisting of the Sun, Moon, and Ascendant signs. Together, these three compose the core of an individual’s personality. The three planets that follow, Mercury, Venus, and Mars, represent concerns in our personal day-to-day lives. The five outer planets exert long-term effects and can impact generational groups due to their longer orbits.
An Example of Basic Astrological Interpretation
For an in-depth example of how interpretation can work, let’s examine the natal chart of an individual born on August 14, 1976. For brevity’s sake, we’ll only look at the first six planets and points in this chart:
Sun in Leo
Ascendant in Aries
Moon in Aries
Mercury in Virgo
Venus in Virgo
Mars in Virgo
The Primal Triad and Its Meanings
The Sun speaks to one’s personality, ego, and self, but it can also represent the search for identity. Meanwhile, Leo represents creativity, generosity, loyalty, and charisma. With these two energies combined, the individual in our example prefers to be passionate, generous, devoted, and expressive.
Yet the Sun is just one component of the primal triad. You’ll notice that this person’s Ascendant and Moon are both in Aries. The Ascendant, or rising sign, signifies our external selves: the masks we wear and how we present ourselves to others. Conversely, the Moon stands for our inner selves, emotions, and deepest needs.
Aries symbolizes energy, drive, will, and direct action. Others may view an Aries Ascendant personality as direct and straightforward. Those with an Aries Moon value emotional independence, direct expression, and the desire to act. Because this individual has the same rising and Moon signs, outer presentation and inner emotions won’t usually conflict with each other.
Mercury, Venus, and Mars
Astrologers also view Mercury, Venus, and Mars as critical planets. Mercury stands for communication, thought language, information gathering, and analysis. Venus represents desire and attraction on many levels: love, sexuality, and even our preferences in art, politics, and culture. Finally, Mars symbolizes human drives, motivations, aggression, and even how we choose to fight.
In our example, the natal chart shows that Mercury, Venus, and Mars are all in Virgo. As you may remember, Virgo is the sign of details, service, practicality, and modesty. This individual likely prefers a precise approach to communication and easily keeps track of details. Partners shouldn’t expect showy romantic gestures, but they’ll enjoy dedication and lasting commitment. Virgo energies temper Mars’s natural aggression, resulting in someone with focused, disciplined, and sustained efforts in reaching goals.
Putting It All Together
It’s one thing to know what zodiac signs your planets and points are in, but it’s quite another to recognize potential interpretations. That’s part of the fun with astrology: divining meanings and possibilities. Everyone deciphers details differently, but basic principles can help you understand the core meanings behind planets in your natal chart.
To understand how astrology works, it’s important to first learn about the planets’ positions and meanings, including the inner planets.
Astrology is everywhere. You likely already know your “sign,” but there’s far more to this divination method than that. To understand how astrology works, it’s important to first learn about the planets’ positions and meanings. Astrologers believe that the inner planets, located between our sun and the solar system’s asteroid belt, divulge a lot about an individual’s personality.
What Are the Inner Planets?
When reading an individual’s chart, astrologers often begin with the inner planets. Astrostyle describes these as faster-moving celestial bodies thought to impact our moods, habits, and daily lives. The inner planets include the Sun and Moon along with Mercury, Venus, and Mars. When discerning an individual’s temperament, personality makeup, and immediate future trends, astrologers focus on these inner planets.
Your Sun Sign: Your Core Self
When someone asks, “what’s your sign,” they’re referring to the zodiac constellation in which the Sun was present when you were born. Mystica Astrology’s Emma Wilson describes it as symbolic of our search for self-identity and self-knowledge as well as who an individual is on an archetypal level. The Astro Codex adds that the Sun corresponds with our personalities and egos. Our sun stays in each zodiac sign for about 30 days.
The Moon: Emotions and the Soul
With astrology’s popularity, more people know their moon signs. Astrostyle explains that the Moon’s position in a constellation speaks to our emotions, subconscious minds, and deepest needs. Emma Wilson elaborates that it also reveals our vulnerabilities and what we need to feel secure. Since the Moon takes two to three days to move through a zodiac sign, you must know the exact time of an individual’s birth to determine the Moon sign.
Mercury: Communication, Logic, and Reason
Named for the Roman messenger of the gods, Mercury is a key player in each person’s natal chart. The Astro Codex mentions that this planet represents the human mind. Its position in the zodiac reflects how we think, reason, and communicate. With an orbital period of only 88 days, Mercury takes between three and four weeks to travel through each zodiac constellation.
Venus: Love, Pleasure, and Attraction
Venus is said to be the planet of love. Associated with the Roman goddess of love and beauty, it’s no wonder Emma Wilson says it’s symbolic of “who and what you are drawn towards.” Although commonly linked with romantic love and sexuality, Venus also points to our indulgences and preferences in everything from art to politics. Traveling around the Sun in 225 days, Venus’s orbit is somewhat elliptical. As a result, it can move through each sign in about 20 to 30 days.
Mars: Action, Energy, and Drive
The Astro Codex calls Mars a “vital force,” speaking to its association with the Roman god of war. Our Mars placements can indicate how competitive we are, where we focus our energies, and how we strive to meet our goals. Unsurprisingly, Mars is also thought to govern our sex drives and raw attraction. Mars’s orbit around the Sun lasts 687 days, so it normally traverses each sign in about 90 days.
Where Can I Get My Birth Chart?
By now, you may be wondering where all these planets are positioned in your natal chart. Fortunately, you don’t have to be a professional astrologer to access this information. CBC contributor Rebecca Perrin lists several websites where you can obtain your birth chart for free, using the same technology as most astrology software programs. Some show only your natal chart, while others also offer either brief interpretations or extensive details.
Astrology has been with us for thousands of years. Thanks to the internet, you can easily find resources for obtaining and understanding your natal chart. Starting with the inner planets, you can begin to comprehend the complex details that astrologers believe are at work in making up your personality and life.
Many astrologers call Capricorns “the most boring sign.” However, from the strange to the mundane, Capricorns are said to host a number of specific traits.
According to Western Astrology, those born between December 22nd and January 20th fall under the sign of Capricorn, which is unique in many ways, especially considering it is the one that carries over from one year into the next. Capricorn is also associated with a strange chimera: a hybrid of a goat and a fish. With such odd connections, it should come as no surprise that Capricorns are also unique individuals. Many astrologers call Capricorns “the most boring,” but this is far from the case.
From the strange to the mundane, Capricorns are said to host a number of specific traits. Explore some of these fun facts, and learn a bit more about the goat-fish of the world.
Express Yourself
Emotions can be difficult for all signs to deal with. Though those born under Capricorn are said to feel strong and deep emotions, they also are not likely to have an easy time expressing how they truly feel within. This can create strange problems in relationships. While a Capricorn might be totally in love with another person, he or she might never be able to come out and speak the words. The lesson here for Capricorns is to find a healthy way to express these deeper feelings.
The interesting thing about how a Capricorn approaches his or her feelings is that it normally happens by observing and learning about others. For example, it is said that a Capricorn is more likely to reserve judgement on an argument he or she witnessed until knowing both sides of the story. This somewhat impartial approach to conflict can make the Capricorn seem detached, but it really means he or she wants to understand as much as possible before taking a side or getting involved.
Commitment and Perfection
A Capricorn is a committed individual, especially when he or she truly cares about something. If someone born under this sign decides to run a marathon, then you can bet he or she will spend countless hours training. The Capricorn is not entering the race to win, per se, but he or she wants to make sure that the commitment level is as high as possible. Unfortunately, the person is likely to try too hard and burn out fast.
A Capricorn wants to achieve his or her own idea of perfection when approaching a task. While they might not be obsessed with the traditional idea of “winning,” Capricorns still put unrealistic expectations on themselves in regard to being perfect. This can lead to a lot of inner conflict and other issues. Luckily, the Capricorn who recognizes this has a good chance of being able to overcome it.
Picky and Fierce
Finally, the average Capricorn is not likely to call everyone friend. They are said to be very picky about the company they keep. Still, they will protect those they do call friends in a fierce way, making Capricorns some of the most loyal and caring individuals out there. While not always the best listeners, Capricorns most often appreciate people who will lend them an ear from time to time. If you’re looking to comfort a Capricorn in your life, try listening to what they’ll share – it may work wonders.
All signs of the zodiac tend to be unique, but Capricorns seem to host a few more strange quirks and traits than others. Though the symbol of the goat-fish might be an odd one, it does make sense when one considers the peculiar nature of the Capricorn and how he or she moves through life in a way fit for land and sea.
Astrology is gaining renewed interest in popular culture. To better understand these trends, it helps to have a basic knowledge of astrology itself.
A January 2018 piece in The Atlantic reveals that astrology is gaining renewed interest in popular culture, especially from adults under age 40. Astrology websites are seeing more traffic than ever, sun signs and horoscopes are rich meme fodder, and daily horoscopes are getting up to three times more readership than in decades past. So what gives? To better understand these trends, it helps to have a basic knowledge of astrology itself.
What Is Astrology?
The Encyclopedia Britannicadescribes astrology as a method of divination focused on observing and interpreting the positions of planets, stars, and the sun. Three different astrological systems are commonly used today:
Western, based on Greek and Babylonian traditions
Vedic, which relies on the idea that all things in the universe are linked
Chinese, which assigns astrological signs to years instead of month-long periods
The early foundations of Western astrological practices come from “Tetrabiblos,” a text written by Greco-Roman astrologer Claudius Ptolemy during the second century B.C.E. Meanwhile, Vedic astrology takes its cues from 15th century B.C.E. text “Vedanga Jyotiṣa” and was possibly influenced later by Hellenistic thought. Chinese astrology draws from traditional philosophical ideas such as the five-elements theory and the yin-yang principle.
What Are Zodiac Signs?
You probably know about zodiac signs from the horoscopes or lists of personality traits you’ve read. What you may not know is that each sign corresponds with a constellation in the night sky, with most representing Greek mythological figures. Twelve signs appear in both the Western and Vedic zodiac systems, grouped into four categories by the classical Greek elements with which they’re associated:
Fire: Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius
Earth: Taurus, Virgo, and Capricorn
Air: Gemini, Libra, and Aquarius
Water: Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces
These signs are also classified as cardinal, fixed, or mutable depending on when they fall during a season. For instance, Cancer is a cardinal sign for summer while Leo is fixed and Virgo is mutable. AstroStyle explains that cardinal signs are thought to initiate energy while fixed signs maintain it and mutable signs prepare for transitions into the following season.
Sun Signs and Horoscopes
The methodologies used to create horoscopes may vary, but most rely on a person’s sun sign plus the position of the moon and a couple of significant planets in the night sky to pen some general advice. Your “sun sign” is shorthand for the constellation in which the sun appeared when you were born. The sun’s place in the sky changes according to Earth’s position in orbit, causing it to travel through an ecliptic divided into the 12 zodiac signs. In the Vedic system, the ecliptic is placed according to the positions of fixed stars, while Western astrology places the ecliptic based on the position of the sun at the celestial equator during the spring equinox.
The duration of each sun sign lasts around 30 days, but the Vedic system’s year begins with Aries on April 14 while the same point in the Western version occurs on March 21. That’s why someone whose birthday is on August 14 would have been born under the sign of Leo in Western astrology but under Cancer in Vedic astrology.
Astrology’s Enduring Popularity
As Julie Beck writes in her piece for The Atlantic, astrology tends to be viewed by most as metaphorical rather than literal. Even those who don’t believe in it, Beck clarifies, may find useful explanations for trends and major life events. Referring to this as the “astrology is fake but it’s true” stance, she observes that it’s a common concept among people who can successfully hold paradoxical beliefs and seek organization, order, and meaning while living in chaos. Perhaps it’s yet more proof that with uncertain or dim futures ahead, the human tendency to look for hope in forces greater than oneself endures.
How do you do astrology at the North Pole? Contrary to what you may think, this isn’t a trick question. Astrologers encounter unique problems drawing up birth charts for people born at high latitudes or near both polar circles. As communication technologies continue to connect us, astrologers work with clients born in the southernmost reaches of Argentina and Chile, along with those far north in Canada, Norway, and Siberia. So how do you do a birth chart properly when the ascendant moves backward or the Sun never rises? The answers aren’t as easy as you may think.
Time and Place in Birth ChartsIn Astrology
Astrologers create charts to reflect the movement and positions of planets and points in the sky. When drawing someone’s natal chart, you need the precise date, place, and time of birth. How does this work in a practical sense? Take two people born on August 14 in the same year – Person A at 4 p.m. and Person B at 10 p.m. Their charts look similar in many ways but different in others. For instance, they probably won’t have the same rising sign. Why? Because it changes every two hours thanks to our 24-hour day and 12-sign zodiac.
Now, let’s say that Person A was born in Nairobi, Kenya, and Person B’s birthplace was Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Both individuals may also have planets sitting in the same signs. But because the ascendant determines the first house’s placement, those zodiac signs will be in different spots on the chart wheel. In our example, Person A’s ascendant is in Capricorn but Person B has an Aries rising sign.
Latitude, Longitude, and the Sun
Eratosthenes, the same Greek mathematician who calculated Earth’s circumference, was also the first to propose a mapping schema using both latitude and longitude. Our modern system came from Greenwich’s Royal Observatory, adopted by 22 countries in 1884. We have undeniable proof that Earth is a sphere, widest at its equator and narrowest at the poles. Its 23.5-degree axial tilt also contributes to the Sun’s position in our skies at any given location.
You can observe how the sky’s view changes wherever you go on Earth. But you’ll notice drastic changes at extreme latitudes. And you can’t get more extreme than the Arctic and Antarctic polar circles, located at 66.6 degrees north and south respectively. The Sun’s altitude is much lower in those areas. It also doesn’t rise or set at the poles but remains at a constant altitude for each 24-hour period.
How the Sun’s Position Affects Birth Charts
Sure, the Sun’s behavior can seem strange in polar regions. But what does this have to do with astrology? As Astrodienst explains, astrologers would have problems plotting the ascendant, midheaven, and some horoscope houses. On a natal chart, the horizon line connects the ascendant and descendant. The midheaven, which represents career and public image, normally sits far above this line at the highest point on the chart. But in the Arctic Circle, it can end up below the horizon.
The ascendant also acts weird, ending up in the west instead of the east. This defies the original idea of a “rising sign” because it’s not actually rising in polar regions. The ascendant can also be retrograde, suddenly jump by 180 degrees, and fail to even move through all 360 degrees of the zodiac.
Geography’s Impact on Astrology
Astrology is a changing art, incorporating new information about our universe as it’s uncovered. Ancient Babylonians weren’t thinking about the North Pole when they charted planets’ movements thousands of years ago. But as astrology and astronomy are closely linked, geography affects how we do birth charts and horoscopes. Astrologers repeatedly show that they have the creativity and flexibility to meet each challenge as it comes.
The outer planets of our Solar System hold just as many secrets and messages as our closer neighbors. See what can these giants tell us about our lives.
Astrology is big. A quick look at the internet reveals just how ingrained it is into our modern ethos and thought. While much of it focuses on the sun and closest celestial bodies, it discerns patterns and meanings from Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto. Astrologers believe that these distant outer planets may provide some wisdom of their own.
An Introduction to the Outer Planets
The outer planets exhibit a wide range of physical compositions and environments: gas giants, ice giants, and one icy chunk of rock. These celestial objects represent the vital energies of their mythological counterparts. Since they take a long time to orbit our sun, their effects are seen by astrologers as generational and more long term.
Jupiter: A Jovial and Generous King
With its 12-year orbit around our sun, Jupiter has the shortest transits of any outer planet. This massive traveler inhabits each zodiac sign for around a year, but Cafe Astrology explains that it can retrograde for up to four months at a stretch. This regal celestial body governs generosity, optimism, honor, good fortune, ethics, and as the Astro Codex reveals, higher education. Since its effects in a sign can span for up to a year, they’re thought to impact everyone born during that same time period in similar ways.
Saturn: Growth, Discipline, and Legacies
Saturn makes a complete orbit around our sun in 29.5 years, taking around two and a half years to travel through each zodiac sign. Astrostyle discusses this titan’s key energies: time, maturity, structure, karma, discipline, and prestige. If you’ve heard the phrase “Saturn return,” you likely got the impression that it can signify life-changing events. As the Cut’s Claire Comstock-Gay clarifies, Saturn comes back to its original position in our natal charts during our late 20s, our late 50s, and our mid-to-late 80s. These all coincide with major life transitions or turning points during which we may reassess our life goals and make significant new plans.
Uranus: Technology, Enlightenment, and Innovation
Uranus is a weird planet for many reasons. It’s not just the only one named for a Greek deity instead of a Roman god, but it’s also the only one that rotates on its side. Christened after the primordial sky father, it takes 84 years to orbit our sun and seven years to pass through a zodiac sign. Cafe Astrology mentions that Uranus represents invention, innovation, intuitiveness, and individuality. Astrostyle also nicknames Uranus the “mad scientist” for its association with eccentricity.
Neptune: What Lies Beneath the Surface
Discovered in 1846, Neptune got its name from the Roman god of the sea. This planet completes one orbit around the sun in 165 years, which means that it makes a 14-year trip through each zodiac sign. As a result, those energies impact large generational groups. The Astro Codex mentions that Neptune governs spirituality, dreams, illusions, artistic creation, and even addiction.
Pluto: Secrets, Transformation, and Rebirth
Reclassified as a dwarf planet in 2006, Pluto represents the Roman ruler of the Underworld. Astrostyle comments that it governs the secrets we keep within ourselves, including sensitive matters such as money, shame, and sexuality, yet it also speaks to how we share or hoard our resources. As a symbol of transformation, it signifies intense and sometimes painful changes that end in positive results. Pluto takes around 30 years to move through each sign and 248 years to orbit the sun.
Since astrology is gaining greater traction in popular culture, it’s no surprise that many people have more than a passing curiosity about their planets and signs. Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto all display extreme physical characteristics. Their astrological impacts are just as massive, affecting large cohorts of people as they complete their lengthy orbits.
A planet’s effects can be positive, powerful, negative, or hindered. These positions, or planetary dignities, reveal a lot going on beneath the surface.
If you’re like many young Canadian adults, you probably have a passing interest in astrology. You at least know your Sun sign, but you may have also looked up your chart and know what your planets’ positions mean. Yet there’s always more to learn, right? Based on the signs they inhabit, a planet’s effects can be positive, powerful, negative, or hindered. These positions, also known as planetary dignities, reveal a lot more going on beneath the surface.
What Are Dignities?
In astrology, dignities are simply shorthand for each planet’s strengths and weaknesses. Writing at The Tarot Lady, astrologer Theresa Reed discusses how dignities work. All the zodiac signs and planets have their own unique energies. These energies can blend harmoniously or clash horribly. Sometimes they enhance each other to produce powerful results. At other times, a zodiac sign’s energies diminish a planet’s nature like water being dumped onto a fire.
Dignities are these specific energy combinations. Meanwhile, a planet is said to be peregrine when it doesn’t possess any dignities at all. A peregrine state doesn’t inherently have positive or negative effects since the planet’s and sign’s influences don’t impact each other in any extreme ways.
Domicile: A Planet in Its Home Turf
Each zodiac sign is ruled by at least one planet. You can think of that sign as the planet’s “home base,” but astrologers refer to the planet as being in domicile or ruler-ship. Thanks to their compatible natures, these energies blend successfully and result in positive, natural impacts. For instance, someone with a natal Mercury in Virgo is an adept communicator with a quick intellect and ability to work with large amounts of information. Astrostyle offers a helpful list of ruling planets and their corresponding signs.
Detriment: Walking on Shaky Ground
When a planet’s in the zodiac sign opposite its domicile, astrologers say that it is in detriment. This position creates an awkward clash between the planet’s and sign’s influences, rendering the planet weaker and less effective. Some astrologers consider Saturn to be in detriment when it’s in Leo. Individuals with this placement may struggle with self-expression, confidence, and spontaneity: all Leonine traits impacted by Saturn’s restraining nature.
Exaltation: Strength in Numbers
If a planet’s influence feels the most natural in a domicile sign, then it enjoys a boost of power and strength when it’s in exaltation. Astrologers believe that this is a planet’s best possible placement because its exaltation sign multiplies and enhances its native energies. Uranus in Scorpio is one great example of this. As a planet governing innovation, technology, eccentricity, and rebellion, its presence in the ultimate sign of mystery, sexuality, and intensity magnifies its influence. Uranus was exalted in Scorpio between late 1975 and late 1981, and this confluence suggests people with unorthodox approaches to sexuality and resistance against traditional norms.
Fall: Incompatibility at Its Worst
A planet’s exaltation and fall signs can be located at opposite ends of the zodiac. When a planet’s in fall, its native energies don’t function well or at all because they’re completely incongruent with those of the sign. For instance, a Venus in Virgo within someone’s natal chart may result in a person who demonstrates love through service yet struggles with being overly critical of romantic partners. That’s because the planet of love and attraction finds its influence constricted by Virgo’s practical, precise, and analytical nature.
The Relationships Between Planets and Signs
A lot of people may know their sun signs and a few planets in their charts. However, many complex ideas are involved with a chart’s interpretation. Planetary dignity is one such concept, describing the unique relationships between each planet and the sign in which it’s present. When you’re reading your chart, look at these planet-sign positions to better understand their effects.
Astrology is more than just zodiac signs. Horoscope house systems can map life concerns to specific celestial regions.
When many people learn about astrology, they focus mostly on the signs in which planets are positioned. Yet for professional astrologers and many enthusiasts, there’s much more to a person’s birth chart than just zodiac signs. With collections of unique energies and traits, horoscope houses can reveal much more information about an individual’s personality and life path.
A Quick History of Horoscope Houses
The Babylonians had developed a form of horoscopic astrology for drawing up natal charts by the end of the Iron Age. Astrodienst explains that the ancient Greeks were among the first to use astrological house systems. Kepler College adds that more than 20 house systems exist, each using a different approach to divide the natal chart. Today, the most popular ones are the Placidus, Koch, Equal House and Whole Sign systems. Each house represents a specific area of a person’s life.
Drawing the Houses on a Birth Chart
Birth charts are typically drawn as circles, each with two concentric rings on the perimeter. The 12 zodiac signs are placed on the outer ring, but horoscope houses are mapped on the inner ring. Astrologers use the ascendant, or rising sign, to determine the first house’s placement.
Finding an ascendant requires the person’s exact date, time and place of birth. Remember that the birth chart contains a snapshot of planet and point positions in the sky when an individual is born. The ascendant on the left side represents the eastern horizon, and the descendant on the right side signifies the western horizon. While the horizons are fixed, the zodiac sign sitting at that point shifts as the earth rotates.
Horoscope Houses and Their Meanings
Astrostyle offers a quick guide to the 12 horoscope houses. If you draw a straight line between the ascendant and descendant points on a birth chart, this splits the chart horizontally into two halves. The six horoscope houses below this axis represent personal concerns:
First house: self, beginnings, identity, and appearances
Second house: money, material concerns, and self-esteem
Third house: the mind, communication, siblings, and education
Fourth house: privacy, security, self-care, and nurturing
Sixth house: health, fitness, work habits, and service
Meanwhile, the six above the axis are referred to as interpersonal houses. This makes sense since the birth chart area below the axis denotes the night and the area above symbolizes the day. What’s personal remains below the surface, while social aspects are more readily seen by others in the light. Astrostyle briefly describes the six interpersonal houses:
Seventh house: relationships, partnerships, contracts, and marriage
Eighth house: transformation, sexuality, inheritances, and shared finances
Ninth house: travel, higher education, wisdom, and philosophy
Tenth house: career, long-term goals, status, and reputation
Eleventh house: social awareness, friends, technology, and the future
Twelfth house: endings, closure, death, and spirituality
The Blending of Planet and House Energies
Just as planet and zodiac sign energies combine, the same is true of planet and house energies. Each house has a ruling sign, so the sign’s and house’s traits tend to be similar. To understand how this works, consider a planet-house placement with compatible energies: a natal Sun in the fifth house. The Sun is Leo’s ruling planet, and Leo rules the fifth house. Self-expression, creativity, and romance would probably feel natural to a person with this placement.
Planet-house placements can also bring together less compatible influences. One example is restriction-minded Saturn appearing in moon-ruled Cancer’s fourth house. Saturn’s limiting energies could impact familial love and nurturing. A person with this placement may experience a childhood that seems cold and unloving.
Celestial Movements and Divination
Astrology is more than zodiac signs. Horoscope house systems map life concerns to specific celestial regions. Using planetary positions in these houses, astrologers try to make sense of how these energies impact our personalities and lives.
Meteor showers have many scientific and astrological impacts on Earth and its inhabitants beyond putting on a show in the night sky.
If you’re an astrology buff, you likely follow horoscopes with close interest. You comprehend planetary transits, and retrogrades are no longer a mystery. But when astrologers mention meteor showers, you may draw a blank. What do these streaking balls of dust and light mean? Understanding their scientific astrological impacts requires a little bit of background knowledge.
The Science of Meteor Showers
Space.com describes meteor showers as remnants of broken comets or asteroids traveling through our atmosphere at high speeds. During their atmospheric entry, air friction heats up and illuminates this debris. These objects can achieve average speeds of around 30,000 miles per house and temperatures of about 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit.
Meteor showers are named after the constellations in which they’re visible. The American Meteor Society lists several regular showers, including some within zodiac constellations such as Taurus, Gemini, Leo, Capricorn, and Aquarius. Most are visible at night, but one shower, the Arietids, can only be seen during daylight hours. The Perseids are some of the most popular and brightest showers, active during July and August each year.
Showers’ recurrence and visibility result from both their parental bodies’ and Earth’s orbits. That’s because our planet must be close enough to the comet or asteroid for its debris to enter our atmosphere. The Leonids are a yearly shower, for instance, but they’re the brightest when their parent body Comet Tempel–Tuttle is on its closest approach to our sun every 33 years.
Meteor Showers in Ancient Times
Scientists theorize that a comet or large meteor may have crashed about 66 million years ago, contributing to a mass extinction that killed dinosaurs and around 75% of other life on Earth. We still see possible evidence today: a 93-mile-wide crater on the Yucatan Peninsula’s northern coast.
Typical meteor showers don’t leave such earth-shaking impacts. However, historian Eve MacDonald explains that our ancestors regarded them as omens of either great promise or impending doom. In ancient times, humans referred to many celestial objects as “stars” regardless of their actual makeup. Because some meteors trailed brilliant streaks across the sky, people eventually called them “shooting stars.”
Some comets and meteor showers were thought to herald royal births or deaths. Roman historian Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus claimed that a comet was observed after Julius Caesar’s assassination in the spring of 44 BCE. Experts propose that if this “Caesar’s Comet” truly existed, it was traveling through our solar system on a parabolic escape orbit. In other words, it made a one-time-only trip past Earth and likely won’t return.
What Do Meteor Showers Mean Today?
While modern astrologers don’t regard comets and meteor showers as bad omens, they can assign a variety of meanings to these celestial events. To comprehend their interpretive approach, consider the nature of meteor showers. They’re always trailing their parent bodies, but we don’t always see them. Well+Good’s Allie Flinn quotes astrologer Rachel Lang, who says they may signal hidden or repressed things that must resurface: emotions, spiritual insights, or unforeseen changes.
Showers can also take on different meanings depending on the constellation in which they occur and who’s doing the interpretation. Since Leonid showers appear in Leo, they could indicate new shifts in a few key areas of life: the arts, theatre, creative expression, wealth, or even seats of power. Their magnitude of visible brightness from Earth can amplify these effects.
Astrology’s Keys: Symbolism and Interpretation
Meteor showers can have a significant effect on our planet, and ancient cultures once viewed them as major portents. Today, their physical impacts are mostly limited to curious spectators viewing meteor showers in our night skies. While they no longer necessarily signal bad news in an astrological sense, they can indicate significant cultural or individual developments affecting our lives.
Astrologers believe that each part of our birth charts tells us about ourselves and our lives. Taking a closer look at your sign can reveal some surprises.
Peruse astrology websites or hang around some enthusiasts and you’re likely to encounter a lot of discussions about rising signs. Perhaps you’ve pulled up your birth chart to find out your rising sign or heard the term “chart ruler” tossed around. Yet what does this all mean? Answering that question involves some science, geography, and a peek into the human psyche.
What Is Your Rising Sign?
Your birth chart shows quite a bit of information. Mastering the Zodiac briefly explains what each detail means, focusing on four primary elements: the Sun, the Moon, the rising sign, and the chart ruler. Mastering the Zodiac and other astrology sources sometimes refer to the rising sign as the “ascendant,” but it’s more than just a fancier word for the same concept. As Astrostyle reveals, it’s the zodiac sign that’s ascending above the eastern horizon at the time each person is born.
As you may already know, some planets and points change position more slowly than others. Consider our Moon, which makes its trip around the Earth in only 27 days. With such a short orbital period, our speedy satellite stays in each zodiac sign for only 2.5 days. The ascendant changes signs even faster than that. Depending on a location’s latitude, each sign takes anywhere between 30 minutes and three hours to cross the horizon. The earth’s axial tilt of 23.5 degrees also causes these differences, with the ascendant jumping 180 degrees or disappearing completely in extreme northern and southern locations.
Because of how quickly the rising sign changes, finding it requires knowing a precise time and place of birth. Even twins born a minute apart can have different ascendants if a sign finishes crossing the horizon before the younger one is born. If you’re not sure about your ascendant, check your birth certificate to get an accurate time of birth. You can plug this data into any free birth chart generator to see your results.
What Your Ascendant Means
You may have heard that our ascendants represent the masks that we wear, the faces that we choose to show to the world. This is one basic interpretation, but Astrostyle adds that it’s the sign of first impressions. The way you dress, your interpersonal style, your demeanor, and even how you style your hair are connected to your rising sign. It adds another layer to how you can be perceived by others. Astrologers often say that it’s one possible reason you could be mistaken for a zodiac signifier other than the one under which you were born.
Mastering the Zodiac suggests additional meanings for you. While it may speak to how you present yourself to others, it can also reveal the qualities you’re developing as you age. If we look at both points of view, the ascendant represents both the personality you show to others as well as the personality shaped by your life experiences.
Your Rising Sign and Chart Ruler
The rising sign has another important function: determining the chart ruler. In astrology-speak, the chart ruler is simply the ruling planet of your rising sign. For instance, someone with an Aries ascendant has Mars as a chart ruler. This planet exerts its influence over the entire natal chart in areas such as personality, goals, desires, and strategies for learning, relating to others, and solving problems. In our Aries ascendant example, Mars will significantly impact whatever signs and houses it’s in. This individual may love competition, testing oneself, and pushing the limits.
Astrologers believe that each part of our birth charts tells us about ourselves and our lives. The rising sign represents the impression we make on others, but it also speaks to central life themes. Taking a deeper look at your ascendant can reveal some surprising details.
What does it mean to have a Gemini rising sign, a Capricorn Moon, or your Venus in Leo? Astrology buffs may already get it, but you may be wondering about the significance of planetary positions in your birth chart. Understanding how sign and planet energies blend is key to comprehending how interpretive astrology works.
Why Are Planetary Positions Important in Astrology?
Astrologers examine and interpret how a planet’s energies combine with those of its resident sign. This synergy produces certain effects based on the date, time, and location of a person’s birth. Think of these combined energies like an equation: planet plus sign equals meaning. For reference, Mystica Astrology briefly explains the qualities represented by each planet. Astrostyle also offers an extensive guide to each of the astrological signs.
The Basics of Interpretation
While celestial energy combinations are an important basis of astrological interpretation, looking at how they specifically play out in someone’s chart can also be useful. A key starting point is the primal triad consisting of the Sun, Moon, and Ascendant signs. Together, these three compose the core of an individual’s personality. The three planets that follow, Mercury, Venus, and Mars, represent concerns in our personal day-to-day lives. The five outer planets exert long-term effects and can impact generational groups due to their longer orbits.
An Example of Basic Astrological Interpretation
For an in-depth example of how interpretation can work, let’s examine the natal chart of an individual born on August 14, 1976. For brevity’s sake, we’ll only look at the first six planets and points in this chart:
Sun in Leo
Ascendant in Aries
Moon in Aries
Mercury in Virgo
Venus in Virgo
Mars in Virgo
The Primal Triad and Its Meanings
The Sun speaks to one’s personality, ego, and self, but it can also represent the search for identity. Meanwhile, Leo represents creativity, generosity, loyalty, and charisma. With these two energies combined, the individual in our example prefers to be passionate, generous, devoted, and expressive.
Yet the Sun is just one component of the primal triad. You’ll notice that this person’s Ascendant and Moon are both in Aries. The Ascendant, or rising sign, signifies our external selves: the masks we wear and how we present ourselves to others. Conversely, the Moon stands for our inner selves, emotions, and deepest needs.
Aries symbolizes energy, drive, will, and direct action. Others may view an Aries Ascendant personality as direct and straightforward. Those with an Aries Moon value emotional independence, direct expression, and the desire to act. Because this individual has the same rising and Moon signs, outer presentation and inner emotions won’t usually conflict with each other.
Mercury, Venus, and Mars
Astrologers also view Mercury, Venus, and Mars as critical planets. Mercury stands for communication, thought language, information gathering, and analysis. Venus represents desire and attraction on many levels: love, sexuality, and even our preferences in art, politics, and culture. Finally, Mars symbolizes human drives, motivations, aggression, and even how we choose to fight.
In our example, the natal chart shows that Mercury, Venus, and Mars are all in Virgo. As you may remember, Virgo is the sign of details, service, practicality, and modesty. This individual likely prefers a precise approach to communication and easily keeps track of details. Partners shouldn’t expect showy romantic gestures, but they’ll enjoy dedication and lasting commitment. Virgo energies temper Mars’s natural aggression, resulting in someone with focused, disciplined, and sustained efforts in reaching goals.
Putting It All Together
It’s one thing to know what zodiac signs your planets and points are in, but it’s quite another to recognize potential interpretations. That’s part of the fun with astrology: divining meanings and possibilities. Everyone deciphers details differently, but basic principles can help you understand the core meanings behind planets in your natal chart.
To understand how astrology works, it’s important to first learn about the planets’ positions and meanings, including the inner planets.
Astrology is everywhere. You likely already know your “sign,” but there’s far more to this divination method than that. To understand how astrology works, it’s important to first learn about the planets’ positions and meanings. Astrologers believe that the inner planets, located between our sun and the solar system’s asteroid belt, divulge a lot about an individual’s personality.
What Are the Inner Planets?
When reading an individual’s chart, astrologers often begin with the inner planets. Astrostyle describes these as faster-moving celestial bodies thought to impact our moods, habits, and daily lives. The inner planets include the Sun and Moon along with Mercury, Venus, and Mars. When discerning an individual’s temperament, personality makeup, and immediate future trends, astrologers focus on these inner planets.
Your Sun Sign: Your Core Self
When someone asks, “what’s your sign,” they’re referring to the zodiac constellation in which the Sun was present when you were born. Mystica Astrology’s Emma Wilson describes it as symbolic of our search for self-identity and self-knowledge as well as who an individual is on an archetypal level. The Astro Codex adds that the Sun corresponds with our personalities and egos. Our sun stays in each zodiac sign for about 30 days.
The Moon: Emotions and the Soul
With astrology’s popularity, more people know their moon signs. Astrostyle explains that the Moon’s position in a constellation speaks to our emotions, subconscious minds, and deepest needs. Emma Wilson elaborates that it also reveals our vulnerabilities and what we need to feel secure. Since the Moon takes two to three days to move through a zodiac sign, you must know the exact time of an individual’s birth to determine the Moon sign.
Mercury: Communication, Logic, and Reason
Named for the Roman messenger of the gods, Mercury is a key player in each person’s natal chart. The Astro Codex mentions that this planet represents the human mind. Its position in the zodiac reflects how we think, reason, and communicate. With an orbital period of only 88 days, Mercury takes between three and four weeks to travel through each zodiac constellation.
Venus: Love, Pleasure, and Attraction
Venus is said to be the planet of love. Associated with the Roman goddess of love and beauty, it’s no wonder Emma Wilson says it’s symbolic of “who and what you are drawn towards.” Although commonly linked with romantic love and sexuality, Venus also points to our indulgences and preferences in everything from art to politics. Traveling around the Sun in 225 days, Venus’s orbit is somewhat elliptical. As a result, it can move through each sign in about 20 to 30 days.
Mars: Action, Energy, and Drive
The Astro Codex calls Mars a “vital force,” speaking to its association with the Roman god of war. Our Mars placements can indicate how competitive we are, where we focus our energies, and how we strive to meet our goals. Unsurprisingly, Mars is also thought to govern our sex drives and raw attraction. Mars’s orbit around the Sun lasts 687 days, so it normally traverses each sign in about 90 days.
Where Can I Get My Birth Chart?
By now, you may be wondering where all these planets are positioned in your natal chart. Fortunately, you don’t have to be a professional astrologer to access this information. CBC contributor Rebecca Perrin lists several websites where you can obtain your birth chart for free, using the same technology as most astrology software programs. Some show only your natal chart, while others also offer either brief interpretations or extensive details.
Astrology has been with us for thousands of years. Thanks to the internet, you can easily find resources for obtaining and understanding your natal chart. Starting with the inner planets, you can begin to comprehend the complex details that astrologers believe are at work in making up your personality and life.
Many astrologers call Capricorns “the most boring sign.” However, from the strange to the mundane, Capricorns are said to host a number of specific traits.
According to Western Astrology, those born between December 22nd and January 20th fall under the sign of Capricorn, which is unique in many ways, especially considering it is the one that carries over from one year into the next. Capricorn is also associated with a strange chimera: a hybrid of a goat and a fish. With such odd connections, it should come as no surprise that Capricorns are also unique individuals. Many astrologers call Capricorns “the most boring,” but this is far from the case.
From the strange to the mundane, Capricorns are said to host a number of specific traits. Explore some of these fun facts, and learn a bit more about the goat-fish of the world.
Express Yourself
Emotions can be difficult for all signs to deal with. Though those born under Capricorn are said to feel strong and deep emotions, they also are not likely to have an easy time expressing how they truly feel within. This can create strange problems in relationships. While a Capricorn might be totally in love with another person, he or she might never be able to come out and speak the words. The lesson here for Capricorns is to find a healthy way to express these deeper feelings.
The interesting thing about how a Capricorn approaches his or her feelings is that it normally happens by observing and learning about others. For example, it is said that a Capricorn is more likely to reserve judgement on an argument he or she witnessed until knowing both sides of the story. This somewhat impartial approach to conflict can make the Capricorn seem detached, but it really means he or she wants to understand as much as possible before taking a side or getting involved.
Commitment and Perfection
A Capricorn is a committed individual, especially when he or she truly cares about something. If someone born under this sign decides to run a marathon, then you can bet he or she will spend countless hours training. The Capricorn is not entering the race to win, per se, but he or she wants to make sure that the commitment level is as high as possible. Unfortunately, the person is likely to try too hard and burn out fast.
A Capricorn wants to achieve his or her own idea of perfection when approaching a task. While they might not be obsessed with the traditional idea of “winning,” Capricorns still put unrealistic expectations on themselves in regard to being perfect. This can lead to a lot of inner conflict and other issues. Luckily, the Capricorn who recognizes this has a good chance of being able to overcome it.
Picky and Fierce
Finally, the average Capricorn is not likely to call everyone friend. They are said to be very picky about the company they keep. Still, they will protect those they do call friends in a fierce way, making Capricorns some of the most loyal and caring individuals out there. While not always the best listeners, Capricorns most often appreciate people who will lend them an ear from time to time. If you’re looking to comfort a Capricorn in your life, try listening to what they’ll share – it may work wonders.
All signs of the zodiac tend to be unique, but Capricorns seem to host a few more strange quirks and traits than others. Though the symbol of the goat-fish might be an odd one, it does make sense when one considers the peculiar nature of the Capricorn and how he or she moves through life in a way fit for land and sea.
Astrology is gaining renewed interest in popular culture. To better understand these trends, it helps to have a basic knowledge of astrology itself.
A January 2018 piece in The Atlantic reveals that astrology is gaining renewed interest in popular culture, especially from adults under age 40. Astrology websites are seeing more traffic than ever, sun signs and horoscopes are rich meme fodder, and daily horoscopes are getting up to three times more readership than in decades past. So what gives? To better understand these trends, it helps to have a basic knowledge of astrology itself.
What Is Astrology?
The Encyclopedia Britannicadescribes astrology as a method of divination focused on observing and interpreting the positions of planets, stars, and the sun. Three different astrological systems are commonly used today:
Western, based on Greek and Babylonian traditions
Vedic, which relies on the idea that all things in the universe are linked
Chinese, which assigns astrological signs to years instead of month-long periods
The early foundations of Western astrological practices come from “Tetrabiblos,” a text written by Greco-Roman astrologer Claudius Ptolemy during the second century B.C.E. Meanwhile, Vedic astrology takes its cues from 15th century B.C.E. text “Vedanga Jyotiṣa” and was possibly influenced later by Hellenistic thought. Chinese astrology draws from traditional philosophical ideas such as the five-elements theory and the yin-yang principle.
What Are Zodiac Signs?
You probably know about zodiac signs from the horoscopes or lists of personality traits you’ve read. What you may not know is that each sign corresponds with a constellation in the night sky, with most representing Greek mythological figures. Twelve signs appear in both the Western and Vedic zodiac systems, grouped into four categories by the classical Greek elements with which they’re associated:
Fire: Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius
Earth: Taurus, Virgo, and Capricorn
Air: Gemini, Libra, and Aquarius
Water: Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces
These signs are also classified as cardinal, fixed, or mutable depending on when they fall during a season. For instance, Cancer is a cardinal sign for summer while Leo is fixed and Virgo is mutable. AstroStyle explains that cardinal signs are thought to initiate energy while fixed signs maintain it and mutable signs prepare for transitions into the following season.
Sun Signs and Horoscopes
The methodologies used to create horoscopes may vary, but most rely on a person’s sun sign plus the position of the moon and a couple of significant planets in the night sky to pen some general advice. Your “sun sign” is shorthand for the constellation in which the sun appeared when you were born. The sun’s place in the sky changes according to Earth’s position in orbit, causing it to travel through an ecliptic divided into the 12 zodiac signs. In the Vedic system, the ecliptic is placed according to the positions of fixed stars, while Western astrology places the ecliptic based on the position of the sun at the celestial equator during the spring equinox.
The duration of each sun sign lasts around 30 days, but the Vedic system’s year begins with Aries on April 14 while the same point in the Western version occurs on March 21. That’s why someone whose birthday is on August 14 would have been born under the sign of Leo in Western astrology but under Cancer in Vedic astrology.
Astrology’s Enduring Popularity
As Julie Beck writes in her piece for The Atlantic, astrology tends to be viewed by most as metaphorical rather than literal. Even those who don’t believe in it, Beck clarifies, may find useful explanations for trends and major life events. Referring to this as the “astrology is fake but it’s true” stance, she observes that it’s a common concept among people who can successfully hold paradoxical beliefs and seek organization, order, and meaning while living in chaos. Perhaps it’s yet more proof that with uncertain or dim futures ahead, the human tendency to look for hope in forces greater than oneself endures.
