The Planets

SUN The Sun spends about one month in each sign and takes one year to complete its journey through the zodiac. The Sun is the most widely used "planet" in Astrology. Almost everyone is familiar with their Sun sign or Star sign due to daily, weekly, and monthly horoscopes published in popular magazines and newspapers throughout the world. The Sun is a masculine energy and ruled by Leo and the 5th House . It represents the ego, self, willpower, your uniqueness and individuality. It is your identity. It also represents the father and male influence in one's life generally. MOON The Moon spends about two and a half days in each sign and takes 28 days to complete it's journey through the zodiac. The Moon is a feminine energy and ruled by Cancer and the 4th House . It is the Earth's satellite and controls the tides. It represents Mother and women in your life, 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. MERCURY Mercury takes about 88 days to complete its orbit around the Sun. Due to its retrograde motion (appearance of traveling backward) the cycle is complete in about one year. Mercury is never more than 28 degrees away from the Sun. It is not considered masculine or feminine and assumes the gender of the sign it is in. It is ruled by both Gemini and Virgo and the 3rd and 6th Houses . It represents communication (email, telephone, speaking, writing etc...), intellect, consciousness, transportation, dexterity and the mind. VENUS Venus takes about 225 days to complete its orbit through the zodiac. It is never more than 47 degrees away from the Sun. It is a feminine sign and ruled by both Taurus and Libra and the 2nd and 7th Houses . It represents love, romance, beauty, culture, aesthetics, affection, one's social appeal and acceptability, good taste, harmony and values. MARS Mars takes about 2 years to complete its orbit through the zodiac. It is a masculine sign and ruled by both Aries and Scorpio as well as the 1st and 8th Houses . Mars represents action, passion, drive, determination and spirit. It deals with one's sexuality, force, determination, daring, courage, power, competitive nature, aggression and assertion. In ancient times, Mars was the God of War and all its associations. JUPITER Jupiter takes about 12 years to complete its orbit through the zodiac and averages about one sign per year. It is a masculine sign and is ruled by both Sagittarius and Pisces as well as the 9th and 12th Houses . Jupiter represents luck, philosophy, religion, higher learning, ethical and moral values, expansion and abundance as well as excesses. It also rules long distance travel, aspirations, and judgement. In ancient times Jupiter was the chief God and better known as Zeus or Apollo. SATURN Saturn takes 28-30 years to complete its orbit through the zodiac. It is a masculine sign and ruled by both Capricorn and Aquarius as well as the 10th and 11th Houses . Saturn represents discipline, responsibility, ambition, restriction, confinement, limitation, and delays. It also rules older people, tradition, authority, obedience, structure, patience and wisdom through perseverance and age. It teaches us our lessons in life. In ancient times Saturn was known as Kronos, the father of Zeus. URANUS Uranus takes 84 years to complete its orbit through the zodiac and 7 years to pass through one sign. It is an androgynous planet and is ruled by Aquarius and the 11th House . Uranus is an outer planet which was discovered in 1781 and has more of a generational effect rather than an individual influence. Uranus represents the erratic, the bizarre, and the different. It rules freedom, inventions, originality, computers, technology, science, electricity, the future, humanitarianism, revolution, rebellion and change. Uranus breaks through barriers and tradition. It is also known as a higher octave of Mercury. NEPTUNE Neptune takes 165 years to complete its orbit through the zodiac and 14 years to pass through one sign. It is a feminine planet and is ruled by Pisces and the 12th House . Neptune is an outer planet and was discovered in 1846. It has more of a generational effect rather than an individual influence. Neptune rules music, television, movies, fashion, glamour, dreams, illusion, drugs, the intangible, and the elusive. It also represents abstract thought, drugs, alcohol, the universal subconscious, the oceans of the Earth, and the mysterious. It is also known as a higher octave of Venus. PLUTO Pluto takes approximately 248 years to complete its orbit through the zodiac. Due to its eccentricity of its orbit it takes between 12 years and 31 years to pass through a sign. It is ruled by Scorpio and the 8th House . Pluto is the furthest planet from the Sun and was discovered in 1930. It has more of a generational effect rather than an individual influence. Pluto rules transformation, regeneration, rebirth, destruction, annihilation, power, and elimination. It also represents atomic power, intensity, crime, death, and the underworld. It is also known as a higher octave of Mars.