Every planet orbits the Sun at a different speed, going slower the farther they are from the Sun.
There are two categories of planets in astrology. And as these planets orbit the Sun, they affect your life and influence generations.
What are the planets in astrology and what are their meanings?
The inner planets in astrology
The “inner planets”— the Sun, moon, Mercury, Mars and Venus—move quickly through the zodiac. As a result, they affect your day-to-day life, moods and habits. And you’ll notice the Sun is included among the planets in astrology.
The outer planets in astrology
The “outer planets” — Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune, Uranus, and Pluto — move slowly, changing signs every one to fifteen years. As a result, they shape the bigger trends in your life. In fact, Neptune, Uranus and Pluto orbit the sun so slowly that they’re said to shape entire generations.
| PLANET | RULES | CHANGES SIGNS |
| Sun | your basic personality | every month |
| Moon | moods & emotions | every 2-3 days |
| Mercury | mind & communication | every 3-4 weeks |
| Venus | love & attraction | every 4-5 weeks |
| Mars | drive & energy | every 6-7 weeks |
| Jupiter | luck, growth & wisdom | every 12-13 months |
| Saturn | discipline, fears & challenges | every 2-3 years |
| Uranus | change & originality | every 7 years |
| Neptune | dreams & healing | every 10-12 years |
| Pluto | power & transformation | every 12-15 years (can vary) |
The planets in astrology are assigned to zodiac signs
Each planet is associated with a zodiac sign, and that sign will exhibit traits of the planet. For example, turbo-charged Aries is ruled by warrior planet Mars. Cheerful Sagittarius is ruled by optimistic Jupiter. If you want to learn more about your sign, look no further than its ruling planet! (P.S. We still look at Pluto as a REAL planet, even though astronomers on-and-off diminish its status to “dwarf planet.” Its impact is undeniable in astrology.)
Each one is said to affect a different part of your personality.
Every zodiac sign is said to be “ruled,” or governed by a planet. What exactly does this mean?
The planet and the zodiac sign have traits in common, so they are linked based on this association. Each planet is named after a mythological god. For deeper understanding, you can read the legends of these deities throughout history—Egyptian, Sumerian, Babylonian, Greek, Roman, Mayan, Aztec, et al.—since our ancestors always found “god” in the sky.
| SIGN | RULING PLANET | ENERGY |
| Aries | Mars | Warrior, courageous, competitive, can be warmongering |
| Taurus | Venus | Sensual, lovers of earthly beauty and pleasure, can be indulgent |
| Gemini | Mercury | Inquisitive, fast-moving, talkative, the messenger, can be gossipy |
| Cancer | Moon | Emotional, reflective, nurturing/maternal, can be moody |
| Leo | Sun | Bold, the (literal!) center of the universe, can be ego-driven |
| Virgo | Mercury | Communicative, analytical, quicksilver mind, can be judgmental |
| Libra | Venus | Peacemaker, harmonious, loves beauty, can be materialist |
| Scorpio | Pluto | Intense, powerful, can be dark and icy or drawn to underworld |
| Sagittarius | Jupiter | Jovial, larger than life, can be full of hot air (largest gas planet) |
| Capricorn | Saturn | Serious, self-punishing, cautious, hardworking, can be repressed |
| Aquarius | Uranus | Quirky, unique, rebellious (Uranus spins on its side), can be destructive |
| Pisces | Neptune | Imaginative, dreamy, hazy, can drown in depths of the “emotion ocean” |
Minor ruling and shared ruling planets in astrology
Minor ruling planets: Scorpio, Aquarius, Pisces
Since Uranus, Neptune and Pluto were all just discovered much later (Uranus in 1781, Neptune in 1846 and Pluto in 1930)., Scorpio, Aquarius and Pisces used to have different rulers, which some astrologers still reference.
These “minor” or secondary rulers are:
Scorpio: Mars (for the sign’s trademark intensity and drive)
Aquarius: Saturn (this sign is always building toward the future)
Pisces: Jupiter (for the visionary and prophetic powers of Pisces)
Shared ruling planets: Taurus-Libra and Gemini-Virgo
Two pairs of signs still share a common planetary ruler. Why? Well, mainly because there are 10 heavenly bodies and 12 zodiac signs, so it’s a “supply and demand” issue!
The temperaments of these signs can also be similar:
Taurus & Libra: Venus (both love material and sensual pleasures)
Gemini & Virgo: Mercury (both can be heady, intellectual and information-loving)
