If you look at your birth chart right now, you should be able to see 5 personal planets in astrology.
When it comes to astrology, there are 10 planets to examine. Out of those 10 are the 5 personal planets in astrology, we also commonly refer to them as the 5 inner planets. For those unfamiliar, there are 10 planets in astrology because of two main differences.
First, the Earth doesn’t count as a planet because we live on it, and astrology studies the other planets relative to the Earth. Second, both the sun and the moon count as planets in astrology.
The planets are the fundamental building blocks of our birth charts. Depending on when and where you were born, the planets’ positions in the sky will determine the many different facets of your personality, character, and destiny as a whole.
That said, these inner planets give off particular energies. These planets exert their energy and influence depending on the sign where the planet lays.
What Are The Personal Planets In Astrology?
There are five personal planets in astrology, namely: The Sun, the moon, mercury, venus, and mars.
These planets orbit closely around the earth, hence their other name: the inner planets.
Here is a general list of what does personal planets mean in astrology:
The Sun – Willpower, Health, Ego
The Moon – Emotions, Feelings, Inner Thoughts
Mercury – Communication, Logic, Intellect
Venus – Love, Values, Connection
Mars – Ambitions, Drive, Desire, Anger
How Do Personal Planets In Astrology Work?
In order to properly interpret the planets in astrology and their meaning, you need to take into account the following principles:
Planets often end up forming specific angles with other planets. Anytime this happens, you can say that these planets are in aspect with each other. There are many different ways that planets can be in aspect. But generally speaking, it means that these planets modify each other’s energies in one way or another.
As they move, however, planets can continue to form different aspects with other planets. We call these kinds of aspects transits. They are commonplace and are an effective tool when it comes to making predictions.
Last but not least, the planets sometimes go into retrogrades. Since we look at the planets from the perspective of Earth, there are times when the planets seem to go backward through the horizon. At these times, we can say that the planets are in retrograde and exert the reverse of their usual influence.
The Sun
The Sun is “the” star. It sits in the dead center of the solar system and all the other planets orbit around it. However, when it comes to astrology and natal charts, the Earth is in the center as the sun revolves around it.
With that said, the Sun is often the first thing everyone takes into account when it comes to reading their natal charts. The Sun is also what you refer to when looking for your “Zodiac sign”, or more specifically, your sun sign.
The Sun represents your outward and conscious self. It is a general outlook on your characteristics and personality.
The Moon
The Moon is special in that it is the only planet that orbits the Earth specifically. What this means is that both the Earth and the Moon orbit the sun together. Since the Earth is the de facto center of our astrological natal charts, the moon is the fastest planet to orbit around the earth at approximately 28 days.
It is the ruling planet of Cancer, which explains why the sign has a signature moodiness to it. On its own, this astrology planet’s meaning represents the subconscious. Furthermore, it also talks about your private thoughts and emotions.
Mercury
Mercury is the closest planet to the sun. Because of that, it has one of the shortest revolution cycles of all the personal planets in astrology. Capping off at 88 days per cycle, it’s slower than the Moon’s 28 days. But since the moon revolves around the Earth and not the Sun, it doesn’t count for this metric.
According to tradition, Mercury holds the title of messenger to the gods, with Hermes as his Greek equivalent. With that in mind, this planet shows how you handle matters of communicating with others. Additionally, it also represents your mental acuity and intellect.
Venus
Venus is the goddess of love, just like her Greek counterpart: Aphrodite. She exudes a very feminine energy. But unlike the moon’s maternal energy, Venus instead manifests the more sexual side of femininity.
This planet takes 255 days on Earth to complete one revolution around the Sun and rules over Libra and Taurus.
With regards to one’s birth charts, Venus’ influence shows itself in how they handle their relationships with the people around them. It can reveal one’s emotional maturity and temperament.
If Venus has a strong influence on your birth chart, you may find that you surround yourself with positive people.
Venus shows one’s emotional temperament & maturity as well as the nature of their relationships in their personal lives. When a natal chart shows a strong influence from Venus, then it often indicates that the person in question is likely to pursue strong, positive relationships only.
Mars
Mars is the god of war and so this planet represents as much. In astrology, Mars rules over the first Zodiac Sign, Aries. Also, it takes 697 days on Earth for Mars to make a whole revolution around the sun.
As a personal planet in astrology, Mars is representative of your inner warrior. In this sense, it can show you how competitive you are and how you react to things that anger you. It also shows you the things that make you passionate and the things you desire. Lastly, it also indicates how you react to your more primal and sexual urges.
Chiron
An honorary mention goes to Chiron. While it isn’t traditionally part of the personal planets in astrology, it is worth taking a look at. This is because it also revolves around the sun and greatly influences everybody’s birth charts.
Charles Kowal discovered this particular asteroid in 1977. Interestingly, while it does revolve around the sun, each revolution takes approximately 51 years to complete! Not only that, but its orbit around the sun leaves it nearer at times and farther at others.
Here’s an example of how this unusual pathing can manifest itself in astrology. It takes only 18 months for Chiron to go through Libra and Virgo. However, it takes a whopping 9 years for it to pass through Aries and Pisces!
Chiron represents wisdom we gain through our experiences. Additionally, it bears the title of the wounded healer. This title manifests in your birth chart as an emotional wound. Its position may indicate an area of your life where you are hurting. But it also indicates where your greatest boons lie should you persevere and heal.
