On this page you’ll find answers to many frequently asked questions about how astrology works, including:
- What is a natal zodiac in astrology?
- What are the houses in astrology?
- What are the elements in astrology?
- What are the qualities in astrology?
- What are the aspects in astrology?
- What are angular planets in astrology?
To read about the personalities of the 12 sun signs, see the Sun Signs page. To learn about moon signs, see the Moon Signs page.
What is a natal zodiac in astrology?
The natal zodiac is like a snapshot of the sky at the moment of birth. Planetary positions are believed to influence various aspects of personality and fortune.
The sun, moon, and ascendant (rising sign) are the primary astrological forces, though planets also play a role. Most people know their sun signs, but few know their ascendants or their other planetary signs.
The sun sign provides information about basic character and a framework for the rest of the natal zodiac. However, other elements such as the rising sign (also known as the ascendant) and moon sign affect the way the sun sign is expressed.
The Rising Sign (Ascendant)
The rising sign determines the outward expression of personality, or the way in which a person interacts with the external world. It can be described as the public persona or mask. It also indicates how an individual is likely to be perceived by others (how he or she comes across socially).
When the sun and ascendant are in the same or similar signs, a person behaves in a way that is consistent with his or her inner character. When the rising sign is very different from the sun sign, the individual is likely to be pulled in competing directions or to send out signals that don’t match inner feelings, which increases the likelihood of being misunderstood by others. While such conflicts can make life difficult, they are also a source of creativity and a spur to achievement.
The Moon
The moon sign is the private persona, only likely to be seen in adulthood by those very close to the person. The moon rules over childhood, and people are more likely to express their moon sign personalities when they are young. In adulthood, the moon’s influence is usually hidden, relegated to the secret emotional life, though an individual may openly express the moon sign persona in times of stress or other emotional extremes.
The moon also represents the mother and other female forces in a person’s life. The placement of the moon in a natal chart can indicate the types of relationships and interactions a person is likely to have with women.
Other Planets
Most people know their sun signs, but other planetary placements in the natal zodiac also play a role in shaping the qualities that make up an individual. Each of the planets has a particular sphere of influence, and its effects will be determined by the sign in which the planet falls and the aspects (angles) it makes to other planets at the moment of a person’s birth. For example, because Mercury rules over communication, a person with Mercury in Gemini will be talkative, open, and impulsive in speech whereas those with Mercury in Capricorn tend to be reserved and cautious about what they say.
Mercury
Mercury rules over all forms of mental activity and communication, including speaking and writing, the intellect, reason, perception, memory, understanding, assimilation of information, and critical thinking.
Venus
Venus rules over love, affection, pleasure, beauty, sex appeal, art, romantic affairs, adornment, social graces, harmony, and friendship.
Mars
Mars rules over physical energy, will power, temper, assertiveness, boldness, competitiveness, impulsiveness, forcefulness, aggression, action, accidents, destructiveness, courage, and sex drive.
Jupiter
Jupiter rules over luck and fortune, optimism, generosity, expansiveness, success, higher education, law, medicine, philosophy, abundance, and spirituality.
Saturn
Saturn rules over hard work, responsibility, character, strength of will, endurance, difficulties, obstacles, hardship, the ability to see a task through to completion, authority, diligence, limitations, self-control, stability, patience, maturity, restriction, and realism.
Uranus
Uranus rules over progressiveness, change, originality, invention, innovation, technology, science, rebellion, revolution, sudden events and opportunities, awakenings, shocks, flashes of genius, eccentricity, unconventionality, unusual circumstances or events, independence, visionary ideas, and occult interests
Neptune
Neptune rules over the imagination, intuition, mysticism, dreams, fantasies, compassion, psychic abilities, visions, spirituality, strange events, the subconscious, repressed memories, glamour, mystery, insanity, drama, addiction, ideals, inspiration, transcendence, artistic sensibilities, and creative genius.
Pluto
Pluto rules over power, transformation, release of dormant forces, change, the subconscious, suppressed energies, death, rebirth, regeneration, sex, jealousy, passion, obsession, intensity, creation and destruction, beginnings and endings that occur simultaneously (one thing ending so that another can begin), secrets, mystery, undercurrents, precognition, personal magnetism, and extremes of personality.
What are the houses in astrology?
House placements are a sort of fine tuning, adding some small, specific details about the ways in which various planetary placements in the natal zodiac will be expressed. The planets represent the spheres of life in which the sign traits are acted out, and the house placements are the stage or setting for these acts.
1st House: self-awareness and self-expression, outer personality, responses to outside stimuli, assertiveness, competitiveness, self-promotion, and courses of action chosen (ruled by mars)
2nd House: material possessions and attitude towards material possessions and money, ability to earn money, extensions of material wealth (such as quality of food), decadence, luxury, and physical or external beauty (ruled by Venus)
3rd House: logical and practical reasoning, the intellect, agility, dexterity, curiosity, all forms of communication, all forms of media, intuition about trends and public desires or tendencies, short journeys, and siblings (ruled by Mercury)
4th House: home and hearth, domestic life, domestic chores, family, babies, comfort, the mothering instinct, food, and household items (ruled by the moon)
5th House: creative self-expression, socializing, children, early education, sports, the arts (especially the performing arts), pleasure and places of amusement, parties, social popularity, and fame (ruled by the sun)
6th House: necessary tasks, details, health consciousness, nutrition, humility, hard work, organization, service, self-control, and sense of duty (ruled by Mercury)
7th House: relationships, friendships, marriage, all forms of partnership (business and social), harmony, balance, conflict avoidance, sense of justice, ideals, the reactions of others to our actions, what attracts us to other people (the sign at the beginning of our seventh house is often the astrological sign we find most attractive), fairness, and aesthetic sense (ruled by Venus)
8th House: legacies, shared resources, taxes, power, death, rebirth, sexuality, the dark side of life, deep psychology, personal magnetism, transformation (self-initiated or imposed by external forces), secrets or secret societies, spying, and prophetic dreaming (ruled by Pluto)
9th House: long distance travel, higher education, religion, medicine, law, animals, knowledge gained through travel and philosophical thinking, high ideals, philanthropy, luck, expansiveness, and ideas about social justice and civilization (ruled by Jupiter)
10th House: career, responsibility, honor and dishonor, perceptions of authority, relationships with authority figures, relationships with business and political power structures, responsibility, hard work, limitations, social standing, public reputation, and business (ruled by Saturn)
11th House: humanitarian endeavors, social ideals, group work, intellectual creative expression, desire to change social and political structures, contrariness, rebelliousness, invention and innovation, progressiveness, change, and personal freedom (ruled by Uranus)
12th House: the subconscious mind, self-sacrifice, intuition, miracles, secret knowledge, martyrdom, spiritual joy and sorrow, imagination, dreams, brilliance, madness, sensation-seeking, self-destruction, addiction, compassion, kindness, the ability to transcend boundaries, confusion, deception (of others and oneself), and altruism (ruled by Neptune)
What are the elements in astrology?
The astrological elements are fire, earth, air, and water. Each element includes three of the twelve astrological signs.
Fire Signs: Aries, Leo, Sagittarius
Those who have a lot of planets in fire signs tend to be courageous, enterprising, and confident. Their love of excitement causes them take risks, and they are often extravagant or careless with money.
Fire people are generous to a fault, idealistic, and helpful. They are quick to anger, but also quick to forgive, and usually honest, in many cases to the point of bluntness or tactlessness.
Fire people are energetic and often athletic. They are assertive and (in some cases) aggressive or argumentative. Impulsivity can lead to poor decisions, financial disasters, and unnecessary conflict. Extroverted and easily bored, they seek attention and tend to be affectionate and friendly.
Earth Signs: Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn
Those who have many planets in earth signs tend to be responsible, reliable, and trustworthy. They can usually be counted on to provide stability and practical help, and they are loyal to their friends and not inclined to be fickle, though when someone crosses them, they can be quite ruthless in cutting that person out of their lives forever. Slow to anger but equally slow to forgive, they often hold grudges. However, they are usually reasonable and diplomatic unless severely provoked.
People whose natal zodiacs are weighted toward earth signs tend to be physically strong and have great endurance. They are inclined to achieve success through hard work, and their innate cautiousness, fear of change, and need for security keep them from making rash decisions or gambling excessively, though these traits can also cause them to miss opportunities or get into ruts. While not exceptionally innovative, they have good follow-through and are able to finish what they start.
Air Signs: Gemini, Libra, Aquarius
Those who have a lot of planets in air signs are intellectual rather than emotional, which can cause some to view them as insensitive, though they tend to be friendly and sociable. Logical, rational, and emotionally detached by nature, they can be open-minded and non-judgmental in most cases.
People whose natal zodiacs are weighted toward air signs are adaptable, mentally flexible, and easy going. They rarely blow up at others in anger-provoking situations, as they are more inclined to analyze circumstances than to react passionately. They are also easily bored and require a diverse array of social companions, hobbies, and other entertainments.
Air people usually love change and tend to be experimental and open to new experiences. Impulsivity and curiosity can cause them to make impractical decisions or squander their money.
Water Signs: Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces
Those who have many planets in water signs are highly intuitive, which enables them to discern the emotions, needs, and motivations of others. They are compassionate and inclined to care for the physically sick and the emotionally damaged, self-sacrificing on behalf of those they care for, and even in the service of strangers in some cases.
Sensitive and easily hurt, many water people develop a tough outer shell to hide their vulnerability. They are passionate in their attachments to people and prone to jealousy. Because they are idealistic, they often gloss over the faults of others, so they can be deceived by unscrupulous people.
Water people are sensual and creative. Given the right environment and opportunity, they can produce art, music, literature, or in some cases, inventions or scientific ideas that have profound effects on others.
What are the qualities in astrology?
The astrological qualities are fixed, cardinal, and mutable. Each category includes four of the astrological signs.
Cardinal: Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn
A person with the majority of natal planets in cardinal signs will be enterprising and inclined to initiate courses of action. Cardinal people make things happen and transform situations. This can be done for the benefit or detriment of others.
Fixed: Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, Aquarius
Those who have a lot of planets in fixed signs have good follow-through. They tend to stick to a single course of action and carry out activities to their completion or conclusion. Fixed-sign people are often moody or stubborn, and they have intense reactions to things. However, they can act as stabilizing forces for others because they tend to behave in a consistent manner.
Mutable: Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, Pisces
Those who have the majority of their planets in mutable signs are flexible and adaptable. They accept change and adjust well to new circumstances that can throw other types off kilter. Mutable people often function better in a crisis than in a stable situation.
What are the aspects in astrology?
Aspects are the positions of the planets in relation to each other. Aspects in the natal zodiac are these relative planetary angles at the moment of your birth. Certain natal zodiac aspects influence personality and life experiences. These aspects include the conjunction, the sextile, the square, the trine, the inconjunct, and the opposition.
Conjunction
A conjunction occurs when two planets are 0 degrees apart – in other words, right next to one another – in your natal zodiac. This powerful aspect is often beneficial, though not always, because if the two planets involved are in negative aspect to many other planets, the conjunction can intensify the problems associated with the difficult aspects.
Planets in conjunction are working together, and their influence will have a major effect on personality. People with planets in conjunction often have one or two extremely well-developed talents or aptitudes, and many people who invent things or are responsible for medical breakthroughs have conjunctions or stelliums (more than two planets in conjunction). Having three or more planets in conjunction can indicate genius in a certain area.
Sextile
A sextile occurs when two planets are 60 degrees apart. Sextiles are beneficial aspects that create opportunities.
Unlike the trine, which simply drops good fortune in a person’s lap, the sextile presents opportunities in the areas ruled by the planets involved in the sextile, and it is up to the individual to seize these opportunities and make something of them.
Square
A square occurs when two planets are 90 degrees apart. Squares are stressful or challenging aspects.
Having squares in a natal chart often encourages creativity and ambition, as squares bring obstacles that must be overcome and strife that inspires the individual to develop necessary strengths and use creative problem-solving abilities. Squares can promote character development because they ensure that life never becomes too easy.
Trine
Trines occur when two planets are 120 degrees apart. Trines are the most positive and harmonious aspects, bringing good fortune, ease, advantage, and luck in the areas ruled over by the planets involved in the trine.
Inconjunct
An inconjunct occurs when two planets are 150 degrees apart. The effects of the inconjunct are unpredictable, though often problematic.
An inconjunct can indicate stress, health problems, weaknesses, challenges, and obstacles in the personality or the environment that must be overcome. Some astrologers believe that the inconjunct (also known as a quincunx) brings the type of challenges that create wisdom.
Opposition
An opposition occurs when two planets are 180 degrees apart. Oppositions are difficult aspects that can bring discord, stress, chaos, and irritation, but like squares they tend to promote creativity, strength, and character development. It is more productive to view them as challenges rather than problems.
What are angular planets in astrology?
Angular planets are planets located along the axis – in other words, planets that fall along the line where the 12th house joins the 1st house, the 3rd house joins the 4th house, the 6th house joins the 7th house, and the 9th house joins the 10th house. Of these, the line that separates the 12th house from the 1st house and the line that separates the 9th house from the 10th house are considered the most important.
Planets that fall where the 12th house joins the 1st house will have a particularly strong effect on overall personality. Planets at this location are called rising planets, so a person with Uranus on the cusp of the 12th and 1st houses will be strong in the areas ruled over by Uranus and show traits of the sign that Uranus rules (Aquarius).
Planets located on the midheaven, which is the cusp of the 9th and 10th houses, also have a very strong effect on certain aspects of personality, particularly career aptitudes and choices. Rising and midheaven planets are some of the most important factors in a person’s chart, though IC planets (those located on the cusp of the 3rd and 4th houses) and descending planets (located on the cusp of the 6th and 7th houses) can also have an effect.
The IC provides insights into the self that is seen by those closest to us, such as family, as well as our family structure.
The descendant, or cusp of the 6th and 7th houses, indicates the sorts of people we are attracted to. Theoretically, we should be most attracted to the sign of our descendant (directly opposite our ascendant).
Some astrologers believe that people who have many angular planets are more likely to become famous at some point during their lives.
Further Astrology Reading
Solar System Planets image courtesy of Vectorolie, www.freedigitalphotos.net.