Planets

This page covers the planets and celestial bodies used in astrology, along with what each one represents.

Western astrology works with ten major celestial bodies - the Sun, Moon, and eight planets - plus a selection of asteroids and mathematically derived sensitive points. Each body symbolizes a specific area of life or type of energy in a birth chart.

Personal Planets

The personal planets have short orbital periods and are closely tied to individual personality, daily habits, and how you relate to the world around you. They form the foundation of any natal chart interpretation.

Sun ☉

The Sun is the central body in any chart, representing your core identity and the direction of your life. Your "star sign" - the one you read in horoscope columns - is simply the zodiac sign the Sun occupied at the moment you were born.

It governs willpower, creativity, and self-expression. People with a prominently placed Sun tend to display strong leadership qualities and a clear sense of purpose.

Moon ☽

The Moon reveals your emotional nature, unconscious reactions, and what makes you feel safe. If the Sun is the face you show the world, the Moon is who you are behind closed doors.

Because it moves faster than any other body, the Moon changes signs roughly every two and a half days. Its sign describes how you process emotions and what you need to feel at home.

Mercury ☿

Mercury governs how you think, learn, and communicate. It shows the way you absorb information, organize your thoughts, and express ideas to others.

It also influences writing style, conversational habits, and how you approach problem-solving. Periods when Mercury is retrograde are traditionally associated with mix-ups in communication, travel, and contracts.

Venus ♀

Venus represents love, attraction, and aesthetic taste. It describes the qualities you find appealing in a partner and the way you express affection.

Money, material comfort, and personal values also fall under Venus's domain. The sign and house placement of Venus can reveal a great deal about your artistic leanings and spending habits.

Mars ♂

Mars embodies action, drive, and competitive spirit. It is the engine that propels you toward goals and the force behind how you assert yourself - or lose your temper.

Physical energy, athletic ability, and resilience in the face of obstacles are all Mars themes. The sign Mars occupies shows how you go after what you want and how you handle conflict.

Social Planets

The social planets bridge the gap between the personal and the transpersonal. With orbital periods measured in years rather than days or months, they describe your relationship with society, ambition, and long-term growth.

Jupiter ♃

Jupiter is the planet of expansion and growth. It represents generosity, optimism, and the pursuit of higher meaning, pointing to the areas of life where opportunity comes most naturally.

It takes roughly twelve years to travel through the entire zodiac, spending about one year in each sign. Jupiter's sign and house placement reveal where you are most likely to experience abundance and personal development.

Saturn ♄

Saturn is the planet of limits and responsibility. It highlights the areas where life demands hard work, patience, and maturity - the lessons that shape who you become over time.

Because Saturn returns to its natal position at about age 29, astrologers speak of the "Saturn return" as a major coming-of-age milestone. The domains Saturn touches in your chart are the ones where perseverance ultimately builds lasting competence and authority.

Transpersonal Planets

The transpersonal planets move so slowly that entire generations share the same sign placement, which is why they are also called "generational planets." Their influence tends to play out on a collective level, shaping cultural movements and historical shifts.

Uranus ♅

Uranus symbolizes sudden change, innovation, and the drive to break free from established structures. It takes about 84 years to circle the zodiac, spending roughly seven years in each sign.

Generations sharing the same Uranus sign tend to revolutionize a particular area of society. In an individual chart, the house Uranus occupies is where you are most likely to experience unexpected turns and express your uniqueness.

Neptune ♆

Neptune governs dreams, imagination, spirituality, and everything that blurs the line between reality and fantasy. Its roughly 165-year orbit means it spends about 14 years in each sign.

It is the wellspring of artistic inspiration and intuitive knowing, but it can also foster escapism and self-deception. People with a strong Neptune often feel drawn to music, film, or spiritual practices.

Pluto ♇

Pluto represents radical transformation - the cycle of destruction and rebirth that strips away what is no longer needed. Its 248-year orbit is highly elliptical, so it spends anywhere from 12 to 31 years in a single sign.

On a societal level, Pluto reshapes power structures and exposes hidden truths. On a personal level, transits from Pluto to natal planets often coincide with profound psychological turning points.

Asteroids and Sensitive Points

Beyond the ten major bodies, astrology makes use of several asteroids and mathematically calculated points. These add nuance and depth to a chart reading.

Chiron ⚷

Chiron is an asteroid known as the "wounded healer." It points to a deep, recurring wound in your life and, paradoxically, to the wisdom you gain by learning to live with it.

Orbiting between Saturn and Uranus, Chiron takes about 50 years to complete a full cycle. Its sign and house placement describe the theme of pain you are likely to revisit throughout your life - and the unique capacity to help others facing the same struggle.

North Node ☊ and South Node ☋

The North Node and South Node are the two points where the Moon's orbital path crosses the ecliptic (the Sun's apparent path). They always sit in exactly opposite signs.

The North Node indicates the direction of soul growth - the qualities and experiences you are meant to develop in this lifetime. The South Node represents talents and habits carried over from the past; leaning on them too heavily can hold you back from the growth the North Node calls for.

Lilith

Lilith is a sensitive point calculated from the lunar apogee - the farthest point of the Moon's orbit from the Earth. It symbolizes repressed desires and instinctive urges that do not fit neatly into social norms.

In a chart, a prominently placed Lilith can highlight themes of taboo, suppressed power, or raw, untamed energy that seeks expression.

Part of Fortune

The Part of Fortune is one of the Arabic Parts, calculated from the positions of the Sun, Moon, and Ascendant. It represents material happiness and the area of life where your talents flow most effortlessly.

The sign and house where this point falls suggest the domain in which you are most naturally "lucky" - where effort feels like play and rewards come readily.

How Planets Appear in HOSHIDOU

HOSHIDOU displays each celestial body as a glyph (symbol) on the chart wheel, making it easy to see planetary positions at a glance.

Chart Wheel

On both the Single Wheel and the Triple Wheel, glyphs are placed at the exact degree of each planet's zodiac position. When planets cluster closely together, the app automatically adjusts spacing so that every glyph remains legible.

Planet Table

Below the wheel, the Planet Table lists every active body with its sign, degree, and house. Any planet currently in retrograde is marked with an R badge.

Customizing Displayed Bodies

From Points & Aspects Settings, you can choose which bodies and sensitive points appear on the chart. In addition to the ten major planets, you can toggle Chiron, North Node, South Node, Lilith, and Part of Fortune on or off.