Astrology 101: Planets

[Phoenix_Blue]

This isn't a complete listing of everything you'll find in a professional chart, but it gives you a beginning in interpreting your own. I don't have anything written on the signs as yet; but if someone else does, by all means, post it. ;) Also, if anyone has information they want to add to this thread, share away.

Astrology 101: The Sun and Planets

Sol (The Sun)

Sol is the "planet" that represents a person's foundation--who they are beneath their environment or background. It's defined as "the ego, the main direction and focus a person wants to take. . . the power of the will, the determination to attain goals" (Skalka 51). Sol is a strongly-masculine "planet" (a misnomer since the Sun is, in fact, a star) who is balanced by the female "planet" Luna. Sol rules Leo, whose influence is much stronger when Sol is in this sign.

Luna (The Moon)

If the sun is the embodiment of the self's ego, the moon would then be the embodiment of one's emotional self. A person's emotional response to his/her environment, his/her sensitivity, and to a degree his/her empathy, are influenced by Luna's placement in his/her natal chart. Luna describes "habits, needs, and desires. . . the subconscious mind, memory, intuition, and instincts" (Skalka 52). The moon also represents one's maternal side. It is a strongly-feminine "planet" and is balanced by Sol. Luna rules the water sign Cancer.

Mercury

Mercury is the planet of the mind, and of the thinker. It governs perception, thought, and communication. In Greco-Roman legend, Mercury, known to the Greeks as Achilles, was the messenger of the gods. Mercury also governs the realm of learning and academia; the realm of the written and spoken word. Mercury rules Gemini and Virgo.

Venus

Venus is the lover, the socializer, the artist. Venus plays its influence in the realm of moral sensitivities, ethics, and priorities, as well as in competition, partnership, and love. Venus describes the manner in which one pursues romance and sensual delights, as well as general physical well-being. It rules the astrological signs Taurus and Libra.

Terra (Earth)

Most astrology is geocentric, and therefore has no information about the role Earth plays in a person's horoscope. Heliocentric, or sun-based astrology, does have information about the Earth's role; however, no information has been found on the Internet about heliocentric astrology as of the time of this writing. What follows is, therefore, my own speculation and intuition.


Earth has often played the role of the mother goddess in pagan and shamanic religions. In spring, one is advised to walk barefoot so one does not tread too roughly upon the pregnant earth. Therefore, Earth's placement in a horoscope is likely to speak of maternal and natural influences played through a person's life. Where Earth lies in a natal chart may also speak of how one can best connect with Gaia or ground oneself. Too, Earth's placement in a natal chart may represent what traits of Gaia have manifested or will manifest in the individual.

Mars

Mars is the embodiment of desire, of action, and of physical and mental energy contained within an individual. It describes "the strength and direction of the physical force that drives the ego, fires the emotions. . ." (Skalka 53). Mars tells also of one's bravado and willingness to take risks. Mars represents male relationshps and associations (53), and especially the individual's physical desire and libido. Mars rules Aries and Scorpio.

Jupiter

Jupiter is the planet of growth and evolution, optimism and luck. Jupiter describes an individual's connection with the outside world, whether that connection is based in the physical, mental, or spiritual realm; and the planet describes the role that the connection will play in the growth of the individual. Jupiter also plays the role of "the father and his position in society," and "describes the ability of the individual to reach beyond the ordinary and basic experiences in life" (Skalka 53). Jupiter rules the astrological signs Sagitarrius and Pisces.

Saturn

Saturn speaks of discipline, of force, and of structure. It also stands for obstacles which must be overcome in order to achieve the growth that Jupiter promises. Saturn deals with karma, not in the sense of fortune or of a legend detailing what an individual has done right and wrong, but in the sense of the duty that lies ahead of an individual, and of the individual's obligation to carry out that duty. Saturn also describes an individual's deeply-set fears and uncertainties. At the same time, however, Saturn also promises the ability to evolve, to improve, and to become something greater. Saturn rules the signs Capricorn and Aquarius.

Chiron

Chiron's role in the chart is two-fold. First, it describes what an individual must learn, in both a karmic and mundane sense. Second, it describes what one is best qualified to teach. An individual must sometimes learn his/her lessons through pain, much as the Chiron of myth gained his wisdom in healing others by suffering a wound which he could not heal. Chiron rules no sign, though one does not have to stretch one's imagination to see a connection between Chiron and the sign Sagittarius.

Uranus

Uranus is the first of the three "generational" planets, so named because the periods for Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto are so long that their positions are typically shared in the charts of anyone born in a particular generation.

Uranus tells of the way in which an individual within a given generation may best find independence and freedom. It rules "radical ideas and people, as well as revolutionary events that upset established structures" (Skalka 54) within a generation; within the individual, it describes freedom of thought and expression, areas of unpredictability, and where one person's lifestyle may hold him/her apart from others or from society. Uranus also describes communication, like Mercury; however, in the case of Uranus, the method of communication is usually more intense. Uranus rules the sign of Aquarius.

Neptune

Neptune, like Uranus, plays a dual role in the chart of an individual: both as an influence on the individual by society, and as a trait of the individual. In a generaltional role, Neptune is ruler of the oppressed or abandoned, those who don't fit into society. It also presides over the visionary and the charismatic, and shows society's growth in or oppression of spirituality, mysticism, and other ideals (Skalka 55). In an individual, Neptune represents the person's spirituality, illusions, and disillusionment. It can also describe sensitivity, compassion, and psychic awareness, or "Sight." Neptune's rulership of the spiritual is not unlike Jupiter's, though the spirituality Neptune describes is deeper and more intense. Neptune rules the sign Pisces.

Pluto

The Pluto of mythology is the God of the Underworld and the Lord of the Dead. The planet, therefore, rules the deaths and rebirths that make up the life of an individual. Pluto speaks of transformations, whether in the physical, emotional, or spiritual realms. Pluto is a sign shared by a generation, so the transformations it speaks of can as easily apply to society as they can to an individual. The transformation Pluto rules speak volumes of depth and intensity; as Jupiter describes what an individual can become, Pluto describes the fire that will temper the individual so that s/he may become what Jupiter promises. Pluto rules the sign of Scorpio.

Works Cited

Skalka, Julia Lupton. The Instant Horoscope Reader. Llewellyn Publications, St. Paul, MN. © 1995. ISBN 1-56718-669-6

[Andyastro]

"the ego, the main direction and focus a person wants to take.


Not so thats the MC

[Andyastro]

, Mercury, known to the Greeks as Achilles,


you mean Hermes

[Andyastro]

its influence in the realm of moral sensitivities,


You mean resposibilies also the darker secrets come under the rule of the venusian ray.

[Andyastro]

Mars tells also of one's bravado and willingness to take risks.


You forgot the planets positive aspect which is honour.

[Andyastro]

Jupiter is the planet of growth and evolution, optimism and luck


also very much to do with learning and its higher aspect of faith since it also governs Pisces.

[Andyastro]

Saturn speaks of discipline, of force, and of structure


yes and also service and ones adherance to the universal laws

[Andyastro]

Chiron's role in the chart is two-fold.


true but also is the point of enlightenment, spiritual birth since it is connected to Pluto

[mol]

Andy, please refrain from 'double posting' like you have in this thread. All of your comments could have easily been made in one reply.

Thanks.

[Litha]

hehehe, mebee Andy is a gemini??

[mol]

Originally posted by Litha

hehehe, mebee Andy is a gemini??

Lmao!

[AmbivalentMirage]

Yay, I look forward to learning more about the planets!!! :)

[punxzen]

hmm, okay heres some reflections ive had on the planets

the sun or sol could be the prime force of generative energy for our lil rock. it is the power and gravity of all that we can concieve. everything that we earthlings do is owed to the sun, sol was the originator. the planets are constantly falling around the sun and the comets and asteroids seem to be dancing around keeping an eye on things.

the sun brings the motion and activity and and rhythm to the planets, and our moon is keenly situated to reflect that generative power on our rock. the reflective moon brings the rhythms of life intimately into play here on earth. she brings the cycles of life and death and yin to yang. these rhythms seem to be what bring a sense of finality (death) and at the same time, nay BECAUSE of that, it also brings peace and warmth and joy. the moon brings us our sense of the precious, the changing feelings which fluctuate continually and keep things interesting.

the planets play their roles like any musical instrument
they each resonate to different tones and they keep their rhythms and harmonies flowing

mercury is the fastest lil rock of em all, and i havent meditated much on mercury yet. i do recognize that astrologically speaking, mercury seems to govern the rationale and logic parts of the mind, whereas the moon governs the free flowing feeling parts of the mind.

venus... i think of beauty, of the inspiration to create. the impetus to be amazing. shes the receptive energy, the energy that pulls you in. she is the inspiration to keep on breathin even when it would seem much easier to just quit.

mars is that power that comes from the tummy. mars energy is the energy of the passions. passionate expressions of who i am, of why my way is best. the force of will, the animal drive to be everything that you can, just because you can. in the same sense that pure mars energy is that energy that pushes into venus. like tantric dancers, mars and venus combined create a beautiful rhythm that is the essence of all creativity, you can feel the polarity between them and in that polarity is the whole of the creative mind. venus grants us the lovely visions, mars grants us the power to make them real. venus is inspiration, mars is the actual action

so in retrospect
these are the personal planets, the planets that give a sense of who i am. the sun of course, being the will, the reason, and the rest make up the energies that our minds tap into. now where do jupiter and friends fit in?

i think that perhaps jupiter is a kind of protector. in a manner of speaking he is our greater organizations, our fraternities, our societies, our religions. hes the father figure who teaches us how to have faith. he brings wisdom, he is the energy associated with those pursuits that are larger than the ego. the bigger picture.

saturn is just outside of jupiter, keeping us from flying out into space with no limits. you know if saturn wasnt around im sure the whole solar system would have disappeared, the form of it wouldnt be the same. this is purely intuitive speculation, but i feel like saturn IS the key to maintaining the order of things. not just restrictions and rules, but the very structure that all existence is based upon is held together by the energy of saturn. saturn brings us sobriety. without saturn jupiters boundless enthusiasm and neptunes limitless indulgences would quickly disintegrate all existence as we percieve it. the concept of sanity would completely shatter. there are so many factos that are critical to saturns regulations that to imagine life without the stable energy of saturn is impossible. all of the energies from all of the other planets rely on saturn to bring a sane form. kind of like how the earth gives tangible form to the living and dying energies of the moon. saturn gives structure to the energies of all of the other planets.

interesting i think i learned a lot about saturn just now =)

hmm uranus i was thinkin about earlier today. i feel as though uranus is that ability in us to say WHAT?! and to fight against those controlling forces in our life. uranus is the ability to find a crack in the structure imposed by saturn and exploit it for the benefit of all. to find even the slightest doubt in the surest man and act on it to restore balance. its the energy in us that allows us to be subversive, that allows us to rebel and go against the norm. =) i like uranus energy =)

neptune..............
ahhhh.... ummm... yaaaaaa
so im a pisces.... no, i cant explain the energy of neptune.

my feelings point to the idea of some sort of never-ending ocean. imagine that energies from neptune are always flowing through us, they give us the unexplainable feeling. the feeling that there is more to life than you could ever explain no matter how much effort you gave it. neptune is the planet of intuition. in a way its connected to jupiter. i love thinking of the colors of the planets jupiter and neptune. it just makes sense that jupiter is red and... jovial, where as neptune is blue and... chillll. so very chill. neptune KNOWS that nothing could ever actually go wrong. after all neptune has an intimate flow with pluto. neptune reminds us that we are just a dream to someone else. in some other dimension in a galaxy far far away a long time ago, someone is dreaming of a what if that looks a lot like our reality. neptune reminds us of our insignificance. just a lil fish in the infinite oceans of forever

and pluto

wow, solid, what else can i say?

a scorpio can pursue something with a totality of focus that i can only speculate on, and so i relate the energy of pluto to that total energy. that energy that says okay this is the limit, you cant go any farther and there is absolutely no other way. the end, you are dead, please play again. its too overwhelming for my feeble human body to grasp i think. when i think of pluto energy my body kind of freezes and i cant actively breathe in and consider that kind of energy at the same time, its like id explode or something. the simple finality of it. its so solid, and so simple, and so total. but every now and then, pluto lets neptune float out and beyond its limits.

i wanna hear all about mythologies concerning the planets and their energies. PLEEASSE!! hehe i really really wannaaa

peace and love and blessed vibrations yall =)

[Kadynas]

Actually the ego has very much to do with the Sun and the sign of Leo, and the Sun in a chart /is/ often linked to one's life purpose. Take out the part about ego though and it does sound like MC. :)

Punxzen: I'll make up a little list up for the signs while I'm on vacation. :) I leave Saturday and won't be back for a week... going home to my family's for the holidays. :)

[punxzen]

kadynas... i am still waiting

hehe, its been way more than a week

no pressure to produce something you arent in the mood to though, but just poking you in case you forgot

[Kadynas]

*smacks head* Yes I did forget! And it's a sticky right at the top too! I'll post it before I go to bed tomorrow "night". (I work 3rd shift, so it's about bedtime for me now. :lol: )

[punxzen]

okay, ill check tommorrow night kadynas. thank you =)

i was thinkin about saturn as i re-read what i wrote a while ago, and it occured to me that it makes total sense that saturn brings structure and form to the whole solar system while the earth gives form to the rythms of the moon. it just kind of suddenly makes so much sense why saturn rules an earth sign. seeing as how it gives form to something greater than itself. suddenly capricorn makes much more sense to me =D

[Kadynas]

ARIES - 1st sign of the Zodiac, its symbol represents the horns of the Ram, sometimes tied to the carrier of the Golden Fleece. Its planetary ruler is Mars and it belongs to the element of Fire. Aries is about self-expression, about finding one's identity. It is also very much a pioneer, whether it's starting new projects, being the first one to do something; part of separating themselves from the crowd. Aries traits include courage & bravery, sometimes foolishly so, as their often child-like naivete can lead them into situations a wise person would run away from! Aries are also very independent...they don't like taking orders and they refuse to pretend to be something they're not, peace be damned! :lol: The upside of this though is that they are rarely deceitful... and the few times they try to lie it will be so obvious that they fool no one. Aries is also a Cardinal sign... in Astrology cardinal signs are the ones that start the seasons, in Aries case - Spring, and as such they tend to initiate new projects and lead the way to new things. But while they may be great starters, they're not always strong finishers and often leave others to finish the "boring" details while they move on to the next new thing. Aries are often said to be selfish... this is not necessarily as it appears however - Aries see everything in terms of themselves: part of building their identity is to consider how everything they encounter affects them personally.

TAURUS - 2nd sign of the zodiac, its symbol is the head of the Bull. Its planetary ruler is Venus and it belongs to the element of Earth. Venus is one of the two planets that currently gets to rule two signs, but her influence shows in very different ways in each. Taurus is very concerned with the material world, mainly its comforts but also its symbolism. While Aries concerns itself with identity, Taurus is concerned with its body and stability. They need to feel grounded in the world, and are often the type that will believe nothing unless they can see it or feel it. They can be quite stubborn, sometimes -figuratively or literally- they are so comfortable where they are that they do not wish to be moved! :) When it comes to ideas or beliefs though, their stubborness fades if you can provide hard facts. Taurus is one of the most sensual signs of the Zodiac due to their highly developed sense of touch, and though Venus also brings creativity, in Taurus it is usually through crafts (something created for a practical purpose) or music... Taurus is a Fixed sign, and in astrology the fixed signs represent the epitome of their season, thus when the sun is in Taurus we have the fullness of spring. Taurus takes what Aries starts and strengthens it. Taurus is also concerned with values, whether the value placed on one's possessions or one's own self-worth.

GEMINI - 3rd sign of the zodiac,it's symbol is the roman numeral two, symbolizing the twins, often relating to Castor and Pollux of the old myth. And the myth fits them very well, for there are two sides to every Gemini, and both are not seen at the same time, in fact sometimes even by the same people! One of the most interesting things about Gemini is that you could ask 10 of their friends what they're like and get 10 different answers. Geminis tend to mold their personality to fit whoever they're around at that moment and their adaptability is one of their greatest strengths. They are ruled by Mercury (the other planet that rules 2 signs) and belong to the element of air. They sometimes seem very much like their element breezing through life, learning many things but rarely going in-depth into any one subject unless it /really/ manages to snare their interest. Gemini is a very mental sign and loves conversation and new ideas... they'll try about anything at least once because they want to experience everything. The social graces come easily to Gemini and they are usually very charming. It's all about the quest for information...Geminis are very detail oriented and sometimes this can work against them as they don't always see the big picture. While they are very playful and fun to be around, they have a hard time expressing their emotions. Gemini is a mutable sign, and in astrology the mutable signs represent a period of transition...for Gemini, spring has not yet ended but summer is not yet begun... Gemini prepares us for changes to come.

(will finish later! :D K.)

[fortuna]

Hi, hope you don't mind if I jump in here... I just thought I would leave a link to a free, and pretty good... if you know your glyphs.. download that you can use to erect charts..
http://www.magitech.com/~cruiser1/astrolog.htm
BB, Belle

[Fluffmeister]

I agree with Fortuna that Astrolog is a great little program - however, it's been updated recently by Antonio Ramos to work with Windows XP (and 98 and other 32-bit Windows OS). The advantage of this over the original Astrolog is that when you save a chart, you can give it a "long name" - like "AlbertEinstein.dat" whereas the old Astrolog limited you to 8-character names.

Also, when you do dual charts (natal and transit, natal and progressed, comparison), or harmonic charts, the old Astrolog showed you the chart but didn't tell you what date the transits were for, or for harmonics didn't tell you it was a harmonic chart. The new version does. There are lots of other bells and whistles in it too - and it's still free of charge.

You can download it from http://uk.geocities.com/astrolog32/

The software is available in English and French.

If you don't use Windows, there are various Astrolog versions available (not with these updates, though) for other operating systems. They're hosted at:

www.paganlink.org/downloads/


The user manual that comes with the original version is a bit heavy going. Phillippe Georges has written a lovely new HTML user manual for Astrolog32, but it's currently only available in French. If anyone fancies translating into English, you'd be doing the astrological community a great service, and would get bucketloads of good karma :)

The French user manual is at http://philipeau.free.fr/astro/mode_emploi_astrolog32.htm

Setting it up is easier than 5.41g. I've got an article on my website showing how to install Astrolog, but I haven't yet updated it for Astrolog32 - still, the basic concepts are the same, I just suggest downloading Astrolog32 instead of "Valja's version" that I mention on my site. The article for this is at http://www.bristolastrology.net/chrismitchell/computer_programs.html

Finally - if you're an Astrolog user and have a question, there's a Yahoo group dedicated to it at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Astrolog_List/

[VenusScorpio]

PunxZen,


I liked how you explained the planets....my mercury retro gets it...lol

[Wintersteel]

Would this affect astrology charts, if its true:

http://www.rednova.com/news/display/?id=127605


I'm a :RuNew: when it comes to Astrology.. So don't laugh at me too hard.. :excuseme:

[Fluffmeister]

Would this affect astrology charts, if its true:

http://www.rednova.com/news/display/?id=127605



I think it's a very valid point, Wintersteel. The solar system before 1930 was a nice easy place - you had rocky planets up to Mars, then a whole bunch of rocks between Mars and Jupiter (the asteroid belt) which everyone though was a big rocky planet that got broken up by something - then from Jupiter outwards it was all huge "gas giants".

Then Tombaugh discovered Pluto. It was in the wrong place - the next gas giant, if there was going to be one, should have been much further out. Pluto was all wrong - very small, a lump of rock rather than a ball of gas, an orbit that was nowhere near circular (sometimes Pluto is closer to the Sun than Neptune is), and the orbit was tilted. He was the real oddball of the solar system.

Then in 1975 things got even worse - they discovered Chiron, orbiting erratically between Saturn and Uranus. Then in 1992 they found Pholus, and in the last few years they've discovered dozens of extra bodies, all small and rocky like Pluto.

It turns out that beyond the orbit of Neptune there's an area called the "Kuiper Belt", which is full of rocks. Sometimes, Neptune's powerful gravity plucks one of these rocks out of the Kuiper Belt and hurls it into the solar system. This is what happened with Chiron and Pholus, and it's looking increasingly like this is how Pluto is here, too. If Pluto had been discovered yesterday instead of 75 years ago, we'd classify it as a "KBO" (Kuiper Belt Object), just like Chiron.

Now, whether this affects astrology is a very good question - Pluto definitely does seem to have an powerful effect, but then so does Chiron - and we don't classify Chiron as a planet. The problem is, no-one knows how astrology "works", so we don't know what the mechanism is. We know it almost certainly isn't gravity by itself, so there's no reason why a small body should be less effective than a large one. We don't really know enough about early planet formation to know why the planets formed in exactly the place they did - if there's some sort of underlying structure to the fabric of the solar system, then that would be like having a rubber sheet with ridges in it. If you throw a marble onto the sheet, it will settle into one of the ridges and roll along it, regardless of whether it's a big marble or a little marble - so whether we're looking at something huge like Jupiter or something tiny like Chiron may be irrelevant - it may be the shape of the underlying structure that we're looking at when we consider astrology, and the planets are just "marker stones". If this is true, it doesn't really matter whether we happen to call Pluto a planet, a planetoid, a "badly behaved" planet or a KBO - it represents a moving point in the solar system which has significance.

[cosmicbrat]

For Many years, I wondered why Astrology readings about myself seemed so to be missing a lot of data... till in an ultra deep trance... the type that takes half an hour of struggling, just to again move a finger... The type that you come so close to death, that should you push it that little bit more, the heart stops... and you've got some serious fast-reflex work to do, if you intend to remain among the Breathing...

In that trance, I stumbled upon 28 planets orbiting our Sun...
I had about half a minute to explore the scene, before the kaleidoscope turned... I watched the closest planet to the Sun, fall into the Sun... The resultant explosion and flare vaporized all Life in this solar system... like cosmic clockwork...
Then the kaleidoscope turned, and my focus was something totally different...
After I got out of that trance, I felt like in a massive daze, that whole day... All day long I sustained horrid spontaneous chilly rushes just thinking on it... thinking about what's to happen when Mercury joins the 18 planets that plunged into the Sun...?

Point is... Is there any way to determine the Astrological factors of those lost planets...?

Is there any trace record, in the cosmic records, or anywhere, of those lost planets...?




And is there any Astrological sense to be made of this dream...?
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sorcery/




And why am I so cosmically powerful...?
Sept 14/1947/Regina Saskatchewan Canada/4:06AM...


.

[Happy Shrew]

Here's a bit of a historical question for you all regarding the planets... their characteristics mirror those of the Roman deities they're named for (Venus=love, Mercury=communication, etc.). What makes me wonder, then, is how it was that we came to give each planet its name. Was there really a consideration about each planet having those same characteristics or is that just how the cards happened to fall?

I can understand why Venus may be Venus because of its waxing and waning. Not only is it like the moon, but there's an old view of women being in a constant state of flux like that. But Mercury waxes and wanes, too.

Also, some of the further-out planets were named at a much later point, probably with a lot less regard for their namesakes on a spiritual level. Were we just lucky to see the pattern continue?

Basically, I'm trying to make some sense out of how the positioning of planets is supposed to do anything. Explanations regarding energy or vibes tend to be vague and unhelpful, at least from what I've experienced in the past. As it is, my current view of astrology is pretty love/hate - I can't possibly see how it plays any role, but I see its effects constantly anyway. My boyfriend doesn't buy into it at all, but we both admit that there are some pretty creepy insights to be found, even just by sun sign.

Please help out this skeptic on this planet-naming issue if you can.

Thanks in advance,
Happy Shrew

[Fluffmeister]

Here's a bit of a historical question for you all regarding the planets... their characteristics mirror those of the Roman deities they're named for (Venus=love, Mercury=communication, etc.). What makes me wonder, then, is how it was that we came to give each planet its name. Was there really a consideration about each planet having those same characteristics or is that just how the cards happened to fall?

I can understand why Venus may be Venus because of its waxing and waning. Not only is it like the moon, but there's an old view of women being in a constant state of flux like that. But Mercury waxes and wanes, too.

Also, some of the further-out planets were named at a much later point, probably with a lot less regard for their namesakes on a spiritual level. Were we just lucky to see the pattern continue?

Basically, I'm trying to make some sense out of how the positioning of planets is supposed to do anything. Explanations regarding energy or vibes tend to be vague and unhelpful, at least from what I've experienced in the past. As it is, my current view of astrology is pretty love/hate - I can't possibly see how it plays any role, but I see its effects constantly anyway. My boyfriend doesn't buy into it at all, but we both admit that there are some pretty creepy insights to be found, even just by sun sign.

Please help out this skeptic on this planet-naming issue if you can.

Thanks in advance,
Happy Shrew

As far as the traditional five planets are concerned, I think it's quite logical. Mars is red, and actually *does* look quite scary (it was very bright two years ago, and a colleague of mine phoned me up to ask what it was; she's an IT consultant, so very level-headed, and she said 'it just looks scary'). Red stars also have this "scary" connotation - red being the colour of blood, and by implication, war. So the red planet is the warrior planet, and named after the god of war.

Venus really is beautiful - she's only ever seen as a morning "star" or an evening "star" so glows brightly at sunrise or sunset. It's not surprising she's associated with beauty, and the goddess of love.

Saturn is the slowest moving of all the planets and is the most distant of the traditional five. He was the known limit of the solar system until Uranus was discovered, so he's associated with boundaries. He's also associated with lifelessness because he's so far away from the Sun - and Saturn was seen as the "killing planet" traditionally. In Greek, he was Kronos (from where we get words like "chronological") - the keeper of time. Kronos castrated his own father, and may have intended to kill him. And the one thing that is guaranteed to kill every single one of us eventually is TIME - none of us live forever. So he is named after Kronos, god of time, and "reaping" (think of the Grim Reaper - that's Saturn with his scythe).

Jupiter is the biggest planet - not sure if the ancients actually knew this, of course, but Jupiter is certainly the brightest, often outshining Venus. The ancients knew (from his speed) that Jupiter was quite distant (certainly more distant than Venus), so he be big to be that bright - so he's named after the king of the gods, Zeus.

Mercury is the fastest moving, so it's natural to associate him with the speedy winged messenger of the gods. He's also small, and difficult to see (it's alleged that Kepler on his deathbed said his biggest regret was that he'd never actually seen Mercury) because he's so close to the Sun. I've only ever seen Mercury once in my entire life - so he's also the trickster.

So for me, the traditional attributions make sense. The modern planets aren't always so obvious - Uranus is named after Ouranus, Saturn's father and husband to Gaia, mother Earth. Astronomically, he's even slower than Saturn, and in Greek mythology was the "status quo" overthrown by his son Kronos (Saturn). And yet he's associated with sudden, dramatic revolutionary change. This does not fit with the mythology at all - but is more to do with the fact that Uranus was discovered in the late 18th century, at a time when revolutions were in the air (American revolution, French revolution).

Neptune (Poseidon), god of the sea, sort of fits - Neptune is associated with mysticism and the idea of "dissolving" into the greater picture; Pluto is god of the underworld, and Pluto is associated with death and hidden things.

[Happy Shrew]

Okay, so maybe there was more consideration in naming the other planets than one would expect. Thanks!

[business voodoo]

saturn is just outside of jupiter, keeping us from flying out into space with no limits. you know if saturn wasnt around im sure the whole solar system would have disappeared, the form of it wouldnt be the same. this is purely intuitive speculation, but i feel like saturn IS the key to maintaining the order of things. not just restrictions and rules, but the very structure that all existence is based upon is held together by the energy of saturn. saturn brings us sobriety. without saturn jupiters boundless enthusiasm and neptunes limitless indulgences would quickly disintegrate all existence as we percieve it. the concept of sanity would completely shatter. there are so many factos that are critical to saturns regulations that to imagine life without the stable energy of saturn is impossible. all of the energies from all of the other planets rely on saturn to bring a sane form. kind of like how the earth gives tangible form to the living and dying energies of the moon. saturn gives structure to the energies of all of the other planets.

interesting i think i learned a lot about saturn just now =)

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i wanna hear all about mythologies concerning the planets and their energies. PLEEASSE!! hehe i really really wannaaa

since you said "i learned a lot about saturn just now" with a smile ... one always learns best when one teaches ...

and i'm teaching a workshop on saturn on sunday ... here goes my take on the mythology ... (begging for clarity if i'm off) ... saturn is in my 8th house and is my personal 'blind spot' so this month has been a challenge getting ready for this ...

saturn, kronus, son of gaia (earth) and ouranus/uranus (sky) ... so ouranus and gaia have lots and lots of kids ... but we are not one big happy family ... ouranus hates the fact that he is 'connected' to the earth, while he pushes very hard to go as far away as he can and be free, he is nonetheless connected to the earth/gaia. and, in fact, ouranus isn't so nice to gaia or the kids ... at all. so gaia talks to saturn, her most powerful child, and say's "i can't take it any more ... he's got to go, he needs to be free so he can do what he wants and he will leave us alone and not kill our children."

mom comes and says 'i've got this plan and this sickle' ... saturn is the only one who decides he can do it ... sever saturn from gaia ... well, actually he castrates him ... what a good son that is?! he separates the heavens from the earth. so, he doesn't kill his father, he just releases him and, in effect, sets him free ... except he cannot come back to earth anymore. and there's this wonderful time on earth and saturn's the hero until he's not and he's overthrown by his own son as well. of course, before he's overthrown, he consumes his children (who he had with his sister ... well, hey that's not too weird considering they were all first generation from the original mother & father), or so he thinks anyway. actually, zeus, was born and hidden by rhea (gave saturn a stone to swallow instead) and later gaia comes and talks to saturn and says, let your last child live so he exhumes the stone, and he learns he's been tricked. a war breaks out betwen saturn (+allies) and zeus (+allies), with zeus emerging as the victor of the heavens, and saturn retiring back on earth banished to the elysian fields, as a rather gracious ruler there. that's the nutshell version ... i'm gonna have to do the synthesis of the mythology in the daylight hours ... sleep is callling.