Ambrosia Academy of Astrology and Palmistry

The meaning of the word ‘planet’ in astrology
The ‘word’ planet is derived from the Greek word ‘planētēs’ which means ‘a wanderer’.

In ancient times the cosmic bodies which were seen to wander relative to the backdrop of the fixed stars, which we now understood to include galaxies and other celestial phenomena, were known as ‘wandering stars’. They were points of light which appeared to move relative to those points of light which did not appear to move.

Astrologers have traditionally used the word ‘planet’ to include ‘the luminaries’, which are the Sun and the Moon. The luminaries are also referred to as ‘the lights’.

The Sun lights up the day sky

and the Moon lights up the night sky.

In modern parlance ‘the planets’ have come to represent a distinct category which excludes the lights. However in current astrological practise the traditional meaning of the word ‘planets’ has not changed, and is still meant to include the lights. This distinction must be clearly understood by those who wish to participate in any discussion of astrology.

Sun at the Centre
Modern astrologers do of course understand that the Sun is actually a star generating enormous amounts of energy fuelled by nuclear reactions at its core, and that the Moon is actually a satellite of the Earth.

Modern astrologers also do understand that the Sun is at the centre of the solar system, and have done so for some thousands of years, pre-dating Copernicus. The traditional Chaldean order of the planets places the Sun at the centre: Saturn Jupiter Mars Sun Venus Mercury Moon.

Because astrology is focused on the study of the relationship between the cosmos and our lives here on Earth, the Earth is always placed at the centre of the horoscope, encircled by the symbols representing the planets. This geocentric arrangement is in no way meant to deny the structure of the solar system. Rather it is meant to reflect the actual focus of astrological study, and our position relative to our immediate cosmic environment.

This geocentric model which is the horoscope is also meant to convey other meanings than those which are strictly physical. In this modern age our awareness is predominantly focused on the material and physical aspects of life, to the exclusion of other dimensions of life, whiich are mostly either ignored or forgotten. These other levels of human life by the horoscope include the spiritual, social, psychological and deeply personal aspects of life.

The Traditional Planets
Until the discovery of Uranus, there were seven planets known to astrologers: Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Sun, Venus, Mercury and the Moon. As discussed above under the sub-heading titled: Meaning of the word ‘planet’, the Sun and the Moon were referred to as ‘planets’. These seven planets will be referred to here as the ‘traditional planets’.

From an astrological perspective the traditional planets represent everything that exists within physical manifestation. From the more ancient perspective, when life was viewed within the context of a universe created by God, these seven planets represented everything within divine creation.

When it is understood that these seven planets represent everything that exists within physical form, then their meaning becomes more apparent. For example as Saturn was the outermost planet visible to the naked eye, it represented the edge and structure of everything, and came to represent boundaries, fences, the skin and the internal skeleton, and the edge of life itself: death. It was seen as the gateway between manifest creation and that which was not manifest. It represents the doorway between the material and the immaterial. In the interpretation of temperament for example, Saturn represents coldness, hardness, heaviness and all things gloomy and depressed. Its more positive associations include responsibility, duty, and authority.

It is important for those beginning the study of astrology to first understand the meaning of the traditional planets, before embarking studying the astrological significance of the ‘modern’ planets.

The Modern Planets
Astrologers categorise planets other than the ‘traditional planets’ described above as the ‘modern planets’. The modern planets include Uranus, Neptune and Pluto. Some also include Ceres and Chiron in this category. The more recently discovered cosmic bodies in the Kuiper and Oort belts, whose definition as planets or dwarf planets has been the subject of recent debate within the IAU (International Astronomical Union), may also be included within the list of ‘modern planets’ (click image to enlarge)


The astrological meaning of the modern planets (most of which are now categorised as ‘dwarf planets’ by the IAU) beyond the orbit of Saturn has to do with the unconscious realm of the human psyche. This is also reflected by the names assigned to them by astronomers. The further from Earth they are placed, the more their meaning is associated with deeper levels of the unconscious psyche.

The Primary Importance of the Planets
In any astrological analysis the first and most important layer of study is the planets themselves. The planets are like the actors on a stage. They contain the essential energies that reveal the makeup of whatever subject is the focus of study. Together they constitute ‘the engine’ of the horoscope. Without them astrology is nothing.

Next in order of importance are the zodiacal signs in which the planets are placed, and thirdly, the houses in which the planets are placed. The zodiacal signs describe the way in which the planets function, and the houses pinpoint the area of life in which their energy manifests.

Any basic appraisal of the planets is incomplete without an assessment of their condition in the horoscope being studied. Their condition, which describes their ability to express their nature, includes the aspects between them, plus their essential and accidental dignities.

For the beginning student ‘Astrology 101’ must include a study of the meaning of the planets.