Planets & Their Astrological Meanings: How Do Planets Affect Us?

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1 How do the planets affect us in astrology?

2 What Each Planet Represents in Astrology

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Co-authored by Julia Topaz and Amber Crain

Last Updated: May 7, 2025 Fact Checked

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Planets play a major role in astrology, but how much do these celestial objects affect us on a personal level? The planets influence our personality development from the moment we're born. Many astrologers view the planets not as direct physical influences but as symbols representing different timelines and energies that shape our experiences. Additionally, the movements of the planets can impact our everyday lives in unexpected ways. In this article, we'll explain everything you need to know about the different ways planets affect you. Then, we'll cover each planet individually and talk about how its traits can manifest in your life. Read on to learn more!

How Planets Impact Us Astrologically

According to astrology expert Julia Topaz, the energies of the planets may affect your life experiences, and therefore their positions at the time of your birth can have an impact on your personality. The daily movements of the planets might also affect your moods and experiences in the short term.

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Section 1 of 2:

How do the planets affect us in astrology?

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1. 
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   Planet positions when you were born influence your personality. We all have a unique birth chart that tells us exactly where each planet and constellation was in the sky at the moment of our birth. Each planet is associated with specific traits that impact our individual characters, moods, strengths, and weaknesses.

   • Search “free birth chart calculator” and pick an option. Type in your date of birth, the time of your birth, and your birth location to get your birth chart.
   • Each planet in your chart represents a facet of your personality.
   • Planets travel through different zodiac signs (constellations) as they move through the sky. Each planet is linked to a specific sign of the zodiac.
2. 2
   Daily movements of the planets affect our everyday lives. From our vantage point here on earth, the planets and constellations are always moving around in the sky. To understand how the planets are affecting us, we have to know where they're located in the zodiac at any given time.

   • The sun, moon, and inner planets—Mercury, Venus, and Mars—move relatively fast since they’re closer to earth. They influence short-term issues in our personal, everyday lives.
   • The outer planets—Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune, Uranus, Pluto—take 7 years to move through the zodiac, so they tend to affect us on a large scale or generational level. Jupiter and Saturn govern interpersonal issues, while Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto influence big-picture issues and society.
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Section 2 of 2:

What Each Planet Represents in Astrology

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1. 
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   The Sun represents our identity, ego, and sense of self. The Sun is the brightest star in our solar system and it symbolizes our core being, our will to live, and our creative force. The sun’s movements govern important aspects of our personal lives like our health, well-being, and strength.

   • Planet of Self
   • Symbol: ⊙
   • Sign it governs: Leo
   • Energy: Masculine
2. 2
   The Moon is the ruler of our emotions. The moon completes its circuit and moves through all of the zodiac signs in the space of a month. The moon is linked to memory, emotions, instincts, and the journey of our souls. The movements of the moon can impact our moods and dreams.

   • Planet of Emotions
   • Symbol: ☽
   • Sign it governs: Cancer
   • Energy: Feminine
3. 3
   Mercury governs communication, intellect, and awareness. This planet influences our ability to communicate, explain, and understand the world around us. Logic, reasoning, teaching, and learning are also within Mercury’s domain. Mercurial energy is quick-moving and can make us feel restless.

   • Planet of Communication
   • Symbol: ☿
   • Sign it governs: Gemini and Virgo
   • Energy: Neutral/ungendered
4. 4
   Mars governs our energy, passion, drive, and determination. This planet influences you to stand up and take action in your life. Sexuality, ambition, and competition are within Mars’ domain. Mars energy can sometimes feel aggressive, but Mars is also associated with bravery and honor.

   • Planet of Passion
   • Symbol: ♂
   • Sign it governs: Aries and Scorpio
   • Energy: Masculine
5. 5
   Venus is all about pleasure, beauty, and harmony. Our emotional attachments, marriages, friendships, and other relationships are governed by Venus. Venus’s energy allows us to look attractive and to attract others to us. Socializing, empathy, the arts, and luxury possessions are all part of this planet’s pleasurable domain.

   • Planet of Love and Money
   • Symbol: ♀
   • Sign it governs: Taurus and Libra
   • Energy: Feminine
6. 6
   Jupiter rules over luck, growth, and abundance. Jupiter encourages us to explore abstract ideas and governs the realms of religion and philosophy. Jupiter can affect our sense of optimism and bring good fortune to our lives.

   • Planet of Luck
   • Symbol: ♃
   • Sign it governs: Sagittarius
   • Energy: Masculine
7. 7
   Saturn rules over hard work, boundaries, and the passage of time. Saturn is the taskmaster of the heavens—this planet demands that we get to work, take responsibility, and be disciplined in all things. Saturn also governs old age and the valuable wisdom we gain as we grow older.

   • Planet of Karma
   • Symbol: ♄
   • Sign it governs: Capricorn
   • Energy: Masculine
8. 8
   Uranus governs social change and technological advancement. This planet influences radical shifts in perception that can bring about lasting change. Progressive ideals, new inventions, unconventional art, and large-scale intellectual ideas are all ruled by Uranus.

   • Planet of Rebellion
   • Symbol: ♅
   • Sign it governs: Aquarius
   • Energy: Androgynous
9. 9
   Neptune governs the ability to transcend reality and harness energy. Dreams, illusion, mystery, and abstract thought are governed by Neptune. Neptune’s energy is tied closely to our spirituality and states of heightened awareness. This planet strongly influences poetry, music, dance, theater, and film.

   • Planet of Illusion
   • Symbol: ♆
   • Sign it governs: Pisces
   • Energy: Feminine
10. 10
    Pluto governs creation, death, power, and transformation. Pluto's energy influences hidden aspects of ourselves. This planet's connection to creation means it governs the reproductive system, but it has a sinister side; destruction obsession, kidnapping, and crime are also part of Pluto's realm. No matter what we’re facing, Pluto wants us to transcend and transform.

    • Planet of Power
    • Symbol: ♇
    • Sign it governs: Scorpio
    • Energy: Feminine
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• Question

  Venus rules over which things?

  

  Angel Eyedealism
  Astrologer & Performance Artist

  Angel Eyedealism is an Astrologer and Performance Artist based in the Lower East Side of Manhattan. With nearly three decades of astrology experience, Angel specializes in relocation astrology and astrocartography. Eyedealism has been featured in numerous media outlets such as Vogue, Cosmopolitan, The Atlantic, The Washington Post, Refinery29, NBC, MTV, Showtime, and Bravo. Angel aims to help others through a straightforward, kind, and humorous astrological lens, utilizing her entertainment and singing skills for performance art astrology readings.

  

  Angel Eyedealism

  Astrologer & Performance Artist

  Expert Answer

  Venus rules over beauty, art, music, love, and money. It is perhaps the most significant love planet.

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• Question

  What do Mars and Pluto stand for?

  

  Angel Eyedealism
  Astrologer & Performance Artist

  Angel Eyedealism is an Astrologer and Performance Artist based in the Lower East Side of Manhattan. With nearly three decades of astrology experience, Angel specializes in relocation astrology and astrocartography. Eyedealism has been featured in numerous media outlets such as Vogue, Cosmopolitan, The Atlantic, The Washington Post, Refinery29, NBC, MTV, Showtime, and Bravo. Angel aims to help others through a straightforward, kind, and humorous astrological lens, utilizing her entertainment and singing skills for performance art astrology readings.

  

  Angel Eyedealism

  Astrologer & Performance Artist

  Expert Answer

  Mars stands for aggression, masculinity, and male sexuality. Pluto is the planet of control and power struggles. It represents intimacy, sexuality, and intensity.

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• Question

  Isn’t Pisces ruled by Jupiter?

  

  wikiHow Staff Editor
  Staff Answer

  This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

  

  wikiHow Staff Editor

  Staff Answer

  Pisces is unique because you could say it's co-ruled by Jupiter and Neptune. In traditional astrology, Pisces is ruled by Jupiter, while Neptune rules Pisces in modern astrology. Every 165 years, Jupiter and Neptune meet in Pisces at the exact same point in the sky (this is called a planetary conjunction). So, astrologically speaking, you could view Pisces as connected to both planets! But modern astrologers prefer Neptune.

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