Planets in astrology: what each one means
Published · Last checked
In astrology, each planet stands for one part of life, the sign shows how it acts, and the house shows where. The Sun and Moon count as planets here, and Vedic astrology adds Rahu and Ketu, the two points where the Moon's path crosses the Sun's. Below you can see what each one means and where it is today.
Where the planets are today
Positions are worked out with our own astronomy code for 12:00 UTC on 26 October 2026. We check them against NASA JPL's Horizons system; the Sun, Moon and planets agree to within a minute of arc. An R means the planet is retrograde: from Earth it appears to move backwards for a while.
| Planet | Western (tropical) | Vedic (sidereal) | Nakshatra, pada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | 3°05' Scorpio | 8°52' Libra | Swati 1 |
| Moon | 7°27' Taurus | 13°14' Aries | Ashwini 4 |
| Mercury | 20°39' Scorpio R | 26°25' Libra | Vishakha 2 |
| Venus | 29°19' Libra R | 5°06' Libra | Chitra 4 |
| Mars | 15°48' Leo | 21°35' Cancer | Ashlesha 2 |
| Jupiter | 23°37' Leo | 29°24' Cancer | Ashlesha 4 |
| Saturn | 9°39' Aries R | 15°25' Pisces | Uttara Bhadrapada 4 |
| Uranus | 4°52' Gemini R | 10°38' Taurus | Rohini 1 |
| Neptune | 2°12' Aries R | 7°59' Pisces | Uttara Bhadrapada 2 |
| Pluto | 3°05' Aquarius | 8°52' Capricorn | Uttara Ashadha 4 |
| Rahu | 26°22' Aquarius | 2°08' Aquarius | Dhanishta 3 |
| Ketu | 26°22' Leo | 2°08' Leo | Magha 1 |
What each planet means
The pace column explains why some planets mark short moods and others long chapters. The Moon changes sign every two or three days, while Saturn stays in one sign for about two and a half years.
| Planet | Vedic name | Rules | Stands for | Pace |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | Surya | Leo | your core self, vitality, pride and purpose | about 30 days in each sign; one lap of the zodiac in a year |
| Moon | Chandra | Cancer | feelings, moods, comfort and instincts | about 2.5 days in each sign; one lap in 27.3 days |
| Mercury | Budha | Gemini and Virgo | thinking, speech, writing, learning and short trips | about 3 weeks per sign, up to about 2 months when retrograde; never more than 28 degrees from the Sun |
| Venus | Shukra | Taurus and Libra | love, beauty, pleasure, values and harmony | about 4 to 5 weeks per sign, up to 4 months when retrograde; never more than 47 degrees from the Sun |
| Mars | Mangala | Aries and, traditionally, Scorpio | drive, courage, action and competition | about 6 to 7 weeks per sign, up to 7 months when retrograde |
| Jupiter | Guru (Brihaspati) | Sagittarius and Pisces (traditionally) | growth, learning, optimism, teachers and good fortune | about 1 year in each sign; one lap in about 12 years |
| Saturn | Shani | Capricorn and Aquarius (traditionally) | structure, patience, duty, time and lessons | about 2.5 years in each sign; one lap in about 29.5 years |
| Uranus | not used in classical Vedic astrology | Aquarius (modern) | change, originality, surprises and freedom | about 7 years in each sign; one lap in 84 years |
| Neptune | not used in classical Vedic astrology | Pisces (modern) | dreams, imagination, compassion and ideals | about 14 years in each sign; one lap in 165 years |
| Pluto | not used in classical Vedic astrology | Scorpio (modern) | deep change, power and renewal | 12 to 31 years in a sign, because its orbit is very oval; one lap in 248 years |
| Rahu | Rahu (North Node of the Moon) | no sign by tradition (some give Aquarius) | desire, ambition, the new and the unfamiliar | about 18 months in each sign, always moving backwards through the zodiac |
| Ketu | Ketu (South Node of the Moon) | no sign by tradition (some give Scorpio) | letting go, insight, the past and inner life | always exactly opposite Rahu, so also about 18 months per sign |
Personal and outer planets
The Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus and Mars move fast and are called the personal planets. Jupiter and Saturn are the social planets. Uranus, Neptune and Pluto were found with telescopes and are used in Western astrology only. Classical Vedic astrology works with the seven visible planets plus Rahu and Ketu, nine in all, known as the navagraha.
What retrograde means
A planet is retrograde when Earth passes it, or it passes Earth, on the inside track. For a few weeks or months it seems to drift backwards against the stars. Astrologers read retrograde periods as a time to review and redo rather than to launch. The planet itself never changes direction.
Frequently asked questions
Which planet rules which zodiac sign?
Mars rules Aries, Venus rules Taurus and Libra, Mercury rules Gemini and Virgo, the Moon rules Cancer, the Sun rules Leo, Jupiter rules Sagittarius and Pisces, and Saturn rules Capricorn and Aquarius. Modern Western astrology adds Pluto to Scorpio, Uranus to Aquarius and Neptune to Pisces.
Are the Sun and Moon planets in astrology?
Yes. Astrology uses the old meaning of planet, a wanderer in the sky, so the Sun and Moon are counted with the planets even though astronomers do not call them planets.
What are Rahu and Ketu?
Rahu and Ketu are the north and south lunar nodes, the two points where the Moon's orbit crosses the Sun's apparent path. Eclipses happen near them. Vedic astrology treats them as shadow planets.
Is Mercury retrograde right now?
Check the table at the top of this page: an R next to a planet means it is retrograde at 12:00 UTC today. The table is refreshed every day from real positions.
For reflection and fun, not fate. We explain astrology as a tradition and a tool for reflection. It has not been shown to predict events.