The Outer Planets
The solar system & the chart
What are the outer planets?
The planets are crucial in astrology—key building blocks to reading a chart. Understanding of their layers of archetypal meaning builds over time.
To learn them, it’s best to start with the basics, described here. You’ll return to these essential meanings and functions in a chart over and over, seeing new nuances of their manifestations with every chart.
The outer planets are so named because, as the planets furthest from Earth, they reflect longer-term transits and corresponding turning points in life, as well as generational attributes and characteristics in natal charts. The personal planets, by contrast, reflect the activities of daily life, in transits, and the facets of personality, in natal charts, that make us who we are.
Jupiter
Jupiter gets a lot of good press in astrology. As one of the “benefics,” or blessing-bringers, it can be tremendously positive. You’ll see it active in transits when you’re getting a big promotion, making a major move, or doing anything ambitious. In natal charts, it represents ambition, energy, dreams, goals, and plans, and the ability to accomplish significant things.
Saturn
Saturn, on the other hand, doesn’t get such great press—yet it’s arguably as important to what we achieve as Jupiter, if not more so. Saturn represents discipline, perseverance, the ability to stick to a project until it’s through.
Uranus
Uranus is the planet associated with change, innovation, and humanitarianism. See the images for more about Uranus.
Neptune
Neptune is associated with dreams, illusions, mystery, and spirituality. See the images for more about Neptune.
Pluto
Pluto is associated with profound depth and transformation as well as the wise use and misuse of power. See the images for more about Pluto.
Eris
Recently discovered Eris represents a warrior goddess energy that also has the potential to create discord. See the images for more about Eris.
Explore
The “Big Three”: Sun, Moon, and Rising Signs
The big three Sun, Moon, & Rising sign The Sun, Moon, and Rising Sign (or Ascendant)—what are often called “the big three” in astrology—are a great
The modalities
The modes Mutable, Cardinal, & Fixed What are the modalities? Cardinal, fixed, mutable: these are another way to understand the 12 zodiac signs. Modality refers
The Elements
The Elements Earth, Air, Fire, & Water What are the elements? The traditional elements—Earth, Air, Fire, and Water—are a helpful way to categorize the energies
Curious about your chart?
Explore your astrology with a professional
I offer several consultations:
- A getting-to-know-your-chart session is ideal if you’re new to astrology and curious about what your chart reveals.
- In our overview of the moment session, discover the present time using transits and other highly insightful predictive tools.
- An in-depth session can explore a relationship, advanced predictive techniques, or be tailored to any other questions you may have, and allows time to delve into the wonderful insights astrology offers.
