Each planet rules a zodiac sign and has an astrological definition to aid in interpreting the natal chart. It’s not just your Sun sign that determines your personality; there’s your Moon, your Ascendant, and placements for all of the planets too. All of these things come together to make up every part of your horoscope and personality. They are what make you… you! The order of the ruling planets from closest to the Sun (which is the first planet) to least is Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. The inner planets are the four planets the Sun is closest to are smaller and rockier like Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars. The inner planets move faster through the zodiac and affect those signs on a deeper and more intimate level. The outer planets, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune, are larger, the furthest away from the sun, and made up mostly of gas. The outer planets take seven years or more when moving through the zodiac because they take a lot longer to orbit the Sun and have a broader influence on your life. When a planet is in a zodiac sign, that means that the sign embodies the energy of that specific planet.
Ruling Planets & Their Meanings
RELATED: What It Means If Your Birthday Falls On A ‘Cusp’ Between Zodiac Signs Here’s a breakdown of all of the signs, their planets, and what they mean.
Aries Ruling Planet: Mars
Represents: Drive, competition, passion In modern times, this seems like a pretty obvious combination. Mars is the ruler of Aries. Aries is similar to the Greek god of war Ares, and Mars is the name of his Roman counterpart. Mars is responsible for your instinctual reactions, so once your know your Mars sign you can better understand your level of drive and action. Mars’ energy is fiery and loud, and it tends to ignite a lot of discussion and debate. Aries are known to be stubborn and not back down from a fight. It’s important to understand an Aries point of view in order not to get them to be too stubborn, and that would be when the Mars energy starts to take over a bit more. In Scorpio’s case, they can get very jealous, which aligns with Mars’s assertive energy and his outbursts of jealousy in mythology.
Taurus and Libra Ruling Planet: Venus
Represents: Relationships, love, attraction Venus and Ceres are the rulers of Taurus. Venus is the Roman name for the Greek goddess Aphrodite. They are both goddesses of love. Ceres is the Roman name for the Greek goddess Demeter, and they are both fertility goddesses, focusing on nature and the harvest. This combination of ruling planets makes Taurus a sensual and feminine sign, despite being symbolized by the bull. It’s associated with rebirth and fulfillment. This explains the importance of touch and sensuality in the sign. Your Venus sign gives you insight into your desires and values as well as your ability to give and receive love and affection. Taking into account Venus’s tendency to go towards romance and love, this fits very well into Libra. They tend to be afraid of being alone, and you can definitely consider them to be serial daters. They will always be in a relationship, and they value love, comfort, and trust above all else. Unlike Venus and Aphrodite’s actions in mythology, Libra’s are also rather fair. This could reflect in want for true love and fairness.
Gemini and Virgo Ruling Planet: Mercury
Represents: Communication, understanding, learning Mercury is the Roman name for the Greek god Hermes, which is the ruler of Gemini and both were the messenger of the gods. Mercury is the ruling planet for Gemini, which explains Gemini’s sociable personality. This also lends itself to Gemini’s intellect. Mercury was always known to be in two different worlds since he could be in the underworld and physical world. This explains the intelligent, witty mind of a Gemini. Mercury and Chiron are the rulers of Virgo. He was the teacher for a lot of the greatest warriors in Greek mythology, and he also happens to be a centaur. Both Mercury and Chiron affect Virgo’s tendency to gravitate towards logic and pragmatism. Chiron was methodical in how he taught heroes, and this is similar to Virgo’s methodology and attention to detail. Your Mercury sign is all about your communication style and how your mind works. Your mercury sign affects the way you’re able to express yourself and says a lot about how you communicate and the kind of things that interest you.
Cancer Ruling Planet: Moon
Represents: Emotions, feelings, intuition The Moon controls the oceans and the waves, and it’s the ruler of Cancer. This is an oddly perfect fit for Cancer, the crab, and the water sign. The Moon is associated with femininity and a close relationship with emotions. Cancers are one of the most emotional and empathetic signs in the zodiac next to Pisces. They can feel other people’s emotions and react in a complementary manner, which matches the Moon’s effect on the ocean. Your Moon sign is all about your emotions and it influences the way you feel and how you process your experiences in life. it also affects how you respond and regulate your impulses and emotions.
Leo Ruling Planet: Sun
Represents: Identity, individuality, personality The Sun is the ruler of Leo and this is such a good fit for Leo. Leo’s love to be the center of attention, and what better planet to rule it but the center of our solar system, the Sun. The Sun is bright and at the center, and is also the title of one of the most important placements for your zodiac. Having the Sun as the ruler of Leo, therefore, matches perfectly with its need to be in the center of attention. They are fiery, and the life of the party, just like the Sun. Your Sun sign is all about your personality to the core and is the one we talk about most often when referencing your horoscope and zodiac sign.
Scorpio Ruling Planet: Pluto
Represents: Growth, renewal, transformation Pluto and Mars could lend to the reason Scorpios get such a bad rep. With Mars having already been explained in Aries, let’s talk about Pluto. Pluto is our little dwarf planet, and it is also the Roman name for the Greek god Hades. Scorpios are passionate, fierce, and emotional. They are also into some underground things, which lines up with Pluto and his role in his pantheon. Your Pluto sign is about your growth in life and how or where you will experience it. Depending on your Pluto sign, it will indicate how or where your transformation comes from. RELATED: The Most Dangerous Zodiac Signs In Astrology, Ranked
Sagittarius Ruling Planet: Jupiter
Represents: Luck, fortune, success Jupiter is the Roman name for the Greek god Zeus, and they both served as rulers of their pantheons, as well as the gods of the sky. Sagittarians are optimistic and goal-oriented, as well as being very extroverted. This matches with Jupiter’s energy very well. Jupiter had many affairs and a lot of battles in order to stay at the head of the pantheon. He was goal-oriented, which plays into that part of the Sagittarian personality very well. Your Jupiter sign is about your sense of purpose and wisdom and what we can learn and teach others and how you will achieve power.
Capricorn Ruling Planet: Saturn
Represents: Responsibility, Ambition, Obligations Saturn is the Roman name for the Greek titan Cronos (or Kronos), and they both served as the god of time when the titans ruled the world. Saturn was unnaturally stubborn throughout his life. This plays well into Capricorn’s tendency to be very stubborn as well, which matches its symbol of the goat. Capricorn’s are serious and family-oriented. They also tend to expect the worst, which matches with Saturn. Your Saturn sign is all about restrictions you set for yourself, obligations you have in life, and your authority as well. It controls how you face your fears and also how you set your boundaries.
Aquarius Ruling Planet: Uranus
Represents: Freedom, individuality, rebellion Uranus is known as the planet of breakthroughs in astrology. This matches up with Aquarius rather well. This is because Aquarians tend to lean into other-worldly or supernatural interests. They are deep thinkers and progressive. They are quick to accept any person. Your Uranus sign is about how you express your own individuality and your relationship with technology, rebellion, and innovation. Since Uranus is known as an alarm clock in astrology, this matches quite well.
Pisces Ruling Planet: Neptune
Represents: Spirituality, creativity, intuition Neptune is the Roman name for the Greek god Poseidon, and they both serve as the god of the seas in their pantheon. This fits so well into Pisces, and it’s not just because it is a water sign. It is the planet of inspiration and dreams, which aligns very well with Pisces’ emotional connections and bright outlook on life. Neptune was known to be quite emotional in mythology, which also matches Pisces too. Your Neptune sign is about your inspirations, dreams, spiritual enlightenment, self-awareness, and creativity. RELATED: Your Zodiac Sign’s Power Color, According To Astrology Kayla Baptista is a writer who covers astrology, pop culture, and relationships.
