The Sun and the Moon are known as luminaries. The other planets are: Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto.

Each has its own significance according to its position at a particular time in the zodiac.

The Sun
The Sun is benign and favourable. It is usually thought to represent the conscious ego, the self, and the principles of creativity, spontaneousness, health and vitality.The Sun is the planetary ruler of Leo.


The Moon
The Moon is the ruling planet of Cancer. In astrology, the Moon is thought to be associated with a person's emotional make-up, unconscious habits, rhythms, memories, and moods. It is also associated with emotions in general, the mother, maternal instincts or the urge to nurture, the home, and the past. It presides over the right arm.


Mercury
Mercury is the ruling planet of Gemini and Virgo.Mercury is inconstant, vivacious, and curious, and presides over the right leg.Mercury represents the principles of mentality, thinking patterns, rationality, transport, reasoning, and communication. This follows from the planet being named after the Roman messenger god.

In Chinese astrology, Mercury is ruled by the element water.


Venus
Since the Roman goddess Venus is the goddess of love, in Western astrology the planet Venus is also associated with love. Venus is also associated with the principles of harmony, beauty, balance and the urge to unite. Venus presides over the left arm. Venus is the ruling planet of Taurus and Libra.

In Chinese astrology, Venus is associated with the element metal.


Mars
Mars is ardent, and presides over the genitals. Mars in Western astrology is associated with confident and aggressive personalities. It is also associated with the principles of energy, ambition and drive.

Mars is considered the ruling planet of Aries. Before the discovery of Pluto, it was also considered the ruler of Scorpio. Most modern astrologers consider Pluto the ruler of Scorpio, but may regard Mars as a co-ruler, while some more traditional astrologers still regard Mars as the only ruler of Scorpio.

In Chinese astrology, Mars is ruled by the element fire.

Jupiter
Jupiter is associated with merrymaking. Jupiter is temperate and benign, and presides over the stomach. Jupiter is the ruling planet of Sagittarius, and was also that of Pisces prior to the discovery of Neptune. Many astrologers still consider Jupiter to be the Planetary Ruler of both Sagittarius and Pisces.

In Chinese astrology, Jupiter is ruled by the element Wood.

Jupiter is associated with the principles of growth, expansion, prosperity and protecting roles.


Saturn
Saturn is the Ruling Planet of Capricorn and Aquarius. Saturn is sad, morose and cold, and presides over the left leg. Before the discovery of Uranus, Saturn was also the ruling planet of Aquarius. Saturn is called "the Bringer Of Old Age" in Alan Leo's book What is a Horoscope?, and is considered to represent the part of a person concerned with long-term planning.

In Chinese astrology, Saturn is ruled by the element Earth.

Saturn is associated with the principles of limitation, restrictions, boundaries, reality, crystallizing and structures.


Uranus
Uranus is the Ruling Planet of Aquarius.Uranus is associated with the principles of genius, new and unconventional ideas, discoveries, inventions, radical politics.

Neptune
Neptune is associated with illusion, deception, religions, spirituality, the mass media, music, drugs, extreme sensitivity, psychic phenomena and altered mental states.
Neptune is the ruling planet of Pisces. Prior to the discovery of Neptune, Jupiter was considered the ruler of Pisces, and some modern astrologers consider Jupiter a co-ruler of Pisces.

Pluto
To most modern astrologers, Pluto is the ruling planet of Scorpio. Called "the great renewer", Pluto is considered to represent the part of a person that destroys in order to renew. A commonly used keyword for Pluto is "transformation." Many (traditional and modern) astrologers do not use Pluto as a Ruling Planet but do use the planet for chart interpretation and predictive work. Pluto is also associated with extreme power and corruption.It is also associated with nuclear power which had its genesis in the research of that decade.