Image: Wellcome Collection (Public Domain)
TL;DR: Each Western zodiac sign is assigned a ruling planet, believed to shape that sign's characteristic personality and energy.
What Are the Ruling Planets of the 12 Zodiac Signs?
What is a ruling planet?
In Western astrology, each zodiac sign is assigned a "ruling planet," the planet believed to have the strongest influence on the personality and energy of people born under that sign. This concept dates back to ancient astrology (which used the 7 celestial bodies visible to the naked eye: the Sun, the Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn) and was expanded after the discovery of Uranus, Neptune and Pluto.
Table of ruling planets for the 12 signs
| Zodiac sign | Ruling planet |
|---|---|
| Aries | Mars |
| Taurus | Venus |
| Gemini | Mercury |
| Cancer | Moon |
| Leo | Sun |
| Virgo | Mercury |
| Libra | Venus |
| Scorpio | Pluto, in the ancient tradition: Mars |
| Sagittarius | Jupiter |
| Capricorn | Saturn |
| Aquarius | Uranus, in the ancient tradition: Saturn |
| Pisces | Neptune, in the ancient tradition: Jupiter |
Why are there "traditional ruling planets" and "modern ruling planets"?
Before Uranus (1781), Neptune (1846) and Pluto (1930, later reclassified as a dwarf planet) were discovered, ancient astrology used only 7 celestial bodies to assign to the 12 signs (which meant some planets had to rule 2 signs). After the new planets were discovered, some modern astrologers reassigned the 3 signs Scorpio, Aquarius and Pisces to the 3 new planets, while some schools still use both systems side by side (traditional ruler + modern ruler).
The basic meaning of the planets
| Planet | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Sun | ego, vitality. |
| Moon | emotions, instinct. |
| Mercury | communication, thinking. |
| Venus | love, aesthetics. |
| Mars | action, will. |
| Jupiter | expansion, luck. |
| Saturn | discipline, limits, life lessons. |
| Uranus | innovation, breaking convention. |
| Neptune | dreams, intuition, spirituality. |
| Pluto | transformation, hidden power. |
Overview article on the topic: What is Western astrology? Star charts and the main elements
