Astrological Quick Reference Tables
Explore essential astrological information used in everyday chart work across zodiac signs, planets, houses, aspects, primary axes, and common house systems in one practical reference guide.
This page serves as a technical quick-reference guide for astrological symbols and classifications. Rulerships, orbs, and certain classifications may vary depending on the school of astrology used. Astrology is a symbolic interpretation system; the content presented here does not constitute a scientific personality test, medical/psychological evaluation, or definitive future prediction.
12 ZODIAC SIGNS • ELEMENTS, MODALITIES, AND RULERS
Rulers indicate the pairing commonly used in modern Western astrology; traditional rulers are noted separately.
| Sign | Element | Modality | Ruler | Traditional Ruler |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ♈ Aries | Fire | Cardinal | Mars | Mars |
| ♉ Taurus | Earth | Fixed | Venus | Venus |
| ♊ Gemini | Air | Mutable | Mercury | Mercury |
| ♋ Cancer | Water | Cardinal | Moon | Moon |
| ♌ Leo | Fire | Fixed | Sun | Sun |
| ♍ Virgo | Earth | Mutable | Mercury | Mercury |
| ♎ Libra | Air | Cardinal | Venus | Venus |
| ♏ Scorpio | Water | Fixed | Pluto | Mars |
| ♐ Sagittarius | Fire | Mutable | Jupiter | Jupiter |
| ♑ Capricorn | Earth | Cardinal | Saturn | Saturn |
| ♒ Aquarius | Air | Fixed | Uranus | Saturn |
| ♓ Pisces | Water | Mutable | Neptune | Jupiter |
PLANETS AND PRIMARY SYMBOLIC FUNCTIONS
In astrology, the term "planet" is traditionally also includes luminaries like the Sun and the Moon.
| Symbol | Indicator | Primary Theme | Ruled Sign(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| ☉ | Sun | Identity, willpower, vitality, center | Leo |
| ☽ | Moon | Emotions, needs, habits, security | Cancer |
| ☿ | Mercury | Mind, learning, communication, connection | Gemini, Virgo |
| ♀ | Venus | Relationships, values, harmony, attraction | Taurus, Libra |
| ♂ | Mars | Action, drive, impulse, courage | Aries; traditionally Scorpio |
| ♃ | Jupiter | Expansion, meaning, belief, growth | Sagittarius; traditionally Pisces |
| ♄ | Saturn | Boundaries, structure, responsibility, time | Capricorn; traditionally Aquarius |
| ♅ | Uranus | Liberation, innovation, disruption, eccentricity | Aquarius (modern) |
| ♆ | Neptune | Imagination, dissolution, ideal, intuition | Pisces (modern) |
| ♇ | Pluto | Transformation, power, crisis, restructuring | Scorpio (modern) |
PRIMARY THEMES OF THE 12 HOUSES
Houses represent life areas in a chart. Sign–house equations such as "1st House = Aries" are not used here; house, sign, and planet are distinct layers.
| House | Primary Areas | Type |
|---|---|---|
| 1st House | Self, body, outer demeanor, approach to life | Angular |
| 2nd House | Personal resources, material values, possessions | Succedent |
| 3rd House | Learning, communication, immediate environment, short trips | Cadent |
| 4th House | Home, roots, family, private life, foundations | Angular |
| 5th House | Creativity, play, romance, children, self-expression | Succedent |
| 6th House | Daily routines, work, service, practical upkeep | Cadent |
| 7th House | One-on-one relationships, partnerships, encounters | Angular |
| 8th House | Shared resources, intimacy, crisis, transformation | Succedent |
| 9th House | Distant places, higher education, beliefs, worldview | Cadent |
| 10th House | Public role, career direction, visibility, responsibility | Angular |
| 11th House | Groups, networks, friendships, collective goals | Succedent |
| 12th House | Retreat, closures, unconscious processes, behind the scenes | Cadent |
MAJOR ASPECTS AND THEIR DEGREES
An aspect is the ecliptic longitude difference between two points on a chart. The exact aspect degree and the allowable orb are distinct concepts.
| Aspect | Degree | Class | General Geometry / Dynamics |
|---|---|---|---|
| ☌ Conjunction | 0° | Major | Unification, concentration |
| ⚹ Sextile | 60° | Major | Harmonious connection, opportunity |
| □ Square | 90° | Major | Tension, need for action |
| △ Trine | 120° | Major | Flow, ease |
| ⚻ Quincunx / Inconjunct | 150° | Minor* | Adjustment, need for fine-tuning |
| ☍ Opposition | 180° | Major | Polarization, balancing |
| Semi-Sextile | 30° | Minor | Mild connection |
| Semi-Square | 45° | Minor | Internal tension |
| Sesquiquadrate | 135° | Minor | Indirect tension |
| Quintile | 72° | Minor | Fifth harmonic connection |
* The Quincunx is evaluated separately as a major or significant aspect in some modern approaches; classification may vary by school.
THE FOUR PRIMARY ANGLES AND TWO MAIN AXES OF A CHART
| Point | Name | Primary Theme | Opposite Point |
|---|---|---|---|
| ASC | Ascendant | Eastern horizon; self and outward orientation | DSC |
| DSC | Descendant | Western horizon; others and one-on-one relationships | ASC |
| MC | Medium Coeli / Midheaven | Upper meridian intersection; direction, public visibility | IC |
| IC | Imum Coeli / Nadir | Opposite of the MC; roots, private life, and foundation | MC |
ASC–DSC forms the horizon axis, while MC–IC forms the meridian axis. It should be noted that the MC is not necessarily the 10th house cusp in every house system.
ZODIAC DEGREE RANGES
In the tropical zodiac, the 360° circle is divided into 12 equal signs. Each sign is 30° in length.
| Sign | Absolute Longitude | Degrees Within Sign | Opposite Sign |
|---|---|---|---|
| ♈ Aries | 0°–30° | 0°–29°59′ | Libra |
| ♉ Taurus | 30°–60° | 0°–29°59′ | Scorpio |
| ♊ Gemini | 60°–90° | 0°–29°59′ | Sagittarius |
| ♋ Cancer | 90°–120° | 0°–29°59′ | Capricorn |
| ♌ Leo | 120°–150° | 0°–29°59′ | Aquarius |
| ♍ Virgo | 150°–180° | 0°–29°59′ | Pisces |
| ♎ Libra | 180°–210° | 0°–29°59′ | Aries |
| ♏ Scorpio | 210°–240° | 0°–29°59′ | Taurus |
| ♐ Sagittarius | 240°–270° | 0°–29°59′ | Gemini |
| ♑ Capricorn | 270°–300° | 0°–29°59′ | Cancer |
| ♒ Aquarius | 300°–330° | 0°–29°59′ | Leo |
| ♓ Pisces | 330°–360° | 0°–29°59′ | Virgo |
COMMON HOUSE SYSTEMS
The choice of house system does not change planetary longitudes in the zodiac; it changes the house cusps and may change which houses contain the planets.
| System | Core Logic | Brief Note |
|---|---|---|
| Placidus | Time-based quadrant house system | Houses do not have to be equal in length; calculation constraints may occur at high latitudes. |
| Whole Sign | The entire sign containing the ASC becomes the 1st house | Each house is a full sign and 30°; the ASC does not have to be the cusp of the house. |
| Equal | 12 houses of 30° starting from the exact ASC degree | The ASC is the 1st house cusp; the MC is usually not the 10th house cusp. |
| Porphyry | Each of the four quadrants is divided into three equal parts | Preserves the ASC/DSC and MC/IC angles. |
| Koch | Time-based quadrant approach | Has mathematical limitations at high latitudes similar to those of Placidus. |
| Regiomontanus | Spatial approach dividing the celestial equator into 12 parts | A system used particularly in traditional and horary practices. |
FREQUENTLY USED SYMBOLS, MOTION, AND ORBS
| Notation | Meaning | Practical Note |
|---|---|---|
| ℞ / R | Retrograde | Apparent backward movement of a planet in the zodiac as seen from Earth. |
| Direct / D | Direct | Usual apparent forward movement along the zodiac. |
| Station / S | Stationary | Phase around the direct–retrograde transition where apparent longitudinal speed is extremely low. |
| Orb | Aspect tolerance | Allowable deviation from the exact geometric value of an aspect. There is no single universal orb standard. |
| Applying | Applying aspect | State where the relevant indicators are moving toward the exact aspect. |
| Separating | Separating aspect | State where indicators are moving away from the aspect after exact alignment. |
| ☊ / ☋ | North / South Lunar Node | Intersection points of the Moon's orbit with the ecliptic; True and Mean Node calculations may yield different values. |
Numji approach: Orb values should be evaluated based on context. Across techniques such as natal analysis, transits, progressions, and Solar Arc, the settings appropriate to each calculation method should be used rather than enforcing a uniform tolerance across all aspect types and indicators.