The Most Important Planet in a Natal Chart

Paula Andrea Pyle

Active member
One must take in the entirety of the natal chart for proper evaluation. How could one say that the eyes are more important hat the nose or visa versa? However, the emphasis will be notably marked by the predominance of sign, chart, degree and positional location of the ascendent's ruling planet since this IS the mask of personality we are ripping away this time around.
 

Zonark

Well-known member
I would have to agree with Frank.

If you type in on a google search, for example, any famous person (it doesn't matter how they became famous, just that they have the notoriety to be visible in a search) then click on a link that features their name via an "astrotheme.com" link, you'll see, when you scroll down, a bar chart that shows which planets are more dominant than others in their natal chart. In my opinion, this tends to show which planets are the most significant. I had been trying to see if there was a free sample version, since I've had my chart done and interpreted professionally twice now and only needed to know which planets were dominant. However, given what a friend shared with me, I believe I already know. Still, it would be nice to confirm it.

A while ago, there was a briefly heated discussion on another thread about the Sun being the most significant, citing a link between astronomy and astrology, but as I saw it, the size and non-astrological impact had little, if no bearing on its astrological influence.

As for how--given one's natal chart and the aspects involved--dominance is calculated, at the moment that feels beyond my knowledge, although I'd be very anxious to learn.

Longer answer to a shorter question, lol.

Here you're implying that fame is the most important aspect of one's life.

That just isn't so :devil:
 

piscesascendant

Well-known member
Here you're implying that fame is the most important aspect of one's life.

That just isn't so :devil:

Read again what I typed. To make it easier, I'll italicize and place in bold print so you see that the focus wasn't on fame, but why I used famous people to see what planets were considered dominant, as a reference for studying. Big difference:

"[FONT=&quot]If you type in on a google search, for example, any famous person (it doesn't matter how they became famous, just that they have the notoriety to be visible in a search)"

And not every "famous person"'s birth time will be known and listed, so atrotheme.com uses 12:00 noon by default. But those seem less reliable since they don't have the exact birth time. The point was using a famous person as a starting point since their charts will be easier to locate. Granted, you can practice with a family member's chart since they or someone in the family will have their birth information. But can you find any not-so-famous neighbor's chart (online or otherwise) if you don't have their birth information readily available?

No, fame isn't the most important aspect of a person's life. Nor was I implying it was. Please read carefully before putting words in my mouth, then criticizing the very words you put there. Thanks.
[/FONT]
 

Zonark

Well-known member
Read again what I typed. To make it easier, I'll italicize and place in bold print so you see that the focus wasn't on fame, but why I used famous people to see what planets were considered dominant, as a reference for studying. Big difference:

"[FONT=&quot]If you type in on a google search, for example, any famous person (it doesn't matter how they became famous, just that they have the notoriety to be visible in a search)"

And not every "famous person"'s birth time will be known and listed, so atrotheme.com uses 12:00 noon by default. But those seem less reliable since they don't have the exact birth time. The point was using a famous person as a starting point since their charts will be easier to locate. Granted, you can practice with a family member's chart since they or someone in the family will have their birth information. But can you find any not-so-famous neighbor's chart (online or otherwise) if you don't have their birth information readily available?

No, fame isn't the most important aspect of a person's life. Nor was I implying it was. Please read carefully before putting words in my mouth, then criticizing the very words you put there. Thanks.
[/FONT]

A simple misunderstanding. Relax, I wasn't being that critical :whistling:

What you're saying makes sense, famous people are a great pool of raw astrological data.
 
One must take in the entirety of the natal chart for proper evaluation. How could one say that the eyes are more important hat the nose or visa versa? However, the emphasis will be notably marked by the predominance of sign, chart, degree and positional location of the ascendent's ruling planet since this IS the mask of personality we are ripping away this time around.

certainly agree, but would also add that when someone doesn't identify with their chart, to look at parallels in declination. A recent thread, post 7 nailed it..

http://www.astrologyweekly.com/forum/showthread.php?t=43394
 
All my planets are important. But for me, it's Saturn because it's opposing most of my planets on the MC. But that's just my interpretation of my chart.

A seasoned astrologer gave me some good advice.. If the handle (Saturn) of your chart (bucket/funnel) isn't focused on, none of the other planets can adequately be expressed.

This is an art not a science. I interpret it subjectively.

I think there is a scientific basis and of course we all interpret charts subjectively and Saturn does sound prominent being handle of bucket chart. Sometimes these things are obviously glaring, sometimes not. I can't understand why members get 'hung up' on, "what is my most important planet" it's NOT that important, you should look and focus on ALL the chart, not just bits of it..

We are all multifaceted human beings and this is what astrology delinates...
 

Paula Andrea Pyle

Active member
Hello, Pisces ascendant, So very nice to meet you under these circumstances. Ha. Ha. I am thrilled to have you as one of my new friends, here, on this thread and look forward to more interesting and stimulating discussions. Personally, I ascribe to neptunium perception as exceedingly gifted. Best to you...:
 

piscesascendant

Well-known member
Hello, Pisces ascendant, So very nice to meet you under these circumstances. Ha. Ha. I am thrilled to have you as one of my new friends, here, on this thread and look forward to more interesting and stimulating discussions. Personally, I ascribe to neptunium perception as exceedingly gifted. Best to you...:

Um... okay. nice to me you, too. not sure why of all the people on this thread you selected me. at any rate, enjoy the forum.
 

Rebel Uranian

Well-known member
Thank you for being open; and God bless you for taking a stand!

Naturally, each individual chart should be considered; but in general, I will say the Sun is the most important planet. It's sign, location and aspects are most telling, if you could choose no other information to have.

I was very close to saying the final dispositor, but I am going to stick with Sun.

There is a system to it. I'm going to write it all out soon so there are no more arguments.
 

Rebel Uranian

Well-known member
There will probably be disagreements unless I have proof. I still need proof of a couple of things before I can write it or someone will refute it all and cause more arguments.
 

greybeard

Well-known member
Where western astrology leans toward the Sun, vedic astrology focuses on the Moon.

It is a matter of Point of View.

Vedic astrology focuses primarily on the sub-lunar world, which is why the Moon takes first position.

But in normal natal chart interpretation, most western astrologers look for one dominant planet in a chart, not necessarily Sun or Moon. There can be several methods, or critieria, for determining the dominant.

One method, which has variants, is to assign point values to each of the planets based on position, motion, aspects etc. The planet accruing most points is almuten figuris, or most powerful planet. The use of astrodynes is such a system, much refined.

The shaping or structure (pattern) of a chart is a convenient way to locate the dominant planet, as for example when we speak of the "handle" planet in a "bucket" pattern. Such a planet is deemed predominant even when it is in a weaker cosmic state. This carries no inherent contradiction, but only says that the planet, whatever its condition, is a predominant force in the life and personality.

Which brings us to weak planets. Simply because a planet is in a weakened cosmic state and does not hold a predominant place in the chart does not deny its potentially significant influence. A pebble lodged in a horse's hoof may incapacitate the beast.

The purpose of locating the predominant planet is to allow us to "type" the personality as Martial, or Jovial or whatever.

In some charts, particularly those in which the planets are rather evenly distributed around the sky, it is difficult to pinpoint a single dominant planet. This is no impediment to interpretation. We know that the person will tend a less-pointed type of personality. We may see first one, then another of the planets assume the dominant position dependent on circumstances. The personality is less well-defined.

We can see that with the wide variety of methods for determining the predominant planet, different astrologers (methods) will produce, at least sometimes, different results. This does not invalidate astrology, nor does it invalidate the different methods. Astrology is, very fundamentally, a system of thought. The horoscope provides us with a hook to hang our hat on. If you closely observe your own work during interpretation you will see that your results depend, to a greater extent than most of us realize, that what we are looking for is what we see. How I look at life, my philosophy and attitudes, affect what it is I pay attention to in a chart and how I view it. The same can be said of engineers or doctors, a good reason to get a second opinion.
 
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ukdesifem

Well-known member
Most important?

IMHO, it's the best aspected planet.

A Sun with many squares isn't good. Whilst an angular planet with many trines/sextiles is good. As planets denote aspects of every human, and how they affect every human, then strong planets depends on aspects, signs and houses.

I'm a newbie at this, but to me I've found that there's a strong (almost perfect) correlation between a well-aspected/placed planet and a person's goals, essence and life skills. For instance, I saw that Pres. Obama has Mercury/Sun conjunct in his 6th house. This makes perfect sense, as his talents are public speaking. They're also both in Leo, and Mercury in Leo's tend to be verbose, strong speakers, and amongst the best signs/placements for public speaking abilities (IMHO all Fire signs are).
 
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