Astrologers use this map to understand who you are. But, technically speaking, this map is pure astronomy: it describes the location of the planets at a specific moment in time.
From the perspective of the Earth, at any given time, each planet is in front of one of these constellations.
For example, if Mars was in front of the Libra constellation when you were born, your Mars is in Libra.
Let’s look at how we can create a natal chart for a person. We will name this example person Nic. Nic was born at 7pm CST on June 13, 1990 in Milwaukee.
With just this information, we can draw their chart like this:
The constellations (or “zodiac signs”) are always 30° apart and in the same order. If we know where one zodiac sign is, we know where all of the other zodiac signs are, too.
Let’s add Mercury and Venus into the picture now. The orbiting balls show their movement around the Sun.
The symbols ☿ (Mercury) and ♀ (Venus) on the chart show where they are in their orbits when Nic was born.
This is all interesting astronomy, which anyone at NASA could understand and agree with. But what do we do with this natal chart? What does it mean?
For example, what can we say about someone whose Mars is in Gemini?
☉ SUN | I am fundamentally... |
☽ MOON | I experience emotion... |
↑ ASCENDANT | I seem... |
☿ MERCURY | I communicate... |
♀ VENUS | I love... |
♂ MARS | I take action... |
♃ JUPITER | I expand through... |
♄ SATURN | I discipline myself... |
♅ URANUS | My generation innovates... |
♆ NEPTUNE | I dream... |
P PLUTO | My generation experiences power... |
♈ ARIES | assertive, competitive, independent |
♉ TAURUS | practical, stubborn, sensual, reliable |
♊ GEMINI | curious, chaotic, witty |
♋ CANCER | sensitive, nurturing, gentle |
♌ LEO | bold, proud, attention-loving, charming |
♍ VIRGO | responsible, meticulous, wholesome |
♎ LIBRA | fair, just, relativist |
♏ SCORPIO | intense, deep, power-hungry |
♐ SAGITTARIUS | restless, intellectual |
♑ CAPRICORN | responsible, serious, efficient, rational |
♒ AQUARIUS | unconventional, anti, boundary-pushing |
♓ PISCES | insightful, intuitive, empathetic |
Mars in Gemini
=
"I take action in a curious, chaotic way."
The part of astrology that you're probably most familiar with is the Sun Sign.