Astrology Glossary — Planets, Houses, Aspects
Plain-language definitions for the planets, houses, and major aspects — the deterministic building blocks referenced everywhere else on this site — written for someone who has never studied astrology, with no jargon left unexplained.
Every definition here uses the same plain-language approach as the rest of the site: a planet, house, or aspect is explained in terms of what it actually means for a person's life first, with the technical name introduced only after the concept itself is clear.
Aspects, houses, and planets are the three deterministic layers every chart on this site is ultimately built from — understanding what each one means in plain language is what makes any of the more advanced calculators (synastry, harmonics, dasha timing) actually readable rather than a wall of unfamiliar terms.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do the planets represent in astrology?
Each planet stands for a distinct psychological theme — the Sun for core identity and ego, the Moon for emotions and inner needs, and so on through Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, and the lunar nodes Rahu and Ketu.
What's the difference between a house and a sign in astrology?
A sign describes the style or flavor of a planet's energy; a house describes which area of life that energy operates in — money, relationships, career, and so on.
What does an aspect like a square or a trine actually mean?
An aspect describes the angular relationship between two points in a chart — how easily or how tensely their two themes combine. This glossary covers all five major aspects.
Are Rahu and Ketu really planets, or something else?
They're lunar nodes — mathematical points where the Moon's orbit crosses the ecliptic, not physical bodies — but both Vedic and modern astrology treat them as chart points with real interpretive weight.
Is this glossary the same definitions used elsewhere on Aether?
Yes — these are the exact same deterministic planet, house, and aspect meanings that power the plain-language explanations in a natal report and Camilla's aspect breakdowns elsewhere on the site.