Meanings of the symbols

Astrological planets[edit]
Further information: Planets in astrology
The glyphs of the planets are usually (but not always) broken down into four common elements:
A circle denoting spirit, a crescent denoting the mind, a cross denoting practical/physical matter
and an arrow denoting action or direction.[25]

Name Symbol Symbol represents Meaning of symbol
Sun Sol Solar symbol (circled dot) Divine spirit (circle) surrounding seed of potential
Moon First quarter moon A crescent moon Mind or evolving human spirit through
receptivity (crescent)
Mercury Mercury Mercury's winged helmet and caduceus Mind (crescent)
poised over divine spirit (circle) and matter (cross)
Venus Venus Venus's hand mirror. Divine spirit (circle) over matter (cross)
Earth Earth Earth; a Solar symbol (sun cross) Planet Earth the cardinal directions. C.f.
Globus cruciger
Mars Mars Mars's shield and spear. Drive (arrow) over divine spirit (circle)
Ceres Ceres Scythe (handle down), emblematic of Ceres as goddess of the Harvest. A
stylized sickle, a crescent of receptivity resting on a cross of matter.
Jupiter Jupiter Jupiter's thunderbolt or eagle Mind (crescent) rising above the horizon of matter
(cross)
Saturn Saturn Saturn's sickle Matter (cross) taking precedence over mind or human spirit
(crescent)
Uranus Uranus H in symbol taken from discoverer's last name, Herschel The circle of spirit and
a dominant cross of matter, in form of an antenna that uses matter as a way to insight.
Uranus Derived from a combination of the Mars and Sun symbols Astronomical glyph often
used astrologically. Drive over a divine spirit (circle) surrounding seed of potential
Neptune Neptune Neptune's trident Mind or receptivity (crescent) transcending
matter (cross)
Pluto Pluto (alternate) Modication of Neptune's astrological symbol Mind
(crescent) transcending matter (cross) to reach for divine spirit (circle)
Pluto PL monogram for Pluto and Percival Lowell Astronomical symbol often used
astrologically
Signs of the zodiac[edit]
Further information: Zodiac and Astrological sign
Name Meaning Symbol Image Symbol Represents
Aries Ram Aries.svg Face and horns of ram
Taurus Bull Taurus.svg Face and horns of bull
Gemini Twins Gemini.svg Companion
Cancer Crab Cancer.svg Crab's claws
Leo Lion Leo.svg Lion's head and mane
Virgo Virgin Virgo.svg Sheaf of barley
Libra Scale Libra.svg Scales
Scorpio Scorpion Scorpio.svg Stinger of a scorpion
Sagittarius Archer Sagittarius.svg Arrow of the centaur
Capricorn[26] Sea-goat Capricorn.svg Body and head of a goat with the tail of a
sh.
Capricorn variant.svg
Aquarius Waterbearer Aquarius.svg Ripples of water; sometimes modernly
viewed as bolts of lightning, waves of aether, or electrically-charged water
Pisces Fish Pisces.svg Two sh tied together yet swimming in opposite directions
Aspects[edit]
Further information: Astrological aspects
Name Symbol Explanation
Conjunction Conjunction-symbol.svg 0 angle/two or more planets in the same sign
A circle with a line implying two objects are in the same place (also, the starting point of an
angle)

Semisextile Semisextile-symbol.svg 30 angle/One sign apart
The intersecting lines from the inner angles of the upper half of a hexagon (see Sextile)

Semi-square Semisquare-symbol.svg 45 angle (also known as the "octile" or
"semiquartile")
The bisecting line of a right angle (see Square)

Sextile Sextile-symbol.svg 60 angle/Two signs apart
The intersecting lines from the inner angles of a hexagon

Quintile Quintile-symbol.svg 72 angle
Square Square-symbol.svg 90 angle (also known as the "quartile")/Three signs apart/Same
modality
A regular quadrilateral that represents the right angle

Trine Trine-symbol.svg 120 angle/Four signs apart/Same elemental triplicity
An equilateral triangle.

Sesquiquadrate Sesquisquare-symbol.svg 135 angle (also known as the
"sesquisquare," "square-and-a-half," and/or "trioctile")
The glyph of the Semi-Square under the glyph of the Square, implying the sum of them both

Biquintile Biquintile-symbol.svg 144 angle
Quincunx Quincunx-symbol.svg 150 angle (also known as the "inconjunct")/Five signs
apart
The intersecting lines from the inner angles of the lower half of a hexagon (see Sextile)

Opposition Opposition-symbol.svg 180 angle/Six signs apart
The glyph of the Conjunction plus a circle on top of its line, implying two objects are in front
(opposed) of each other.

Lunar phases[edit]
Further information: Lunar phase and Lunation type
Name Symbol[27][28] Explanation
New moon New moon Denotes the new moon or a soli-lunar arc in the range 0-45.
Crescent moon Crescent moon Denotes a waxing crescent moon or a soli-lunar arc
in the range 45-90.
First quarter moon First quarter moon Denotes a rst quarter moon or a soli-lunar arc in
the range 90-135.
Gibbous moon Gibbous moon Denotes a waxing gibbous moon or a soli-lunar arc in the range
135-180.
Full moon Full moon Denotes a full moon or a soli-lunar arc in the range 180-225.
Disseminating moon Disseminating moon Denotes a waning gibbous moon or a soli-lunar arc
in the range 225-270.
Last quarter moon Last quarter moon Denotes a last quarter moon or a soli-lunar arc in
the range 270-315.
Balsamic moon Balsamic moon Denotes a waning crescent moon or a soli-lunar arc
in the range 315-360.
Miscellaneous symbols[edit]
Name Symbol Symbol represents Explanation
Ascendant Ascendant-symbol.svg Angle The ascendant (also known as the
"ascensum coeli") is the rising intersection of the ecliptic with the celestial horizon at a particular
moment in time; it is used in the construction of a horoscope/natal chart
Midheaven Midheaven-symbol.svg Angle The midheaven (also known as the
"medium coeli") is the point where the ecliptic crosses the local meridian; it is used in the
construction of a horoscope/natal chart
Ascending Node Northnode-symbol.svg Lunar node Not all astrologers use the
lunar nodes; however, their usage is very important in Vedic astrology. They are alternately
known as the "Dragon's Head" (Rahu, Caput Draconis, or Anabibazon) and the "Dragon's
Tail" (Ketu, Cauda Draconis, or Catabibazon). The two nodes together are most commonly
referred to simply as the nodal axis, the lunar nodes, or the Moon's nodes.
Descending Node Southnode-symbol.svg Lunar node
Black Moon Lilith Lilith symbol.svg Lunar apogee The traditional Black Moon Lilith is
the position of the mean lunar apogee as measured from the geocenter; variants of the Black
Moon include replacing the mean orbit with a "true" osculating orbit or with an interpolated orbit;
charting the empty focus of the Moon's orbit instead of the apogee; and measuring the desired
point's barycentric or topocentric position instead of its geocentric position.[29]
Retrograde motion Retrograde-symbol.svg Apparent retrograde motion Symbol
represents the apparent retrograde motion of a planet in an astrological chart
Comet Comet-sym.svg Comet Different comets often use different symbols, but the use of
comets is not widespread in mainstream astrology
2 Pallas Pallas Asteroid A spear (variant has triangle on top)
Alchemical symbol for sulfur (both variants) see also Asteroids in astrology)
10 Hygiea Hygiea Asteroid A serpent coiled around Asclepius' rod
Hygiea Two serpents coiled around the rod. (Alternative astrological symbol)
3 Juno Juno Asteroid The scepter (of a queen, Juno is the Roman equivalent of Greek
Hera) topped with a star
4 Vesta Vesta Asteroid The re on the hearth or altar (Roman equivalent of Greek
Hestia)
2060 Chiron Chiron Centaur Stylized body of a centaur (the circle is the horse part, the
K-like glyph is the human part)
Lot of fortune Partoffortune-symbol.svg Lot Glyph for planet Earth rotated 45 degrees.
Eris Eris Dwarf planet An Eye of Providence; proposed by astrologer Zane B. Stein[30]
Eris The Hand of Eris; also used non-astrologically by Discordians[30]
Eris In use by astrologers in Poland and by the astrology software Urania[30][31]
Eris Based on the symbols for Pluto, Mars, and Venus; proposed by Henry Seltzer and used
in Time Passages[30][32]
Unicode encodings[edit]
Symbol Image Unicode[33] Glyph
Sun Sol U+2609
Sol U+1F71A !
Moon First quarter moon U+263D
Last quarter Moon U+263E
Mercury Mercury U+263F
Venus Venus U+2640
Earth Earth U+1F728 !
Mars Mars U+2642
Jupiter Jupiter U+2643
Saturn Saturn U+2644
Uranus Uranus U+2645
Uranus U+26E2
Neptune Neptune U+2646
1 Ceres Ceres U+02A1 "
2 Pallas Pallas U+26B4 "
3 Juno Juno U+26B5 "
4 Vesta Vesta U+26B6 "
10 Hygiea Hygiea U+2695 !
2060 Chiron Chiron U+26B7 "
Eris Eris not present --
Eris not present --
Eris # U+2641
Eris # U+29EC !
Pluto Pluto U+2647
Pluto (alternate) not present --
Aries Aries.svg U+2648
Taurus Taurus.svg U+2649
Gemini Gemini.svg U+264A
Cancer Cancer.svg U+264B
Leo Leo.svg U+264C
Virgo Virgo.svg U+264D
Libra Libra.svg U+264E
Scorpio Scorpio.svg U+264F
Sagittarius Sagittarius.svg U+2650
Capricorn Capricorn.svg U+2651
Capricorn variant.svg
Aquarius Aquarius.svg U+2652
Pisces Pisces.svg U+2653
Conjunction Conjunction-symbol.svg U+260C
Semisextile Semisextile-symbol.svg U+26BA "
Semi-square Semisquare-symbol.svg # U+2220 "
Sextile Sextile-symbol.svg U+26B9 "
Quintile Quintile-symbol.svg U+0051 Q
Square Square-symbol.svg U+25A1 !
Trine Trine-symbol.svg U+25B3
Sesquiquadrate Sesquisquare-symbol.svg U+26BC "
Biquintile Biquintile-symbol.svg U+0062 U+0051 bQ
Quincunx Quincunx-symbol.svg U+26BB "
Opposition Opposition-symbol.svg U+260D
New moon New moon U+1F311
Crescent moon Crescent moon U+1F312
First quarter moon First quarter moon U+1F313
Gibbous moon Gibbous moon U+1F314
Full moon Full moon U+1F315
Disseminating moon Disseminating moon U+1F316
Last quarter moon Last quarter moon U+1F317
Balsamic moon Balsamic moon U+1F318
Ascendant Ascendant-symbol.svg not plain text ASC
Midheaven Midheaven-symbol.svg not plain text MC
Ascending node Northnode-symbol.svg U+260A
Descending node Southnode-symbol.svg U+260B
Black Moon Lilith Lilith symbol.svg U+26B8 "
Retrograde motion Retrograde-symbol.svg # U+211E "
Lot of fortune Partoffortune-symbol.svg # U+2297 #
Comet Comet-sym.svg U+2604