Luminary

The luminaries are the Sun and the Moon. Astrologically, they are grouped together because they are the two visible "lights" in the sky and because they hold a structural importance no other body in a chart matches. The Sun represents the conscious self, the will, the core identity. The Moon represents emotional needs, instinctive responses, the body, and the inner sense of safety.

In a natal chart, the luminaries are usually the first things examined. Together with the ascendant, they form what is sometimes called the "Big Three" — the three points that most reliably describe the recognizable shape of a personality. Sun in Leo, Moon in Pisces, Aquarius rising tells you something useful even before any other detail is added.

The luminaries are not technically planets in the modern astronomical sense — the Sun is a star, the Moon is a satellite. Astrology predates that distinction by thousands of years and treats them as the two most important moving lights, regardless of category. The seven traditional planets of pre-telescopic astrology are: the Sun, the Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn — five planets and two luminaries.

The phases of the luminaries — the lunar phases (new moon, first quarter, full moon, last quarter) and the solar return (the Sun returning to its natal position once a year, on or near your birthday) — are among the most reliable timing tools in astrology.