FOCALIZERS: DETERMINING PROMINENT PLANETS IN BIRTH CHARTS

by Brian Habit

July 15, 2003

Why Bother?

Knowing whether a planet is relatively prominent or obscure in a birth chart can be helpful in natal astrology, in predictive astrology, and in synastry. Specifically:

In natal astrology: It can be helpful to organize one's interpretation of a natal chart based on prominence (start with Sun, Moon and Ascendant, then look at prominent planets, followed by obscure planets). If you interpret a natal chart about a particular theme, such as vocation, then it is important to consider prominent planets as indicators of potentials and needs that are relatively strong.

In predictive astrology: If a particular planet is prominent in the chart of one person, and that same planet is obscure in the chart of another person, then when the first person experiences transits from that planet, they have greater significance than they do to for the second person. However, the second person might find that he or she is more strongly affected emotionally by the same transits than the first person is.

For example, let's say that Saturn is prominent in Romeo's chart, and it is obscure in Juliet's chart. When Saturn squares Romeo's Mercury, then it is likely to be more significant in the long run for Romeo than it would be if Saturn were squaring Juliet's Mercury. Saturnian issues are more central in Romeo's life and his development that they are for Juliet. At the same time, Romeo may not feel as strongly affected emotionally by Saturn squaring his Mercury as Juliet might feel. Romeo has been living with Saturnian issues throughout his life so far, while for Juliet, Saturn is a relatively unfamiliar or new player in her life.

In synastry: When comparing aspects between two people's planets to look at potentials in terms of any sort of relationship between them. Aspects involving their prominent planets are more important than others, other things being equal.

How Do I Know Whether a Planet is Prominent or Obscure?

Different astrologers use different methods, but here's one that should work. It takes time to learn, but the good news is that you'll only have to use it once for the same natal chart. Also, the more charts you do it for, the more quickly you'll be able to do it.

Check each of the eight planets (ignoring the Sun and Moon) based on eight factors, listed below.

Once you have gotten familiar with considering these factors, you might use "CCRASSSS" like I do as a way to remember them. (It's not quite a word, but it IS like "crass" except with extra consonants.) "CCRASSSS" stands for the first letter of each of the factors, as listed below.

To explain these factors, let's use Alexa593's natal chart as an example. Alexa's chart is posted at http://www.proudphoenix.com/alexa593.html

Make a list of your answers to each of the following questions. You might want to list the planets (ME, VE, MA, JU, SA, UR, NE, PL), and each time you answer a question with one of these planets, note that next to the appropriate planet.

FACTOR 1: CHART RULER

Which planet(s) rule the rising sign (Ascendant)?

Alexa has Libra rising, so the planet that naturally rules Libra also rules her rising sign. Therefore, it rules her chart as a whole, too. Write "chart ruler" next to "VE" on your list for Alexa's planets, like so:

VE: chart ruler

and go on to the next factor in this list. Here's a list of signs and ruling planets: AR: MA, TA: VE, GE: ME, CN: Moon, LE: Sun, VI: ME, LI: VE, SC: PL and MA, SG: JU, CP: SA, AQ: UR and SA, PI: NE and JU.

FACTOR 2: CLOSE ASPECTS

Which planets have many close aspects to the rest of the chart (to other planets, the Ascendant, and the Midheaven--ignore any other symbols included in the chart circle)?

For this, I recommend that you consider only 5 kinds of aspects: conjunctions (the symbol looks like a bomb), sextiles (represented by * or something similar), squares (symbolized by a square), trines (look like triangles), and oppositions (look like two circles connected by a line). Ignore the rest. Consider an aspect close if it is within 1 degree of being exact. If an aspect includes the Sun or Moon, allow 2 degrees. If you've printed out the chart, circle every close aspect in the grid that shows the aspects. That way, it'll be easier to count how many you have for each planet. If you haven't printed it out, count carefully!

In your list of planets, next to each one write the number of close aspects that it has. Also, next to this number, in parenthesis, note whether any of these aspects are to the Sun, Moon, or Ascendant. For every aspect between two planets, be sure to count it twice on your list, once for the first planet AND once for the second planet. In Alexa's case, she has only two close aspects (many charts have more than 2 close aspects all together, so if yours does, don't worry): MO trine VE, and MO sextile JU. Therefore, on your list, you would write: VE: 1 (MO), JU: 1 (MO). This means that her VE has 1 close aspect (to the MO), and her Jupiter has 1 close aspect (to the MO). At this point, your list now looks like this:

VE: chart ruler, 1 (MO)
JU: 1 (MO)

FACTOR 3: RULERSHIP, IN:

Which planets are in their natural signs or houses? If a planet is in its natural sign (the sign that it rules), it is dignified. If it is in its natural house (the natural house of the sign that it rules), it is accidentally dignified.

Here are the planets, their natural signs, and their natural houses:

ME: signs: GE, VI; houses: 3, 6
VE: signs: TA, LI; houses: 2, 7
MA: signs: AR, SC; houses: 1, 8
JU: signs: SG, PI; houses: 9, 12
SA: signs: CP, AQ: houses: 10, 11
UR: signs: AQ, houses: 11
NE: signs: PI, houses: 12
PL: signs: SC, houses: 8

Compare the sign and house for each planet in the chart against this list. Put "dig" (for "dignified") or "acc dig" (for "accidentally dignified") next to any planets, as appropriate, in your list. Alexa's ME is in the 3rd house, so it is "acc dig." Her MA is in the 8th house, so it is "acc dig." Her UR is in the 11th house, so it is "acc dig." None of her planets are dignified.

Your list should now look like this:
ME: acc dig
VE: chart ruler, 1 (MO)
MA: acc dig
JU: 1 (MO)
UR: acc dig

FACTOR 4: ANGULAR

Which planets are in or near the beginning of the angular houses (1st, 4th, 7th, or 10th)?

Note any planets in angular houses on your list. Also note any planets that are not in angular houses but that are within 1.5 degrees of the beginning of an angular house. (In the case of planets in the 12th house, note any that are within 3 degrees of the 1st house cusp.) Alexa has Venus (and the Sun) in the 4th house. She does not have any planets in the 1st, 7th or 10th houses or near the beginning of these houses.

Your list should now look like this:
ME: acc dig
VE: chart ruler, 1 (MO), angular
MA: acc dig
JU: 1 (MO)
UR: acc dig

FACTOR 5: SUN, CONJUNCT

Which planets are within 8 degrees of conjoining the Sun?

Put "cj SU" next to any such planets on your list. Alexa does not have any such planets.

FACTOR 6: STELLIA

Which planets are in a stellium (cluster) by sign or by house? (Stellia is the plural of stellium.)

If at least three planets (including the Sun and Moon) are in the same house, they are each in a stellium. If at least three planets (including thse Sun and Moon) are in the same sign, they are also each in a stellium. Put "stellium" next to any such planet on your list. If a planet is in more than one stellium, put "stellium" followed by the number of stellia that it is in, in parentheses afterwards.

For example, let's say you have the Sun, Mercury, and Venus in Sagittarius, and you have Mercury, Venus and Jupiter in the 5th house. Then you would put "stellium (2)" next to ME on your list, "stellium (2)" next to VE, and "stellium" next to JU. Your ME is in two stellia (one by house, one by sign), your VE is in two stellia (one by house, one by sign), and your JU is in one stellium (by house).

Alexa does not have any three planets in the same sign or house, so she has no stellia.

FACTOR 7: SINGLETONS

Which planets are in one hemisphere of the chart, with no other planets (including the Sun and Moon) in the same hemisphere?

Look at the chart as having four halves: the left half (houses 1, 2, 3, 10, 11, and 12), the right half (house 4-9), the top half (houses 7-12), and the bottom half (houses 1-6). If a planet is alone in any of these four halves, then it is a singleton. Most charts have no singletons. Some have more than one. Consider a planet to be in the next house if it is within 1.5 degrees of the beginning of that house (3 degrees for the beginning of the 1st house). If you have any singletons, write "singleton" next to the appropriate planet on your list. Alexa does not have any singletons in her chart.

FACTOR 8: STATIONARY

Are any planets in your chart stationary (for all intents and purposes, standing still at the time you were born)? In other words, were they moving at something like 1/10 of their normal daily speed?

Perhaps the only reliable way to determine this is by looking in an ephemeris (a book of planetary positions).

Look up your date of birth in an ephemeris. Is there a "D" (for direct) or an "R" (for retrograde) next to any of the faster-moving planets (ME, VE or MA) during the month you were born? Is it on the day you were born or within a couple of days before or after it? If not, then none of those planets was stationary when you were born.

For the slower-moving planets (JU, SA, UR, NE, and PL), eyeball how far they traveled from one day to the next around the day you were born. Compare that distance with what's listed below next to "1/10 of normal daily speed."

If none of the speeds are less than what's listed there, than none of the planets was stationary when you were born. On the other hand, if any of the speeds does meet this standard, then, yes, that planet was stationary.

Normal daily speed
1/10 of normal daily speed

PL

Normal daily speed: about 1.3 minutes per day (A minute = 1/60 of a degree. Each sign has 30 degrees.)
1/10 of normal daily speed: less than about .13 minutes per day

NE

Normal daily speed: about 2.2 minutes per day
1/10 of normal daily speed: less than about .22 minutes per day

UR

Normal daily speed: about 3.2 minutes per day
1/10 of normal daily speed: less than about .32 minutes per day

SA

Normal daily speed: about 7.8 minutes per day
1/10 of normal daily speed: less than about .78 minutes per day

JU

Normal daily speed: about 13 minute per day
1/10 of normal daily speed: less than about 1.3 minutes per day

If a planet is stationary, write "stationary" next to it on your list. Most charts do not contain any stationary planets. None of Alexa's planets is stationary.

At this point your list should still look like this.

ME: acc dig
VE: chart ruler, 1 (MO), angular
MA: acc dig
JU: 1 (MO)
UR: acc dig

What to Do Next

Now it's time to judge the planets in a ROUGH sense as being prominent or obscure. Venus has the most going for it as a candidate for prominence, so we can VE is prominent. I would consider a close aspect to the MO as lending more prominence than accidental dignity, so I'd also consider JU to be prominent. You might consider ME, MA, and UR as somewhat prominent since they're all accidentally dignified. You might consider the other 3 planets (SA, NE, and PL) as being relatively obscure in Alex's chart.

If you're up for fine-tuning these distinctions, go a step further and consider how many aspects a planet has all together (to other planets, the SU, MO, AC, and MC). Also consider whether the planet aspects the SU/MO/AC. Other things being equal, if a planet has any aspect at all with the SU/MO/AC, it's more prominent than planets that don't aspect them. If a planet has many aspects compared to other planets in the chart, then again, other things being equal, it's relatively prominent.

For example, in Alexa's case, SA aspects both Alex's MO and AC, while her NE and PL both aspect her SU (but not MO or AC). Therefore, I'd consider her SA more prominent than her NE or PL.

You might put the 8 planets from a person's chart in a general order, from prominent on the left to obscure on the right. In Alex's case, I might list them like this:

VE JU ME MA UR SA NE PL

Don't try to put them in an exact order. The main idea is to figure out which planet(s) is (are) most prominent and which is (are) most obscure. That way, you don't lose sight of a prominent planet (such as VE here), and you don't overemphasize an obscure planet (such as PL here).

This system is not hard and fast or exact, so approach it and apply it with some flexibility.

So What?

OK, so we did all this work. We found that some planets are more prominent than others. What do wedo with this information?

Let's use Alexa's case as an example and look at applications for her natal chart, transits to her natal chart, and comparisons of her natal chart with that of another person.

I ranked her VE as being relatively prominent and her JU as being somewhat prominent. I ranked her PL and NE as being relatively obscure. Therefore, we know that with her VE and JU being relatively prominent, how she relates socially, expresses hersself aesthetically, and releases tension and relax (VE), and how she develops and maintains faith in life and herself, expanding on opportunities with hopefulness (JU) are especially important for her. Because these planets are so prominent, a lot of her chart and her life turns on what she does with the creative/destructive potential that they represent. Relatively speaking, her Neptunian and Plutonian functions don't wield as much of an influence in your chart (NE: expressing her idealism/spirituality; PL: transforming herself/others, etc.). It's not like she can forget them or that they don't matter, but I wouldn't emphasize them as much as JU or VE in the picture as a whole.

If I were going through her natal chart and interpreting it, I would look at her SU, MO, and AC first (since I always consider these of central importance in a natal chart). After that, I would start with her VE, since it's so prominent. I'd look at her VE's sign, house and aspects to her SU, MO and AC (if any). Then I would do the same with her JU: sign, house, and aspects to her SU, MO, AC and VE (if any). And so on, finishing up with NE and PL. It's like putting the bigger or most important rocks in a container first, then putting the pebbles or less important rocks in after them, and then putting the sand even in after them. You make sure you make room in your interpretation for the most important parts first, and that way you're less likely to lose sight of them or get caught up in the more obscure parts.

Now let's look at transits to Alexa's natal chart.

In her case, other things being equal, transits to her natal VE and JU tend to have greater importance than transits to her NE or PL. For example, let's take transiting MA. He takes about 2 years to go around your chart and to make every possible aspect to every planet once. Whenever MA conjoins her VE or PL, this tends to hold greater significance for her then when MA conjoins her NE or PL. That's because VE and JU play greater roles in the drama of her chart.

Now, keep in mind that this assumes that other things are equal. What do I mean by that? Let's say that while MA is conjoining Alexa's VE, no other slower-moving planets are transiting in aspect to her VE. Not SA or UR or NE or PL. Maybe not even JU. And let's say that while MA is passing over her PL, transiting SA is also squaring her PL or transiting UR is opposing it. I would consider that an exception to what I said before. Her PL is under greater pressure to develop further due to multiple transits to it at once, compared to her VE.

Lastly, let's look at synastry (comparisons between two people's charts to look at relationship potentials).

In Alexa's case, let's say she what to look at natural strengths and challenges that she and her boss might experience in their relationship. She compares her natal planets with her boss's natal planets, and she sees that his or her SA is within a couple of degrees of conjoining her natal VE. Alexa also sees that his or her VE is within a couple of degrees of squaring her natal PL. Generally speaking, the first aspect is more significant than the second because it involves a planet that's relative prominent in Alexa's chart, compared to one that's relatively obscure.

© Brian Habit - The Proud Phoenix, 2004
(All Rights Reserved)

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