The Sun Wherever the Sun is in a chart, that area is brightly illuminated. The Sun in a person’s chart often represents the person’s self-image and how they reinforce that self-image. When someone says they are a particular Sign, they are usually referring to their Sun Sign (the Sign the Sun was in when they were born). The Sun is usually considered the single most important Planet in a chart.
The Moon Usually considered second only to the Sun in importance (and sometimes considered more important), the Moon represents a person’s emotional nature. While the Sun may represent how a person thinks about or sees him or herself, the Moon represents a person’s “gut reactions.” The Moon can also describe the relationship between the native and his or her mother.
Mercury The fastest-moving Planet, Mercury shows how a person communicates and reasons. Mercury can also indicate how the person deals with change.
Venus The Planet of love and beauty, Venus often talks about what makes the person comfortable. Venus can show how a person experiences romance, as well as the things in life the person is inclined to value (or “love”). In a man’s chart, Venus will often show how he views women, and what kind of impact women will have on his life.
Mars The Planet of action, Mars indicates how a person gets what he or she wants, as well as how the person deals with stress. In a woman’s chart, Mars will often show how she views men, and what kind of impact men will have on her life.
Jupiter This Planet represents a person’s free lunch. Wherever Jupiter is in a person’s chart, that person will tend to enjoy good luck and easy success in that area. Occasionally, Jupiter can represent overexpansion or overindulgence.
Saturn This is the Planet of limitations and responsibility. Wherever Saturn is in a person’s chart, it will indicate where the person has to show up and be responsible, where they have to “get serious” if they want to succeed. Sometimes, Saturn represents a major obstacle in the person’s life. Saturn can also describe the relationship between the native and his or her father.
Uranus The Great Awakener, Uranus is the Planet of unpredictability. Wherever Uranus is in a person’s chart, abrupt changes and opportunities to learn from experience will manifest in that area.
Neptune Wherever Neptune is in a person’s chart, it shows where in life the person tends to navigate by intuition rather than by reason. Neptune’s Aspects—the relationships between Neptune and other elements of the chart—are especially important in discerning Neptune’s influence, because they can show when and how far intuition should be trusted.
Pluto The Planet of death and transformation, Pluto indicates where negotiation and compromise do not work for the person, or where the person has to change something fundamental in his or her life.These are the ten Planets almost every modern astrologer works with. Even though astronomically, Pluto has lost it's planet status, it's still used by astrologers as a planet. There is a lot more that could be said about any—and all—of them. This article is meant only to provide a brief glimpse—a “taste”—of each. Also, it is important to note that there are other elements—other ingredients—some astrologers prefer to have pictured in a chart, which occupy the same area in the chart as the Planets. These can include planetoids (Chiron), asteroids (Hera, Athena, etc.), fixed stars (Arcturus, Rigel, etc.), Planets that have not been discovered by astronomers (Zeus, Poseiden, etc.), even Positions...points in the chart with no physical reference such as the Lunar Nodes or Arabic Parts (the Part of Fortune being the most commonly used). I bring these up simply to let the reader be exposed to the terms, and know that all of these are beyond the basics that are necessary to read a natal chart (and also to give readers who are interested in a more in-depth study of astrology further starting points).The next article will talk about the final class of distinct ingredients in a chart: The Houses and their Cusps.