Don’t let astrology terms intimidate you.
Keep this guide handy to better understand all things astrology, from moon phases to synastry.
Mars is retrograde in your third house?
Theres a supermoon solar eclipse squaring Mercury?
Plus, itll help you spark some juicy conversations at cocktail parties.
Consider the glossary below your go-to primer for decoding celestial goings-on.
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Keep reading for your go-to glossary for astrological terms, from A to (Z)odiac.
Your ascendant sign determines how you express your energy and your physical attributes.
The planets energies are said to mingle, and some believe this affects our experience down here on Earth.
(The real-life manifestation of stars aligning, basically.)
The most common aspects involve a pair of planets.
Learninghow to read astrocartographycan make vacation planning a breeze and help you decide where to relocate to.
The moon is your emotional temperament.
Its the planet of intuition, deep desire and emotional vulnerability, needs, and responses.
Think of your moon sign as the part of your personality that you show to people you trust.
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Chart ruler
Achart rulerrefers to the zodiac sign and its ruling planet that occupies your ascendant.
Cusp
The zodiac wheel is made up of 12 signs and 12 houses.
(More on houses later.)
The dividing line between two different signs or houses is known as the cusp.
(And your personality is probably a little bit sensitive Canceranda little bit Leo drama queen.)
The decan you fall into is determined by when your birthday actually is.
These decans will always be signs within your astrological element, BTW.
So, even if youre an Aries, your birthday could fall under Sagittarius and Leo.
Dualities discern ones overall energetic alignment, or how its expressed in their environment.
Active zodiac signs are motivated by action, thought, and social interaction.
Receptive zodiac signs are motivated by intuition, emotions, and their inner world.
Solar eclipse:When the moon moves in front of the sun, youve got a solar eclipse.
Lunar eclipses have a bad rap, as theyre tied to abrupt endings and difficult emotions.
On these days, the sun either reaches its highest or lowest point in the sky.
Its also where your tenth house is located.
To find your midheaven, you need your birth time, birthday, and birthplace.
Its located at the very top of your birth chart.
A modality determines how one expresses energy or interacts in the world.
Likewise, cardinal signs are ambitious, trend-setting, and determined in the face of challenges.
Fixed signs are unwavering, devoted, and lets be honest, stubborn.
In the same vein, mutable signs are flexible, flowing, and a bit flighty.
Moon Phases
Every 28 days, the moon cycles through four phases.
New moon:When the moon goes completely dark each month, its considered a fresh start.
Full moon:When the moon is at its biggest and brightest in the sky, its harvest time.
Waning moon:For the last week of the month, the moon fades back to black.
Some say this is a good time to stay home to recharge, reflect, and ignore your texts.
(you could run your chart for freehere.)
This is the sign the sun was in when you were born.
Its the sign the moon was in when you were born.
The ascendant and descendant signs in your natal chart are always opposite sign pairings.
These are the opposite zodiac sign pairs: Aries/Libra, Taurus/Scorpio, Gemini/Sagittarius, Cancer/Capricorn, and Virgo/Pisces.
(Kind of like updating an app on your phone.)
Because no matter what happens or whether or not you believe in it, its never boring.
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