luminary planet
The Sun marks the chart’s centre of gravity: the part of a life that seeks coherence, visibility and purposeful expression.
Astrologers call the Sun a planet for convenience, although it is a star. A Sun sign is one placement, not a summary of the entire chart.
57 sourced claims: 55 traditional , 1 modern , 1 contested
The chart meaning above and Agrippa's magical names are different kinds of information. Read the Sun planetary-magic page for its nature, numerical-square intelligence and source-specific angel lists.
Square intelligence: Nachiel
Agrippa's first-list angel: Raphael
In Hermetic Qabalah, Sun is assigned to Tiphareth (Beauty). Follow the name to see the sources for that place on the Tree.
The Sun marks the chart’s centre of gravity: the part of a life that seeks coherence, visibility and purposeful expression.
Astrologers call the Sun a planet for convenience, although it is a star. A Sun sign is one placement, not a summary of the entire chart.
Lilly describes the Sun through authority, honour, judgement, public standing and the power to confer dignity.
Historical language is paraphrased rather than silently modernised.
Agrippa places solar images in the Sun's hour, with the Sun strong and rising, especially in Leo or its exaltation. He names ruby, diamond and carnelian as materials.
He says they were made for honour, favour, wealth and protection from illness or disturbing dreams.
Agrippa connects the Sun with glory, victory and courage. Brightness and light mark many things in his solar list, from gold to plants that turn toward the Sun. His solar images are meant to bring honour and favour.
Summarized from Agrippa's account of the planet and the things he places under it.
Nachiel
Printed at 111, the square's line constant.
Raphael
This is Agrippa's first list. He gives another list in the same chapter; neither list names the square intelligences.
Michael
Agrippa gives this alternative name a few lines after his first list. These are not the names printed with the squares in Book II.
The Sun is the Solar System’s star and contains almost all of its mass; the chart records its apparent geocentric ecliptic longitude.
Astronomical description, not an astrological meaning.
These historical opinions were published around 1900 by astrologers writing for a Theosophical readership. They are not this site's conclusions; each quotation names its author and page.
The Sun in the first house gives honour, glory, and long life; in the second much riches, but great extravagance; in the third good brethren and fortunate journeys;
Rosa Baughan, The Influence of the Stars, p. 267 — T. Fisher Unwin, London, fourth edition, 1889 · Project Gutenberg, ebook 42889
Sun in the fourth house shows success at the end of life, realised ambitions, hopes and desires when the life is nearing the close. It denotes a good heredity with which pride of ancestry is connected. It promises gain by inheritance or some benefits coming through, ar by means of, the parentage.
Alan Leo, How to Judge a Nativity, p. 166 — Modern Astrology Office, London, this printing 1928 · The 1928 printing, scanned
Sun in the fifth house denotes success in speculation and matters of enterprise, also gain through children, pleasure, society and entertainments. It is favourable for courtships and promises a successful and honourable attachment.
Alan Leo, How to Judge a Nativity, p. 174 — Modern Astrology Office, London, this printing 1928 · The 1928 printing, scanned
THE Sun in the sixth house is not good for the health of the native, the vital forces of the Sun having less power while in this house, but unless afflicted the native is careful and generally knows how to safeguard his health.
Alan Leo, How to Judge a Nativity, p. 180 — Modern Astrology Office, London, this printing 1928 · The 1928 printing, scanned
THE Sun in the seventh house in a male horoscope denotes a proud but honourable partner, and progress in life through marriage.
Alan Leo, How to Judge a Nativity, p. 187 — Modern Astrology Office, London, this printing 1928 · The 1928 printing, scanned
THE Sun in the eleventh house is a favourable position. It gives the good-will of elders, superiors, masters, those who are more powerful or of higher rank or standing than the native. If in business, he rises through association with these and benefits by them, even though they may not be his friends in the sense of manifesting affection for him.
Alan Leo, How to Judge a Nativity, p. 218 — Modern Astrology Office, London, this printing 1928 · The 1928 printing, scanned
Leo's book does not cover every planet in every house. Passages whose scans could not be read reliably are also omitted.
Two astrologers, both writing around 1900: Alan Leo, whose How to Judge a Nativity is the only one of these books arranged as a lookup table — a paragraph per planet per house; and Sepharial, who arranged the same material by the question a reader brings rather than by placement, so only a few of his judgements stand alone well enough to quote.
William Lilly is not included here. Christian Astrology (1647) is the most important book in English on the subject and appears elsewhere on the site, but the available scans use long-s blackletter, and the OCR renders the title of its own first book as “An Introduci ion to Aftrologje”. There is those scans do not support reliable quotation extraction. The same limitation applies to Ripley's Compound of Alchymy and Anderson's Constitutions elsewhere on the site.
These historical opinions were published around 1900 by astrologers writing for a Theosophical readership. They are not this site's conclusions; each quotation names its author and page.
The Sun in Taurus will make the individual character behind each lunar expression more firm, plodding, enduring and determined, but there will be a tendency to move slower and act more cautiously, quietly and practically than when the Sun was in Aries. We have now the expression of the Sun from the exaltation of the Moon, and each combination will tend to strengthen the personality more than the individuality, which may often lay behind the personal expression.
Alan Leo, Astrology for All, p. 67 — L. N. Fowler & Co., London, 1899 · The 1899 edition, scanned
the Sun in Gemini and when it is necessary or expedient to travel the person gains thereby physically and mentally. It gives a pleasant, affable disposition which makes him generally liked among his associates.
Max Heindel and Augusta Foss Heindel, The Message of the Stars, p. 152 — The Rosicrucian Fellowship, Oceanside, this printing 1919 · The 1919 printing, scanned
This is not a strong position for the individuality, therefore the personal characteristics may pull considerably away from the higher qualities. Tenacity, attachment and the clinging desire for objects are very marked.
Alan Leo, Astrology for All, p. 75 — L. N. Fowler & Co., London, 1899 · The 1899 edition, scanned
This gives a practical individuality and a discriminative nature. It tends to lead the whole of the lunar expressions more into practical methods, where the discriminative faculties can be called out as fully as possible ; it also connects the personality with maternal and family affairs, the home instincts being strongly marked.
Alan Leo, Astrology for All, p. 82 — L. N. Fowler & Co., London, 1899 · The 1899 edition, scanned
This gives a very harmonious individuality, with a tendency to act through perception more than through reflection. The spiritual qualities of the sign are called out, and the higher mind seeks to equalise all the various combinations of the Moon. There is a keen love of justice and great power of comparison, but there is also a certain sensitiveness in this sign, and very ambitious desires, especially on intellectual lines of thought and action.
Alan Leo, Astrology for All, p. 85 — L. N. Fowler & Co., London, 1899 · The 1899 edition, scanned
The Sun in Scorpio, when well aspected, gives great energy, courage and independence.
Max Heindel and Augusta Foss Heindel, The Message of the Stars, p. 153 — The Rosicrucian Fellowship, Oceanside, this printing 1919 · The 1919 printing, scanned
The Sun in the sign Scorpio gives a very firm, determined, and reserved individuality, with inclination to be very dignified, secretive, and full of desire. It gives pride to the individuality.
Alan Leo, Astrology for All, p. 87 — L. N. Fowler & Co., London, 1899 · The 1899 edition, scanned
The Sun in Aquarius gives a very refined individuality, loving everything of a humanitarian nature, very faithful, sincere, humane and just, with very broad sympathies and a desire to embrace the whole of humanity. The individuality will be active in awakened souls, but in the younger members of the race it will not be manifest, and the personality will act as though no individuality were behind it.
Alan Leo, Astrology for All, p. 97 — L. N. Fowler & Co., London, 1899 · The 1899 edition, scanned
The Sun in the sign Pisces tends to make the individual nature emotional and receptive, meditative and imitative. This is not the strongest of the twelve signs, but it gives a very deep internal nature, with strong inclinations towards occult development. There are two types of individuals under the sign Pisces, the developed and undeveloped.
Alan Leo, Astrology for All, p. 99 — L. N. Fowler & Co., London, 1899 · The 1899 edition, scanned
Leo's sign book covers only the Sun and the Moon, so it supplies no sign delineations for the other planets.
Two astrologers, both writing around 1900: Alan Leo, whose How to Judge a Nativity is the only one of these books arranged as a lookup table — a paragraph per planet per house; and Sepharial, who arranged the same material by the question a reader brings rather than by placement, so only a few of his judgements stand alone well enough to quote.
William Lilly is not included here. Christian Astrology (1647) is the most important book in English on the subject and appears elsewhere on the site, but the available scans use long-s blackletter, and the OCR renders the title of its own first book as “An Introduci ion to Aftrologje”. There is those scans do not support reliable quotation extraction. The same limitation applies to Ripley's Compound of Alchymy and Anderson's Constitutions elsewhere on the site.