Astronomical symbols vs Astrological symbols
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Astronomical symbols are symbols used to represent various celestial objects, theoretical constructs and observational events in astronomy. The earliest forms of these symbols appear in Greek papyri of late antiquity. The Byzantine codices in which the Greek papyri were preserved continued and extended the inventory of astronomical symbols.[2][3]New symbols were further invented to represent many just-discovered planets and minor planets discovered in the 18th-20th centuries.
All these symbols were once commonly used by professional astronomers, amateur astronomers, and astrologers. While they are still commonly used in almanacs and astrological publications, their occurrence in published research and texts on astronomy is relatively infrequent,[4] with some exceptions such as the Sun and Earth symbols appearing inastronomical constants, and certain zodiacal signs used to represent the solstices and equinoxes.
Unicode has formally assigned codepoints to most symbols, mainly in Miscellaneous Symbols Block (2600-26FF)[5] and Miscellaneous Symbols and Pictographs Block (1F300-1F5FF).[5]
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[hide]Symbols for the Sun and Moon[edit]
The use of astronomical symbols for the Sun and Moon dates to antiquity. The forms of the symbols that appear in the original papyri of Greek horoscopes are a circle with one ray (
) for the Sun and a crescent for the Moon.[3] The modern sun symbol, a circle with a dot (☉), first appeared in Europe in the Renaissance.[3]
) for the Sun and a crescent for the Moon.[3] The modern sun symbol, a circle with a dot (☉), first appeared in Europe in the Renaissance.[3]
These symbols are also known to be used in alchemy texts, sun was representing gold, moon representing silver and so on.
In modern academic usage, the sun symbol is used for astronomical constants relating to the sun.[6] The luminosity, mass, and radius of stars are often represented using the corresponding solar constants as units of measurement.[7]
| Sun | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Symbol | Unicode codepoint | Unicode display | Represents |
| Sun |  [8][9][10] | U+2609 (dec 9737) | ☉ | the Sun |
[3] | U+1F71A (dec 128794) | 🜚 | the Sun with one ray | |
 [11][12] | U+1F31E (dec 127774) | 🌞 | the face of the Sun | |
| Moon | ||||
| Name | Symbol | Unicode codepoint | Unicode display | Represents |
| Moon, or first-quarter moon |  [13][14][15] | U+263D (dec 9789) | ☽ | an increscent (waxing) moon |
 [11][16][17] | U+1F31B (dec 127771) | 🌛 | ||
| full moon |  [14][15] | U+1F315 (dec 127765) | 🌕 | |
 [11][16][17] | U+1F31D (dec 127773) | 🌝 | ||
| Moon, or last-quarter moon |  [14][15] | U+263E (dec 9790) | ☾ | a decrescent (waning) moon |
 [11][16][17] | U+1F31C (dec 127772) | 🌜 | ||
| new moon |  [14][15] | U+1F311 (dec 127761) | 🌑 | |
 [11][16][17] | U+1F31A (dec 127770) | 🌚 | ||
| Solar constants | ||
|---|---|---|
| Constant | Symbol | Value |
| Solar luminosity | L☉ | 3.839×1026 W, or 3.839×1033 erg/s[18] |
| Solar mass | M☉ | 1.98892×1030 kg[7] |
| Solar radius | R☉ | 6.955×108 m [19][20] |
| Solar effective temperature | Teff☉ | 5777 K[21][22] |
| Sources for displayed symbols:[7][23][24][25] | ||
Symbols for the planets[edit]
Symbols for the classical planets appear in the medieval Byzantine codices in which many ancient horoscopes were preserved.[2] The written symbols for Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn have been traced to forms found in late Greek papyri.[26] The symbols for Jupiter and Saturn are identified as monograms of the corresponding Greek names, and the symbol for Mercury is a stylized caduceus.[26]According to A. S. D. Maunder, antecedents of the planetary symbols were used in art to represent the gods associated with the classical planets; Bianchini's planisphere, produced in the 2nd century,[27] shows Greek personifications of planetary gods charged with early versions of the planetary symbols: Mercury has a caduceus; Venus has, attached to her necklace, a cord connected to another necklace; Mars, a spear; Jupiter, a staff; Saturn, a scythe; the Sun, a circlet with rays radiating from it; and the Moon, a headdress with a crescent attached.[28]
A diagram in Johannes Kamateros' 12th century Compendium of Astrology shows the Sun represented by the circle with a ray, Jupiter by the letter zeta (the initial of Zeus, Jupiter's counterpart in Greek mythology), Mars by a shield crossed by a spear, and the remaining classical planets by symbols resembling the modern ones, without the cross-mark seen in modern versions of the symbols. These cross-marks first appear around the 16th century. According to Maunder, the addition of crosses appears to be "an attempt to give a savour of Christianity to the symbols of the old pagan gods."[28]
The symbols for Uranus were created shortly after its discovery. One symbol, 
, invented by J. G. Köhler and refined by Bode, was intended to represent the newly discovered metal platinum; since platinum, commonly called white gold, was found by chemists mixed with iron, the symbol for platinum combines the alchemical symbols for iron, ♂, and gold, ☉.[29][30] This symbol also combines the symbols of Mars (♂) and the Sun (☉) because in Greek Mythology, Uranus represented heaven, and represents the combined power of Mars' spear and the Sun.[31] Another symbol, 
, was suggested by Lalande in 1784. In a letter to Herschel, Lalande described it as "un globe surmonté par la première lettre de votre nom" ("a globe surmounted by the first letter of your name").[32]
, invented by J. G. Köhler and refined by Bode, was intended to represent the newly discovered metal platinum; since platinum, commonly called white gold, was found by chemists mixed with iron, the symbol for platinum combines the alchemical symbols for iron, ♂, and gold, ☉.[29][30] This symbol also combines the symbols of Mars (♂) and the Sun (☉) because in Greek Mythology, Uranus represented heaven, and represents the combined power of Mars' spear and the Sun.[31] Another symbol, 
, was suggested by Lalande in 1784. In a letter to Herschel, Lalande described it as "un globe surmonté par la première lettre de votre nom" ("a globe surmounted by the first letter of your name").[32]
Several symbols were proposed for Neptune to accompany the suggested names for the planet. Claiming the right to name his discovery, Urbain Le Verrier originally proposed the name Neptune[33] and the symbol of a trident,[34] while falsely stating that this had been officially approved by the French Bureau des Longitudes.[33] In October, he sought to name the planet Leverrier, after himself, and he had loyal support in this from the observatory director, François Arago,[35] who in turn proposed a new symbol for the planet (
).[36]However, this suggestion met with stiff resistance outside France.[35] French almanacs quickly reintroduced the name Herschel forUranus, after that planet's discoverer Sir William Herschel, and Leverrier for the new planet.[37] Professor James Pillans of the University of Edinburgh defended the name Janus for the new planet, and proposed a key for its symbol.[34] Meanwhile, Struve presented the nameNeptune on December 29, 1846, to the Saint Petersburg Academy of Sciences.[38] In August 1847, the Bureau des Longitudes announced its decision to follow prevailing astronomical practice and adopt the choice of Neptune, with Arago refraining from participating in this decision.[39]
).[36]However, this suggestion met with stiff resistance outside France.[35] French almanacs quickly reintroduced the name Herschel forUranus, after that planet's discoverer Sir William Herschel, and Leverrier for the new planet.[37] Professor James Pillans of the University of Edinburgh defended the name Janus for the new planet, and proposed a key for its symbol.[34] Meanwhile, Struve presented the nameNeptune on December 29, 1846, to the Saint Petersburg Academy of Sciences.[38] In August 1847, the Bureau des Longitudes announced its decision to follow prevailing astronomical practice and adopt the choice of Neptune, with Arago refraining from participating in this decision.[39]
The International Astronomical Union discourages the use of these symbols in journal articles. In certain cases where planetary symbols might be used, such as in the headings of tables, the IAU Style Manual permits certain one- and (to disambiguate Mercury and Mars) two-letter abbreviations for the names of the planets.[40]
| Planets | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | IAU abbreviation | Symbol | Unicode codepoint | Unicode display | Represents |
| Mercury | Me |  [8][9][41] | U+263F (dec 9791) | ☿ | Mercury's winged helmet and caduceus,[8] or the caduceus alone[13][41] |
| Venus | V |  [8][9][41] | U+2640 (dec 9792) | ♀ | Venus' hand mirror[8][13][41] |
| Earth | E |  [9][13][14] | U+2641 (dec 9793) | ♁ | a globus cruciger,[42] or an inverted symbol for Venus[13] more popular in non-geocentric contexts |
 [8][9][41] | U+1F728 (dec 128808) | ⴲ | Globe with equator and a meridian[8][41] | ||
| Mars | Ma |  [8][9][41] | U+2642 (dec 9794) | ♂ | Mars' shield and spear[8][13][41] |
| Jupiter | J |  [8][9][41] | U+2643 (dec 9795) | ♃ | Jupiter's thunderbolt,[13] an eagle,[8] or the letter zeta or Z for Zeus, theGreek god analogous to Jupiter[8][41] |
| Saturn | S |  [8][9][41] | U+2644 (dec 9796) | ♄ | Saturn's sickle or scythe[8][13][41] |
| Uranus | U | [29][30] | U+26E2 (dec 9954) | ⛢ | Platinum[29][30] |
[14][15][41] | U+2645 (dec 9797) | ♅ | A globe surmounted by the letter H (for Herschel),[32] more common in older or British literature | ||
| Neptune | N |  [8][9][15] | U+2646 (dec 9798) | ♆ | Neptune's trident[8] |
[36][41] | N/A | N/A | A globe surmounted by the letters "L" and "V", (for Le Verrier),[36][41] more common in older, especially French, literature | ||
Symbols for minor planets[edit]
Following Giuseppe Piazzi's discovery of Ceres, a group of astronomers ratified the name, which Piazzi had proposed. At that time, the sickle was chosen as a symbol of the planet.[43]
The symbol for 2 Pallas, the spear of Pallas Athena, was invented by Baron Franz Xaver von Zach, and introduced in his Monatliche correspondenz zur beförderung der erd- und himmels-kunde.[44] In a letter to von Zach, discoverer Heinrich Wilhelm Matthäus Olbers(who had named the newly discovered asteroid) expressed his approval of the proposed symbol, but wished that the handle of the sickle of Ceres had been adorned with a pommel instead of a crossbar, to better differentiate it from the sign of Venus.[44]
Karl Ludwig Harding created the symbol for 3 Juno. Harding, who discovered this asteroid, proposed the name Juno and the use of a scepter topped with a star as its astronomical symbol.[45]
The symbol for 4 Vesta was invented by German mathematician Carl Friedrich Gauss. Dr. Olbers, having previously discovered and named 2 Pallas, gave Gauss the honor of naming his newest discovery. Gauss decided to name the new asteroid for the goddess Vesta, and also designed the symbol ⚶ (
): the altar of the goddess, with the sacred fire burning on it.[46][47] Other contemporaneous writers use a more elaborate symbol (
) instead.[48][49]
): the altar of the goddess, with the sacred fire burning on it.[46][47] Other contemporaneous writers use a more elaborate symbol (.svg){kind=small}
) instead.[48][49]
The next two asteroids, 5 Astraea and 6 Hebe, were both discovered by Karl Ludwig Hencke. Hencke requested that the symbol for 5 Astraea be an upside-down anchor;[50] however, a pair of balances was sometimes used instead.[10][51] Gauss named 6 Hebe at Hencke's request, and chose a wineglass as the symbol.[52][53]
As more new asteroids were discovered, astronomers continued to assign symbols to them. Thus, 7 Iris had for its symbol a rainbow with a star;[54] 8 Flora, a flower;[54] 9 Metis, an eye with a star;[55] 10 Hygiea, an upright snake with a star on its head;[56] 11 Parthenope, a standing fish with a star;[56] 12 Victoria, a star topped with a branch of laurel;[57] 13 Egeria, a buckler;[58] 14 Irene, a dove carrying an olive branch with a star on its head;[59] 15 Eunomia, a heart topped with a star;[60] 16 Psyche, a butterfly wing with a star;[61] 17 Thetis, a dolphin with a star;[62] 18 Melpomene, a dagger over a star;[63] and 19 Fortuna, a star over Fortuna's wheel.[63]
Johann Franz Encke made a major change in the Berliner Astronomisches Jahrbuch (BAJ, Berlin Astronomical Yearbook) for the year 1854, published in 1851. He introduced encircled numbers instead of symbols, although his numbering began with Astraea, the first four asteroids continuing to be denoted by their traditional symbols. This symbolic innovation was adopted very quickly by the astronomical community. The following year (1852), Astraea's number was bumped up to 5, but Ceres through Vesta would be listed by their numbers only in the 1867 edition. The circle later became a pair of parentheses, and the parentheses sometimes omitted altogether over the next few decades.[10]
A few asteroids were given symbols by their discoverers after the encircled-number notation became widespread. 26 Proserpina, 28 Bellona, 35 Leukothea, and 37 Fides, all discovered by R. Luther, were assigned, respectively, a pomegranate with a star inside;[64] a whip and spear;[65] an antique lighthouse;[66] and a cross.[67] 29 Amphitrite, discovered by Albert Marth, was assigned a shell for its symbol.[68]
Pluto's name and symbol were announced by the discoverers on May 1, 1930.[69] The symbol, a monogram of the letters PL, could be interpreted to stand for Pluto or for Percival Lowell, the astronomer who initiated Lowell Observatory's search for a planet beyond the orbit of Neptune.[8]
| Name | Symbol | Unicode codepoint | Unicode display | Represents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Ceres |  [10][14][41] | U+26B3 (dec 9907) | ⚳ | a handle-down sickle;[41] cf. the handle-up sickle symbol of Saturn |
| 2 Pallas |  [44] | U+26B4 (dec 9908) | ⚴ | a spear[44][51] |
| 3 Juno |  [45][70] | U+26B5 (dec 9909) | ⚵ | a scepter topped with a star[45] |
 [41][71] | ||||
| 4 Vesta | [46] | U+26B6 (dec 9910) | ⚶ | an altar with fire on it[46] |
| [10][51][71] | ||||
| 5 Astraea |  [50][51] | an anchor[50] | ||
 [72] | a pair of balances[41][51] | |||
| 6 Hebe |  [52][73][74] | a wineglass[52] | ||
 [10][41][51] | U+1F377 (dec 127863) | 🍷 | ||
| 7 Iris |  [10][41] | a rainbow with a star inside it[54] | ||
| 8 Flora |  [10][51] | U+2698 (dec 9880) | ⚘ | a flower[54] |
| 9 Metis |  [10][41][51] | an eye with a star above it[55] | ||
| 10 Hygeia |  [56][63] | a serpent with a star[56] | ||
 [10][51] | U+2695 (dec 9877) | ⚕ | Rod of Asclepius | |
| 11 Parthenope |  [10][56] | a fish with a star[56] | ||
 [72] | a harp[51] | |||
| 12 Victoria |  [10][51] | a star with a branch of laurel[57] | ||
| 13 Egeria |  [63] | a buckler[58] | ||
| 14 Irene |  [72] | a dove carrying an olive-branch in its mouth and a star on its head[59] | ||
| 15 Eunomia |  [10][51] | a heart with a star on top[60] | ||
| 16 Psyche |  [63] | a butterfly's wing and a star[61] | ||
| 17 Thetis |  [62] | a dolphin and a star[62] | ||
| 18 Melpomene |  [63] | a dagger over a star[63] | ||
| 19 Fortuna |  [63] | a star over a wheel[63] | ||
| 26 Proserpina |  [64] | a pomegranate with a star inside it[64] | ||
| 28 Bellona |  [65] | Bellona's whip and spear[65] | ||
| 29 Amphitrite |  [75] | a shell[68] | ||
| 35 Leukothea |  [66] | an ancient lighthouse[66] | ||
| 37 Fides |  [67] | a Latin cross, in fact showing broadened and rounded endings[67][75] | ||
| 134340 Pluto |  [8][9] | U+2647 (dec 9799) | ♇ | PL monogram for Pluto and Percival Lowell[8] |
 [76] | Modification of Neptune's astrological symbol. Resembles that of Neptune, but has a circle in place of the middle prong of the trident. |
Symbols for zodiac constellations and signs[edit]
The zodiac symbols have several astronomical interpretations. Depending on context, a zodiac symbol may denote a constellation, asign, or a point on the ecliptic plane.
Lists of astronomical phenomena published by almanacs sometimes included conjunctions of stars and planets or the Moon; rather than print the full name of the star, a Greek letter and the symbol for the constellation of the star was sometimes used instead.[77][78] In modern academic usage, all the constellations, including the twelve of the zodiac, have dedicated three-letter abbreviations.[79]
In astronomy, a sign was a unit of arc measurement, now obsolete, equal to 30 degrees.[80][81] Ecliptic longitude was thus measured in signs, degrees, minutes, and seconds. The sign component of this measurement was expressed either with a number from 0 to 11[82] or with the corresponding zodiac symbol.[81]
The zodiac symbols are also sometimes used to represent points on the ecliptic, each symbol representing the "first point" of each sign. Thus, ♈ is the vernal equinox, ♋ is the summer solstice, etc.[83][84]
| Zodiac | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | IAU abbreviation | Signs | Degrees | Symbol | Translation | Unicode codepoint | Unicode display |
| Aries | Ari | 0 | 0° |  | ram | U+2648 (dec 9800) | ♈ |
| Taurus | Tau | 1 | 30° |  | bull | U+2649 (dec 9801) | ♉ |
| Gemini | Gem | 2 | 60° |  | twins | U+264A (dec 9802) | ♊ |
| Cancer | Cnc | 3 | 90° |  | crab | U+264B (dec 9803) | ♋ |
| Leo | Leo | 4 | 120° |  | lion | U+264C (dec 9804) | ♌ |
| Virgo | Vir | 5 | 150° |  | virgin | U+264D (dec 9805) | ♍ |
| Libra | Lib | 6 | 180° |  | scales | U+264E (dec 9806) | ♎ |
| Scorpius | Sco | 7 | 210° |  | scorpion | U+264F (dec 9807) | ♏ |
| Sagittarius | Sgr | 8 | 240° |  | archer | U+2650 (dec 9808) | ♐ |
| Capricornus | Cap | 9 | 270° |  | sea-goat | U+2651 (dec 9809) | ♑ |
| Aquarius | Aqr | 10 | 300° |  | waterbearer | U+2652 (dec 9810) | ♒ |
| Pisces | Psc | 11 | 330° |  | fish | U+2653 (dec 9811) | ♓ |
Other symbols[edit]
Symbols for aspects and nodes appear in medieval texts, although medieval and modern usage of the node symbols differ; ☊ formerly stood for the descending node, and ☋ for the ascending node.[3] In describing the Keplerian elements of an orbit, ☊ is sometimes used to denote the ecliptic longitude of the ascending node, although it is more common to use Ω (capital omega), which was originally a typographical substitute for the old symbol.[85]
The symbols for aspects first appear in Byzantine codices.[3] Of the symbols for the five Ptolemaic aspects, only the three displayed here—for conjunction, opposition, and quadrature—are used in astronomy.[86]
Symbols for a comet (☄) and a star (
) have been used in published astronomical observations of comets. In tables of these observations, ☄ stood for the comet being discussed and for the star of comparison relative to which measurements of the comet's position were made.[87]
) have been used in published astronomical observations of comets. In tables of these observations, ☄ stood for the comet being discussed and for the star of comparison relative to which measurements of the comet's position were made.[87]| Other symbols | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Symbol | Unicode codepoint | Unicode display | |
| ascending node |  [9][14] | U+260A (dec 9738) | ☊ | |
| descending node |  [9][14] | U+260B (dec 9739) | ☋ | |
| conjunction |  [14][15] | U+260C (dec 9740) | ☌ | |
| opposition |  [14][15] | U+260D (dec 9741) | ☍ | |
| quadrature |  [14][15] | U+25A1 (dec 9633) | □ | |
| comet |  [14][75][87] | U+2604 (dec 9732) | ☄ | |
| star | [14][75][87] | U+2605 (dec 9733) | ★ | |
See also[edit]
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Astrological symbols are images used in various astrological systems to denote relevant objects. A number of such images are shown below.
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[hide]History and origin[edit]
Symbols for the classical planets, zodiac signs, aspects, lots, and the lunar nodes appear in the medieval Byzantine codices in which many ancient horoscopes were preserved.[1] In the original papyri of these Greek horoscopes, there were found a circle with the glyph representing shine() for the Sun and a crescent for the Moon.[2] The written symbols for Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn have been traced to forms found in late Greek papyri.[3] The symbols for Jupiter and Saturn are identified as monograms of the initial letters of the corresponding Greek names, and the symbol for Mercury is a stylized caduceus.[3] A. S. D. Maunder finds antecedents of the planetary symbols in earlier sources, used to represent the gods associated with the classical planets. Bianchini's planisphere, produced in the 2nd century,[4] shows Greek personifications of planetary gods charged with early versions of the planetary symbols: Mercury has a caduceus; Venus has, attached to her necklace, a cord connected to another necklace; Mars, a spear; Jupiter, a staff; Saturn, a scythe; the Sun, a circlet with rays radiating from it; and the Moon, a headdress with a crescent attached.[5] A diagram in Johannes Kamateros' 12th century Compendium of Astrology shows the Sun represented by the circle with a ray, Jupiter by the letter zeta (the initial of Zeus, Jupiter's counterpart in Greek mythology), Mars by a shield crossed by a spear, and the remaining classical planets by symbols resembling the modern ones, without the cross-mark seen in modern versions of the symbols.[5] The modern sun symbol, pictured as a circle with a dot (☉), first appeared in the Renaissance.[2]
) for the Sun and a crescent for the Moon.[2] The written symbols for Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn have been traced to forms found in late Greek papyri.[3] The symbols for Jupiter and Saturn are identified as monograms of the initial letters of the corresponding Greek names, and the symbol for Mercury is a stylized caduceus.[3] A. S. D. Maunder finds antecedents of the planetary symbols in earlier sources, used to represent the gods associated with the classical planets. Bianchini's planisphere, produced in the 2nd century,[4] shows Greek personifications of planetary gods charged with early versions of the planetary symbols: Mercury has a caduceus; Venus has, attached to her necklace, a cord connected to another necklace; Mars, a spear; Jupiter, a staff; Saturn, a scythe; the Sun, a circlet with rays radiating from it; and the Moon, a headdress with a crescent attached.[5] A diagram in Johannes Kamateros' 12th century Compendium of Astrology shows the Sun represented by the circle with a ray, Jupiter by the letter zeta (the initial of Zeus, Jupiter's counterpart in Greek mythology), Mars by a shield crossed by a spear, and the remaining classical planets by symbols resembling the modern ones, without the cross-mark seen in modern versions of the symbols.[5] The modern sun symbol, pictured as a circle with a dot (☉), first appeared in the Renaissance.[2]
Symbols for Uranus and Neptune were created shortly after their discovery. For Uranus, two variant symbols are seen. One symbol, , invented by J. G. Köhler and refined by Bode, was intended to represent the newly discovered metal platinum; since platinum, commonly called white gold, was found by chemists mixed with iron, the symbol for platinum combines the alchemical symbols for iron, ♂, and gold, ☉.[6][7] Another symbol, , was suggested by Lalande in 1784. In a letter to Herschel, Lalande described it as "un globe surmonté par la première lettre de votre nom" ("a globe surmounted by the first letter of your name").[8] After Neptune was discovered, the Bureau des Longitudes proposed the name Neptune and the familiar trident for the planet's symbol.[9]
, invented by J. G. Köhler and refined by Bode, was intended to represent the newly discovered metal platinum; since platinum, commonly called white gold, was found by chemists mixed with iron, the symbol for platinum combines the alchemical symbols for iron, ♂, and gold, ☉.[6][7] Another symbol, , was suggested by Lalande in 1784. In a letter to Herschel, Lalande described it as "un globe surmonté par la première lettre de votre nom" ("a globe surmounted by the first letter of your name").[8] After Neptune was discovered, the Bureau des Longitudes proposed the name Neptune and the familiar trident for the planet's symbol.[9]
The astrological symbols for the first three objects discovered at the beginning of the 19th century —Ceres, Pallas, and Juno—were also created after their discovery. Firstly, they were listed as planets, and half a century later, renamed as Asteroids. Shortly after Giuseppe Piazzi's discovery of Ceres, a group of astronomers ratified the name, proposed by the discoverer, and chose the sickle as a symbol of the planet.[10] The symbol for Pallas, the spear of Pallas Athena, was invented by Baron Franz Xaver von Zach, and introduced in hisMonatliche Correspondenz zur Beförderung der Erd- und Himmels-Kunde.[11] Karl Ludwig Harding, who discovered and named Juno, assigned to it the symbol of a scepter topped with a star.[12]
The modern astrological symbol for Vesta was created by Eleanor Bach,[13] who is credited with pioneering the use of the Big Fourasteroids with the publication of her Ephemerides of the Asteroids.[14] Bach's symbol for Vesta is a simplified version of other representations of Vesta's altar.[13] The original form of the symbol for Vesta, , was created by German mathematician Carl Friedrich Gauss. Dr. Olbers, having previously discovered and named one new planet (as the asteroids were then classified), gave Gauss the honor of naming his newest discovery. Gauss decided to name the planet for the goddess Vesta, and also specified that the symbol should be the altar of the goddess with the sacred fire burning on it.[15][16]
, was created by German mathematician Carl Friedrich Gauss. Dr. Olbers, having previously discovered and named one new planet (as the asteroids were then classified), gave Gauss the honor of naming his newest discovery. Gauss decided to name the planet for the goddess Vesta, and also specified that the symbol should be the altar of the goddess with the sacred fire burning on it.[15][16]
Pluto, like Uranus, has two symbols in use. One symbol, a monogram of the letters PL (which could be interpreted to stand for Pluto or for astronomer Percival Lowell), was announced with the name of the new planet by the discoverers on May 1, 1930.[17] The other symbol, which was popularized in Paul Clancy's astrological publications, is based on the symbol for Mercury, with the circle and arc of Mercury trading positions. This symbol is described by Dane Rudhyar as "suggest[ing] the planetary character of the Pluto mind by the circle, floating above the open cup." Although, this meaning is readily debatable due to Blavatskian origins, rather than a properly traditional understanding, such as may be found in the hermetic sciences.[18]
The symbol for the centaur Chiron, a key with the letter K (for discoverer Charles T. Kowal) was proposed by astrologer Al Morrison, who presented the symbol as "an inspiration shared amongst Al H. Morrison, Joelle K.D. Mahoney, and Marlene Bassoff."[19]
The symbol for retrograde motion is ℞, a capital R with a tail stroke.[20][21][22] An R with a tail stroke was used to abbreviate many words beginning with the letter R; in medical prescriptions, it abbreviated the word recipe[23] (from the Latin imperative of recipere "to take"[24]), and in missals, an R with a tail stroke marked the responses.[23]
Meanings of the symbols[edit]
Astrological planets[edit]
Further information: Planets in astrology
The glyphs of the planets are usually (but not always) broken down into four common elements: A circle denoting spirit, a crescent denoting the mind, a cross denoting practical/physical matter and an arrow denoting action or direction.[25]
| Name | Symbol | Symbol represents | Meaning of symbol |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | | Solar symbol (circled dot) | Divine spirit (circle) surrounding seed of potential |
| Moon | | A crescent moon | Mind or evolving human spirit through receptivity (crescent) |
| Mercury | | Mercury's winged helmet and caduceus | Mind (crescent) poised over divine spirit (circle) and matter (cross) |
| Venus | | Venus's hand mirror. | Divine spirit (circle) over matter (cross) |
| Earth | | Earth; a Solar symbol (sun cross) | Planet Earth — the cardinal directions. C.f. Globus cruciger |
| Mars | | Mars's shield and spear. | Drive (arrow) over divine spirit (circle) |
| Ceres | | Scythe (handle down), emblematic of Ceresas goddess of the Harvest. | A stylized sickle, a crescent of receptivity resting on a cross of matter. |
| Jupiter | | Jupiter's thunderbolt or eagle | Mind (crescent) rising above the horizon of matter (cross) |
| Saturn | | Saturn's sickle | Matter (cross) taking precedence over mind or human spirit (crescent) |
| Uranus | | H in symbol taken from discoverer's last name, Herschel | The circle of spirit and a dominant cross of matter, in form of an antenna that uses matter as a way to insight. |
| Derived from a combination of the Mars and Sun symbols | Astronomical glyph often used astrologically. Drive over a divine spirit (circle) surrounding seed of potential | |
| Neptune | | Neptune's trident | Mind or receptivity (crescent) transcending matter (cross) |
| Pluto | | Modification of Neptune's astrological symbol | Mind (crescent) transcending matter (cross) to reach for divine spirit (circle) |
| PL monogram for Pluto and Percival Lowell | Astronomical symbol often used astrologically |
Signs of the zodiac[edit]
Further information: Zodiac and Astrological sign
| Name | Meaning | Symbol | Image | Symbol Represents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aries | Ram | ♈ | | Face and horns of ram |
| Taurus | Bull | ♉ | | Face and horns of bull |
| Gemini | Twins | ♊ | | Companion |
| Cancer | Crab | ♋ | | Crab's claws |
| Leo | Lion | ♌ | | A script form of the Greek letter "lambda", which is the first letter of the Greek word leon, which means "lion" |
| Virgo | Virgin | ♍ | | Derived from the Greek letters ΠΑΡ, which are the first three letters of the Greek word parthenos, which means "virgin" |
| Libra | Scale | ♎ | | Scales |
| Scorpio | Scorpion | ♏ | | Stinger of a scorpion |
| Sagittarius | Archer | ♐ | | Arrow of the centaur |
| Capricorn[26] | Sea-goat or mountain goat | ♑ | | Body and head of a goat with the tail of a fish or face and horns of goat. |
 | ||||
| Aquarius | Waterbearer | ♒ | | Ripples of water; sometimes modernly viewed as bolts of lightning, waves of aether, or electrically-charged water |
| Pisces | Fish | ♓ | | Two fish tied together yet swimming in opposite directions |
Aspects[edit]
Further information: Astrological aspects
| Name | Symbol | Angle | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conjunction |  | 0° | Two or more planets in the same sign
A circle with a line implying two objects are in the same place (also, the starting point of an angle)
|
| Semisextile |  | 30° | One sign apart
The intersecting lines from the inner angles of the upper half of a hexagon (see Sextile)
|
| Semi-square |  | 45° | (also known as the "octile" or "semiquartile")
The bisecting line of a right angle (see Square)
|
| Sextile |  | 60° | Two signs apart
The intersecting lines from the inner angles of a hexagon
|
| Quintile |  | 72° | |
| Square |  | 90° | (also known as the "quartile")/Three signs apart/Same modality
A regular quadrilateral that represents the right angle
|
| Trine |  | 120° | Four signs apart/Same elemental triplicity
An equilateral triangle.
|
| Sesquiquadrate |  | 135° | (also known as the "sesquisquare," "square-and-a-half," and/or "trioctile")
The glyph of the Semi-Square under the glyph of the Square, implying the sum of them both
|
| Biquintile |  | 144° | |
| Quincunx |  | 150° | (also known as the "inconjunct")/Five signs apart
The intersecting lines from the inner angles of the lower half of a hexagon (see Sextile)
|
| Opposition |  | 180° | Six signs apart
The glyph of the Conjunction plus a circle on top of its line, implying two objects are in front (opposed) of each other.
|
Lunar phases[edit]
Further information: Lunar phase and Lunation type
| Name | Symbol[27][28] | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| New moon | | Denotes the new moon or a soli-lunar arc in the range 0°-45°. |
| Crescent moon |  | Denotes a waxing crescent moon or a soli-lunar arc in the range 45°-90°. |
| First quarter moon |  | Denotes a first quarter moon or a soli-lunar arc in the range 90°-135°. |
| Gibbous moon |  | Denotes a waxing gibbous moon or a soli-lunar arc in the range 135°-180°. |
| Full moon | | Denotes a full moon or a soli-lunar arc in the range 180°-225°. |
| Disseminating moon |  | Denotes a waning gibbous moon or a soli-lunar arc in the range 225°-270°. |
| Last quarter moon |  | Denotes a last quarter moon or a soli-lunar arc in the range 270°-315°. |
| Balsamic moon |  | Denotes a waning crescent moon or a soli-lunar arc in the range 315°-360°. |
Miscellaneous symbols[edit]
| Name | Symbol | Symbol represents | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ascendant |  | Angle | The ascendant (also known as the "ascensum coeli") is the rising intersection of the ecliptic with the celestial horizon at a particular moment in time; it is used in the construction of ahoroscope/natal chart |
| Midheaven |  | Angle | The midheaven (also known as the "medium coeli") is the point where the ecliptic crosses the local meridian; it is used in the construction of a horoscope/natal chart |
| AscendingNode | | Lunar node | Not all astrologers use the lunar nodes; however, their usage is very important in Vedic astrology. They are alternately known as the "Dragon's Head" (Rahu, Caput Draconis, or Anabibazon) and the "Dragon's Tail" (Ketu, Cauda Draconis, or Catabibazon). The two nodes together are most commonly referred to simply as the nodal axis, the lunar nodes, or the Moon's nodes. |
| DescendingNode | | Lunar node | |
| Black Moon Lilith |  | Lunarapogee | The traditional Black Moon Lilith is the position of the mean lunar apogee as measured from thegeocenter; variants of the Black Moon include replacing the mean orbit with a "true" osculating orbit or with an interpolated orbit; charting the empty focus of the Moon's orbit instead of the apogee; and measuring the desired point's barycentric or topocentric position instead of its geocentric position.[29] |
| Retrograde motion |  | Apparent retrograde motion | Symbol represents the apparent retrograde motion of a planet in an astrological chart |
| Comet |  | Comet | Different comets often use different symbols, but the use of comets is not widespread in mainstream astrology |
| 2 Pallas | | Asteroid | A spear (variant has triangle on top) Alchemical symbol for sulfur (both variants) see also Asteroids in astrology) |
| 10 Hygiea | | Asteroid | A serpent coiled around Asclepius' rod |
 | Two serpents coiled around the rod. (Alternative astrological symbol) | ||
| 3 Juno | | Asteroid | The scepter (of a queen, Juno is the Roman equivalent of Greek Hera) topped with a star |
| 4 Vesta |  | Asteroid | The fire on the hearth or altar (Roman equivalent of Greek Hestia) |
| 2060 Chiron |  | Centaur | Stylized body of a centaur (the circle is the horse part, the K-like glyph is the human part) |
| Lot of fortune |  | Lot | Glyph for planet Earth rotated 45 degrees. |
| Eris |  | Dwarf planet | An Eye of Providence; proposed by astrologer Zane B. Stein[30] |
 | The Hand of Eris; also used non-astrologically by Discordians[30] | ||
 | In use by astrologers in Poland and by the astrology software Urania[30][31] | ||
 | Based on the symbols for Pluto, Mars, and Venus; proposed by Henry Seltzer and used in Time Passages[30][32] |
Unicode encodings[edit]
| Symbol | Image | Unicode[33] | Glyph |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | | U+2609 | ☉ |
| U+1F71A | 🜚 | |
| Moon | | U+263D | ☽ |
| U+263E | ☾ | |
| Mercury | | U+263F | ☿ |
| Venus | | U+2640 | ♀ |
| Earth | | U+1F728 | 🜨 |
| Mars | | U+2642 | ♂ |
| Jupiter | | U+2643 | ♃ |
| Saturn | | U+2644 | ♄ |
| Uranus | | U+2645 | ♅ |
| U+26E2 | ⛢ | |
| Neptune | | U+2646 | ♆ |
| 1 Ceres | | U+02A1 | ʡ |
| 2 Pallas | | U+26B4 | ⚴ |
| 3 Juno | | U+26B5 | ⚵ |
| 4 Vesta | | U+26B6 | ⚶ |
| 10 Hygiea | | U+2695 | ⚕ |
| 2060 Chiron | | U+26B7 | ⚷ |
| Eris | | not present | -- |
| not present | -- | |
| ≈ U+2641 | ♁ | |
| ≈ U+29EC | ⧬ | |
| Pluto | | U+2647 | ♇ |
| not present | -- | |
| Aries | | U+2648 | ♈ |
| Taurus | | U+2649 | ♉ |
| Gemini | | U+264A | ♊ |
| Cancer | | U+264B | ♋ |
| Leo | | U+264C | ♌ |
| Virgo | | U+264D | ♍ |
| Libra | | U+264E | ♎ |
| Scorpio | | U+264F | ♏ |
| Sagittarius | | U+2650 | ♐ |
| Capricorn | | U+2651 | ♑ |
| |||
| Aquarius | | U+2652 | ♒ |
| Pisces | | U+2653 | ♓ |
| Conjunction | | U+260C | ☌ |
| Semisextile | | U+26BA | ⚺ |
| Semi-square | | ≈ U+2220 | ∠ |
| Sextile | | U+26B9 | ⚹ |
| Quintile | | U+0051 | Q |
| Square | | U+25A1 | □ |
| Trine | | U+25B3 | △ |
| Sesquiquadrate | | U+26BC | ⚼ |
| Biquintile | | U+0062 U+0051 | bQ |
| Quincunx | | U+26BB | ⚻ |
| Opposition | | U+260D | ☍ |
| New moon | | U+1F311 | 🌑 |
| Crescent moon | | U+1F312 | 🌒 |
| First quarter moon | | U+1F313 | 🌓 |
| Gibbous moon | | U+1F314 | 🌔 |
| Full moon | | U+1F315 | 🌕 |
| Disseminating moon | | U+1F316 | 🌖 |
| Last quarter moon | | U+1F317 | 🌗 |
| Balsamic moon | | U+1F318 | 🌘 |
| Ascendant | | not plain text | ASC |
| Midheaven | | not plain text | MC |
| Ascending node | | U+260A | ☊ |
| Descending node | | U+260B | ☋ |
| Black Moon Lilith | | U+26B8 | ⚸ |
| Retrograde motion | | ≈ U+211E | ℞ |
| Lot of fortune | | ≈ U+2297 | ⊗ |
| Comet | | U+2604 | ☄ |
See also[edit]
- Alchemical symbols
- Astronomical symbols
- Astrological sign
- Asteroids in astrology
- Aztec calendar
- Sexagenary cycle
- Earthly Branches
- Heavenly Stems
- Mayan calendar
- Nakshatra
- Navagraha
- Monas Hieroglyphica
- Gender symbols
- Classical elements
- Vedic astrology
- Sri Rama Chakra
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Referenc
