In Sanatan Dharma (Hinduism), we worship nine planets, but actually, there are only seven real planets in astrology: Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, and Saturn.

Rahu and Ketu are not real planets. They are called shadow planets.

These planets move around Earth day and night. Among all of them, Saturn is the farthest planet. Saturn takes around 10,759 days (about 30 years) to complete one circle around the zodiac.

Next comes Jupiter, which takes 4,332 days (about 12 years) to complete one zodiac cycle. That’s why the Kumbh Mela happens every 12 years based on Jupiter’s movement.

Mars takes about 687 days (nearly 1 year and 11 months) to travel through all 12 zodiac signs.

Then comes Earth, which takes 365.25 days (1 year) to complete one full orbit around the Sun.

Next is Venus, which takes about 225 days to go through the 12 zodiac signs.

Mercury takes 88 days for one zodiac cycle.

Finally, the Moon is the fastest and takes only 27 days, 8 hours, and 45 minutes to move through all zodiac signs.

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What About the Sun’s Movement?

You might wonder, why isn’t the Sun’s movement mentioned? Here’s the tricky part—whether Earth moves or the Sun moves, the result is the same from a math point of view. That’s why, in astrology, we treat the Sun as moving, and Earth as still.

This movement is called “Ayanansh” in astrology. In English, it’s known as Precession. The Sun shifts 1 degree every 61.25 years.
Different astrologers use different Ayanansh values, but most use a standard one for calculations. For example:

In year 1850, Ayanansh was 21°43′35″
In year 1977, it became 23°47′28″
This means that in 127 years, the Sun moved about 1 hour 13 minutes (self-calculated).

The 9 Planets and Their Characteristics

Astrology has 12 zodiac signs and 12 houses. There are 7 main planets. Each planet rules one or two signs:

Sun and Moon rule 1 sign each
Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, and Saturn rule 2 signs each

Also, planets are divided as:

Male Planets: Sun, Mars, Jupiter
Female Planets: Moon, Venus

1. Sun (Surya)

The Sun gives us energy, confidence, and leadership. It shows how strong and bold we are inside. It also stands for our soul.

Represents: Energy, self-power, leadership, confidence
Rules: Leo (Singh)
Strong in: Aries (Mesh)
Weak in: Libra (Tula)
Color: Red
Body parts: Brain, head, eyes, bones
Direction: East
The Sun is known as the soul of all planets.

2. Moon (Chandra)

The Moon controls our mind and emotions. It shows how we feel, how we love, and how we care about others.

Represents: Mind, emotions, love, peace, motherhood
Rules: Cancer (Kark)
Strong in: Taurus (Vrishabh)
Weak in: Scorpio (Vrishchik)
Direction: North
Controls: Blood, lungs, brain, and creativity
It’s also linked to Vata and Kapha dosha in Ayurveda.

3. Mars (Mangal)

Mars is the planet of strength, courage, and action. It tells us how brave and powerful we are, and how we deal with fights or challenges.

Represents: Courage, strength, bravery
Rules: Aries (Mesh) and Scorpio (Vrishchik)
Strong in: Capricorn (Makar)
Weak in: Cancer (Kark)
Direction: South-West (Nairitya)
Controls: Siblings, blood, muscles, ears, and nose

4. Mercury (Budh)

Mercury helps us with speaking, learning, and thinking clearly. It shows how smart, clever, or talkative we are.

Represents: Logic, learning, speech, awareness
Rules: Gemini (Mithun) and Virgo (Kanya)
Strong in: Virgo
Weak in: Pisces (Meen)
Controls: Skin, voice, speech, sexual health
Neutral planet linked with Earth element

5. Jupiter (Guru/Brihaspati)

Jupiter is the planet of wisdom, knowledge, and growth. It shows our luck, learning, and how kind or helpful we are to others.

Represents: Wisdom, growth, happiness, education
Rules: Sagittarius (Dhanu) and Pisces (Meen)
Strong in: Cancer (Kark)
Weak in: Capricorn (Makar)
Controls: Marriage, children, religion, Vedas, knowledge
Jupiter is the most beneficial planet in astrology.

Also Read: Astrology Predictions for the USA and Donald Trump’s Future

6. Venus (Shukra)

Venus brings love, beauty, and romance. It shows how we enjoy life, art, relationships, and luxury.

Represents: Love, romance, beauty, marriage, business
Rules: Taurus (Vrishabh) and Libra (Tula)
Strong in: Pisces (Meen)
Weak in: Virgo (Kanya)
Linked with the water element
Strong Venus = Happy love life & career
Weak Venus = Troubled relationships

7. Saturn (Shani)

Saturn teaches hard work, patience, and discipline. It rewards us based on our past actions and helps us grow slowly but strongly.

Represents: Hard work, justice, patience, discipline
Rules: Capricorn (Makar) and Aquarius (Kumbh)
Strong in: Libra (Tula)
Weak in: Aries (Mesh)
Direction: West
Color: Black
Called the Planet of Karma and Justice
Connected to Air element

8. Rahu (Shadow Planet)

Rahu is not a real planet, but it affects us by creating desires, confusion, and obsession. It can push us to chase dreams or make bad choices if not handled well.

Not a real planet—a shadow
Represents: Desires, illusion, obsession
Strong in: Taurus (Vrishabh) and Gemini (Mithun)
Weak in: Scorpio (Vrishchik) and Sagittarius (Dhanu)
Can cause: Greed, addiction, lies, mental stress
Linked to Tamas guna and Vata-Pitta dosha

9. Ketu (Shadow Planet)

Ketu is also a shadow planet. It brings spirituality, detachment, and wisdom. It helps us move away from material things and focus on inner peace.

Also a shadow planet
Represents: Spiritual freedom, detachment
Strong in: Scorpio (Vrishchik) and Sagittarius (Dhanu)
Weak in: Taurus (Vrishabh) and Gemini (Mithun)
Color: Dark (Krishna Varna)
Makes people either very spiritual or totally materialistic
Linked to Moksha (liberation) and Vairagya (detachment)

Nine Planets and their Characteristics in Astrology

What About the Sun’s Movement?