Sometimes I just sit on my patio set and stare and wonder at the mystery and beauty of our solar system. Our solar system is filled with eight planets, with Pluto now classified as a dwarf planet. Each of these planets is unique in their own right and has its own geography, climate and moons. Here a list of the coolest three planets in our solar system.

Saturn

Saturn only slightly beat out Jupiter as one of the top three coolest planets in our solar system because it has the rings. This system of rings is largely made up of ice particles and other debris and dust. Compared to Earth with has one moon, Saturn instead has sixty-one moons that orbit its atmosphere. Mostly made up of helium and hydrogen, the surface of Saturn is its atmosphere. It does not have a surface like Earth which you can stand on making it an interesting and unique planet.

Mars

The fourth planet from the son and nicknamed the “red planet”, Mars is a terrestrial planet with a thin atmosphere and a similar surface to the Moon, with volcanoes, valleys, deserts and ice caps. Being such a close planet to the Earth and with a similar surface, Mars was often one of the most common planets postulated to have alien life. Many attempt to find life on Mars have been futile but some evidence suggests it may have once been much more habitable than it is today. It is still hard to tell if any living organisms were every present there but who knows what science may find in the future.

Mercury

Mercury is a unique planet because it is the closet planet in our solar system to the sun. Very similar in appearance to the Moon, Mercury is heavily cratered and with no substantial atmosphere. The surface of Mercury has been heavily bombarded by comets and asteroids making it inhabitable even if the atmosphere was conducive to life as we know it. The possibility is still there, though, that billions of years ago, when the sun was not as powerful as it is today, Mercury may have been able to sustain life.

Alan McGee is a freelance writer from MN.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/astrology-articles/top-three-planets-in-our-solar-system-1566551.html

Just The Basics by Wiccame

This is a cut corners, crash course in astrology. Before we’re finished, I want you to understand more about real, bona fide, astrology than 90% of the rest of the population does. (Although, you’ll probably gain just enough understanding to make you dangerous.) You might want to bookmark this page, since there might be more here than you can comfortably digest at a single sitting.

Sun Sign Astrology?

Almost everyone knows what their “astrological Sun sign” is from reading the daily horoscopes in the newspaper. Sun Sign Astrology is just the tip of a huge iceberg. What most folks don’t realize is that at the moment of a person’s birth – in real, bona fide, astrology each of the planets in our solar system has a correlation with regard to the human personality depending on:

What Zodiac Sign the planet is in

How the different planets “aspect” or “connect” with each other

And what house the planet is in.

Geez! We’ve barely just gotten started – and we’ve already got four major concepts going here:

I – Planets – raw energy (these are the Verbs of Astrology)

II – Zodiac Signs – patterns of energy (these are the Adverbs of Astrology) you know – the twelve signs, Aries – Pisces

III – Aspects – these are different connections between the planets

IV – Houses – where the energy/patterns (planets/signs) take place

So astrologers attempt the difficult task of cohesively pulling together and synthesizing the ways that the planets, signs, aspects, and houses in a person’s birth chart all work together to form a whole. We look for major repeated themes in the birth chart. And we look for a thousand other “things” that aren’t part of a cut corners, crash course in astrology.

I – Planets (and Points)

For some unknown, unfathomable, mysterious reason – the Sun, the Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto in our solar system have a mystical “correspondence” with the internal makeup of the human psyche.

Why this is so – I’m basically clueless…. I suppose most unknown, unfathomable mysteries are destined to remain unknown, unfathomable mysteries (and stubbornly refuse to be pinned down by our teeny, tiny human brains)…That’s why they’re called unfathomable.

Along with these 10 planets, there are several other “points” on the birth chart that are also muy importante (very important). However, in a Crash Course, we only have to include a special point called “the Ascendant.” (Sometimes also called the Rising Sign.)

The Big Three

Of all the many planets and/or points in the birth chart – there are three planets and/or points that are the very most important to get a handle on. These three most important planets and/or points are the Moon, the Sun, and the Ascendant.

The Rest Of The Planets Are Important Modifiers

Personal Planets

Mercury – communication, intelligence, thought, ideas
Venus – relating abilities, pleasure, enjoyment, values
Mars – assertiveness, getting what you want, survival
Social Planets
Jupiter – expansion, beneficent, jovial, opportunity, religious
Saturn – restriction, limitations, structure, learning hard lessons
Generational Planets
(most important to individual personality as they form aspects to the other planets, the Ascendant, and the houses they fall in)
Uranus – independent, electricity, shock, inventive, detachment
Neptune – dependent, foggy, romantic, misty, mystical, magnetic, imagination
Pluto – intensity, hidden, invisible, transformation, eros, erotic
In a nutshell:
the Moon symbolizes – where we’ve already been (instincts)
the Sun symbolizes – where we’re going in the future (heart and identity)
and the Ascendant symbolizes – how we’re going to get there (outer behaviors).
The Three Most Important Points On A Birth Chart:
The Ascendant The Ascendant is also sometimes known as the “Rising Sign” – and to add to your confusion… the Ascendant is not a physical celestial body or planet.
The Ascendant (or Rising Sign) is the Zodiac sign which was rising on the horizon at the exact moment of your birth. The Ascendant represents the exact dawning of your life on planet Earth. It’s the part of the Sky that came to meet and greet you at the exact moment of your birth.
The Ascendant aids us in answering the question: “who am I in this world?” The Ascendant acts as an “I am filter” through which we process all of our life experiences… The Ascendant acts as a protector and a mask (yet it’s much more than simply a mask). The Ascendant reflects how we allow the world at large to “see” us…. it reflects our outward behaviors and personality that people first see when getting to know us.
On our own personal “hero’s journey,” the Ascendant takes on the very nature of “the quest.” The outer behaviors of the Ascendant set the “stage” of our story. And the Ascendant is “the Guide” on our personal Quest! The fast moving point of the Ascendant cycles through all 12 of the Zodiac Signs within the course of a single day. And because the Ascendant is such a fast moving point on the chart – it’s the main reason why astrologers need to know the exact time and place of your birth.

The Ascendant also determines the house placements in the birth chart. Some astrologers are big into the Ascendant determining physical characteristics – I’m not convinced. (An interesting aside note: in one of her books, Liz Greene mentions that the Midheaven is often more important in determining physical characteristics…. Don’t worry…. If you stop off at the Castle before leaving this section, then you’ll be introduced to the Midheaven)
The Moon – in the birth chart, the Moon reflects where we find our greatest source of emotional security and feel the safest. The Moon is the most important point during the “growing up” years. Paradoxically, the Moon symbolizes both our “inner mother” and our “inner child.” As an adult, whenever we’re scared or find ourselves “cornered in a tight spot” – the Moon contains our “bag of tricks,” our inheritance, our instincts which we unconsciously fall back on to save ourselves in stressful times of trouble.
Remember all those stories where the young hero starting out on a quest is given something to protect him/her by their mother? The thing given is usually a magic ring, cloak, potion, etc.?
The item Mom (Moon) gives the young hero is very often something that once belonged to the hero’s father. It’s a part of the hero’s inheritance. And when the hero gets caught in a really tight spot – the hero then gets out this gift which miraculously “saves the hero’s bacon….”
The Sun – in the birth chart – reflects our sense of identity, self-expression, source of creativity, and how we shine best. The Sun normally gains in importance and strength as we grow older and develop a clearer sense of who we are as an individual. Fact is, though…. some folks never effectively express their Sun Sign energy (regardless of what the Daily Horoscope versions of astrology say). Some folks get stuck in only identifying with their Ascendant and/or Moon.
The Sun is the focal point of our Hero’s Journey! In order to feel totally alive… the Sun is the “inner hero,” that over the course of a life-time, we must learn how to consciously give energy and expression to.
Summing Up:
The Ascendant is the Guide on our personal quest. (outer behaviors)
The Moon is the Inheritance (the bag of tricks containing a magic ring or potion) which saves the hero in those times of grave danger. (instincts)
And the Sun is the Hero of our quest. (heart and identity)
Remember… the Moon is where we’re been, the Sun is where we’re going, and the Ascendant is how we get there. (be sure to check out “The Castle” when you come to it. It’ll help clarify all this.)
Ascendant, Sun, Moon… Most important?
I’m often asked, “okay…. okay…. , BUT, Dr Z, IF you had to narrow it down – which one is truly the most important of the three? The Ascendant, the Sun, or the Moon?”
I don’t have to narrow it down!
The Sun, the Moon, and the Ascendant are all very, very important in their own particular way….
Here’s something you might find interesting…. in Greek Mythology, the Titan god Hyperion (he above) and the Titan goddess Theia (the divine) conceived three children:
Helios — the god of the Sun
Selene — the goddess of the Moon
and Eos — the goddess of the morning (dawn)
These three celestial children of the Titans were, however, considered to be subject to all the other gods and goddesses of the Greek Pantheon.
II – Zodiac Signs
as described by the Elements and Modes
Moving on, we come to the Signs of the Zodiac (which most folks are at least semi-familiar with)… Sure…. you most likely know the Zodiac Sign of your birth Sun – but where is the Ascendant, the Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto? Don’t go into shock – but in your birth chart – each of the different planets (and points) mentioned in Section One are most normally located in several of the different Zodiac signs. The Zodiac Sign of a particular planet in your birth chart will modify how the raw energy of the planet is expressed in your life.
At the very heart and soul of the twelve Zodiac signs are what are called the Elements and Modes. A lot of folks, including myself, mistakenly ignore(d) the Elements and Modes when first starting out. However, ignoring the Elements and Modes is a huge mistake – because the Elements and Modes are responsible for determining the basic qualities and characteristics of the twelve Zodiac signs.
The twelve Zodiac signs are divided up into different cyclic combinations of the Elements and Modes.

“Wandering Stars”

Seen from the Earth the planets may appear tiny and insignificant. And yet humans have always been fascinated by these bodies that appear as points of light in the night sky, and wondered about their movement through the heavens. The ancient Greeks noticed that some lights in the sky stayed in the same place in relation to each other—those are the stars in the constellations—while others moved around the sky in the course of the year. The Greeks called these moving lights asteres planetes, or “wandering stars.”

A planet is a celestial body that orbits a star and is large enough to have its own gravity. It was only in the 17th century that Galileo determined that Earth is part of a system of planets that revolve around our Sun. Ours is not the only solar system—at least 70 systems of planets revolving around stars have been discovered just in our own galaxy. Scientists believe there are more than 100 billion galaxies in the universe!

As currently defined by scientists, there are eight planets in our solar system: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. Ceres and Pluto, which are important in astrology, are considered dwarf planets. There are other small heavenly bodies, such as Chiron, that have an important role in astrology.

Everything Is Part of the Universal Energy Field

The most remote true planet in our solar system is Neptune, which is 2.68 billion miles from Earth. How can something that is so far away have an effect on life here on Earth? It is because all things in the universe are part of one and the same energy field. Events in one part of the universe radiate outward and eventually their energy reaches the far corners of the universe. Nothing is independent of this web of energy.

Again and again in astrology you will be reminded of the interrelation among all things in the universe. Everything in the universe—including human beings—consists of energy, and energy fields interact with one another.

“As Above, So Below”

Astrology also teaches that events, patterns, and relationships are repeated throughout the universe, from the macrocosm to the microcosm. It is easy to see the similarity between electrons swirling around the nucleus of an atom, and planets revolving around the sun. Both are energy systems held together by attractions among the elements of the system.

This relation between the macrocosm and the microcosm is expressed as “As above, so below.” In modern astrology the movements of the planets and the relations among them are used as analogies to understand life on Earth.

The Planets in Antiquity

The planets played an important role in early mythology and religion and were thought to be divine beings. The names of the planets (except for Earth, which was not understood as a planet by the ancients) come from Greek and Roman mythology. The Greeks, Romans, and later cultures associated each planet with a specific god. For example, the planet Venus is associated with the Roman goddess Venus, corresponding to the Greek goddess Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty. That ancient association with the deities heavily influences the interpretation of the planet Venus in modern astrology.

The Planets in Modern Astrology

Astrology is derived from ancient knowledge and beliefs, but it has evolved over time as our understanding of the universe and of life has evolved. The modern understanding of the influence of the planets relates to how we conceptualize the human psyche, as consisting of basic drives and impulses. Those aspects of the psyche or personality are influenced by the characteristics of each planet and also by the movement of the planets through the 12 signs and houses (spheres of life) during the astrological year.

The planets relate to each other as part of the same great energy system (the solar system). As they change their position, the angles they form in relation to each other change. Those angles are called aspects. The aspect between two planets changes how each body’s energy is manifested.

The Celestial Drama

It should come as no surprise that some people’s lives—perhaps your own?—are full of drama. Photos taken by the Hubble telescope reveal that the cosmos is full of drama—whirling galaxies racing through space at thousands of miles an hour and sometimes even colliding, exploding stars, planets racing around their stars. And yet the reverse is also true: there is tremendous order and beauty in the universe. Remember: “As above, so below.” There is a relation between the cosmic drama and beauty, and the drama and beauty of our lives.

It can help you understand astrology to conceive of the events within our own Solar System as a dramatic play with a stage, actors, and a story. The planets are the main characters in this drama. Their stage is constantly turning, so that from where you are seated in the audience, each month you see one play ending and another beginning as the year moves through the twelve signs of the zodiac. The same actors—the planets—are present on each of the twelve stages, but their role changes with each new play, or sign. So, for example, the Moon in Aries will have a different impact than the Moon in Capricorn. And the Moon at the beginning of Aries will be different from the Moon at the end of Aries.

Each planet has its own unique characteristics, like a personality. Taken together, the planets span the whole gamut of personality, both the light and dark sides, conscious and unconscious, from the lower self to the higher self. By learning about the personality aspects of the planets you can use astrology to understand the forces at work in your own personality and to direct your life energy. So there is a way to manage all that drama!

In my book Jewelry and Gems for Self-Discovery: Choosing Gemstones that Delight the Eyes & Strengthen the Soul I teach you about how to read your horoscope and how to find the main themes in your chart. Then you will be able to balance yourself with your 12 main healing gemstones, you could call your true birthstones.

You can find me at http://www.JewelryandGemsforSelfdiscovery.com .

You can also visit me at the Astrological Signs Weather Report & Healing Gems Blog where I discuss the actual universal, astrological forces and inspire you to use them wisely for a successful and joyful life. Healing gemstones are suggested as tools to balance and come into alignment with the cosmic flow and can be used to create custom designed soul jewelry.

I hope you enjoyed this look into the mysterious planets and their interconnectedness with us.

Aloha and many blessings, Shakti.

Shakti Carola Navran, astrologer, jeweler and author

NEXT: Descriptions of the astrological principles of the individual planets.

Shakti Carola Navran (from Maui, Hawaii), a professional jeweler, astrologer and author with a lifelong spiritual journey, has been crafting personalized Soul Jewelry since 1977.
Her book Jewelry & Gems for Self-Discovery is a treasure chest of ideas on how to select, purchase, and wear jewelry that will enhance your body, heart, mind, and soul. Find out more about it at:
http://www.JewelryandGemsforSelfdiscovery.com
http://jewelryandgemsforselfdiscovery.com/blog/

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/astrology-articles/astrological-planets-other-heavenly-bodies-part-1-1001920.html