1. Uranus
In fact, everyone's birth chart includes personal planets (such as the Sun, Moon, Venus, etc.) and outer planets like Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto. The positions and degrees of these celestial bodies in zodiac signs constitute each person's unique birth chart. Additionally, "transits" are also influenced by the movements of these planets, which in turn exert different impacts corresponding to the houses and planetary degrees in our birth charts.
Let’s start with "Uranus". Uranus makes people and events highly sudden and unexpected; they can be either surprises or joys, but in any case, they are never what you anticipate! When an outer planet transits into a new sign, the impact is significant, as it shifts from one old energy to another. On July 7th this year, Uranus moved from Taurus to Gemini. Just imagine the stability of Taurus versus the variability of Gemini—combined with Uranus’ inherent "impact force" and "suddenness", this transition can bring extremely shocking events, which everyone will feel, including natural disasters and man-made calamities like earthquakes and tsunamis. Former U.S. President Trump is a Gemini, and as we all can see, weren’t his behaviors and remarks over the past six months or so perfectly "Uranian"—unpredictable and startling?
In fact, Uranus takes approximately 7 years to transit one zodiac sign. It moves slowly and remains in "retrograde" for about 4-5 months each year. In September, it will retrograde back into Taurus—for the last time—and thus shake everyone once again. If it happens to transit the Midheaven (MC) in your birth chart, you will feel that your job position, relationship with your boss, or public image is shaken or affected by aftershocks once more. You have no choice but to accept this sudden, changeable new force (in fact, you already felt this powerful "wind" blowing strongly around July 7th). Currently, the retrograde is urging you to break old frameworks/structures; you can no longer proceed steadily and slowly. Instead, you must be flexible to embrace new, rapid changes and embark on a new chapter!
Remember, everyone will be affected by this "shake-up"—it just depends on which area of life it impacts. Meanwhile, when you look back on today’s shocks and changes in the future, you will thank Uranus for this driving force and test, as it is what gives you the courage and strength to rewrite a certain aspect of your life!
2. Venus
I believe everyone has heard of the planet "Venus" (a common English name for girls). Venus is associated with "beauty" and pleasure; it also rules our love life, the people/things we like, and our values.
Since Venus is linked to "beauty", it also represents our standards for beauty. Taurus and Libra are both ruled by Venus. Have you noticed that friends around you with these two sun signs have high standards for "beauty"? They set strict criteria for attractive people and things, so they often have requirements for their partner’s appearance. This tendency becomes even more pronounced if their Venus is also placed in these two signs.
In romantic relationships, we all have a so-called "preferred type": perhaps each romantic partner shares similar personalities or traits, or even similar relationship experiences? (This is the so-called "repeated pattern".) This is partially related to Venus. Another article about Mars mentioned "Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus"; similarly, when a man looks for a girlfriend, he tends to be drawn to the type represented by Venus in his birth chart. Since Venus rules the realm of love, for women, in addition to considering "Mars", Venus also reveals their attitude toward love and their preferred partner type.
For example, if someone’s Venus is in Aquarius (setting aside house placement and aspects for now), the romantic partner they like is usually "unconventional"—not of the mainstream type. They value intellectual communication and need space in emotional relationships. If your Venus is in Virgo, you may tend to have "emotional purity": you are cautious and slow to open up in relationships, and may even be a bit picky or nagging toward your partner, as you want them to be perfect.
If you plan to start a new relationship or get married, be extremely careful not to do so during Venus retrograde. The reason is similar to why we avoid signing important documents or buying electronic products during Mercury retrograde. Venus retrogrades once every 18 months, lasting about 40 days each time. Additionally, it is advisable to avoid cosmetic procedures or major hairstyle changes (e.g., cutting long hair very short, perming straight hair into large curls—changes with strong contrasts) during Venus retrograde. Since the planet ruling beauty is in retrograde, your sense of beauty may "malfunction" during these periods, and you will likely regret your choices afterward.
3. Ascendant
Typically, when we talk about Western astrology, we learn someone’s "star sign" from their birthday—and this sign refers to their Sun sign. I believe you have also often heard of the "Ascendant" (Rising Sign). There is a popular saying that "we should look at the Ascendant after the age of 30", but in reality, the Ascendant represents the first impression your appearance and demeanor give others, and it has nothing to do with age. Have you ever met someone new, only to find their displayed personality completely inconsistent with their Sun sign—leading you to guess their sign incorrectly? To a large extent, this is influenced by their Ascendant. You can think of the Ascendant as a storefront window: it is the side of yourself you show to the world, and the "image" you use to face life.
For example, if you go to a job interview and meet the interviewer for the first time, the first impression they have of you is shaped by your Ascendant (including the personal traits and appearance you present to them). Suppose your Ascendant is Leo: the first impression you leave on the interviewer is likely someone confident, leadership-oriented, and with a desire to perform. If your Ascendant is Taurus, the interviewer may perceive you as calm, gentle, and unhurried in speech. Of course, working with you will reveal more about your work style, but interviews rely solely on first impressions—and we often judge whether someone is suitable to be a friend based on first impressions. Thus, the Ascendant plays an important role in certain life scenarios.
In fact, for the "horoscope fortune" we often discuss, a more accurate judgment should be based primarily on the Ascendant. Due to the Earth’s rotation, the Ascendant changes every 2-3 hours, making it more dynamic. Therefore, the Ascendant has a more direct impact on monthly or annual fortune, especially in specific life areas.
When interpreting horoscope fortune, a more comprehensive analysis and insights can be obtained by integrating the transits and characteristics of both the Sun sign and the Ascendant.
People with certain Ascendants tend to have attractive appearances. For example, those with Virgo Ascendant usually have pleasant looks—even if they are not conventionally "good-looking", they often have well-proportioned figures and appropriate dressing styles. Most people with Leo Ascendant are tall or sturdy, with large facial features (e.g., big eyes) and an aura that turns heads. Additionally, Scorpio Ascendant is also associated with many attractive people: they have fit, well-proportioned bodies and a slightly cold, mysterious temperament.
Naturally, one’s attractiveness can also be further analyzed through Venus’ aspects and its house placement in the birth chart.
4. Pluto
The character "Ming" in the common saying "destined by fate (冥冥中注定)" and the outer planet "Pluto" both evoke a sense of inevitability—as if a profound force silently drives the occurrence of certain events.
Everyone has Pluto in their birth chart. The house where Pluto is placed will make you experience frequent feelings of "a close call", "starting over from scratch", or even "rebirth after destruction" in that area of life. Transiting Pluto is also constantly moving: it moves very slowly but possesses immense power. This is especially true where it transits forward and then retrogrades—you will undoubtedly feel extremely uncomfortable and distressed. However, Pluto’s purpose is to bring us different life lessons: it pushes us out of our comfort zones, eliminates outdated and useless things, and urges us to rebuild. The process is painful, but after enduring it, you will see a new horizon. Pluto "refines and elevates" you, or in other words, you "transform" at a certain level and gain new insights.
In November 2024 (last year), transiting Pluto officially moved from Capricorn to Aquarius, beginning a 20-year journey. In fact, Pluto has retrograded back and forth between Capricorn and Aquarius several times (since the end of 2022/early 2023). Everyone must have experienced a feeling like "traversing hell and returning to the mortal world" in a certain area of life. Over the past two-plus years, there must have been at least one area (career, relationships, partnerships, health, family, or self-development) where you felt a powerful force pushing you to let go or "uproot" something. Take a moment to reflect: what trials have you endured? What have you transformed into today? What new situation do you face now? And to what higher level do you aim to rise?
In any case, this is something everyone must face—and it will not end in 3-4 months. There is no need to fear it: if old things do not end, how can there be a better new beginning?
5. Saturn
Do you have Capricorn friends around you? You may find them serious and somewhat distant when you first meet. Capricorn is ruled by Saturn. In astrology, Saturn represents difficulties, challenges, and coldness—but it also symbolizes discipline, achievements, and rewards.
Saturn takes approximately 2.5 years to transit one zodiac sign. It makes each of us experience problems or obstacles in a specific life area (depending on which house it occupies in our birth chart). How we face these challenges and overcome them through effort is what matters.
"Saturn Return" is a crucial turning point in everyone’s life. Transiting Saturn returns to the degree and house of its placement at your birth approximately every 29 years. During this period, you usually face major life changes: a career shift, planning to get married, buying a house, or pursuing further education. It is a time when you may feel pressured to take on greater responsibilities and face more rigorous tests. As the saying goes, "At thirty, one should stand firm (三十而立)"; we tend to strive for achievements and pursue goals during this so-called "milestone" age. If you set clear intentions and work hard, Saturn will reward you—thus, the age of 30 is Saturn’s first "life exam" for you. If you pass, you will gradually establish your life path: get a promotion, start a family, launch a business, or even win awards.
The second Saturn Return in life occurs around the ages of 58-59 (yes, Saturn is a strict teacher who demands lifelong learning). By then, you will have entered another life stage and face new challenges: illness, separation from loved ones, or even the option of a career change. In fact, many people find their true passion, settle in a new place, or even reach the peak of their career at the age of 60. As long as you have courage, perseverance, and are not afraid of hardship, Saturn will definitely reward you—it is never too late!
Returning to the Capricorn friends mentioned earlier: they are not as serious or unapproachable as they seem. Once you get to know them well, you will discover their sense of humor—they even excel at self-deprecation! Saturn embodies the principle of "no pain, no gain", so Capricorns generally do not believe in getting something for nothing.
6. The Sun
If the Ascendant represents how your appearance and demeanor present you to the world, you may wonder: what does the Sun sign—something we often talk about—represent?
In fact, the Sun takes approximately 365 days (exactly one year) to complete a full orbit of the ecliptic, spending about one month in each zodiac sign. Hence, the year is divided into 12 distinct sun signs. The Sun is the center of the solar system, and all planets revolve around it.
When we think of the Sun, we think of light, heat, and life. It is the core of life and the source of vitality—without the Sun, life as we know it would not exist. This perfectly explains the "birthday sign" we often mention: it is our Sun sign, representing our core identity—"who I am".
The Sun represents the side of us that "shines and radiates warmth" by nature: how we express ourselves, how we gain others’ recognition through our actions, and how we achieve glory and success. This is the part of ourselves we want others to see—the part we are proud of, the focus of our identity. This "self" is unique. Therefore, each of the 12 sun signs has its own distinctiveness, emitting different energies and exhibiting different personality traits.
But ultimately, the Sun’s core is "the self": how I shine, my creativity, my goals, and how I achieve self-fulfillment and success in life’s journey.
Have you noticed that Leo friends around you are particularly protective of their loved ones and loyal? They tend to enjoy taking the lead, usually stand out in a group, and exude a sunny aura—sometimes even a touch of "lion-like dominance"! The Sun rules Leo, so Leos embody the Sun’s traits. However, when a Leo returns home and the night is quiet, they often turn into a "worried little cat". But when the Sun rises the next day, Leo friends regain their vitality and energy once again :)
7. The Moon
The Moon sign is often overlooked, but it is an extremely important celestial body that rules our inner world—meaning our emotional changes are also influenced by the Moon.
As the saying goes, "The moon waxes and wanes (月有阴晴圆缺)", and "The moon represents my heart (月亮代表我的心)"—these proverbs perfectly metaphorize our inner selves, which hide numerous emotions and feelings. Generally, only close friends or loved ones can perceive this "Moon side" of us; it is hard to detect for those we are not familiar with.
Consider this analogy: when you invite friends to your home, you only let them enter your bedroom if they are close friends who make you feel safe. The bedroom is a private space, and you can only relax there when you feel secure. Similarly, the Moon sign is private—it is only revealed when we feel safe. This is why only close friends or loved ones can "sense" this hidden side of us.
The Moon rules Cancer. Friends with Cancer sun signs are relatively "emotionally rich" and sensitive to emotional changes. They are usually home-loving, enjoy eating/cooking, and excel at caring for others—especially family members. Sometimes, you may think gentle Cancers have a calm temperament, but when their emotions reach a breaking point, they can become "overwhelmed" and hard to calm down.
In the Chinese lunar calendar, there are the "first day of the lunar month" and the "fifteenth day of the lunar month". As we all know, the moon is particularly big and round on the fifteenth day—it is a "Full Moon" (called "Full Moon" in astrology). You may notice that on Full Moon days, you feel more emotional, may experience insomnia, or have more dreams (this is especially noticeable if your Moon sign is Cancer or Pisces). The New Moon (equivalent to the first day of the lunar month) is also important: it is highly favorable for initiating new projects. Hence, we often hear that "making wishes on the New Moon" boosts the progress of new people, things, or plans.
In fact, the Moon sign exerts a more profound influence on personality traits than the Sun sign.
Therefore, the Moon is actually of great importance.
8. Jupiter
In the world of astrology, Jupiter is regarded as a "great auspicious planet"—it represents luck, expansion, benefactors, and beliefs. Jupiter takes approximately 11.5 months to transit one zodiac sign, so it is also known as the "Year Star". Generally, the zodiac sign transited by Jupiter is considered to bring exceptional luck that year, making it easier to receive help from benefactors.
However, we must note that everything has two sides—"extremes lead to opposites". Just like a balloon: over-inflation causes it to burst, which is the principle of "extreme joy begetting sorrow". In fact, everyone has Jupiter in their birth chart. The house where Jupiter is placed indicates the area of life where you are more likely to encounter luck, benefits, wisdom, or benefactors (though aspects with other planets may alter this effect). Transiting Jupiter moves through each house of the birth chart annually (staying for one year), bringing "auspiciousness", growth, and opportunities to a specific life area (again, influenced by relevant aspects).
Since Jupiter represents expansion/amplification, when it forms aspects with certain planets (e.g., Mars, Uranus, Pluto) under specific circumstances, it may "magnify" negative situations—leading to illness, debt, or benefactors turning into rivals. In reality, the outcome also depends on how we "respond" when encountering such planetary interactions; this has a crucial impact on the result. Of course, if we handle it properly—without adopting a "wait-and-see" or gambling mindset—Jupiter will lend you a helping hand and inspire you with wisdom.
Incidentally, Jupiter rules Sagittarius. Hence, there is a popular belief that Sagittarius friends are particularly lucky. Indeed, if you have Sagittarius friends, you will find they are usually optimistic and go with the flow; some even have a strong "intuition" (keen sixth sense). However, if they are too indulgent or overly optimistic, they often "stumble" and face setbacks.
Through understanding Jupiter, we learn that the world of astrology emphasizes there are no "100% good" or "100% bad" planets. The key lies in how we utilize the transit energy of different planets to smooth out life’s challenges or prevent potential problems.
9. Mercury
In a birth chart, identifying the Ascendant, Sun, and Moon allows us to quickly grasp a person’s "basic" personality. In fact, more than 10 planets in everyone’s birth chart exert different influences on them. Besides the Sun and Moon (which move daily), Mercury has one of the most noticeable impacts on our daily lives (you must have heard of "Mercury retrograde": Mercury retrogrades three times a year, lasting about 20 days each time).
Mercury is the ruling planet of Virgo and Gemini. As a result, people whose Ascendant, Sun, or Moon falls in these two signs are most affected by Mercury retrograde. If your birth chart has a strong presence of Virgo or Gemini (e.g., multiple planets placed in these signs), you will feel the impact of Mercury retrograde more intensely.
Mercury governs our thinking, communication, learning, transportation, and even transactions or electronic products. Therefore, it is generally not recommended to sign contracts or purchase new electronic products during Mercury retrograde. This is because Mercury retrograde indicates that the aforementioned areas are prone to problems or repeated disruptions. For example, if you buy a new smartphone during Mercury retrograde, you may very well find defects in it; alternatively, if you sign a new job offer with a company during this period, unexpected changes or delays may occur. A common issue during Mercury retrograde is online shopping—you may not receive the item you ordered, but instead get something else.
Furthermore, if you travel during this period, you are more likely to encounter flight delays or lost luggage; in short, various obstacles and communication breakdowns may arise. Even if you simply commute to work by car as usual, you may easily get stuck in traffic, or a pre-booked ride may inexplicably make you wait for a long time or even fail to arrive at all.
Of course, Mercury retrograde is not entirely negative. The prefix "Re-" in "Retrograde" carries the meaning of "doing again": it can involve reconnecting with old friends, revisiting old places, or re-evaluating and redeveloping a relationship. Sometimes, Mercury retrograde provides us with the opportunity to recheck and redo things—tasks that were previously stuck may succeed when redone during this period. For instance, reconciling with an ex-partner or recovering old debts may also be possible.
10.Neptune
Neptune is the ruling planet of Pisces and takes 14 years to transit through one zodiac sign. In 2025, Neptune will move from Pisces to Aries. However, it will retrograde back to Pisces for the last time and officially bid farewell to Pisces when it turns direct at the end of December.
Over the past decade or so, have you had an area in your life where boundaries felt unclear? Or has a relationship or a person disappeared from your life without you noticing? Have you experienced inflammation or chronic illnesses? Felt an inexplicable sense of powerlessness? Or been deeply intoxicated with someone or something? When Neptune enters Aries, these familiar - like feelings may emerge in different areas. But no matter which area it is, you will start to want to draw boundaries because you will be more eager to fight for your own dreams and ideals. By the last quarter of 2025, we should be able to see the direction clearly, let go of the past, move forward, and officially enter the era of Neptune in Aries.
Neptune can be said to be a celestial body that is relatively difficult to "control" because its energy is psychedelic, vague, and boundaryless. Therefore, whenever people or things come into contact with Neptune's energy, they will take on this "indescribable" trait. Sometimes it even causes people to have "illusions" — thinking something is one way when it's actually not; or it puts a "filter" on things, making you think they are pink when in reality they are gray! In extreme cases, "complete disappearance" may even occur.
But from a positive perspective, Neptune can bring compassion, love, dedication, artistic inspiration, and so on. Therefore, if we can properly grasp Neptune's elusive energy, we may also encounter unexpected "miracles", "epiphanies", and "healing". It's not hard to find that when transiting Neptune moves through certain houses in our birth charts, it often triggers things that are highly characteristic of Pisces — such as becoming more compassionate, having artistic inspiration, frequently having sixth - sense experiences or dreams, and developing an interest in the mind - body - spirit field. But as mentioned earlier, Neptune's energy is vague, and once it's excessive, we need to be alert to possible "negative effects".
If you have Pisces friends around you, you can pay attention: Do they sometimes "hide" and disappear from sight? Do they have a greater love for art? Do they often have seemingly illusory dreams? Despite this, don't think that because Pisces is a water sign and has a muddled and sensitive personality, they must be fragile — many successful figures in careers or strong people in the entertainment industry are Pisces, such as Steve Jobs, Soong Mei - ling, Sharon Stone, and Grace Kelly. They are all very powerful representatives of Pisces.
11.Mars
In our birth charts, Mars represents action, competitiveness, aggression, accidents, and things related to "fire". Mars is usually regarded as a "minor malefic" because it is often associated with injuries and accidents. But when its energy is exerted positively, people will be full of enthusiasm and vitality, with strong action and explosive power, and can push things forward quickly.
Mars is the ruling planet of Aries. Have you noticed that Aries friends around you never lack action? Sometimes you are still advising them, "Don't be impulsive, think again before deciding", but before you finish speaking, they have already taken action! Correspondingly, the traits of Mars also make Aries people do things in a straightforward manner, speak directly without beating around the bush, and be full of enthusiasm and positivity towards people and things. "Everything is difficult at the start" is not a problem for Aries at all.
However, if Mars' energy is not controlled properly or if one is too impulsive, Mars can indeed cause accidents and injuries. In addition to people with the Sun in Aries, if Mars is in Aries, Scorpio, or Capricorn (these are strong positions for Mars), such people usually have extremely strong action (and may even become sports elites). If Mars forms a conjunction with Mercury, they are even more people who "do what they say"! But we also need to note that when transiting Mars moves through certain houses in the birth chart (or when the originally strong position of Mars forms specific aspects with other celestial bodies, etc.), people are prone to overspending, arguing with others, being attacked, or having accidents.
There is an interesting saying that "Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus". Therefore, in astrology, Mars in a woman's birth chart can represent the type of partner she likes in love. For example, a woman with Mars in Aries will tend to like an enthusiastic, sporty type of partner; a woman with Mars in Gemini may prefer someone who is quick - witted and lively and interesting. This can also explain why the people we fall in love with often have a certain fixed "type". Of course, to judge the type of partner more accurately, we also need to refer to the ruler of the seventh house in the birth chart and the celestial bodies it falls into, etc.