Planet 9: What Does the Discovery of a New Planet Mean for Astrology?

It must have been amazing to be alive in 1930 when Pluto was discovered–even more amazing if you had been an astrologer at the time! Well, you may not have to imagine for much longer since a new telescope in Chile may be able to prove indefinitely whether or not we have another planet in our solar system. Starting at the end of 2025 the Vera C. Rubin telescope will begin its search for the true 9th planet of our solar system. As exciting as this is, what does this mean for astrology?

First, Let’s Talk Pluto and What It Means to be a Planet

In 2006 astronomer Mike Brown crushed every little millennial (and I imagine plenty of Gen X and Baby Boomers) heart when he discovered that Pluto was not alone out there in the far reaches of our solar system. Pluto, after the discovery of another trans-Neptunian object Eris, got demoted to “dwarf planet.”

Pluto was “discovered” in 1930 and was thought to be the 9th planet in our solar system. It’s demotion came after astronomers realized that there are many objects out there beyond Neptune (called trans-Neptunian objects). The choice had to be made, could they all be planets and if not, what is the classification needed to be deemed a planet?

To be a planet you must:

• Orbit a star
• Have enough gravitational pull to be sphere shaped
• Be big enough that its gravity pulls in or destroys smaller debris around it, creating moons or rings

It’s the last one that got Pluto in the end, being that there are objects like Eris and Sedna that are similar in size and shape, and none of them have gravitational pull over the others.

• Far Beyond Pluto, a Possible Planet Nine Awaits Discovery

Generational Planets

• Which Astrological Generation Do You Belong To?

Astrology is an ancient study, and though it doesn’t get much respect from the scientific community, it is the ancestor of astronomy. Humans have always had a fascination and curiosity towards the stars in our night sky. It’s this curiosity that gave birth to astrology over 5,000 years ago, and astronomy afterwards.

500 years ago, no one had Pluto, Neptune, or Uranus in a birth chart because they had yet to be “discovered.” Pluto we now know was discovered in 1930, Neptune in 1846, Uranus in 1781.

These planets are often referred to as generational planets. The generational planets have slow orbits and don’t often change signs. This means that most people around your age have these 3 planets in the same signs as you!

What Sign Will be Ruled by Planet 9?

Before the discovery of these planets beyond Jupiter and the asteroid belt, most zodiac signs shared their rulership. The term traditional rulership refers to this pre-generational planet time in astrology. The traditional rulers were as follows:

• Mars ruled Aries and Scorpio
• Jupiter ruled Sagittarius and Pisces
• Saturn ruled Capricorn and Aquarius

In modern rulership Pluto rules Scorpio, Uranus rules Aquarius and Neptune rules Pisces.

Currently, there are two planets (luminaries if we’re being technical) who still rule over two zodiac signs each. Mercury rules over both Gemini and Virgo, and Venus rules over Libra and Taurus. It’s these 4 signs that would be up for redistribution to a new ruling planet, but how would we choose?

What is Planet 9 Like?

Most planets and objects in our solar system are named after Greek and Roman deities. Once the planet has its name we will have a bit more info to work off of in order to determine what it influences here on Earth.

It’s not just the name which gives the planet its distinct qualities and rulership in astrology. We’ll need to know how many Earth years its orbit is. Planet 9 is thought to be extremely far away from the sun, so far away that it doesn’t even seem possible that it could be a part of our solar system! However, the math is mathing–the supercomputers support the theory of a 9th planet.

This leaves many questions. The first being, what kind of planet is it? It could be a Super-Earth, a rocky giant (most solar systems have a Super-Earth, it is an anomaly that we don’t…). It may also be an ice giant, like a super-Pluto. The most commonly held belief is that it is a super Neptune, a gas giant with such a hot core.

• Analyzing Astronomy vs Astrology

The color, atmosphere, mass, density, tilt, orbit and name will all come into play when Planet 9 is discovered!

How Will Planet 9 Affect My Birth Chart

The short answer is not at all. Based on the mathematical data we have thus far about its orbit, Planet 9 will have such a long orbit that most nations and empires won’t even get to see a Planet 9 return.*

*A return in astrology is when a planet completes its orbit, “returning” to the place it was originally in the birth chart.

What we’re potentially looking at is an astrological placement that is much, much bigger than the birth chart or a singular human experience. It’s the type of energy that affects multiple generations of human kind on a subtle and slow level.

In Conclusion: It’s a Beautiful Time to be an Astrologer

Anyone who loves and utilizes astrology should rejoice to be alive at such a pivotal moment in human history.

Astrology is a tool that first unlocks our ability to know ourselves. From there the knowledge branches off and makes it easier to appreciate the small and large differences in all of us. From the way we love, the way we talk, the way we fight and make up, astrology shows us how we are all the same and yet so uniquely different. It makes the world feel both bigger and smaller.

Astrology doesn’t start and stop with humans. Astrology is the recognition of our interconnectedness. We all know by now that we are made of star stuff, but what does that really mean on a spiritual level?

The term as above, so below is meant to explain the connection to things both bigger than us and smaller than us. Everything is a mirror. If there is more to discover in our solar system, there is more to be discovered on Earth, and even in your own heart.

What do you think Planet 9 will be like? What do you want it to be name and which sign do you think it will rule over?