The Luminaries & The Inner Planets
There are many planets, dwarf planets, comets & asteroids within our Solar System, whose placements in our Natal Charts influence our beings. They all represent different categories, I will go through the majority of them with you, but today, I’ll start with The Luminaries & The Inner Planets.
The Luminaries
When we talk about the Luminaries in Astrology, we mean the Sun 
& the Moon 
Traditionally, astrologers applied the term to these two “planets” as they were viewed to be the brightest and most important objects in the heavens - Luminary means, source of light.
The Sun - Planet of Self
The Sun - not just a Luminary but also a Star - represents our Core Self, one’s personality and ego. This often referred to as your “Star Sign”. The Sun is the centre of the Universe and, thus, represents the centre of ourselves.
The Sun is masculine in energy, it rules Leo 
and the 5th house.
The Sun’s energy is a forceful one! It brings authority and leadership as well as embodying ones Core Self. Male influences 
are ruled by the Sun, as are children.
The Sun is strength, energy & drive 
brightness and power.
The Sun spends about a month visiting each sign and takes a year to journey through the 12 signs of the Zodiac.
The Moon - Planet of Emotions
The Moon 
is the closest ‘planet’ to Earth and this is perhaps why, it touches us more deeply than most of the other planets. The Moon represents our Inner Self, our emotions and instincts. The Moon is the ruler of the tides and so she represents the waves of emotions deep within us.
The Moon is feminine in energy, it rules Cancer 
and the 4th house.
The Moons energy is a dynamic one! It influences our emotions and feelings - we’re up and down, naughty or nice, and may laugh or cry at will due to the influences and phases of the Moon. She is a Goddess and, thus, female influences 
are ruled by the Moon - mother and the relationship between woman and child.
Fertility, pregnancy and childbirth 
are governed by the Moon, as is memory and the Past. She is sensitive, empathetic, nurturing 
and governs over the shadowy, more vulnerable sides of ourselves. She shows us what we need to feel protected, comfortable, and emotionally secure 
The Moon spends roughly 2 1/2 days in each sign and takes 28 days to travel the Zodiac. She moves much faster through the signs than the Sun.
The Inner Planets
The four inner planets have slower orbits, slower spin and no rings. They are composed of rock and metal. Mercury and Venus do not have moons, Earth has one, and Mars has two. The four inner planets within our Solar System are: Mercury 
Venus 
Earth 
and Mars 
Earth, as the planet on which we reside, is not considered when looking at Astrology. The remaining 3 planets orbit around the Sun much faster than the outer planets and, therefore, have a more immediate effect on everyday life.
Mercury - Planet of Communication
Possibly one of the most well known planets, after the Sun and the Moon, in part due to it’s infamous retrogrades, is Mercury
Mercury rules communication, as well as intellect, awareness, expression, logic and reasoning, and our manner of thinking. Siblings 
and transportation also fall under Mercury’s remit.
Mercury rules Gemini 
& Virgo 
and the 3rd and 6th houses. It is neither masculine nor feminine in energy as it assumes the gender of the sign it is in.
Mercurial energy can be good or bad, but is always energising! This planet prompts us to move from one thing to the next and to get answers on both a physical and psychological level. This planet tells us a lot about our personal communication style 
as well as the way we process information and manage our time 
and schedule.
Mercury takes about 88 days to complete its orbit of the Sun, and retrogrades three or four times in a calendar year, for about three weeks at a time.
Venus - The Planet of Love (and Money)
Venus rules love and is all about pleasure and shared pleasures with someone else. Venus also governs over romance and harmony in our emotional attachments, marriages and friendships. Beauty is strongly associated with Venus, as is money - typically the spending of money that brings us pleasure and joy.
Venus is feminine in energy and rules Taurus 
& Libra 
as well as the 2nd and 7th houses.
Venus’s energy is social and sensual but not necessarily sexual. It is harmonious and likes us to indulge in pleasure and luxury. This planet tell us about our personal “Love Language” - how we love others 
and like others to love us. Venus is the butterflies in our stomach and emotion in our hearts.
Venus takes 225 days to complete its circuit of the Zodiac, and retrogrades every 18 months for a period of 42 days.
Mars - The Planet of Passion
Mars rules action. He brings fires, energy, passion, drive and determination. Mars encourages you to stand up, be noticed and get things done! Mars speaks to the power and confident expression of the individual.
Mars is masculine energy and rules Aries 
& Scorpio 
as well as the 1st and 8th houses.
Named for the Roman God of War 
it is perhaps, unsurprising that aggression is the key to Mars’s energy. He values courage and honour, and is full of raw, unbridled, animalistic energy. Mars’s energy can be constructive or destructive and can be quite useful if channelled correctly.
Mars rules our sexuality and sexual energy - Mars is the primal, physical instinct. The balance to Venus’s sensual, loving energy.
Mars take nearly two years to complete its orbit through the zodiac, and retrogrades every 26 months for a period of between 2 to 2 and a 1/2 months at a time.
Next time, we’ll look into The Outer Planets 
Love & Light to all 
It’s really appreciated- I always knew astrology was a vast subject, but I keep finding that there’s even more and more to learn! Thanks for sharing your wisdom 
thank you! I’m happy to learn from you because you make it learnable!!