Right now: Moon at 26°03' Gemini, Sun at 24°03' Sagittarius

Classifications of Planets

Classifications of Planets - Astrology Encyclopedia

Definition of Classifications of Planets Androgynous planet. Mercury, because both dry and moist.

Barren and fruitful. Barren: Mars, Saturn, Uranus. Fruitful: Sun, Moon, Venus, Jupiter, Neptune. Moderately fruitful: Mercury.

Benefic and Malefic. Benefic: Venus and Jupiter, particularly when not afflicted. Some authorities include the Sun, Moon and Mercury, if favorably aspected. Malefic: The infortunes, Mars and Saturn, and by some modern authorities, Uranus and Neptune, whether afflicted or otherwise. Mercury unfavorably aspected is deemed a malefic with respect to money, law and marriage. Modern authorities consider no planet can be truly termed a malefic, except insofar as its vibrations are improperly applied, and is dependent largely upon its aspects for the nature of its operation.

Cold and hot. Cold: The Moon and Saturn; also, according to Sepharial, Mercury and Uranus. Hot: Sun, Mars. Warm: Venus, Jupiter, Neptune.

Diurnal and nocturnal. The nocturnal planets are the Moon and Venus, because of their feminine qualities, their cool, moist temperaments, and their passive natures as compared to the Sun and Mars. Also applied to those which at birth were below the horizon, and thereby deemed to represent passive qualities. In this case the diurnal planets are those which at birth were above the horizon, and are thereby considered to represent the more active influences.

Dry and Moist. Dry: Sun, Mars, Saturn. Moist: Moon, Mercury, Jupiter, Uranus; also, according to Sepharial, Neptune. Mercury is both dry and moist.

Electric and Magnetic. Electric: Sun, Mars, Jupiter. Magnetic: Moon, Mercury, Saturn, Neptune. According to Sepharial both Sun and Moon are magnetic.

Masculine and Feminine. Masculine: Sun, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn and Uranus. Feminine: Moon, Venus and Neptune. Also, planets are said to take on masculine attributes in masculine signs; when in advance of the Sun; or in the oriental quadrants; and feminine attributes in feminine signs; when following the Sun; when on the opposite side of the horizon from the Sun; or when in the occidental quadrants.

Morning and Evening. Matitutinal and Nocturnal. This refers particularly to Mercury and Venus, as morning and evening "stars," although all the planets become morning and evening stars at some part of the year, though not all of them are visible to the naked eye. (v. Retrograde.) It must be observed that a planet which is "behind" the Sun in its orbital motion, rises in diurnal motion "before" the Sun. The counter-clockwise motion of the Earth's surface causes objects as uncovered on the Eastern horizon to appear to move in a clockwise direction. Thus the planet which is behind the Sun in orbit, rises in diurnal motion before the Sun.

Superior and Inferior. The Major or Superior planets are those that have orbits larger than that of the Earth, and which lie at a greater distance from the Sun. They are: Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto. Also called the Ponderous or Ponderable planets. Their motion appears to us to be slower, due to their greater distance from the Sun. Their effects are more enduring than those of the Minor or Inferior planets. The Minor or Inferior planets are those that have orbits smaller than that of the Earth, and which lie closer to the Sun. They are Mercury and Venus.

The order of the planets outward from the Sun is used in a recent work in psychology, in illustration of a memory aid in the form of the sentence: "men very easily make jugs serve usual needy purposes" - the first initial of each word corresponding to that of a planet: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto. Also the word Vibgyor, for the colors of the Solar spectrum, from the top downwards: Violet, Indigo, Blue, Green, Yellow, Orange, Red.

(Nicholas deVore - Encyclopedia of Astrology)

The other dictionary entries: