The Basics of Astrology Updated for 2024

Updated: December 10, 2024

To be put quite simply, astrology is the study of the stars. The stars as referred to in astrology refer to the planets, the sun, and the moon. Astrology has been used throughout history as a form of entertainment, a part of religion, and a part of daily life.

Astrology begins with the mapping of the planets, including the sun and the moon. This map is called an astrological chart. Most often an astrological chart is designed for someone at birth. To determine the position of the planets, sun, and moon for an astrological chart the astrologist needs to know the exact location of the birth, the exact time, and the date of the birth.

The planets found on the astrological chart are the Sun, the moon, Saturn, Venus, Jupiter, Mars, Neptune, Uranus, Mercury, and Pluto. The earth is not considered because it is the point in the universe from which we view the other planets. The sun and moon are considered planets in astrology, which is hard for some people to remember.

In the astrological chart consists of twelve houses. Each house represents an aspect of life, such as romance, career, family, etc. Since there are only ten planets, each astrological chart will have two vacant houses. Vacant houses represent aspects of life which, for whatever reason, the cosmos do not feel you need to work on. In other words, you may have mastered this aspect of life in another life or realm.

Most of this information comes straight from the Astrology pros. Careful reading to the end virtually guarantees that you’ll know what they know.

The position of the sun also determines your sun sign. This is the first aspect of astrology studied on the astrological chart. Next, the positions of the planets are studied in relation to their influence on the sun sign. Finally, the moon sign and position is studied in relation to the rest of the astrological chart.

The interpretation of an astrological birth chart as a whole will paint the picture of the original personality of the individual. The birth chart found through astrology later in life may not appear accurate. This is due to the fact that other astrological phenomena in conjunction with life events alter the personality over time.

Astrology is the study of this astrological chart, as well as the prediction of the future based on how other astrological phenomena might influence the original readings. The interpretation of the astrological chart is also a large part of the art of astrology, and is necessary for accurate predictions.

The use of astrology in predictions is considered an art for a reason. Not only must the astrology expert interpret the birth chart and the current astrological phenomena, but the astrology expert must also interpret any astrological phenomena that may have altered the personality of the individual over time. Amazingly, life changing events can often be seen using astrology readings from the time of the event.

Many major events in history can also be marked by astrology readings. For example, the fall of the Roman Empire was marked by astrological phenomena. The horror of 9/11 and the destruction of the twin towers was also awaited by those who study astrology. Even the birth of Christ was marked by astrological phenomena.