Planets (Grahas) - The Cosmic Actors
Basic • 25 minutes
🪐 What are Planets (Grahas)?
In Vedic astrology, we use 9 planets (Grahas). These include the 7 visible planets plus two mathematical points: Rahu and Ketu (the lunar nodes).
💡 Key Concept:
Planets are like actors in a cosmic play. Each planet represents different aspects of life (personality, emotions, career, relationships, etc.). Their positions at your birth determine how these energies manifest in your life.
The 9 Planets
☉ Sun (Surya)
Represents: Self, ego, authority, father
Ruler of: Leo
☽ Moon (Chandra)
Represents: Mind, emotions, mother
Ruler of: Cancer
♂ Mars (Mangal)
Represents: Energy, courage, conflicts
Ruler of: Aries, Scorpio
☿ Mercury (Budha)
Represents: Communication, intelligence
Ruler of: Gemini, Virgo
♃ Jupiter (Guru)
Represents: Wisdom, expansion, teacher
Ruler of: Sagittarius, Pisces
♀ Venus (Shukra)
Represents: Love, beauty, luxury
Ruler of: Taurus, Libra
♄ Saturn (Shani)
Represents: Discipline, karma, delays
Ruler of: Capricorn, Aquarius
☊ Rahu (North Node)
Represents: Desires, obsessions, material
No sign ruler (shadow planet)
☋ Ketu (South Node)
Represents: Spirituality, detachment
180° from Rahu
🔄 Planetary Motion & Speed
Planets move through the zodiac at different speeds. This speed is measured in degrees per day.
📐 Speed Calculation:
Speed = Change in longitude per day (degrees/day)
Example: If Moon moves from 100° to 113° in one day, speed = 13°/day
Planetary Speeds (Average):
- Moon: ~13°/day (fastest)
- Sun: ~1°/day
- Mercury: ~1.5°/day
- Venus: ~1.2°/day
- Mars: ~0.5°/day
- Jupiter: ~0.08°/day
- Saturn: ~0.03°/day
- Rahu/Ketu: ~0.05°/day (retrograde)
↩️ Retrograde Motion
Sometimes planets appear to move backward in the sky. This is called retrograde motion.
🌍 Simple Analogy:
Imagine you're driving on a highway. A faster car passes you, then slows down. From your perspective, it looks like it's moving backward, even though it's still moving forward! That's retrograde motion - an optical illusion caused by relative speeds.
📐 How to Detect Retrograde:
If Speed < 0: Planet is retrograde
If Speed > 0: Planet is direct (normal motion)
Example: Jupiter speed = -0.05°/day means it's retrograde
Which Planets Go Retrograde?
- Sun & Moon: Never retrograde
- Mercury: Retrograde ~3 times/year
- Venus: Retrograde ~1.5 years
- Mars: Retrograde ~2 years
- Jupiter: Retrograde ~1 year
- Saturn: Retrograde ~5 months/year
- Rahu/Ketu: Always retrograde!
🔢 How Planetary Positions are Calculated
We use Swiss Ephemeris (NASA data) to calculate exact planetary positions. The calculation involves:
📐 The Process:
- Convert Date/Time to Julian Day: A continuous day count since Jan 1, 4713 BCE
- Calculate Tropical Position: Planet's position in Western zodiac
- Apply Ayanamsa: Subtract ~24° to get Sidereal (Vedic) position
- Calculate Speed: How fast the planet is moving
- Determine Sign: Which sign the planet is in (Longitude ÷ 30)
💻 Example Calculation:
Date: Feb 17, 2026, 6:19 PM IST
Julian Day: 2461089.0
Sun Tropical: 328.64°
Ayanamsa (Lahiri): 24.04°
Sun Sidereal: 328.64° - 24.04° = 304.60°
Sign: int(304.60 ÷ 30) = 10 (Aquarius)
Degree in Sign: 304.60 % 30 = 4.60°
📝 Key Takeaways
- ✓ Vedic astrology uses 9 planets (7 visible + Rahu/Ketu)
- ✓ Each planet represents different life areas (Sun=self, Moon=mind, etc.)
- ✓ Planets move at different speeds (Moon fastest, Saturn slowest)
- ✓ Retrograde = Speed < 0 (appears to move backward)
- ✓ Planetary positions are calculated using Swiss Ephemeris (NASA data)