If you’re new to astrology you may not be aware that what is known as your Star Sign in pop astrology is actually the sign the Sun was transiting at the moment of your birth. The Sun, source of all life on Earth. It’s little wonder that in astrology the Sun represents our creative life force.

Having read Conversations with God when I was 21, at about the same time that I discovered astrology, I’ve come to see the Sun as that spark of the divine within us, the Creator. The Sun provides the inspiration, intention and magic we use to manifest our lives as we desire.

In Australia and New Zealand we see so much of the Sun that we take it for granted, even try to escape it. In Western Europe it is different. In Winter the Sun is rarely seen and when it does peek through people rush outside to enjoy it, on balconies and cafe terraces, parks and bicycles. In Summer everyone is so happy to see the Sun again; they throng to the crowded beaches and sunbathe in their bikinis in the public parks. They honour the Sun for the life giver that it is.

How the Sun Sign came to be known as the Star Sign is a mystery, possibly left over from when, without access to impressive information gathering technologies, people had no idea what astronomers and astrologers were looking at when they did their calculations, and so described both such fields of inquiry as ‘looking at the stars!’

The Sun Sign is the key to any Astrology reading. Although its power is influenced by many other factors in your chart, it remains the key to understanding yourself through astrology. Be careful though! Do not make the mistake of reading your Sun Sign and not taking into consideration the house placing of the Sun and the aspects to it. After all, although it may be the popular stereotype, I’m hardly going to be a successful career woman if my Capricorn Sun is in the 12th House with a hard aspect to Saturn!

The aspects to the Sun are often several because we allow a wider orb than with other planets. The orb is the amount you allow on either side of the exact angle of the aspects. For most planets this is usually 3 degrees but with the Sun and Moon it can be up to 8 or even 10 degrees. For example:

Pluto square Sun which is usually 90 degrees can actually be between 80 and 100 degrees; whereas

Mercury square Venus should only be considered from between 87 and 93 degrees.

The aspects to the Sun influence your creative expression, as do the houses tenanted by the aspecting planets.

So how does your ‘Star Sign’ affect you in real life?

Using my own chart as an example may help you to understand how to interpret your Sun sign. I have a Capricorn Sun in the 8th House in conjunction (immediately beside) the Moon and Venus. This group is square Pluto in the 4th House and sextile the MC and Uranus in the 6th.

This means I am generally charming and personable, easily manifesting myself in work and career, which tends to be eccentric and independent. I am also ambitious and this ambition can become compulsive and obsessive if not managed carefully. This obsessive quality sometimes manifests in my emotional life and relationships. I am drawn to occult (hidden) subjects as evidenced by my strong interest in astrology, past lives and reincarnation.

As you can see, to really understand your Horoscope or Star Sign you need to look at the natal chart as an interconnected whole. Start by coming to grips with the principles of the Planets, Signs and Houses and work from there to build an understanding of the whole personality. If you want to learn how to interpret your natal chart consider joining the Know Yourself Astrology Circle, which is a supportive forum of fellow astrology students all learning together.