On Peregrine Planets

“Wanderer in the Storm,” Julius von Leypold, 1835

Much in astrology, like in life, is focused on extremes. As such, astrology education tends to hone in on what makes a planet especially advantageous or especially difficult. When an astrology student first looks at a chart, they are most likely drawn to the planets that are doing really well or are struggling quite a bit.

But, just like life, most of the planets fall somewhere in the middle, a mix of the joyful and sorrowful. While a chart may have an especially “good” or “bad” placement, most planets have no special powers or hindrances in a sign. For example, the Sun is at home in Leo and exalted in Aries— two places of power for the Luminary. It has triplicity dignity in the fire signs, so does well in Sagittarius as well. Its places of detriment and fall are Aquarius and Libra. But, those are only five out of twelve signs. That means, barring a few pockets within signs, the Sun is without dignity or debility in seven other places! A planet with no dignity is called peregrine, or wandering.

A planet with dignity is a resourced planet. They have what they need to be themselves, as well as support from community, rulers, and/or family. A planet in debility, i.e. in detriment or fall, not only lacks these supports but is in an environment that is hostile or antithetical to their true nature, adding potential “calamity” in the words of Medieval astrologer al-Biruni.

But what of the in-betweens, those with no special powers or hindrances in a certain sign? Most people have at least one, if not multiple, peregrine planets in their chart yet they are so rarely discussed.

I want to begin remedying that today. Drawing on traditional sources, symbolic research and my own experience with my mostly peregrine chart, I want to begin unlocking the meaning and space around peregrine planets, attempting to describe our experience more deeply as astrology is always pushing me to do.

This assay is for anyone with peregrine placements (which is probably most of you!), anyone who doesn’t feel completely at home where they are, or find they always have to do something their own way, often without help. If you identify with the preceding statements, then you already know what it means to be peregrine; in that case, welcome.

May it illuminate what was previously hidden.

List of Peregrine Planets

• Aries Mercury

  • Save for between 12º-20º, where it has dignity by bound

• Aries Moon

• Taurus Sun

• Taurus Mercury

  • Save for 0-10º, where it has dignity by decan and 8-14º where it has dignity by bound

• Taurus Jupiter

  • Save for 14-22º, where it has dignity by bound

• Taurus Saturn

  • Save for 22-27º, where it has dignity by bound, and 20-30º, which has dignity by decan

• Gemini Sun

  • Save for 20-30º where it has dignity by decan

• Gemini Moon

• Gemini Mars

  • Save for 10-20º, where it has dignity by decan and 17-24º, which has dignity by bound

• Gemini Venus

  • Save for 12-17º, where it has dignity by bound

• Cancer Sun

• Cancer Mercury

  • Save for 13-18º, where it has dignity by bound

• Leo Moon

• Leo Mercury

  • Save for 6-13º, where it has dignity by bound

• Leo Venus

  • Save for 14-21º, where it has dignity by bound

• Leo Mars

  • Save for 20-30º, where it has dignity by decan and 24-30º, which has dignity by bound

• Virgo Sun

  • Save for 0-10º, where it has dignity by decan

• Virgo Saturn

  • Save for 28-30º, where it has dignity by bound

• Libra Moon

  • Save for 0-10º where it has dignity by decan

• Scorpio Sun

  • Save for 10-20º, where it has dignity by decan

• Scorpio Mercury

  • Save for 11-19º, where it has dignity by bound

• Scorpio Jupiter

  • Save for 19-24º, where it has dignity by bound

• Scorpio Saturn

  • Save for 24-30, where it has dignity by bound

• Sagittarius Moon

  • Save for 10-20º, where it has dignity by decan

• Sagittarius Venus

  • Save for 12-17º, where it has dignity by bound

• Sagittarius Mars

  • Save for 26-30º, where it has dignity by bound

• Capricorn Sun

  • Save for 20-30º, where it has dignity by decan

• Capricorn Mercury

  • Save for 0-7º, where it has dignity by bound

• Aquarius Moon

  • Save for 20-30, where it has dignity by decan

• Aquarius Venus

  • Save for 7-13º, where it has dignity by bound and 0-10º, where it has dignity by decan

• Aquarius Mars

  • Save for 20-25º, where it has dignity by bound

• Pisces Sun

• Pisces Saturn

  • Save for 28-30º, where it has dignity by bound and 0-10º, where it has dignity by decan

What is a Peregrine Planet?

The word “peregrine” comes from the the Latin peregrino, meaning “to wander,” or “to travel”.¹ Like a voyager in a foreign land, Demetra George describes peregrine planets as akin to “a person without a home or who is outside his homeland,” which increases their potential deficits.² Traditional astrologers throughout time agree: like a stranger in a strange land, peregrine planets are weak and often faced with much hindrance as they reach their goals.