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Your Big 6 in Astrology: A Simple Guide to Your Core Placements

Published on January 14, 2026

Your Big 6 in Astrology: A Simple Guide to Your Core Placements

Your Big 6 in Astrology: Simple Guide to Your Core Placements

If you only know your ☉ Sun sign, you are missing most of your story.

Astrologers talk a lot about the “Big 3” (☉ Sun, ☾ Moon, Rising). But many people now look at their “Big 6” for a fuller picture.

Your Big 6 are:

  • ☉ Sun
  • ☾ Moon
  • Rising sign (Ascendant)
  • ☿ Mercury
  • ♀ Venus
  • ♂ Mars

Together, they describe how you think, feel, love, act, and show up in the world.

What Are Your Big 6 (and Why They Matter)

Each of the Big 6 has a simple job:

  • ☉ Sun: Core self, ego, life force, what you grow into
  • ☾ Moon: Emotions, needs, habits, how you self-soothe
  • Rising sign (Ascendant): First impression, style, how life "meets" you
  • ☿ Mercury: Mind, voice, how you think and communicate
  • ♀ Venus: Love, attraction, pleasure, money style
  • ♂ Mars: Drive, anger, sex, how you go after what you want

Your Sun sign alone cannot explain why you:

  • Feel different from your horoscope
  • Communicate one way, but love another
  • Look like one sign but act like another

That is your Big 6 in action.

If you want a deeper intro to the first three, read What Are Your Big Three in Astrology? ☉ Sun, ☾ Moon, Rising after this guide.

How to Find Your Big 6

To find all six placements, you need:

  • Date of birth
  • Place of birth
  • Exact or best-guess birth time (especially important for your Rising)

Then:

  1. Visit https://www.starsigns.ai.
  2. Generate your natal (birth) chart.
  3. Look for:
    • ☉ Sun sign and degree
    • ☾ Moon sign
    • Ascendant (AC) sign
    • ☿ Mercury sign
    • ♀ Venus sign
    • ♂ Mars sign

If you are totally new to chart wheels, you may like A Beginner’s Guide to Reading Your Own Birth Chart for a gentle walkthrough.

Tip: If you do not know your exact birth time, your ☉ Sun, ☾ Moon, ☿ Mercury, ♀ Venus, and ♂ Mars signs are usually still correct. Your Rising sign may change with a different time.

Your Inner Core: ☉ Sun, ☾ Moon, and Rising

These three are your main foundation.

☉ Sun: Your Core Self and Life Direction

Your ☉ Sun shows:

  • What lights you up
  • How you want to feel proud of yourself
  • The style of confidence you are growing into

Examples:

  • ☉ in ♈ Aries: You grow by being bold, direct, and taking risks.
  • ☉ in ♋ Cancer: You grow by nurturing, protecting, and creating emotional safety.
  • ☉ in ♑ Capricorn: You grow by building, achieving, and mastering your craft.

When your life honors your ☉ Sun, you feel alive and on track.

☾ Moon: Your Emotional Needs

Your ☾ Moon shows:

  • What makes you feel safe inside
  • How you react when you are upset
  • Your private, instinctive side

Quick hints:

  • ☾ in fire signs (♈, ♌, ♐): Needs excitement, honesty, and passion.
  • ☾ in earth signs (♉, ♍, ♑): Needs stability, touch, and practical support.
  • ☾ in air signs (♊, ♎, ♒): Needs conversation, ideas, and mental space.
  • ☾ in water signs (♋, ♏, ♓): Needs emotional depth, trust, and feeling understood.

Meeting your Moon needs helps you regulate your moods and avoid burnout.

Rising Sign: Your Lens on Life

Your Rising sign (Ascendant) is the sign on the horizon at birth. It shows:

  • How people first see you
  • Your body language and style
  • The “filter” through which you meet life

Examples:

  • Rising in ♍ Virgo: You seem thoughtful, organized, observant.
  • Rising in ♎ Libra: You seem charming, cooperative, people-oriented.
  • Rising in ♏ Scorpio: You seem intense, private, magnetic.

Your Rising also sets up your 12 houses, which describe life areas. For a simple house overview, see The 12 Astrological Houses: A Simple Explanation of Life Areas.

Your Mind, Love, and Drive: ☿ Mercury, ♀ Venus, ♂ Mars

These three show how you think, relate, and act.

☿ Mercury: How You Think and Communicate

☿ Mercury rules:

  • Thinking style
  • Communication and learning
  • Texting, writing, speaking

Some quick snapshots:

  • ☿ in ♊ Gemini: Fast thinker, curious, easily bored.
  • ☿ in ♌ Leo: Dramatic storyteller, likes being heard and seen.
  • ☿ in ♑ Capricorn: Structured mind, serious, plans before speaking.

When you match your study and work style to your ☿ Mercury, life feels easier and clearer.

For a full breakdown of your Mercury, read How Do I Interpret My Mercury Sign?.

♀ Venus: How You Love and Attract

♀ Venus shows:

  • What you find beautiful and attractive
  • Your love style and attachment to pleasure
  • How you give and receive affection (and money style)

Examples:

  • ♀ in ♉ Taurus: Loyal, sensual, values comfort and stability.
  • ♀ in ♎ Libra: Romantic, needs harmony, cares about fairness.
  • ♀ in ♏ Scorpio: Intense, all-or-nothing, craves deep bonds.

Your ♀ Venus sign explains why you are drawn to some people and turned off by others.

For more on this, see Decoding Your Venus Sign: What It Says About Your Love Style.

♂ Mars: Your Energy, Anger, and Sexual Drive

♂ Mars is your inner fighter. It shows:

  • How you go after goals
  • How you handle anger and conflict
  • Your style of physical and sexual energy

Quick sketches:

  • ♂ in ♈ Aries: Direct, impulsive, likes quick action.
  • ♂ in ♊ Gemini: Scattered but curious, needs mental stimulation to act.
  • ♂ in ♊ Scorpio: Strategic, intense, can hold a grudge, very focused drive.

Understanding your ♂ Mars can help with:

  • Motivation issues
  • Conflict patterns
  • Sexual compatibility and desire

You can dive deeper with Mars in Astrology: How Your Mars Sign Influences Your Energy and Drive.

How Your Big 6 Work Together

Your Big 6 are a team, not six separate pieces.

Here are some common patterns:

1. Element Mix

Look at how many of your Big 6 are in:

  • Fire signs: ♈, ♌, ♐
  • Earth signs: ♉, ♍, ♑
  • Air signs: ♊, ♎, ♒
  • Water signs: ♋, ♏, ♓

Examples:

  • Mostly fire: Action-focused, bold, may rush. Needs outlets for creativity and movement.
  • Mostly earth: Grounded, practical, can get stuck. Needs structure and clear goals.
  • Mostly air: Mental, social, easily distracted. Needs variety and conversation.
  • Mostly water: Sensitive, intuitive, deep. Needs emotional safety and downtime.

2. Public vs Private You

  • Your Rising and ☉ Sun show what the world sees.
  • Your ☾ Moon and ♀ Venus show how you feel inside.

Example:

  • Rising in ♌ Leo, ☉ in ♐ Sagittarius, ☾ in ♓ Pisces:
    • You seem bright and fun, but your feelings are soft and sensitive.

3. Love and Conflict Style

  • ♀ Venus = how you love
  • ♂ Mars = how you fight and chase
  • ☿ Mercury = how you talk it out

If these clash, you may send mixed signals:

  • Example: ♀ in ♓ Pisces (soft, romantic) but ♂ in ♑ Capricorn (serious, controlled).
    • You crave dreamy love but pursue it in a cautious, practical way.

4. When Things Feel Off

You may feel “not like yourself” when:

  • Your job clashes with your ☉ Sun or ♂ Mars
  • Your relationships ignore your ☾ Moon needs
  • You silence your ☿ Mercury style of speaking

Realignment tip:

  • Ask: “Which Big 6 placement is starving right now?”
  • Then feed it in a small, simple way.

For more on using your chart for healing and growth, see How to Use Astrology for Personal Growth and Self-Acceptance.

Using Your Big 6 for Everyday Life

Here are some simple ways to work with your Big 6:

For Self-Care

  • ☾ Moon: Choose self-care based on your Moon’s element.
    • Fire ☾: Exercise, dance, vent.
    • Earth ☾: Cook, clean, organize, touch nature.
    • Air ☾: Journal, talk, read, learn.
    • Water ☾: Cry, bath, music, therapy.

For Work and Study

  • ☉ Sun: Choose goals that match your Sun sign’s nature.
  • ☿ Mercury: Match your learning style to your Mercury sign.
  • ♂ Mars: Plan your day around when your energy is naturally higher.

For Love and Friendship

  • ♀ Venus: Notice your love language and values.
  • ☾ Moon: Share your emotional needs clearly.
  • ☿ Mercury: Watch how you argue and repair.

For Planning with Transits

When planets transit (move through the sky) over your Big 6, life can feel louder.

You can:

  • Track what is hitting your ☉ Sun, ☾ Moon, or Rising now
  • Notice patterns in mood, energy, and relationships
  • Adjust plans during intense ☿ Mercury ℞ retrogrades or ♄ Saturn aspects

Visit https://www.starsigns.ai to see current transits to your Big 6 and get personalized insight for timing and decisions.

FAQ: Common Questions About the Big 6

What are the Big 6 in astrology?

Your Big 6 are:

  • ☉ Sun
  • ☾ Moon
  • Rising sign (Ascendant)
  • ☿ Mercury
  • ♀ Venus
  • ♂ Mars

They are the six core placements most people check first to understand their personality, emotions, relationships, and drive.

Do I really need my birth time for my Big 6?

You do need a birth time for your Rising sign, because it changes quickly.

You can still know your:

  • ☉ Sun
  • ☾ Moon (usually correct unless your Moon changed signs that day)
  • ☿ Mercury
  • ♀ Venus
  • ♂ Mars

But without a good birth time, your Rising sign and house placements will be uncertain.

Which is more important: Sun or Rising?

They are both important, in different ways:

  • ☉ Sun: Your core identity and long-term growth.
  • Rising sign: Your style, body language, and how life events reach you.

Many people feel their Rising more strongly when young, and their ☉ Sun more as they mature.

Can my Big 6 explain relationship issues?

They can show a lot about how you relate:

  • ☾ Moon: Emotional needs and triggers
  • ♀ Venus: Love style and what you value
  • ♂ Mars: Conflict style and sexual drive
  • ☿ Mercury: How you talk and listen

They do not replace communication or therapy, but they can explain recurring patterns.

For a deeper look at compatibility, explore synastry basics in Beyond Sun Signs: Using Synastry to Understand Relationship Dynamics.

How often do my Big 6 change?

Your natal Big 6 never change. They are set at birth.

What does change are the transits and progressions activating them over time. These show life phases, mood shifts, and timing.

You can track these cycles and get personalized forecasts for your Big 6 at https://www.starsigns.ai.

Your Big 6 are a simple, powerful doorway into your chart.

Once you know them, you have a clear roadmap for:

  • Self-understanding
  • Better relationships
  • Smarter timing

From there, you can explore houses, aspects, and transits when you are ready. One step at a time is enough.