Social Planet

Jupiter and Saturn are sometimes described as the "social planets". They are the most distant planets visible with the naked eye from Earth. The length of their orbital periods means that Jupiter spends roughly 1 year in a sign of the zodiac and Saturn 2 1/2 years, so that people born in the same year (or couple of years in the case of Saturn) often have them in the same sign.

Both planets represent themes which transcend the individual. With Jupiter these are values and ideals such as morals and ethics which help to give coherence to society; Saturn is concerned with laws aimed at stabilising societal structures and punishing those who transgress what are considered to be the bounds of acceptable behaviour.

In an individual's horoscope the house, sign of the zodiac and aspects to both planets are significant. Jupiter symbolises the aspiration for noble values, expanding horizons, abundance and generosity; Saturn is concerned with concentrating on what is essential, practicality, discipline and the defining of boundaries.

The term "social planets" differentiates Jupiter and Saturn from the personal planets Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, and Mars, and the spiritual planets Uranus, Neptune, Pluto.