There are over 17 thousand named asteroids in the asteroid belt that's located between the planets Mars and Jupiter. But only four are used by most astrologers. These four asteroids are called the Asteroid Goddesses and were named after female members of Jupiter's (Zeus) family. Ceres and Vesta are his sisters, Juno is his wife, and Pallas Athena is his daughter.
The Asteroid Goddesses
Until the discovery of the asteroids the only feminine planetary bodies in astrology were the Moon and Venus. The asteroid goddesses expanded the scope of the expression of the feminine beyond the personal planets. The Sun, Moon, planets, angles, and houses will give you an excellent overall picture. However, asteroids can connect with particular chart themes that might otherwise be missed in a natal chart reading, as well as bring more clarity to themes that are already highlighted.
Ceres: Nurturing and Motherhood
Ceres, also known as Demeter, is the Universal Mother and the goddess of the grain harvest. She embodies the principle of unconditional love. The sign placement of Ceres in your birth chart shows what you need to feel loved and nurtured and how you can best provide love and comfort. She has domain over food, cooking, and nutrition and also influences parenting and gardening. Ceres is associated with fertility, the uterus, and stomach. Negatively, she can speak of parent-child issues, barrenness, custody issues, grief, eating disorders, possessiveness, low self-esteem, and more.
The Glyph of Ceres
The glyph that represents Ceres (⚳) is the scythe, representing the harvest.
Pallas Athena: Wisdom
Pallas Athena, also known as Minerva, is the warrior goddess. She's a woman in a man's world who carries the principle of creative intelligence. Pallas represents the creative use of the mental faculties in combination with ageless wisdom. Her position by house and sign indicates where in your life, you'll strategies, fight for what's right, and where you can use logic, reasoning, and creative understanding. Pallas has influence over many things, such as the arts, the father/daughter relationship, intuition, justice, wisdom, and defense. Negatively, Pallas Athena can speak of conflict, legal battles, injustice, and illnesses due to a weakened immune system.
The Glyph of Pallas Athena
The glyph for Pallas Athena (⚴) is a diamond on top of a cross which represents a spear.
Juno: Marriage
Juno, also known as Hera, is the Queen of Heaven and the Divine Consort. She is your capacity for meaningful relationships and represents marriage and women's issues within the context of marriage and committed relationships. In a natal chart, Juno describes your style of relating and your intimacy needs. Unlike Venus and Mars, she does not represent the type of partner you want; she is an indicator of the kind of person you were meant to marry. Negatively, Juno can speak of infidelity, bitterness, jealousy, anger, control, and aggression.
The Glyph of Juno
The glyph for Juno (⚵) is a scepter topped with a star.
Vesta: Self-Sufficiency
Vesta, also known as Hestia, is the high priestess and the goddess of focus and commitment. She represents sisterhood; the sibling kind and also the sisterhood of women. In a natal chart, she deals with issues of sexuality and completeness unto yourself and shows where you have a nun-like devotion to a cause, project, person, or belief. When Vesta is prominent in a chart, there may be issues with purity, singleness, and sexuality. This can mean sexual abstinence or involvement with multiple partners. Negatively, Vesta in a natal chart can indicate self-absorption and an unwillingness to commit.
The Glyph of Vesta
The glyph of Vesta (⚶) is a fire on a hearth or altar.
Finding the Asteroid Goddesses in Your Birth chart
Although many sites that offer free charts, few include the goddess asteroids. However, you can calculate a chart on Astro.om that will allow you to add additional objects.
- Visit Astro.com.
- At the top navigation bar click on "Free Horoscopes."
- Under "Horoscope Chart Drawings," click on "Extended Chart Selection."
- Enter your birth data.
- Scroll down to "Additional objects" and select Ceres, Pallas, Juno, and Vesta.
- Click on the "Click here to show chart" button.
The table below the chart will show each asteroid glyph, and you can find what sign and the house each is in and the aspects each makes to other placement in your natal chart. If one or more of the asteroid goddesses is prominent in your natal chart, all the types of issues mentioned above will be relevant to you in one way or another.
Interpreting the Asteroid Goddesses
When prominent in a natal chart, the mythic biographies of the asteroid goddesses continue to live out their lives by shaping your life and your experiences. So, before attempting to interpret what each might mean in your birth chart, search the asteroid's name and the word "mythology." Then read up on each goddess's virtues and difficulties. This will give you a more in-depth understanding of what each can signify.
