Tarot & Sidereal Astrology

The astrological references of PerennialTarot.com are based on sidereal astrology, which looks at where the planets are in relation to the actual constellations in the sky. Since the planets also pass through the constellation of Ophiucus, that constellation is included as the 13th constellation on the ecliptic.

A tarot deck consists of 78 arcanae, six arcanae can be allocated to each of the constellations (6 x 13 = 78) according to the chart below:

ConstellationElementRulerUpper ArcanaArcanaArcanaLower ArcanaLower Arcana / CourtCourt
AriesCardinal
Fire
Mars4 EmperorAce Rods2 Rods3 Rods / Sun9 Rods / MoonQueen Rods / Venus
TaurusFixed
Earth
Venus3 Empress5 Hierophant6 Pentacles / Moon7 Pentacles / Saturn9 Pentacles / VenusKing Pentacles / Jupiter
GeminiMutable
Air
Mercury6 Lovers8 Swords9 Swords /Mars10 Swords / SunPage SwordsKnight Swords / Mars
CancerCardinal
Water
Moon7 ChariotAce Cups2 Cups / Venus3 Cups / Mercury4 CupsQueen Cups
LeoFixed
Fire
Sun8 Strength19 Sun5 Rods / Saturn6 Rods / Jupiter7 Rods /
Mars
King Rods
VirgoMutable
Earth
Mercury9 Hermit2 Pentacles / Jupiter8 Pentacles / Sun10 PentaclesPage Pentacles / MoonKnight Pentacles / Mars
LibraCardinal
Air
Venus11 JusticeAce Swords / Mercury2 Swords / Moon3 Swords / Saturn4 Swords /JupiterQueen Swords
ScorpioFixed
Water
Pluto10 Wheel of Fortune / Jupiter13 Death16 Tower5 Cups /
Mars
7 Cups / VenusKing Cups / Neptune
OphiuchusWater/FireChiron1 Magician
Mercury
2 High Priestess
Moon
21 World
Jupiter
4 Rods / Venus6 Cups /
Sun
Page Cups
SagittariusMutable FireJupiter14 Temperance20
Judgement
8 Rods / Mercury10 Rods / SaturnPage RodsKnight
Rods /
Mars
CapricornCardinal
Earth
Saturn15 DevilAce Pentacles3 Pentacles / Mars4 Pentacles / Sun5 Pentacles /Mercury Queen Pentacles / Venus
AquariusFixed
Air
UranusFool17 Star5 Swords / Venus6 Swords / Mercury7 Swords / MoonKing Swords / Saturn
PiscesMutable
Water
Neptune12 Hanged Man / Uranus18 Moon8 Cups / Saturn9 Cups / Jupiter10 Cups / MarsKnight Cups

The photo shows how the arcanae of the Morgan Greer deck are arranged when laid out according to the chart. I used Lego® bricks as colour codes for the planetary rulerships for the respective arcanae in each of the thirteen constellations (yellow = Sun; brown = Moon; light grey = Mercury; green = Venus; red = Mars; white = Jupiter; dark grey with 6-studs = Saturn; transparent dark blue = Uranus; blue = Neptune; black = Pluto; light green = Chiron). The eight-stud bricks show the planetary ruler of each constellation:

Latest update: 19th December 2021

Here is a table showing the number of arcanae that are ruled by each planet:

RulerArcanae
Sun8
Moon10
Mercury11
Venus11
Mars11
Jupiter10
Saturn8
Uranus3
Neptune3
Pluto2
Chiron1

The rulers can be arranged into five groups: (1) the Sun and Moon; (2) the near planets, Mercury, Venus, and Mars; (3) the visible outer planets, Jupiter and Saturn; (4) the remote planets, Uranus, Neptune; (5) the minor celestial bodies, Pluto and Chiron.

When considered in this way, it will be seen that the Sun and Moon rule 18 arcanae, as do Jupiter and Saturn. Given their proximity to us, the three near planets rule 33 arcanae, eleven each, while the remote planets rule six, and the minor celestial bodies rule three.