In my previous article You’re Not Just Your Sun Sign I pointed out that human beings are too complex to be reduced to a single sign of the zodiac.  I hope also that I made it clear that it’s possible for a person to be a pretty strong type by virtue of having several planets in a given sign.  One way this can happen is if Mercury and Venus are in the same sign as the sun.  Because of the way the solar system is arranged, this is not at all unlikely.  Here’s why:

In our solar system, Mercury is closest to the sun.  Venus is next in line, followed by Earth, then Mars, then Jupiter and so on.  This means that from Earth’s point of view (which is what matters in astrology, because Earth is where we live) the sun, Mercury and Venus will always be in the same quadrant of sky.  You will never see Mercury opposite the sun in a birth chart and if someone tells you that you have that, they’re pulling your leg because it’s physically impossible.  Mercury will always be found in the sun’s sign or one sign ahead or behind the sun.  Venus ranges a little further, but it will never be further from the sun than two signs ahead or behind.

So in any chart, relative to the sun, Mercury has three signs it could be in, while Venus has five.  This significantly increases the statistical chances of Mercury, Venus, or both doubling up in the sun’s sign, which will intensify the sun sign traits.  This is why some people are purer types than others and it’s also why some people may identify with their sun sign very little.  If you are a solid Capricorn sun, but you have a flirtatious Aquarian Venus and a loquacious Sagittarian Mercury, you won’t feel much like a Capricorn unless you have some other planet there (or at least in another Earth sign) to back it up.  However, your Capricorn nature will out eventually, probably around the time of your Saturn return, when you are approaching 30 and find yourself suddenly taking life more seriously.

It’s fairly easy to find out where your Mercury and Venus are.  If you are curious, go to http://www.astrodienst.com.  Click on “Free Horoscopes” and then look on the left for the place to enter your birth data: “Please Click Here.”  That takes you to the page where you can enter your birth data.  If you have your accurate birth time, use it (otherwise, just put in noon).  Be sure to enter the correct city of birth.  Once you’ve done that, you’ll find yourself on a page where you can choose the type of chart you want.  Look in the Horoscope Chart Drawings section and click on “Chart Drawing” under it.

Here, at last, is your birth chart.  Your Ascendant will not be accurate if you do not have the correct birth time, so if you don’t know your birth time, just ignore the sign listed next to “Ascendant.”  In the box on the left you’ll be able to find your Mercury and Venus signs.

While you are there, look to see if a single sign appears three or more times.  If it does, that is probably your strongest sign, whether it is your sun sign or not.  If you enjoy reading the silly newspaper “horoscopes,” then this is the sign you should look at, not necessarily your sun sign.