Virgo is dominated by Mercury, the planet which also governs Gemini and will continue to do so until a new planet is discovered to take its place for one of those Signs...the probability being that the new planet (likely to be given the name of Vulcan) will became ruler of Virgo, leaving Mercury with sole jurisdiction over The Twins. For further information on Vulcan and other possible future planetary rulers of Virgo, please see below.

Mercury is named for the winged Messenger God of Roman myth and is representative of adaptability...making the most of what is available and fitting into different surroundings. Mercury individuals tend to conform with the ideals and morals which are most fashionable at any given time. They never remain still for very long and cannot be "pinned down" on anything. The Mercury character has a young, almost "Peter Panish" quality.

In an astrological sense, the influence of Mercury is associated chiefly with the mind. It is the giver of wisdom and signifies the progression from the purely instinctive realm of the animal kingdom by the use of the intellect. Mercury represents ideas, methods and information...progressing through experimentation and invention. This planet is associated with children prior to puberty and thus, is connected to tricks, jokes, youthfulness and light-heartedness. Mercury rules all forms of communication (telephone calls, letters and speech, for example). It also rules the sciences, curiosity, manner of thought and travel. Mercury is also associated with merchants, commerce and mental pursuits. "Wheeling and dealing" fall within the jurisdiction of this planet...as do lying and cheating. It has been said that individuals born under the influence of Mercury are experts at "bursting the bubbles" of others, pricking the pretensions of those around them and forcing the re-examination of personal attitudes. Needles to say, this is a talent not always universally admired...and most assuredly not by its victims.

As a planetary influence, Mercury is neutral, displaying neither feminine nor masculine qualities but focused chiefly on processing the facts, data and communications which make up an important part of everyday life. It symbolizes fluidity overcoming rigidity and is thus the champion of new beginnings, upsetting conventional attitudes and blazing trails for invention and change. The message of Mercury is one of personal transformation...a bridging of the gap between the self and its potentials. Mercury is the magician...the alchemist who magically transforms words into substance. It is said to figure strongly in the computerized age with its advances in information and communication.

Items particularly associated with Mercury are: azaleas and lilies-of the valley; walnut and hazelnut trees; carrots and celery; monkeys, parrots, foxes and greyhounds. Not surprisingly, the metal quicksilver is also linked to Mercury while the semi-precious stones associated with this planet are: topaz; agate and aquamarine. Wednesday is considered an especially lucky day for those who are governed by Mercury, while the associated special colors are: saffron yellow, azure blue and the sparkle of sunlight upon water. This planet is said to relate to the intellect, the nervous system and the thyroid gland, as well as the senses of hearing, sight and touch.

The great moral lesson to be learned by the chidren of Mercury is a relatively easy one...they must learn to mean what they say.

Mercury has been known since at least the time of the Sumerians, and is one of the five planets acknowledged by the Ancients (who referred to these planets a "wandering stars"). Mercury was given two names by the Greeks...Apollo for its apparition as a morning star and Hermes as an evening one. However, Greek astronomers were well aware that the two designations referred to the same heavenly body. The given Greek name of Hermes was later translated by the Romans to Mercurius...an early alias of what later became the God Mercury. To the Teutonic people, this planet was named for their God Woden.

Until 1962, it was thought that Mercury's "day" was the same length as its "year," thus keeping the same "face" to the Sun (much as the Moon does to the Earth). This was proven false in 1965 by doppler radar observations. It is now known that Mercury rotates three times in two of its years. The atmosphere of this planet is very thin and insubstantial, being comprised chiefly of oxygen, helium and sodium. Its temperature ranges are the most extreme of the solar system and Mercury is a desolate planet whose surface is heavily cratered (similar to that of the Moon). Scars sculpted by billions of years of asteroid impacts are believed to have remained largely unchanged since they were formed, due to the fact that there is almost no erosion (or other process) to modify or obliterate them. The terrain of this planet also features enormous steep slopes and long cliffs. Mercury is the second only to Earth is being the densest major body in the solar system. It has a relatively thin silicate mantle and crust, with an interior dominated by a large iron core (approximately the size of the Earth's Moon), at least part of which is generally assumed to be molten in nature. The surface temperature on the side of Mercury closest to the Sun is estimated to reach 427 degrees Celsuius...a temperature hot enough to melt tin. The side which faces away from the Sun (also known as the "night side") can drop in temperature to -183 degrees Celsius. In other words, Mercury literally bakes and freezes at the same time. Scientists have detected an internal magnetic field surrounding Mercury, although this field is not as strong as that around the Earth. Mercury is the second smallest planet in the Solar System, being about one-third the size of the Earth. It was once believed to be smaller than Pluto, but this was later found to be incorrect. Thus, Pluto is actually the tiniest planet. However, Mercury is the fastest in its orbit due to it being the innermost planet to the Sun. On average, it moves at 29 miles per second. In fact, the name "Mercury" is derived from the speed with which this planet moves.

Information regarding Mercury became more accessible with radar imaging from the Earth in the 1960s. Most of what is known about this planet today was received from the Mariner 10 space probe, which was placed into a complicated orbit involving Venus and Mercury, and which passed close to Mercury three times from 1974 through 1976. One day on Mercury is equal to approximately three months on Earth and it travels around the Sun every eighty-eight days. Its orbit is wildly eccentric and more elliptical (i.e, non-circular) than any other Planet...with the exception of Pluto. Mercury is a dark world...the darkest major body in the Solar System, reflecting a mere 11% of the sunlight which strikes its surface. The planet spins counterclockwise (as does the Earth) and also orbits in the same direction. Thus far, the only data collected regarding Mercury is limited in detail to less than half of the planet's surface. Mercury is unique in its geological history in that it has experienced a global system of fractures caused by shrinkage of the planet. Some scientists believe that Mercury continues to shrink somewhat with the passing of each year. Since the atmosphere is so slight, the sky when viewed from this planet would appear pitch-black (except for the Sun, stars and other planets, when visible), even during the day. In addition, Mercury has no "greenhouse effect." Thus, there are no seasons.

One of the largest features on the "wrinkled" surface of Mercury is the Caloris Basin (approximately 1300 km in diameter...large enough to hold the entire State of Texas), which is believed to have been caused by a very large impact early in the history of the solar system. The planet does display regions of relatively smooth plains, which may be the result of ancient volcanic activity. Radar observations of Mercury's North Pole have shown surprising evidence of water ice in the projected shadows of some craters which appear to be permanently shaded from the rays of the Sun. The planet is often visible on Earth's horizon just after sunset or before dawn, especially during the Spring and Autumn months..in fact, it is brighter than many stars, but is usually obscured by the haze and dust in the Earth's atmosphere. Mercury rises and sets approximately two hours prior to sunrise and two hours after sunset. It is sometimes possible to view this planet with binoculars or even the naked eye at times, but it is always very near the Sun...frequently lost in its glare and difficult to see in twilight. Like the other "terrestial" planets (Venus, Earth and Mars), Mercury is believed to be composed primarily of rock and metal. It has no known naturally-occurring satellites and it is generally presumed that the existence of any lifeforms is almost certainly impossible.

Mercury is the winged Roman Messenger God, known to the Greeks as Hermes, and it is by this alias that the majority of myths surrounding Mercury are known. He was given many of the attributes of a wayward youngster, and was the love child of Zeus and the nymph named Maia, who was the Goddess of Clouds and a member of the Pleides, in addition to being one of the daughters of Atlas the Titan. Born in Arcadia (near the Cyllene Mountain), Hermes grew into a small boy only minutes after his mother laid the newborn baby down to sleep. It is said that the moment she turned her back, he tip-toed out and immediately rustled a heard of cattle belonging to his half-brother Appollo. The Sun God was enraged at this act, but Hermes soon charmed him by playing a tune on the world's first lyre, which he invented on the spot by stringing stolen cow gut across the inside of a tortoise shell. One variation of this story states that Apollo liked the music so much that he traded both his cattle and his shepherd staff in exchange for the lyre, but that despite the trade-off, Zeus finally ordered that the cattle be returned to Apollo. As he grew, Hermes learned to put his quick wit to excellent use. He once rescued Io (one of Zeus' many sweethearts) from a hundred-eyed monster named Argus by playing his self-made shepherd pipes so tediously that he finally put the beast to sleep. It is proably due to his resourcefulness that Hermes became the Messenger of the Gods, endowed with a winged helmet and winged sandals to speed him on celestial errands. He was also known to be the Patron of Tricksters and Thieves.

Hermes was one of many admirers of Aphrodite (known to the Romans as Venus), Goddess of Love and Beauty. Through his union with this lovely Goddess, a daughter was born...Peitho, the personification of Persuason and Seduction. At least two more daughters were born to Hermes and Aphrodite, named Tyche and Eunomia. The couple also had a son, Hermaphroditus, who was welded with the bestotted fountain nymph, Salmacis, into a single body which possessed both male and female sexual organs. Some mythological sources also credit the pair with being the parents of Eros (known to the Romans as Cupid), but this is often disputed. Through a union with Penelope, Hermes became the father of Pan, the celebrated God of Shepherds, and by virtue of yet another liason with Chione, he became the father of Autolycus, the grandfather of the hero Odysseus (known to the Romans as Ulysses). In later myth, Hermes helps to rescue his great-grandson from harm twice during the ten-year, post-Trojan War epic known as the "Odyssey." According to some legends, Hermes is also the father of the Bacchus-like Silenus and brother to Pan, while in other mythological tales, Silenus is credited with being Pan's son.

It seems likely that Hermes was originally an Egyptian deity whose center of worship became known as Hermopolis. There is also evidence to suggest that there were Celtic and early Germanic cults who worshipped Mercury, and his name is credited with being the origin of "Wednesday." In French, this is "mercredi," derived from the Latin Mercurii Dies or "Mercury's Day." On ancient coins, this Messenger God is usually depicted as a clean-shaven young man, often accompanied by his sacred animel, the cock or rooster. The Greeks considered Hermes to be the most clever of Gods. He was credited with having invented the alphabet, the musical scale, astronomy and boxing. Known as the Lord of Travel and Commerce, he was also the Patron of Alchemy...the magic art of transforming base metals into gold. The Romans adopted Hermes into their Panthenon under the name of Mercury around 495 BC and, along with his other duties, gave him jurisdiction over trade and mastery of medicine. Thus, Mercury carried the Cadeuceus...a wand or herald's staff encircled by two entwined snakes or ribbons and imbued with the power to heal the sick and charm humankind into slumber. This staff has since became the modern symbol of medicine. The name "Mercury" itself is derived from the Latin mercari, which means to "deal" or "trade." As one of the favorites of Jove (or Zeus, as he is known to the Romans), Mercury was considered the most entertaining, shrewd and resourceful of Gods. When Jove tired of Olympus (as he often did), he would invariably choose Mercury to accompany him on his forays to Earth, both disguised as mortals. In the City of Rome, a Temple was erected to Mercury near the Circus Maximus on Aventine Hill, which was once the site of a trade fair. Mercury also held jurisdiction over a well near the Porta Capena and a festival in his honor was held annually on May 15, when merchants would sprinkle their heads and their merchandise with water from this well.

In his role as Messenger to the Gods (a duty he often shared with Iris, Goddess of the Dawn) and sometime conductor of souls of the dead into Hades, he was known as the "Guide and Giver of Good." Hermes and/or Mercury is customarily depicted wearing a broad-rimmed traveler's hat or helmet called a petasos or petasus and winged sandals or talaria fashioned from "imperishable gold, which bore him swift as a breath of air over sea and earth." He was also known to carry a purse or money-bag which signified his role as the Greek God of Riches, Trade and Good Fortune, and the Roman God of Trade, Profit, Merchants and Travelers. He assumed the latter duty from the Dei Lucre, early Roman deities of commerce, from whom it is generally accepted that the phrase "filthy lucre" is derived. Among Mercury's favored commercial activities was the corn trade, and his relationship to business and speed survive in such words as "mercurial" and "mercantile." Because of his speed, he is sometimes considered to be a God of the Winds. According to legend, Mercury is credited with having taught the art of prophesy to the Thriae, winged female spirits who lived on Mount Parnassus...taught the curious Pandora the art of persuasion...delivered Zeus' command to Hades to release Persephone so that the mourning Earth could once again bear life...helped Perseus plan the slaughter of Medusa (including giving Perseus the "sickle of admante" with which to accomplish this and personally flying him to the land where the Gorgons slept)...as well as escorting the mortal Psyche to Mount Olympus in order that she might marry Eros. But these are merely small samplings of the numerous myths involving this cunning and quick-witted God.

Each of the astrological planets has its own ancient symbol or glyph, created from different combinations of three basic elements that the early astrologers referred to as the Circle of Spirit, the Crescent of Soul and the Cross of Matter. The glyph of Mercury is comprised of all three of these elements: the Cross (in this instance, representative of Earth), surmounted by the Circle of Spirit and capped by the Crescent (in this instance, representative of personality). The whole is symbolic of the unity of mind, spirit and matter...but giving primacy to intellect. This glyph is also frequently described in less elaborate terms as "Mercury in his Winged Hat."

Also referred to as the "Ghost Planet," Vulcan is a celestial body that some sources believe to be the closest planet to the Sun, circling inside the orbit of Mercury. The belief in Vulcan originated in the Seventeenth Century due to certain irregularities in Mercury's motion. French mathematician and astronomer Urbain Jean Joseph Le Verrier (who discovered Neptune on the basis of his calculations) firmly believed in the existence of Vulcan, although the majority of later day scientists appear unconvinced that there is such a planet in that location. Indeed, the only way to actually prove its existence would be to either catch it in transit across the face of the Sun or identify it at the time of a solar eclipse. In 1859, Lescarbault, a French country doctor and amateur astronomer, announced that he had indeed seen Vulcan in transit. However, further verification was lacking. In 1878, two well-known observers...Swift and Watson...surveyed the neighborhood of the totally-eclipsed Sun and reported finding not only one planet in the vicinity of Vulcan, but several. Again, however, no concrete proof or confirmation was forthcoming. Thus, modern day scientists have determined that Vulcan does not exist...at least not as the closest planet to the Sun...and never did. The official search for Vulcan in that region was eventually abandoned in 1929 after a total solar eclipse, but there are those who maintain that Vulcan is in an etheric or non-materialized state and can only be seen in ultraviolet light or is hiding behind the Sun. In August of 2000, an international group of astronomers hunting for worlds outside of Earth's solar system announced that they had found a planet (most likely a gaseous giant) the approximate size of Jupiter orbiting the nearby solar system of Epsilon Eridani...a star very similar to the Sun (although somewhat smaller and much younger in age) which is 10.5 light years from Earth. The planet was detected indirectly since there are no telescopes yet powerful enough to see reflected light from a planet that far away. It is possible that this recently-discovered celestial body will be given the name Vulcan but, under such circumstances, is unlikely to then be considered as the planetary ruler of Virgo.

In classical mythology, Vulcan (known to the Greeks as Hephaestus or Hephaistos) was the God of Fire and Crafsmanship. His parentage varies dependent upon the source. Some legends depict him as the son of Jupiter and Juno while others state that he had no father, Juno producing him independently in retaliation for Jupiter having brought forth Athena. It is said that Vulcan was born lame and grotesque and that his mother hated him on first sight. Indeed, one of the myths involving Vulcan portrays the deformed infant God being cast down from Olympus by Juno. In yet another tale, it is Jupiter who hurls Vulcan from the heights because he tried to defend his mother in the midst of a quarrel. In this particular story, after falling for a full day, Vulcan lands on Lemnos, breaking both his legs and thus, becoming lame. The Sea-Goddess, Thetis, upon finding the crippled youngster on the beach, takes him to her underwater grotto where she raises him with the help of Eurynome, mother of the Graces. As the Blacksmith of the Gods, Vulcan is said to be the manufacturer of art, arms and armor for the mythological heroes, using a volcano as his forge. According to the Iliad, his wife is Aglaia, one of the Graces, but in the Odyssey, he is said to be married to Venus, Goddess of Love. The Patron of both Smiths and Weavers, Vulcan is customarily depicted as being kind and peace-loving. He is the only God in mythology definitively identified as being ugly.

The Kuiper Belt is named in honor of the Dutch-American astronomer, Gerald P. Kuiper (1905-1973), a pioneer in solar system research using spacecraft, who predicted its existence in 1952, although the belt itself was not actually discovered until some forty years later. A region of space located along the ecliptic outside the orbit of Neptune, the Kuiper Belt contains countless comets and "super comets," also know as planetesimlas, as well as a vast number of asteriods. The largest of these is named Quaoar, approximately half the size of Pluto, but the four primary asteroids of the Kuiper Belt are known as Juno, Pallas, Ceres and Vesta. It is the latter two which are possible future candidates for the position of Virgo's planetary ruler. It is highly likely that the Kuiper Belt is the reservoir source of the periodic comets that dazzle the Earth's night sky as they pass through the inner solar system.

Ceres, composed mostly of iron and rock, was discovered on January 1, 1801 by the Italian astronomer Giuseppe Piazzi (1746-1826). Piazzi, a Theatine priest, later became Professor of Mathematics at the Univeristy of Palermo, where he supervised construction of a government observatory becoming its first director. He also established a government observatory at Naples. In 1803, Piazzi published a catalog of the fixed stars and, in 1814, enlarged it to include 7,646 luminaries. Ceres is the largest of the four primary asteroids and has an orbital period of 4.61 years. It is said to bring awareness to humankind in terms of how an indiviudal nurtures and what such individual finds to be personally nurturing. This asteroid embodies mothering and agricultural qualities, bringing attention to mankind's relation with the Earth, the land and the seasons. Ceres reveals the ability to participate in universal flow...the unification of giving and receiving on a personal level. Related to concern and caring for others, as well as for the Earth, this asteroid is associated with the womb and the stomach. In a negative sense, Ceres is associated with: fear of abundance, lack and material struggle; low self-esteem; unworthiness; abandonment or rejection relating to an attachment to people and things; manipulation of loved ones; an over-attachment or desire to control siblings; possessiveness; mother-child complexes; and barrennes. In classical mythology, Ceres was the Roman equivalent of Demeter, sister to Jupiter and daughter of Saturn and Rhea. She is also sometimes referred to as Deo in other cultures. The Romans honored Ceres (from whose name "cereal" is derived) during a harvest festival known as Cerelia which was celebrated either in October or April of each year, dependent upon the source. Sacred to this Goddess were livestock and agricultural products (corn in particular), the poppy, the narcissus and the crane.

Vesta was discovered on March 29, 1807 by the German physician, Heinrich Wilhelm Matthaus Olbers (1758-1840). He named the asteroid in honor of the Roman Goddess of Virtue at the suggestion of Carl Friedrich Gauss. Located near the Super Glactic Center...believed to be the spiritual mother core of the Heavens which lies between Denebola of Leo and Vindemiatrix of Virgo...Vesta has an orbital period of 3.63 years. A huge crater (285 miles across), discovered by the Hubble Space Telescope, mars the surface of this asteroid. Focus, dedication and commitment have all been associated with Vesta, together with physical, emotional and mental clarity, as well as self-respect. This asteroid is said to bring a capacity for personal inner purity at all levels for the expression of an individual's highest potential and true essence. It is symbolic of strength, purity and perfection...of total dedication to purpose. It also draws attention to that which is of true importance, igniting and burning away all which is of no consequence in order that humankind can attain a clear picture. In a negative sense, Vesta is associated with: scatteredness; an inability to focus, commit or carry through; avoidance of personal purpose; denial to address the mental, emotional and physical purification which supports the pure biological vessel for expression of spirit; and lack of the requirements necessary to express true soul intent and purpose on a personal level. These shortcomings can manifest themselves as a fear of commitment, fear of intimacy in all of its forms, and an invalidation of the emotional and physical aspects of self. In classical mythology, Vesta (known to the Greeks as Hestia) was the revered Goddess of the Vestal Virgins. Daughter of Rhea and Saturn, Vesta was the eldest sister of Jupiter and Keeper of the Sacred Fire on Mount Olympus, which meant that she was guardian of the eternal flame (or truth) of the soul. Associated with the Element of Fire, Vesta is believed to purify the soul and serve to enlighten. Both Vesta and her Vestal Virgins were hightly valued and trusted for always speaking the truth. They kept and protected all important documents and records. It is possible that Vesta was originally worshipped as a household spirit. Her feast day was celebrated by the Ancient Romans on June 9. Goddess of the Hearth and its Flame, Vesta's special animal was the ass since, according to legend, this animal protected her from being raped in her sleep by the Fertility God Priapus by letting out a loud bray and thus, awakening the Goddess. It is said that in memory of this act, derived the custom of adorning asses with loaves of bread during Vesta's festival (the Vestalia), which also included a holiday for bakers and millers. Sheep were commonly sacrificed to this Goddess in other rituals. Unlike her fellow deities, Vesta chose never to travel beyond the confines of Olympus and is closely connected to the concept of sanctuary.