Glossary
P
A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, Y, Z

Pars Fortuna—The point in the zodiac that is the same distance from the ascendant as the Sun is from the Moon. For example, if the Sun and the Moon are in conjunction, the ascendant and Pars Fortuna will also be in conjunction. Derived from Arabic astrology and used in varying degrees in modern Western astrology.
Part of Fortune—See Pars Fortuna.
Partile Aspect—An aspect that is not exact, but is within orb. For example, one planet at 1° and a second planet at 4° are not exactly conjunct, but are still considered conjunct, and the aspect is therefore partile.
Peregrine Planet—A planet that has no essential dignity in its current position. It is considered to be a 'wanderer', with the tendency to be problematic.
Perigee—Perig. The point in the Moon's orbit when it is closest to the Earth.
Perihelion—The name given to the point in a planet's orbit when it is closest to the Sun.
Personal Signs and Houses—Oriented towards the self. The personal signs are Aries, Taurus, Gemini and Cancer and the personal houses are the First through the Fourth. See also Social Signs and Houses; Universal Signs and Houses.
Phlegmatic—One of four moods known as temperaments, associated with the element of water. The phlegmatic personality indicates a withdrawn, sensitive, emotional, somewhat unstable temperament prone to moodiness and self-protective behaviour. See also Temperaments.
Pivot—See Angular Houses.
Placidus House System—A system that begins by dividing the chart into four quadrants based on the MC and the IC of the chart. This house system is one of the most complicated to calculate. It is considered a time-based system, based on trisections of arcs. The Placidus system is one of the most widely used. This is largely due to the widespread availability of Placidus House tables.
Plane—If you cut a ball in half, the flat surface is a plane. The celestial plane is derived from the line of the equator (ie, the Earth cut in half along the equator). The plane can then be stretched out into the surrounding universe.
Plane of the Ecliptic—A plane based on the Earth's orbit around the Sun. If the Earth's orbit is extended out into the surrounding universe, then everything in its path would lie on the plane of the ecliptic. The plane of the ecliptic defines the Sun's orbit around the Earth.
Planet—From the Greek word 'planetes' meaning 'the wanderer'. Describes any body that appears, from the Earth, to move in relation to the fixed stars. Astronomy recognises nine planets in the solar system and the term indicated a celestial body that orbits the Sun.
Planetary Strength—The power of a planet in a (horary) chart due to the sum total of the planet's strengths (dignities) and weaknesses (debilities). See Essential Dignities and Debilities.
Platic Aspect—See Partile Aspect.
Polarity—Opposing forces or energies. In astrology, polarity describes dichotomies such as life/death, physical/mental, beneficial/malevolent. These opposites are fundamental to astrology, like the paired signs on opposite sides of the zodiac. However, polarity also often refers to feminine (negative, passive, yin) and masculine (positive, active, yang) energy.
Porphyry House System—A system that begins by dividing the chart into four quadrants based on the MC and the IC of the chart. These quadrants are then divided into equal thirds.
Positive Signs—See Masculine Signs.
Post-Ascension—See Succedent Houses.
Precession—At the vernal equinox (around 21 March), the zodiac sign occupied by the Sun slowly changes in reverse zodiac order (Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn, and so on). The sign changes once every 2160 years. The sun at 21 March is slowly moving into Aquarius (hence the Age of Aquarius). This phenomenon means that the constellation currently found in the sign of Aries is Pisces. However, Western astrology maintains that Aries is assigned the first month after the equinox. Also called precession of the equinox..
Precessional Ages—See Precession.
Primary Direction—The movements of the planets across the sky due solely to the rotation of the Earth.
Prime Meridian—Circles the Earth, running north-south, and intersects the North and South Poles and is in line with Greenwich, England (0°). See also Meridian.
Profection—An old method of predictive astrology that involves turning a chart by distinct steps to see how the nature of a planet changes.
Progression—A method of advancing the planets and points of a natal chart to a particular time after birth. Used to illustrate a person's evolution. Also called progressive horoscope.
Prolific Signs—These are the water signs; Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces.
Ptolemaic Aspects—Those aspects first established by the Greek astrologer Ptolemy. See also Major Aspects.