Astrology basics

Planetary dignities

Planetary dignities are a traditional grading system for how "comfortable" a planet is in the sign it occupies — from domicile (its strongest placement) to fall (its weakest).

The four core dignities are domicile, exaltation, detriment and fall — every planet has a sign of domicile and exaltation (where it operates most freely) and a sign of detriment and fall (where it operates under strain).

The system comes from classical and Hellenistic astrology and is still used today, especially in traditional astrology, as a quick way to gauge a planet's "strength" in a chart.