All About Venus, Libra’s Ruling Planet

Just like the planets impact the overall vibe of the day, each celestial body affects your birth chart, too. Every zodiac sign has a ruling planet that gives them some of their hallmark personality traits. For the relationship-oriented air sign, Libra, that means they get their hopeless romantic vibe from a certain rocky planet. The balance-seeking cardinal sign is all about keeping the peace, which is a signature trait mirrored after their planetary ruler.

Diplomatic Libra is governed by Venus, which sprinkles its romantic energy onto the social butterfly’s energy. “Venus is the planet of love, relationships, art, beauty, and peace,” astrologer Ryan Marquardt tells Bustle. “Venus is the planet of harmonization, bringing equilibrium to situations that feel imbalanced,” says Marquardt. “There's a serenity we receive from Venus because she lets us know how we can calm ourselves when life feels chaotic.” Libra is the mediator of the group, always ready to settle conflict and create harmony in their surroundings.

Knowing how you’re impacted by the planet that rules Libra can give you foresight into the astrological vibe of the day ahead. Keep reading to learn more about Libra’s ruling planet and how the magic of Venus can help you navigate your relationships.

All About Venus, Libra’s Ruling Planet

Venus is one of Earth’s closest neighbors and is the hottest planet in the solar system. In Roman mythology, Venus was the goddess of love, fertility, and sex. Known as the lesser benefic planet in astrology, Venus is all about romance, partnership, and beauty. The planet symbolizes balance and diplomacy, so during its transit through the 12 astrological houses, it brings equilibrium, meditation, and peace to the life sector that house rules over. In addition to Libra, Venus also rules headstrong Taurus, which gives the romantic earth sign a taste for the finer things.

“Venus brings us some of our sweetest blessings in life. She rules our relationships, values, aesthetics, and harmony,” Kyle Thomas, celebrity astrologer for the New York Post and Page Six, tells Bustle. “Venus attracts and magnetizes, drawing in what we need to enjoy everything that life has to offer. Because of this, she aids us in seeing beauty, appreciating art, tapping into our sensual sides, and forming strong romantic and personal connections.”

In your chart, Venus shows up in how you interact in relationships, but it’s also how you express yourself through aesthetics — think your home, fashion, and artistic flair. When direct, Venus is responsible for keeping partnership dynamics stable, supporting financial health, and inspiring our creative side. During its retrograde period, Venus can cause confusion in love and even induce changes of heart.

Venus’ Influence On Libra

Every planetary ruler is associated with a specific area of life and makes the zodiac sign it rules the queen of that particular issue. Since Venus represents all things beauty, love, and relationships, the auspicious planet lends Libra zodiac signs their lust for luxury, eye for aesthetics, and affinity for strong, emotional bonds. It’s also the reason why the egalitarian air sign is determined to seek justice and equality — Libras are symbolized by the scales, after all.

“Venus craves peace and harmony, which is why Libras strive for this in all ways,” explains Thomas. “While Taurus epitomizes the more physical and indulgent aspects of Venus, particularly around abundance, Libra embodies the interpersonal and relationship-oriented aspects of the lesser benefic.”

One of Libra’s hallmark traits is their charisma and ability to relate to others, which is thanks to its relationship-focused ruling planet. “Libras harness grace and refinement and have excellent charm. They are drawn to beauty in all ways and are the zodiac sign that rules significant partnerships and marriage,” Thomas says. That explains why Libras are often considered the flirts and socialites of the zodiac — they often attract friends in high places and enchant others with their allure and influence.

But it’s not just Libra’s ability to captivate others that make their relationships and social circles thrive — it’s the fact that Venus brings balance and equilibrium that adds to the air sign’s appeal. “Libra is the sign of compromise, mediation and negotiation, so when Libras learn to embrace this — by realizing that it takes both sides of a relationship to participate — then they can almost always find a way of establishing equilibrium,” Marquardt adds.