Out of Bounds Planets
What is an Out-of-Bounds (OOB) planet?A planet is considered to be OOB when its declination in the sky is beyond 23°27’. In this position, the planet is outside the boundary limits of the Earth’s orbit around the Sun.
What does it mean to have an OOB planet in your chart?An OOB planet classically expresses itself as an inability to stay within the normal parameters of mainstream society. OOB people are often pioneers or trendsetters who refuse to do things the way they’ve always been done. They are always pushing the limits of what we commonly accept in society. Their motto might be something like “the most dangerous phrase in society is 'we’ve always done it this way.'”Like most things in astrology, the OOB qualities express themselves within an individual whether they are aware of these traits or not. I would say they have even more power if the individual is consciously working with them and using them for good.An OOB Mercury person may be extremely talkative and a bit outrageous in conversation. You never know what they might say.A OOB Venus person may be an extremely romantic person however their relationships do not fall inside of traditional roles. They are unconventional and outside of the norm in some way. A Venus OOB native may also be blessed with an extraordinary gift in the arts. Their art may be heavily niched and groundbreaking in some way.A Mars OOB can have tremendous drive and ambition. Their temper can be fiery and they can be extremely protective of those they love. They are often known for their courage and willingness to take risks.The Moon also goes OOB but I'll leave that topic for another blog on another day.Examples of Celebrities Who Have OOB Planets:OOB people are often "the first" to do something in a completely new way. Meghan Markle has her Mars OOB in Cancer. She is the first American actress (and biracial woman) to marry into the Royal Family...not to mention the amazing fact that she is a mother to a prince. She is described by friends as having tremendous drive when it comes to nurturing her family, and she has tremendous creative genius in her ability to cook (all of these are great examples of Mars in Cancer traits).Is anyone surprised to hear that Donald Trump has his Mercury OOB in the sensitive, sometimes over-reactive sign of Cancer? He also has Pluto OOB and Pluto is a planet associated with power struggles and the proper use of power. His late night comments and fireball tweets have many of us scratching our heads wondering how he can so easily stretch the boundary of what is okay to say and what is not okay to say. And isn’t it interesting that many times this lack of restraint in his self expression (Mercury OOB) often leads to some type of power struggle (Pluto OOB). It is like he is trying to display how powerful he is but he just ends up sounding like a crazy man....leaving all of us feeling baffled by his antics. Wouldn't it be great to have conscious leadership? A girl can dream.Lady Gaga has her Mars OOB...remember the infamous meat dress? That’s another good example of a way an OOB native pushed the envelope of what is acceptable in our society.Tobin Heath, American soccer player for the USWNT, has her Mercury, Venus and Uranus OOB and has recently launched a non-binary, gender fluid clothing line alongside her fellow teammates Christen Press, Megan Rapinoe and Meghan Klingenberg.With Venus OOB, Heath is the artist behind the company’s vision, and with Mercury OOB, I imagine that those close to her are never really sure what quirky thing she might say next. The mission statement of Re-inc., the company she co-founded, reads,
“We exist to boldly reimagine the status quo- championing equity, creativity, progress and art. Everything we design is made with our community in mind - individuals that courageously break norms and challenge outdated beliefs.”
The OOB energetic signature is written here in plain language for us to see. I checked Megan Rapinoe’s birth chart to see if she had any OOB planets and I have to say I was surprised to see that she does not. However, Heath, Press and Klingenberg all have Uranus OOB in their charts (they are born the same year and Uranus moves very slowly). This creates a unique energetic signature in their partnership that encourages the dismantling of outdated structures in favor of newly improved, more efficient ones, just like their mission statement says.
What happens when an Outer Planet is OOB?From January 1987 - February 1990, Uranus traveled OOB in both the signs of Sagittarius and Capricorn depending on which year you are studying. During that time, a group of souls were born as a united force for change. This generation has been termed "millennials." However, they are much more. They are a collective wave born to question the current paradigm, born to challenge the integrity and efficacy of long standing systems, and born to demand change. They are a force to be reckoned with.Uranus is a change-bringer planet anyway...it loves to question and shake up the status quo. Like lightning, it has a quick, illuminating quality, shining truth in darkness. It blesses us with a flash of insight and ingenuity that shows us a new way. Uranus is the disruptor we all need sometimes, because truth be told, there is complacency in comfort."I had to make you uncomfortable, otherwise you would've never moved." - UranusThere is often a build up of energy before there is a significant breakthrough. This is Uranus at work, and this is a planet that has a strength and a tenacity that is willing to hold the tension of potential breakthroughs until the walls of constraint collapse in the right way at the right time. Combined with an OOB signature, this is like a revolution of truth.The USWNT are a great example of this. As I looked into this deeper, I realized that there are several players on the USWNT that are born in 1988 with Uranus OOB- Alyssa Naeher (April 20, 1988), Tobin Heath (May 29, 1988), Alex Morgan (July 2, 1988), Kelly O’Hara (August 4, 1988), and Christen Press (December 29, 1988). If you look at it through the context of their fight for equal pay, this is a shared purpose that is much bigger than their personalities...this is a soul mission. They were born for this. And they are absolutely at the forefront of a revolution in consciousness, leading the way, fighting for change that represents women everywhere on the planet.If anyone can do it, they can.
Do You Have an Out of Bounds Planet?
It is good to know if you have an OOB planet in your chart. I have Mars OOB in Cancer in my chart and it helped me to understand why I struggle with being a “traditional” mother. Oftentimes with astrology, once you learn something about yourself that truly resonates, you stop comparing yourself to others and self judgment falls away. This is one of astrology's many blessings.If you’re curious, I’d be happy to guide you in finding out what planets are OOB in your chart. You can also check your declination measurements with a simple tool on astro.com. Go to your natal chart and click “Additional tables (PDF)” above your birth data, and look for declinations higher than 23’27” north or south in the Planet Positions table. Anything beyond 23’27” is out of bounds.As a professional astrologer, I'm here for you if you would like to talk about it.Many Blessings,Ally