When we talk about the asteroid Sappho in astrology, we’re calling on the spirit of a poet who lived over 2,500 years ago on the island of Lesbos, the very place that gave us the word lesbian.
Sappho was more than just a name in history. She was a voice that carried passion, intimacy, and desire across centuries. Her lyrical poetry, often written to women, wove longing and tenderness into verses that still feel alive today. Even though most of her work survives only in fragments, her influence remains whole.
When I first started exploring the mythology and life of Sappho, I mostly saw her as a poet and a symbol of queer love. That’s usually how she’s described in modern astrology. But when I read The Laughter of Aphrodite by Peter Green (still one of the best books on her), I realized she was so much more. Love between women was definitely her biggest theme, but she also carried the spirit of female creativity, unapologetic self-expression, and the timeless power of art to turn the personal into the universal.
That’s why this asteroid isn’t limited to lesbian love or just being ‘for women.’ When activated in your birth chart, Sappho points to where creativity, sensuality, and authenticity naturally merge, often highlighting themes of attraction, artistry, and queer self-discovery.
Sappho Aspects
- Sappho conjunct Venus: This can feel like the heart-shaped cherry on top of the cake: romance, affection, and attraction are tinged with Sappho’s sapphic, artistic flavor. For many, this aspect points to heightened sensitivity to beauty and same-sex attraction.
- Sappho conjunct Sun: You are the embodiment of that energy. Your identity and self-expression carry an unapologetic, creative, and possibly queer flair. It’s the kind of placement that makes someone radiant in their authenticity.
- Sappho conjunct Moon: The emotional body feels Sappho deeply. Love and intimacy between women (or same-gendered connections) might be central to your emotional fulfillment. This can also bring strong intuitive artistry.
- Sappho conjunct Mercury: The poet’s signature herself… your words, speech, or writing might carry that sapphic magnetism. Think lyricism, think queer literature energy.
A trine or opposition can still weave that same thread of queerness, sensitivity, and artistry into your life, but be mindful of the orb. For asteroids, I usually keep it within one degree.
Sappho in Transit
When asteroid Sappho (80) touches your Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, or Saturn by transit, it can awaken powerful waves of attraction, creative energy, or a sudden pull to reconnect more deeply with your queer identity.
Take one of my clients as an example. About eight years ago, she met a woman who completely fascinated her. Someone free-spirited, traveling the world on her own terms, living life unapologetically. My client was drawn to her but also terrified, because of the same-gender attraction she wasn’t ready to face. She tried to run from it: she distanced herself, ignored her feelings, and even ended up marrying a man in an attempt to prove to herself (and others) that she could fit into the “right” box of being a wife and living a conventional life.
But astrology has its timing. Not long after her marriage, transit Sappho retrograde conjoined her natal Jupiter, while transit Jupiter formed an exact opposition to her natal Sappho. With Sappho and Jupiter pressing in from both sides, something shifted. That inner spark reignited, and she felt compelled to reach out to the woman again. She couldn’t ignore it anymore.
Fast forward a few years: transit Sappho conjoined her Venus, while the transit Sun illuminated her natal Sappho. By this time, she had divorced her husband and even moved to the country where the woman she loved was living, so they could finally be closer.
These transits beautifully show how Sappho’s influence can unfold… sometimes gently, sometimes like a push you can’t resist. During this second major Sappho transit, the North Node in Aries was also conjunct her Venus, pointing to the karmic and destined nature of the relationship. At the same time, transit Lilith was moving toward a conjunction with her Jupiter, adding another layer of raw, liberating energy with a foreigner. And looking back to when they first met years earlier, transit Uranus was conjunct her natal Lilith, which shows why Lilith was such an important player in this story.
If Sappho keeps popping up in your chart, or just feels like she has a big role in your life, and you’re not necessarily a queer woman, that’s okay. Go read a little more about her, dive into her poetry and her myths. You might find other threads that click with you, like themes of art, beauty, freedom, sisterhood, or just the magic of living in your truth.
