When we talk about the asteroid Sappho in astrology, we’re calling in the spirit of the poet who lived over 2,500 years ago on the island of Lesbos. Yes, that’s where the word lesbian comes from.
Sappho wrote passionate, lyrical poetry to and about women, weaving longing and intimacy into verses that still shimmer with life today (even if most of her works only survive in fragments). She wasn’t just a poet, but a symbol of queer love, female creativity, and unapologetic expression.
In astrology, the asteroid Sappho symbolizes love, sexuality, creativity, and artistic inspiration, especially in queer and sapphic contexts. She represents the muse-like energy that awakens desire, intimacy, and self-expression beyond traditional boxes.
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.
That said, it’s important to note that having Sappho strongly placed, like conjunct your Moon, doesn’t automatically mean you identify as queer. It may just show up as feeling emotionally safe around women, having deep appreciation for women as a whole, or celebrating your own femininity. If Sappho connects with your Mars, it might come through as being motivated or inspired by women, whether that’s through collaboration, activism, feminist causes, or simply finding strength in feminine energy.
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.
And honestly, you don’t even need a conjunction for her to be powerful. A trine or opposition can still weave that thread of queerness, sensitivity, and artistry into your life.
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.
