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Combust planets (asta)

A planet standing too close to the Sun “burns” and becomes asta, combust. Its themes merge into the Sun's: the person expresses them through their role and status rather than independently. Each graha has its own combustion distance.

JyotiSoft editorial team · dates checked by calculation

In short

  • Classical orbs: Moon 12°, Mars 17°, Mercury 14° (12° retrograde), Jupiter 11°, Venus 10° (8° retrograde), Saturn 16°.
  • Rahu and Ketu are never combust.
  • Mercury is often combust: it never moves more than ~28° from the Sun.
  • A combust planet is weaker in its significations but not useless.
  • Retrograde outer planets are closest to Earth and often opposite the Sun.

What combustion means

The Sun is king among the grahas, and its light outshines its neighbours. When a planet comes closer than a certain distance, it disappears from the sky — that is how ancient astronomers defined combustion. In a chart such a planet loses part of its independence: its significations take on the Sun's themes of ego, status and father.

Combustion orbs

According to the classical texts (Surya Siddhanta and others): the Moon 12°, Mars 17°, Mercury 14° (12° when retrograde), Jupiter 11°, Venus 10° (8° when retrograde), Saturn 16°. The nodes Rahu and Ketu are never combust — they have no light of their own.

Combust Mercury and Venus

Mercury and Venus are inner planets, always near the Sun, so they are combust especially often. Budha-Aditya yoga (Sun with Mercury) is considered good for the intellect if Mercury is not too deep in the rays. A combust Venus can make it harder to express feelings or tie relationships to status.

How to read a combust planet

Look at the depth of combustion (the closer, the stronger), the sign and house, and the planet's functional role for the ascendant. A combust planet in its own sign or exaltation loses less. In its dasha a person often achieves results through a boss, the state or a patron rather than alone.

Questions

Is a combust planet bad?
It is a weakening, not a disaster. A lot depends on the depth of combustion, the sign and the house.
Can the Moon be combust?
Yes, within 12° of the Sun — around the new Moon, when it is already weak by paksha bala.
Why are Rahu and Ketu never combust?
The nodes have no body and no light, so combustion does not apply to them.
What is Budha-Aditya yoga?
The Sun and Mercury together. Good for intellect and speech if Mercury is not too close to the Sun.

See also

Positions and tables: sidereal zodiac, Lahiri ayanamsha — the same as professional Jyotish astrologers use, and the same calculation as the charts in JyotiSoft. Updated 2026-10-10.

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