In Vedic astrology, every planet has a certain point or planetary placements (in terms of zodiac sign and degrees) where they are able to provide the maximum impact to the horoscope or kundali of the person (or native).
Such planetary placements are referred to as exaltations, and the planets that are placed in such exaltation points are referred to as exalted planets or Uccha Graha.
Usually, exalted planets give very good results unless they are placed in the wrong house (where they shouldn’t be, such as a benefic planet like Moon, Mercury, Jupiter, or Venus in the 12th house which stands for loss) or are in conjunction (in the same zodiac sign) with a malefic or enemy planet (like Sun with Saturn, or Moon with Rahu, or Mars with Rahu, etc.)
The table below marks the exaltation zodiac sign for each planet:
| Sr. No. | Planet | Exaltation Zodiac Sign | Peak Exaltation Degree |
| 1 | Sun | Aries (ruled by Mars) | 10 degrees in Aries |
| 2 | Moon | Taurus (ruled by Venus) | 3 degrees in Taurus |
| 3 | Mercury | Virgo (ruled by Mercury) | 15 degrees in Virgo |
| 4 | Venus | Pisces (ruled by Jupiter) | 27 degrees in Pisces |
| 5 | Mars | Capricorn (ruled by Saturn) | 28 degrees in Capricorn |
| 6 | Jupiter | Cancer (ruled by Moon) | 5 degrees in Cancer |
| 7 | Saturn | Libra (ruled by Venus) | 20 degrees in Libra |
| 8 | Rahu (North Node)* | Gemini (ruled by Mercury) | 15 degrees in Gemini |
| 9 | Ketu (South Node)* | Sagittarius (ruled by Jupiter) | 15 degrees in Sagittarius |
In the table above, notice the column termed “Peak Exaltation Degree”; this refers to their absolute maximum potential of power. Planets placed in their peak exaltation degrees are also referred to as being in ‘deep exaltation’ or ‘true exaltation’.
*Some astrologers do not consider Rahu and Ketu to have exaltation statuses, but based on my experiences, I have seen that both planets indeed do have exaltation and debilitation statuses. Some other astrologers say that Rahu is exalted in Taurus while Ketu is exalted in Scorpio – but based on my studies, I have noticed Rahu in Gemini and Ketu in Sagittarius to deliver the most beneficial results. However, there is no fixed consensus in this case. Regardless, it can be agreed that Rahu provides beneficial results in both Gemini and Taurus while Ketu is helpful in both Sagittarius and Scorpio. This is because of the dual nature of both Rahu and Ketu; Rahu is known to be extremely intelligent (thereby exalting in Gemini, a sign owned by Mercury, the planet of intellect) as well as materialistic (thereby also supposedly exalting in Taurus, a sign owned by Venus, the planet of comforts and luxuries), and similarly, Ketu is also known to be secretive (thereby exalting in Scorpio, the most mysterious zodiac sign owned by Mars) and spiritual at the same time (thereby exalting in Sagittarius, a sign owned by Jupiter).
While exceedingly rare in horoscopes and astrological charts, planets in their peak exaltation degrees can result in life-changing or game-changing impacts on the person and their various aspects of life, especially depending on the house they are placed in. Some rules to remember when considering exalted planets are:
- Planets exalt by the virtue of the zodiac sign they are positioned in; for example, Moon is always exalted in Taurus, irrespective of the degree.
- However, not always does exaltation guarantee maximum strength; if a planet is closer to its peak exaltation degree, its strength rapidly rises. However, once the peak exaltation degree has crossed, its strength begins declining rapidly. Let’s take the example of Mercury below:
| Degree | Remark |
| 0 to 10 degrees | From 5% to 60% power (power increased with degree increasing) |
| 11 to 14 degrees | 60%+ to 90% power (power increased with degree increasing) |
| 15 degrees | 100% power; Peak exaltation or True exaltation achieved |
| 16 degrees | 75% power (power decreased with degree increasing) |
As for the trans-Saturnian planets, including Neptune, Uranus, and Pluto, I have not been able to find any authentic source confirming their exaltation signs, and therefore have not mentioned them. I will update this section in the future if that changes. Similarly, Mars 29 degrees in Capricorn would still be exalted, but it would be a weak exaltation because it has crossed its peak exaltation point of 28 degrees.