THE METAPHYSICAL DICTOPEDIA
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Inner Planet

In astronomy, an Inner Planet is one of the four terrestrial planets of the inner Solar System: Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars. In astrological writing, the term is sometimes used more loosely for faster-moving, personally oriented planets, so its meaning depends on context.

In astronomy, Inner Planet most commonly refers to Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars, the four rocky terrestrial planets located inside the asteroid belt. This usage should not be confused with Inferior Planet, which specifically means a planet whose orbit lies closer to the Sun than Earth’s and therefore applies only to Mercury and Venus. In some astrological sources, inner planets may also be used informally for faster-moving bodies associated with more personal functions, sometimes overlapping with the idea of Personal Planets. Because these usages are not identical, the surrounding context is important. In TMD, Inner Planet is used primarily in its astronomical sense, with alternate astrological usage noted for clarity.

AKA / Related Terms:
Terrestrial Planet
Inner Solar System Planet
Sometimes informally associated with Personal Planet in astrological usage, but the terms are not exact synonyms