The first question when reading a chart is always: which planet sits where. That starts with knowing the nine planets, the Navagraha.
The nine planets
Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn, Rahu and Ketu, these nine are counted in Vedic astrology. Rahu and Ketu aren’t physical planets, they’re two points on the Moon’s orbit, yet they’re given the same weight as the other seven.
What each one governs
The Sun is tied to confidence and authority, the Moon to mind and emotion, Mars to courage and drive, Mercury to intellect and communication, Jupiter to wisdom and expansion, Venus to love and beauty, and Saturn to discipline and the results of past actions.
Position is what matters
Which sign, house (counted from the Lagna) and nakshatra a planet sits in is what determines how its influence actually plays out.
See the Navagraha in your chart
Use the birth chart tool to see the position of all nine planets in your full chart, free.
This information is descriptive.