Celestial Tarot Deck Guide
What the Celestial Tarot Deck Is
The celestial tarot deck is a 78 card tarot deck created by Kay Steventon and Brian Clark and published by U.S. Games Systems in 2004. It is an astrology based deck, and that is its defining feature. The 22 Major Arcana map onto the 12 zodiac signs and the 10 planets, including Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto, so that The Fool is tied to Uranus, and each minor suit is associated with one of the four astrological elements, fire, earth, air, and water. The system also includes Golden Dawn decanates, astrology, astronomy, myth, and symbolism, making it one of the most densely layered decks in print.
The deck was created by artist and astrologer Kay Steventon, who also created the Spiral Tarot, and author and lecturer Brian Clark, who wrote the text. Steventon's work was influenced in part by the works of C.C. Zain and Raphael Binding, as Clark notes in his introduction, and the deck is described as a synthesis of two predictive systems, tarot and astrology. The cards are ornate, misty, detailed paintings, with astrological text by Clark, and the images directly associate astrology, the planets, and the constellations with the 78 tarot cards. The Fool is unnumbered, Justice is the 11th card, and the deck follows the Rider-Waite-Smith tradition in its structure, while adding a full astrological layer on top of it.
It is a deck for readers who enjoy astrology and mythology, and who want a system to study, not only a set of images to look at.
The Publication Facts, and Where Sources Disagree
Start with what the reference sites agree on. Aeclectic Tarot records the Celestial Tarot as a 78 card deck, 22 Major Arcana and 56 Minor Arcana, in the Rider-Waite-Smith tradition, with cards of 2.75 by 4.75 inches, made by Kay Steventon and Brian Clark for U.S. Games Systems in 2004. The ISBN record tells the same story, listing 978-1-57281-473-8 for a Celestial Tarot by Steventon and Clark, issued by U.S. Games Systems in 2004. Those two sources line up on every point that matters, the makers, the publisher, the year, and the size of the deck.
Three points need care, because sources disagree. First, the year. Aeclectic Tarot and the ISBN listing both say 2004, but the authors' own site, Astrosynthesis, says the Celestial Tarot was released in 2005, and that the comprehensive book and the book and deck set were released in 2007. That disagreement likely reflects the difference between a first publication date and a release or distribution date, but no source I checked explains it directly. This guide gives 2004 as the publication year, following Aeclectic and the ISBN record, and notes the 2005 date as a disagreement, not as a correction.
Second, the booklet page count. Aeclectic Tarot says the deck alone comes with a booklet of 47 pages, and the companion book in the set runs to 279 pages. Retailer listings describe the deck as coming with a 48 page booklet. That is a difference of one page, likely a counting difference or a difference between printings, but it is a disagreement, and this guide states both figures rather than choosing one silently. Third, the price and the current availability vary by seller and by edition, and this guide does not state a price, because prices change and a figure given here would quickly become wrong.
The Astrological System Behind the Cards
The system behind the celestial tarot deck is what makes it different from a standard Rider-Waite-Smith deck, and it is also what makes it demanding. The 22 Major Arcana are represented by the 12 zodiacal constellations and the 10 planets of contemporary astrology, with Pluto counted as a planet. The Fool, card zero, is tied to Uranus and to Aquarius, and the guidebook lists its associations as Air, Uranus, Aquarius, and Aleph. The Magician is tied to Mercury and to Gemini and Virgo. The High Priestess, the Empress, and the other Majors each carry a similar set of associations, with a planet, a sign or signs, an element, and a Hebrew letter.
The Minor Arcana are organized by element and by decanate, the Golden Dawn system in which each sign is divided into three ten degree sections, each ruled by a planet. That system gives each minor card a specific astrological identity, rather than a loose symbolic resonance. The Wands suit is fire, the Cups suit is water, the Swords suit is air, and the Pentacles suit is earth, and each numbered card within a suit carries a decanate association. The result is a deck in which every card can be read in two languages at once, the language of tarot and the language of astrology, and a reader who knows both can move between them freely.
That depth is the deck's greatest strength and its greatest barrier. A reader who knows astrology will find the deck rich and rewarding, with layers of meaning that a standard deck does not offer. A reader who does not know astrology will find the deck confusing at first, because the images and the guidebook assume a knowledge of signs, planets, and houses that a beginner may not have. The deck is not aimed at beginners, and it is honest about that. It is a deck for study, and it rewards the reader who is willing to study.
Reading With the Celestial Tarot Deck
The celestial tarot deck follows a Rider-Waite-Smith structure, which means that readers familiar with Rider-Waite-Smith interpretations can begin working with it immediately, while building the astrological layer over time. That is an important point, because it means the deck is usable from the first reading, even if the astrological depth takes months or years to learn. A reader can start with the familiar tarot meanings, and then add the sign, the planet, and the decanate for each card as they learn them, one card at a time. Readers new to the structure can first work through how to read tarot cards, which explains how a spread position changes a card before the astrology layer is added, and the tarot birth card meaning page shows which Major Arcana card the same system assigns to a birth date.
The companion book, by Brian Clark, is the key to that learning. At 279 pages, it is a substantial guide, and it explains the astrological correspondences in detail, with the mythology and the astronomy behind each card. The booklet that comes with the deck alone is shorter, 47 pages according to Aeclectic, 48 pages according to retailer listings, and it gives the basic correspondences without the full depth. A reader who is serious about the deck should get the set with the full book, because the booklet alone does not explain the system fully. The deck also comes with a fold out layout map showing the complete astrological system, which is a useful reference during readings.
The images themselves are ornate, misty, detailed paintings, with a Renaissance feel, and they are not traditional in the Rider-Waite-Smith sense. The scenes do not copy the familiar Rider-Waite-Smith images. They create new images from myth, astronomy, and astrology, which means that a reader who relies only on visual memory may struggle at first. The guidebook is essential, not optional, for this deck, and a reader who dislikes studying a guidebook will find the Celestial Tarot frustrating. A reader who enjoys study will find it rewarding.
Who the Celestial Tarot Deck Suits Best
The celestial tarot deck suits a reader who already knows astrology, or who wants to learn it, and who enjoys a deck with depth, myth, and symbolism. It is a good choice for a second or third deck, for a reader who already has a standard Rider-Waite-Smith deck and wants a system to study. It is also a good choice for an astrologer who wants to add tarot to their practice, because the deck speaks the astrologer's language, with signs, planets, houses, and decanates built into every card. The deck's 78 cards, its companion book, and its layout map together make a complete study system, not only a set of images.
The deck is less suited to a complete beginner, because the astrological layer assumes knowledge that a beginner does not yet have, and the images do not follow the familiar Rider-Waite-Smith scenes closely enough to be read by visual memory alone. A beginner who buys this deck as a first deck may feel overwhelmed, and may put it aside. A better path for a beginner who loves the sky is to start with a standard Rider-Waite-Smith deck, learn the tarot meanings, learn the basics of astrology separately, and then move to the Celestial Tarot when both languages feel familiar.
The deck is also less suited to a reader who wants quick, practical readings, or who reads in a busy setting, because the cards invite study and reflection, and a reading with this deck takes longer than a reading with a simpler deck. It is best suited to a reader who has time, who enjoys research, and who wants a deck that will still be teaching them in a year. If that describes you, the Celestial Tarot is a strong choice. If it does not, a simpler deck will serve you better.
Caring for the Deck and Buying It Well
Handling this deck is straightforward. The cards are a standard tarot size, they shuffle easily, and the stock is the usual U.S. Games Systems weight. Keep them in the box, in a dry place out of strong sun, since light will fade the misty paintings over time. Keep the 279 page companion book beside the deck rather than on a different shelf, because the book unlocks the system, and keep the fold out layout map flat so its creases do not wear through. Before the first reading, a gentle cleanse marks the deck as yours, a short ritual worth doing once before the astrology study begins.
When buying, check which edition you are getting, because the deck is sold in more than one form. The standalone deck comes with a short booklet, 47 pages according to Aeclectic, 48 pages according to retailer listings, while the set comes with the full 279 page companion book. The ISBN for the deck, according to the books by ISBN listing, is 978-1-57281-473-8, published in 2004 by U.S. Games Systems. Check the ISBN and the creators' names on the box, Kay Steventon and Brian Clark, because more than one deck is sold under the name Celestial Tarot, and the card lists and meanings differ between them. Before you buy, or download a guidebook, check the publisher and the creators' names on the box, because a guidebook for a different Celestial deck will not match these cards.
Because the deck was first published in 2004, and because it has been reprinted, prices and availability vary by seller and by edition. This guide does not state a price, because prices change. Check the seller's description carefully, confirm that the companion book is included if you are buying the set, and check that all 78 cards are present. Without that book, the deck loses much of what makes it special, because the astrological system is the heart of it.
The Celestial Tarot Deck in the Wider Tarot World
The celestial tarot deck sits in a particular place in the wider tarot world. It is one of the best known astrology based tarot decks, and it is often the first deck that readers think of when they hear the name Celestial Tarot. That is important, because the name is used by more than one deck, and the Steventon and Clark deck is the one that most guides, reviews, and listings refer to. Its system, the mapping of the 22 Majors onto the 12 signs and the 10 planets, and the minors onto the elements and the decanates, is a serious attempt to unite two systems, tarot and astrology, into a single language, and it has influenced later decks that try to do the same.
The deck also sits in the lineage of Kay Steventon's work, which includes the Spiral Tarot, and of Brian Clark's work as an author and lecturer on astrology and myth. The deck's introduction, by Clark, places Steventon's work in the tradition of C.C. Zain and Raphael, and the guidebook draws on classical mythology, Renaissance art, and the astronomy of the planets, constellations, and stars. That lineage gives the deck a depth that a purely decorative star themed deck does not have, and it is the reason the deck is still in print and still studied, more than twenty years after its first publication.
If you collect decks, the Celestial Tarot earns its shelf space as a study system as much as an art object, with a book that explains the sky behind every card. If you want a single deck, choose it only when astrology already interests you and you enjoy learning a system slowly. It will frustrate a newcomer, and it will bore no one who loves the stars. Its worth shows up over months, as the correspondences settle in your mind and the paintings keep offering new details. That slow deepening is what makes it worth owning.
If you are torn between a deck you can use at once and a deck you will study for a year, a reading can help you weigh the two honestly. You can talk it through with a real reader, and First 3 minutes FREE — every time, for every reading, with all advisors.
For a simple next step, try a One-Card Tarot reading and reflect on whether an astrology rich deck like the Celestial Tarot fits the way you like to learn.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many cards are in the celestial tarot deck?
The deck has 78 cards, with 22 Major Arcana and 56 Minor Arcana. The 22 Majors map onto the 12 zodiac signs and the 10 planets, including Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto, and each minor suit is associated with one of the four astrological elements, fire, earth, air, and water.
Who created the celestial tarot deck?
The deck was created by artist and astrologer Kay Steventon and author and lecturer Brian Clark, and published by U.S. Games Systems. Steventon painted the cards, drawing on the works of C.C. Zain and Raphael Binding, among other influences, and Clark wrote the text and the companion book.
When was the celestial tarot deck published?
Aeclectic Tarot and the ISBN record both give 2004, with the ISBN 978-1-57281-473-8. The authors' own site, Astrosynthesis, says the deck was released in 2005, with the comprehensive book and the book and deck set released in 2007. This guide gives 2004 as the publication year and notes the 2005 date as a disagreement between sources.
Is the celestial tarot deck good for beginners?
It is not aimed at beginners. The astrological system assumes knowledge of signs, planets, and decanates, and the images do not follow the familiar Rider-Waite-Smith scenes closely enough to be read by visual memory alone. A beginner is better served by a standard Rider-Waite-Smith deck first, and then moving to the Celestial Tarot once tarot and basic astrology both feel familiar.
What is the difference between the deck alone and the deck and book set?
The standalone deck comes with a short booklet, listed as 47 pages by Aeclectic and 48 pages by retailer listings. The set comes with a fuller companion book of 279 pages by Brian Clark, plus a fold out layout map. The full book is recommended for any reader who wants to learn the astrological system properly.
Last updated: November 12, 2026
