What is a birth chart?
A birth chart, also called a natal chart, maps planetary positions for a person’s birth date, time and place. This calculator uses the tropical zodiac and Placidus houses. The wheel shows signs around the outside, planets inside them and aspect lines across the centre. These are separate parts of the chart: a sign is not the same thing as a house.
How to use this tool
- Enter a name and select your birth city from the search results. Check the coordinates and time zone shown with the profile.
- Enter the Gregorian birth date and the local clock time recorded at birth. If you do not know the time, select the unknown-time option.
- Create the chart. Use Planets for individual positions, Table or Aspects for planetary connections, and Dominants for the chart’s element and modality totals.
How to start reading your natal chart
First find the Sun, Moon and Ascendant when the birth time is known. Read each planet’s sign and degree before looking at its house. The Planets view makes it easier to match a symbol on the wheel with a named position.
Next inspect one aspect at a time. An aspect describes an angular relationship between two positions; its orb shows the distance from the exact angle. The coloured lines help you locate these connections, while the Aspects view gives their names. Pattern highlighting is an optional way to examine larger groups of connections.
Before interpreting the result
Without a known birth time, the calculator uses noon as a working time and hides houses and angle labels. Planet positions, especially the Moon’s, can still vary during the day. Do not treat the noon chart as an exact timed chart.
Common questions
Can I calculate a birth chart without an account?
Yes. You can create a chart and use the chart views without signing in. Guest profiles appear in this browser’s History. An AstroLingo account is needed to save profiles to your account and sync them with the app.
Why does my chart differ from another calculator?
Check that the birth time, city, time zone, zodiac and house system match. This tool uses tropical positions and Placidus houses; different settings or aspect orbs can produce a different display.
Does clicking a planet give a free interpretation?
The chart calculation is free. Placement definitions and your notes require an AstroLingo account; a definition is shown only if you have unlocked it in the app.