What a birth chart is
Picture a photograph of the sky taken at the minute you were born, seen from your town. The birth chart is that photograph drawn as a circle: the twelve signs around the edge, the planets in their positions, and a division into twelve houses that depends on the time and place.
In astrology, this drawing is read as a symbolic language. It does not say what will happen; it describes tendencies, needs and ways of responding that you can recognise in yourself and use to your advantage.
What you need to calculate it
- Date of birth: day, month and year.
- Time of birth: the more exact, the better. It is usually on your birth certificate.
- Place of birth: the town or city, to know the coordinates and the time zone of the day.
The main pieces
The Sun, the Moon and the Ascendant
The Sun speaks of identity and of what gives you vitality: it is the sign you usually give when someone asks "what's your sign?". The Moon speaks of emotions, needs and what makes you feel at home. The Ascendant is the sign rising on the eastern horizon: it describes how you meet others and how you start things.
The planets
Mercury is how you think and communicate; Venus, what you value and how you connect; Mars, your energy and way of acting; Jupiter, where you grow; Saturn, where you mature through effort; Uranus, Neptune and Pluto, the great transformations you share with your generation.
The houses
The twelve houses are areas of life: the 1st house is the self, the 2nd resources, the 4th family and roots, the 7th relationships, the 10th career and public life, and so on. A planet in a house shows where that theme tends to play out.
The aspects
Aspects are the angles between planets. Conjunctions, trines and sextiles tend to flow; squares and oppositions ask for adjustment and are often the engine of growth. The more exact the angle, the stronger the theme.
How to calculate your chart on Arkanova
- Open the birth chart tool and enter your date, time and city of birth.
- See the full wheel: signs, houses, planets, aspects weighted by exactness, decans and fixed stars. Retrograde planets are marked ℞.
- Read the interpretation in plain language, planet by planet and house by house.
- Go deeper whenever you like: transits, progressions, solar return, astrocartography and your blocks and gifts.
Everything is calculated in your browser, free and without an account. If you create one, your chart is saved so you can open it on your phone and computer.
Frequently asked questions
Is a birth chart the same as a natal chart?
Yes. "Birth chart", "natal chart" and "astrological chart" are different names for the same thing: the drawing of the sky at the moment of your birth.
Can I make a birth chart without my birth time?
Yes. The signs of the Sun and planets will be correct; the Moon may change sign during the day, and the Ascendant and houses depend on the time. Without it, read those parts as possibilities.
Does a birth chart predict the future?
Not in the sense of a fixed destiny. It is a tool for self-knowledge: it helps you understand tendencies and choose more consciously. The decisions remain yours.
Is the Arkanova birth chart really free?
Yes. The full chart, the interpretation and the advanced tools are free. The only paid service is Arkanova Pulse, an optional personal follow-up.
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