What is a birth chart?
A birth chart, also called a natal chart, is a snapshot of where the Sun, the Moon and the planets were at the exact moment you were born, as seen from your birthplace. Astrologers draw it as a wheel. The outer ring holds the twelve zodiac signs, the inner slices are the twelve houses, which describe areas of life, and the lines across the middle are aspects, the angles the planets make to one another.
Think of it less as a prediction and more as a mirror. It names patterns you may already recognize in yourself, and it gives you words for them on the days you need them most.
Your big three: Sun, Moon and Rising
The Sun, the Moon and the Rising sign are the three parts of a chart most people start with.
Sun sign
The Sun sign is the zodiac sign the Sun was in on your birthday. It describes your core: what you shine with and what makes you feel most like yourself. It's the sign people mean when they ask what your sign is.
Moon sign
The Moon sign is the sign the Moon was in when you were born. It describes your inner world: what comforts you, what you need to feel safe, and how you react before you have time to think.
Rising sign, or Ascendant
The Rising sign is the zodiac sign that was coming up over the eastern horizon at the minute you were born. It shapes first impressions, the way you come across before people really know you.
Why your birth time matters
The Rising sign changes roughly every two hours, and the houses move with it, so both depend on an accurate birth time. The Moon moves about 13 degrees a day and changes sign every two to three days, so it is usually right even without a time, unless it was near the edge of a sign. The Sun and the slower planets barely move in a day.
If you don't know your time, tick "I don't know my birth time". Selena will draw the chart for midday, leave out the Rising sign and houses, and tell you if your Moon could be in the neighboring sign. A birth certificate, a hospital record or an older relative can often help you find the exact time.
How to read the wheel
Your Ascendant sits on the left, at nine o'clock, and the signs run counterclockwise from there. The outer ring holds the signs, tinted by element: fire, earth, air and water. The amber lines that cross the whole wheel are the four angles, marked AC and DC from left to right and MC and IC from top to bottom. The small numbers near the center are the houses, counted counterclockwise from the Ascendant.
Each symbol in the inner ring is a planet. The number beside it is its degree in the sign, the short mark on the ruler shows exactly where it stands, and ℞ marks a planet that was retrograde. Amber lines between planets are flowing aspects, trines and sextiles. Rose lines are the tense ones, squares and oppositions, which often point to where you grow the most. Tap any planet, sign, house or line to see what it means for you.
How Selena calculates your chart
Planet positions come from NASA JPL's DE421 ephemeris, calculated for the latitude and longitude of your birthplace. Time zones follow the IANA time zone database, including historical daylight saving rules, so a birth in 1985 gets the clock that was really in use that day. The chart uses the tropical zodiac and Placidus houses, the most common choices in Western astrology. Selena's readings are written in advance from traditional meanings, not generated on the fly.
Questions people ask
Is a birth chart the same as a horoscope?
Not quite. A horoscope column is written for everyone who shares a Sun sign. A birth chart is calculated for one person, one moment and one place, so it also shows your Moon, your Rising sign, the houses and the aspects.
What if I don't know my birth time?
You can still see your Sun, your Moon in most cases, and every planet by sign. The Rising sign and the houses need the time. Tick the box and Selena will draw a midday chart and point out what can be trusted.
Why is my Sun sign different from what I expected?
If you were born on a day when the Sun changed signs, a simple date table can't tell which side of the line you fall on. Your chart uses the exact minute and place, so it settles the question.
Is astrology scientifically proven?
No. Studies have not found that astrology predicts personality or events. Many people still find a birth chart useful as a mirror and a language for reflection, and that's how Selena reads it.
Do you store my birth details?
No. Your date, time and place are sent once to calculate the chart and aren't saved. There's no sign-up.