Astrology Basics: Understanding Your Birth Chart

Most people know their sun sign — but a birth chart is a far richer map of who you are. Calculated from the exact date, time, and place of your birth, it shows where every planet sat at the moment you arrived.

The big three

• Sun sign — your core identity and ego.
• Moon sign — your emotional inner world.
• Rising sign (ascendant) — the mask you show the world.

Why the houses matter

The chart is divided into twelve houses, each governing a different area of life — career, love, home, and more. A planet's house placement tells you where its energy plays out most strongly.

Want a reading that draws on your full chart? Share your date of birth when you submit your question and choose one of our astrology specialists.