Travel astrology: astrocartography map
Astrocartography draws, as lines on a world map, the places where each planet was rising, setting, culminating or at its lowest point at the moment you were born. Places near these lines are read as bringing that planet's themes more strongly into your life.
Click the map or compare cities to see what a place says to you; in the local space tab, look at the compass directions in which the planets stood from your birthplace.
Quick answer
- What is astrocartography?
- Projecting the planetary positions at your birth onto a world map as lines.
- Who developed it?
- American astrologer Jim Lewis popularised it in the 1970s under the name Astro*Carto*Graphy.
- Four lines
- For each planet: AS (rising), DS (setting), MC (culminating) and IC (lower culmination) lines.
- Range of influence
- Tradition holds a line strongest within a few hundred kilometres; it weakens with distance.
- Why birth time matters
- A 4-minute time error shifts the lines by about 1 degree of longitude (~111 km at the equator).
- On AstroSitus
- Line map, your Ascendant and MC when you click a city, nearby lines, city comparison and local space; no account needed.
What is astrocartography?
Astrocartography is a travel astrology technique that shows, as lines on a world map, where on Earth each planet was rising, setting, culminating overhead or at its lowest point at the moment you were born.
The method was popularised in the 1970s by American astrologer Jim Lewis under the name Astro*Carto*Graphy. The idea is simple: at the moment of birth the sky is the same everywhere, but the horizon and meridian change with location. Places where a planet sits on the horizon or meridian are interpreted as places where that planet's themes are experienced more strongly.
Astrocartography is used to choose cities for relocation, long stays, study or work, and to make sense of experiences in places you have lived.
What do the AS, DS, MC and IC lines mean?
Four lines are drawn for each planet: where it is rising (AS), where it is setting (DS), where it is at its highest point (MC) and where it is beneath your feet at its lowest point (IC).
- AS line (rising)
- The planet rises on the eastern horizon: personality, appearance and self-expression take on its colour.
- DS line (setting)
- The planet sets on the western horizon: relationships, partnerships and the people you meet come to the fore.
- MC line (culminating)
- The planet is at its highest on the meridian: career, recognition and public role.
- IC line (lower culmination)
- The planet is beneath your feet: home, family, roots and inner life.
MC and IC lines run straight north–south on the map; AS and DS lines curve and bend sharply as they approach the poles.
What the planetary lines mean
A line's meaning combines the planet's astrological theme with the line type. The summary below reflects the general interpretive tradition.
Sun lines
Visibility, confidence, vitality and recognition; feeling at the centre.
Moon lines
Emotional bonds, a sense of home, family and the public; feelings intensify.
Mercury lines
Communication, learning, writing, trade and a busy social life.
Venus lines
Love, beauty, art, pleasure and social harmony; the most sought-after lines for relationships.
Mars lines
Energy, courage, competition and enterprise; also a tendency toward conflict and haste.
Jupiter lines
Growth, optimism, education and opportunity; excess and overspending can come too.
Saturn lines
Discipline, responsibility and long-term effort; productive but tiring for building a serious career.
Uranus lines
Change, freedom, innovation and surprises; can also bring instability.
Neptune lines
Imagination, spirituality, art and intuition; uncertainty and confusion are possible too.
Pluto lines
Deep transformation, power and rebirth; intense and demanding experiences.
How far does a line's influence reach?
In the interpretive tradition a line is strongest close by and weakens with distance; many astrologers treat a band of a few hundred kilometres as active.
This distance is called the orb in astrocartography. There is no hard limit; places within 100–200 km of a line are considered strongly affected and places further away more lightly. On AstroSitus, when you click a city, the lines near it are listed with their distances.
What is local space?
Local space is a technique that shows in which compass direction (azimuth) each planet stood as seen from your birthplace. The lines start at the birthplace and run around the globe along great circles.
Astrocartography answers "which city", local space answers "which direction". Local space is used for arranging rooms or a desk at home, choosing a neighbourhood within a city and the direction of travel. On AstroSitus the local space tab shows the planets' directions from your birthplace on a disc.
What is a relocation chart?
A relocation chart keeps the moment of birth the same and changes only the place: the planets' signs stay the same, but the Ascendant, MC and houses are recalculated for the new city.
Astrocartography lines are really a summary of relocation charts: in a city on a planet's AS line, that planet sits exactly on the Ascendant of the relocation chart. On AstroSitus, when you click a city, your Ascendant and MC there are shown with this relocation calculation.
How is astrocartography used for moving, holidays and career?
Astrocartography is used when choosing where to live, work or holiday, to see which themes a place brings to the fore.
- Relocation
- For long-term living, Moon and IC lines are weighed for a sense of home and Venus and Jupiter lines for overall contentment.
- Career
- MC lines, especially Sun, Jupiter and Saturn MC, are examined for professional visibility and lasting success.
- Love and relationships
- Venus and Moon DS lines are read as places that bring relationship themes forward.
- Holidays and rest
- The effect of short trips is considered lighter; Venus, Jupiter and Neptune lines are sought for pleasure and inspiration.
- Comparing cities
- On AstroSitus you can put several cities side by side and compare their Ascendant, MC and nearby lines.
How does AstroSitus calculate the astrocartography map?
AstroSitus computes the planetary positions at your birth with its own ephemeris engine, then calculates where on Earth each planet was on the horizon and meridian and draws the lines.
The historical time zone and daylight saving of your birthplace are found automatically. MC and IC lines come from each planet's right ascension, AS and DS lines from a horizon calculation for every latitude. When you choose a city, its relocated Ascendant and MC and the nearby lines are calculated.
Birth time matters a lot in astrocartography: the Earth turns 1 degree every 4 minutes, so a 4-minute error shifts the lines by about 1 degree of longitude, roughly 111 km at the equator.
Common misconceptions about astrocartography
No line is good or bad on its own, and moving somewhere does not change your life by itself.
- "A Venus line guarantees love."
- A Venus line is read as a place where relationship and pleasure themes come forward; the outcome depends on your choices.
- "Avoid Saturn and Pluto lines."
- These lines speak of effort and transformation; they can also be productive for serious work or deep change.
- "Birth time doesn't matter."
- Even a few minutes' error shifts the lines by tens of kilometres; use the time on your birth certificate if you can.
- "A short holiday changes everything."
- In the interpretive tradition the effect is felt most in places where you live for a long time.
How to make your astrocartography map, step by step
The AstroSitus astrocartography map is free and needs no account.
Enter your birth details
Type your birth date, your birth time as precisely as possible and your birthplace, or pick one of your saved charts.
Explore the lines
See each planet's AS, DS, MC and IC lines on the world map; you can toggle planets on and off.
Click a city
Read your Ascendant and MC in that city, the nearby lines and a short interpretation.
Compare and check directions
Compare cities side by side; in the local space tab, see the planets' directions from your birthplace.
Glossary
- Astrocartography
- Projecting the birth chart onto a world map as planetary lines.
- AS / DS line
- Where a planet was rising on the eastern horizon / setting on the western horizon at birth.
- MC / IC line
- Where a planet was highest / lowest on the meridian.
- Relocation chart
- A chart of the same birth moment cast for a different place.
- Local space
- A technique based on the compass directions of the planets as seen from the birthplace.
- Orb (in astrocartography)
- The distance band within which a line is considered active.
- Azimuth
- A celestial body's compass direction along the horizon, measured in degrees clockwise from north.
Related tools
Join free: in-depth readings and the AI astrologer
This calculator works without an account. A free membership adds deeper interpretations and personal tools on top of the same calculations.
- A detailed reading for every return, square and opposition in the Saturn, Jupiter and Uranus cycles
- 12 months instead of 3 in the personal transit calendar, plus a printable PDF
- Unlimited saved charts: calculate with one click instead of filling in the form each time
- Natal, transit, synastry and composite charts
Ask the AI astrologer
AstroSitus's AI astrologer section hosts advisors trained in the methods of history's great astrologers. The advisor open today is inspired by William Lilly, the famous 17th-century horary astrologer: you type your question, the chart of the moment you asked is cast with our own ephemeris engine, and the advisor gives a reasoned answer by Lilly's rules.
AI astrology consultations, the AI counterpart of asking an online astrologer, are open to free members with a daily question allowance; relationship and tarot advisors are in preparation. AI readings follow the masters' methods and are not their words; they do not replace professional advice on health, legal or financial decisions.
Frequently asked questions
What is astrocartography?
It is a projection of the sky at your birth onto a world map. Four lines are drawn for each planet: where it was rising (AS), setting (DS), culminating (MC) and at its lowest point (IC).
Is the astrocartography map free?
Yes. On AstroSitus the line map, city interpretation, comparison and local space are free to use without an account.
Why don't the lines pass through my birthplace?
The lines are calculated from the planets' actual positions in the sky; only planets exactly on the horizon or meridian at that moment have a line through your birthplace.
How far does a line's influence reach?
Tradition holds a line strongest close by; most astrologers treat 100–200 km as strong and a band of up to a few hundred kilometres as more lightly active.
Which astrocartography line is the best?
There is no single best line; it depends on your goal. Venus for love, Jupiter for growth and Sun or Jupiter MC lines for career are often sought, but the condition of those planets in your own birth chart should be considered too.
Is it bad to live on a Saturn or Pluto line?
Not necessarily. These lines bring themes of effort, responsibility and transformation to the fore; they can be productive for a serious career or a deep change.
How important is birth time for astrocartography?
Very. The Earth turns 1 degree every 4 minutes, so a 4-minute error shifts the lines by about 1 degree of longitude, roughly 111 km at the equator.
What is local space?
It is a technique showing in which compass direction and at what height the planets stood as seen from your birthplace. It is used for choosing directions at home or in a city.
Is a relocation chart the same as astrocartography?
They are closely related. A relocation chart recalculates the Ascendant, MC and houses for a single city; astrocartography summarises that calculation for the whole world as lines.
Does a holiday destination affect me too?
The tradition considers the effect lighter on short visits and more pronounced in places where you live for a long time.
Who invented astrocartography?
The method was developed and popularised in the 1970s by American astrologer Jim Lewis under the name Astro*Carto*Graphy.
Is astrocartography enough to decide on a move?
No. Astrocartography offers a perspective on which themes a place brings forward; it does not replace practical factors such as work, cost, health and family.
Can I ask an AI astrologer about a move?
Yes. In AstroSitus's AI astrologer section, the horary advisor inspired by William Lilly is open to free members; it answers a question such as "Should I move to this city?" with reasons, using the chart of the moment you asked.
Can an AI astrologer read my birth chart?
For AI birth chart readings, AstroSitus is preparing a relationships and birth chart advisor inspired by Evangeline Adams; it is not open yet. The William Lilly advisor open today works with horary astrology: instead of your birth chart, it reads the chart of the moment you ask. Just type your question as you would to an online astrologer; free members get a daily question allowance.