Frequently asked questions

Astrodienst round > Return Charts

  1. How can I choose the starting date for a Solar Return chart?

    The 'Extended Chart Selection' page contains a field for the start date. Use the year field there to choose your solar return year - the day and month have no effect on the calculation of the Solar return.

  2. How can I change the reference place for a Solar Return chart?

    Just follow the link "modify reference place" in the section "Default settings" of the page Extended Chart Selection.

    • If you haven't chosen a reference place before, uncheck the box "use birth place" and click on "continue". Now choose a country and enter the name of the place where you have spent or will spend your birthday. Then press the "continue" button twice, and you will get back to the extended chart selection.
    • change reference place

    • If you have chosen a reference place before, click on the link "other town" beside your current reference place and change it to the place where you have spent or will spend your birthday. Then press the "continue" button twice, and you will get back to the extended chart selection.
    Now, you can choose the chart type "Solar Return chart". Please, remember that your reference place remains changed after this, and the Personal Daily Horoscope, for example, will be done for the date and time of this new reference place. This might turn out as a bit of a surprise, if your reference place for the solar return chart was on the other side of the world.

  3. How can I run return charts for planets other than the Sun and the Moon?

    While there is no direct method, it is easy to arrive indirectly at the Mercury (or any other) return chart, by finding the exact transit moment and then erecting an event chart for this moment.

    1. You need a rough idea when the return is going to happen, best via an ephemeris, where you look up when your natal Mercury position occurs again. Be aware that Mercury may get retrograde and that the return happens three times within a short interval.

    2. Now run a 'transit calendar for all planets, 6m' for the time period. Select a proper reference place and activate the option 'show time data in time zone and reference place', so that times in the transit calendar will be given in the timezone of this reference place.

    3. On this transit calendar, find the Mercury conj. Mercury. From the ephemeris you know the date you have to look for, so it should be quite easy to spot among all the other transits. You find the transit with the exact date and time. Time is given in 24 hour format, not with am/pm.

    4. Now erect a new chart for that date and time at your reference place. This is the Mercury return chart.

    You can view this chart as natal, or as synastry with yourself, to see both the natal and the return chart together.

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