Astrocartography 3D Globe
The places where each planet stood overhead, underfoot, rising and setting at your birth appear as lines on a rotating globe.
Prefer a flat map? Switch to the 2D astrocartography tool.
Planets
Line types
Display
Go to a city
IC, DSC: dashed line
Open the 2D tool
Line summary
| Planet | MC longitude | IC longitude |
|---|
About This Tool
Astrocartography is a form of location astrology that carries the sky at the moment of birth onto the surface of the Earth. Four lines are cast for each planet: the MC line joins the places where the planet stood at the top of the sky at birth, the IC line is its opposite, the ASC line joins the places where it was rising on the eastern horizon, and the DSC line joins the places where it was setting on the western horizon.
This page shows the same lines on a rotating globe instead of a flat map. On the globe, meridians meet at the poles and the horizon curves keep their true shape instead of being stretched. The calculation comes from the same engine as the 2D astrocartography tool: the apparent positions of the planets are found with the astronomy-engine library, and the lines are derived from those positions and the sidereal time at the moment of birth. The reading texts are the ones used in the 2D tool.
Astrocartography is a modern technique. It took its present form in the 1970s through the work of Jim Lewis and spread under the name "Astro*Carto*Graphy". It does not appear in classical sources such as Ptolemy, Bonatti or Lilly. The angular points the lines rest on, meaning the rising, culminating, setting and lowest points, are still the places where a planet is considered strongest in classical astrology.
How to use it. Enter your birth date, time and place, then press Calculate Lines. Solid lines show MC and ASC, dashed lines show IC and DSC. The Layers button lets you switch planets and line types on or off. Tap a spot or a line on the globe to see how many kilometres that spot is from each line, along with the reading for the line. The Find a city button turns the globe to the city you choose.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is the 3D globe different from the flat map?
The calculation is the same; only the display changes. On a flat map the lines stretch and bend toward the poles because of the projection. On the globe the meridians meet at the poles and the horizon curves show their true shape. Extra layers such as parans, local space, cyclo and eclipse modes are in the 2D tool.
What do the MC, IC, ASC and DSC lines mean?
The MC line joins the places where the planet was at the top of the sky at birth. The IC line is its opposite, the lowest point. The ASC line joins the places where the planet was rising on the eastern horizon, and the DSC line joins the places where it was setting on the western horizon. MC and IC draw a straight meridian, while ASC and DSC draw a curved horizon line.
How close do I need to be to a line?
There is no fixed limit; practitioners use different distances. This tool shows how many kilometres, in a straight line, the spot you pick is from each line and leaves the interpretation to you.
How much do the lines change if my birth time is uncertain?
The longitude of the lines depends on the birth time. A difference of four minutes shifts the lines by about one degree of longitude. If your time is approximate, the position of the lines is approximate too.
Which planets are shown?
By default the seven classical planets are shown, from the Sun to Saturn. You can switch on Uranus, Neptune and Pluto from the Layers button.
Are my birth details stored?
The calculation runs in your browser. Your birth date and time are not sent to the server and are not written into the page address. If you save a chart, it is kept only in this browser, and in your account too if you are signed in.
Related Resources
2D Astrocartography Calculator, What is astrocartography? (blog post), Astrology glossary: Astrocartography, Relocation chart and other astrology tools.
Birth chart consultation
Let's read the lines together with your birth chart
Astrocartography lines come from your birth chart. To see which planet carries which subject, which house it sits in and which period you are in, take a look at the birth chart consultation.
There is no separate astrocartography consultation; questions about place and relocation are covered within the birth chart reading.
Birth Chart Consultation →This tool is for information only. Astrocartography is a modern technique; the readings are not medical, legal or financial advice.