What Is Astrocartography?

Astrocartography is a branch of astrology that connects a birth chart with different locations around the world. It is used to explore how the influence of The Sun, The Moon and the planets may become more noticeable depending on where a person lives, works or travels.

A normal birth chart is calculated using a person's date, time and place of birth. Astrocartography takes the same information and places it onto a map of the world. The result is a series of planetary lines crossing different countries, cities and regions.

These lines show locations where particular planets were in important positions at the moment of birth.

The main positions used in astrocartography are the Ascendant, Descendant, Midheaven and Imum Coeli. A planet may have been rising on the eastern horizon, setting on the western horizon, at the highest point of the chart or at the lowest point. Astrocartography calculates where on Earth each of these positions occurred and marks them as lines on the map.

This means that a person does not simply have a Mars line or a Venus line. There can be different lines depending on the position of the planet. A Venus Ascendant line, for example, is not interpreted in exactly the same way as a Venus Midheaven line.

The planet tells us what kind of influence is being emphasised, while the angle helps to show where that influence may appear in life.

The Ascendant is strongly connected with the self, personality and the way we approach the world. The Descendant is associated with relationships and other people. The Midheaven has a stronger connection with career, ambition and our place in the outside world, while the Imum Coeli is connected with home, family and our private life.

This is why two lines belonging to the same planet can have quite different meanings.

The Sun lines can place greater emphasis on the inner self, ego, power, self expression, creativity and vitality. The Sun is a powerful part of a birth chart, so locations connected with it may place greater attention on confidence, personal direction and the desire to express who we really are. The exact meaning depends on which angle The Sun occupies.

The Moon lines have a stronger connection with emotions, memories, moods, nurturing, home and security. A Moon location may therefore feel more personal or emotionally important. Family life and the need to feel comfortable and secure can become more noticeable.

Mercury represents intellect, thoughts and communication. Mercury lines can be interesting for someone who wants to learn, write, communicate, meet people or develop new ideas. They can also create a busier environment where there is always something new demanding attention.

Venus lines are associated with affection, harmony, balance, romantic relationships and pleasure. Venus also has connections with the arts, music, fashion and social life. This makes Venus one of the planets people often notice when looking at astrocartography for relationships, creativity or places where they may enjoy spending their time. Venus should not automatically be treated as a promise of romance, however. Its position and its connections with the complete birth chart still matter.

Mars brings a very different influence. Mars represents confidence, self assertion, energy, strength, ambition and impulsiveness. A Mars line can encourage action and make it easier to push ahead with plans. It can be useful where greater energy or competition is needed, although impatience and conflict may also become more noticeable.

Jupiter is associated with growth, prosperity, good fortune, travelling, freedom and exploration. Jupiter locations can therefore be connected with expanding horizons, gaining knowledge and experiencing something new. Someone may feel more optimistic or willing to take opportunities in these places, but Jupiter can also encourage excess when enthusiasm is allowed to run too far.

Saturn represents restriction, boundaries, hard work, responsibility, practicality and discipline. A Saturn line may not always feel easy, but this does not make it a bad place. Responsibilities can become more important and progress may require patience and hard work. For someone seeking structure or working towards a serious long-term ambition, this can have a very different meaning from someone simply looking for an easy and carefree experience.

The outer planets add another layer. Uranus is associated with originality, freedom and major changes. Neptune has connections with idealism, compassion, imagination, illusion and confusion. Pluto is associated with self empowerment and powerful periods of change. These lines can be important, although they need to be interpreted carefully alongside the rest of the chart.

One of the most common uses of astrocartography is to compare different places to live.

Someone considering moving to another city or country can look at which planetary lines pass through or close to that location. The map may suggest that different parts of the world place greater emphasis on different parts of their birth chart. A location close to a Venus line could have a very different astrological character from somewhere close to Mars or Saturn.

Astrocartography can also be used for travel. A person does not have to move permanently to a planetary line for the location to be interesting. Holidays, extended visits, work trips and other periods spent in different places can all be considered.

Distance matters as well. It is not necessary to stand directly on a planetary line for astrologers to consider its influence. Locations close to a line are usually considered part of the surrounding area of influence, although different astrologers use different distances and methods when deciding how far that influence extends.

Several planetary lines can also pass through the same general part of the world. This creates a more complicated picture because more than one planetary influence needs to be considered. A place cannot always be described simply as a Venus location, Mars location or Jupiter location.

There is no single best planetary line for everyone.

A Venus line may sound attractive to someone interested in relationships and pleasure, while a person concentrating on ambition may be more interested in The Sun, Mars, Jupiter or Saturn. Even then, the complete birth chart matters. The same planet can have a very different meaning for two people because its Zodiac sign, house, aspects and position in the original birth chart will be different.

This is also why astrocartography should not be reduced to a list of good and bad places. A difficult location can encourage hard work or important changes, while an apparently easy location may not provide what someone actually needs at that point in their life.

The birth chart remains the starting point.

Astrocartography does not replace it. Instead, it takes the planetary positions from the moment of birth and shows how they relate to different locations across the Earth. The map makes it possible to explore where particular parts of the birth chart may become more noticeable through home, relationships, career, travel, creativity and personal experience.

In simple terms, astrocartography is astrology placed onto a world map. It connects planets and important chart angles with geographical locations, providing another way to explore how the same birth chart may be experienced in different parts of the world.