How to use
- 1
Enter your birth date, birth time and birth city.
- 2
Choose the year and the place where you will be around your birthday.
- 3
Read the exact return moment, local time and UTC, to the second.
- 4
Explore the return chart: wheel, positions, houses and aspects.
What a solar return is
Each year the Sun comes back to the exact longitude it had when you were born. That moment usually falls on your birthday or a day either side, because the calendar year and the solar year do not line up exactly. A chart cast for that instant is called the solar return. In astrological tradition it is read as a snapshot of themes for the year from one birthday to the next.
Why the location matters
The return moment is the same everywhere, but the Ascendant and houses depend on where you are. Traditionally the chart is cast for the place you are on your birthday, which is why you can set a separate location. Some astrologers prefer the birth place or your home; try each to compare.
Frequently asked questions
How exact is the return time?
The search finds the moment the Sun’s apparent longitude equals your natal value to a fraction of an arc-second, which is well under one second of time.
Why isn’t my solar return on my birthday?
Leap years and the time of day you were born shift it. It can fall the day before or after your birthday in your local calendar.
What if I don’t know my birth time?
The natal Sun is then taken at noon, so the return moment may be off by up to about 12 hours and the houses will be uncertain. Planet signs in the return chart are still usable.