Draw Your Chart by Hand
10 lessons that teach you how to calculate and draw a natal chart from scratch, using ephemerides, tables of houses, and pen and paper.
No software. Ephemeris, tables of houses, pen, paper, and interpolation.
Syllabus
The celestial sphere, the ecliptic, the celestial equator, and the horizon. Understanding the great circles that form the foundation of chart calculation.
The difference between solar and sidereal time. How to calculate Local Sidereal Time (LST) from the birth data, the essential first step in chart erection.
Converting Local Sidereal Time to the Midheaven degree using right ascension tables and interpolation techniques.
Finding the Ascendant and house cusps through double interpolation for time and latitude. The core technique for accurate house placement.
How to physically draw the chart wheel on paper. Placing the axes, choosing a house system, and dividing the circle into houses.
Looking up planetary positions in the ephemeris and interpolating for the exact Universal Time of birth to find precise longitudes.
Understanding planetary declination, parallel and contra-parallel aspects, and the significance of out-of-bounds planets.
How to plot each planet in the correct position on the wheel. Cross-checking your work with control techniques to catch errors.
Building an aspect grid efficiently, calculating orbs, and avoiding the most common mistakes beginners make when identifying aspects.
A full walkthrough combining every step, from raw birth data to a complete hand-drawn natal chart ready for interpretation.