Each planet's line carries that planet's archetypal themes. Living near a line, or traveling through it, is traditionally read as amplifying those themes — for better or worse, depending on the planet and the angle.
Astrocartography
Relocation astrology: map your birth chart onto the world to find where each planet's energy is strongest.
Astrocartography (also called Astro*Carto*Graphy or relocation astrology) projects your natal birth chart onto a world map, drawing lines that show where each planet was angular — rising, setting, culminating, or at its lowest point — at the moment you were born. Living or traveling near a planet's line is said to amplify that planet's themes: a Venus line for love and beauty, a Jupiter line for growth and luck, a Saturn line for discipline and hard lessons. The technique was developed by American astrologer Jim Lewis in the 1970s and is widely used to answer the question "where should I move?"
Map your chart across the world
Start with an accurate natal chart — the foundation every astrocartography map is built from. Calculate yours free, then explore where your planetary lines fall.
What is astrocartography?
Astrocartography is a branch of locational (relocation) astrology that takes your natal chart — the snapshot of the sky at your exact birth time and place — and projects it onto a map of the Earth. Instead of asking what your chart means, it asks where it is most strongly expressed. Each planet traces lines across the globe marking the places where that planet was on one of the four chart angles at the moment of your birth.
The technique was created by American astrologer Jim Lewis (1941–1995), who branded it Astro*Carto*Graphy and began mailing hand-drawn relocation maps to clients in 1976. The core idea is simple: the planets in your birth chart never change, but their angular emphasis shifts depending on where on Earth you stand. Move closer to your Jupiter line and Jupiter's themes grow louder; move closer to your Saturn line and Saturn's lessons come to the foreground.
The four angles: AC, DC, MC and IC
Every planetary line on an astrocartography map corresponds to one of four positions a planet could occupy relative to the horizon at your birth. These are the same four angles used in any natal chart, projected onto the map.
AC
Ascendant (Rising) line
Where the planet was rising on the eastern horizon at birth. AC lines color how you present yourself and your immediate identity in that location — the most personal, body-and-self angle.
DC
Descendant (Setting) line
Where the planet was setting on the western horizon. DC lines shape relationships, partnerships, and the kinds of people you attract or encounter in that place.
MC
Midheaven (Culminating) line
Where the planet was at its highest point in the sky (the Midheaven / MC). These lines influence career, public reputation, ambition, and how the world sees you in that location.
IC
Imum Coeli (Nadir) line
Where the planet was at its lowest point, beneath the horizon (the IC). These lines touch home, family, roots, and your private inner foundation in that place.
What the planetary lines mean
Sun line
Vitality, confidence, visibility and self-expression. Sun lines are associated with feeling seen, energized, and stepping into the spotlight.
Venus line
Love, beauty, pleasure and connection. Often sought for romance, art, and ease in relationships — a classic "fall in love here" line.
Jupiter line
Growth, luck, abundance and opportunity. Frequently chosen for expansion — study, travel, or a fresh start where doors seem to open.
Saturn line
Discipline, responsibility and hard lessons. Saturn lines can feel heavy or testing, but they build structure, maturity and lasting achievement.
Mars line
Energy, drive, ambition and conflict. Mars lines can sharpen courage and motivation, but may also bring friction, haste, or competition.
Moon line
Emotion, comfort, intuition and belonging. Moon lines are linked to feeling at home, nurtured, and emotionally rooted.
How to read your astrocartography map
Reading a relocation map is a four-step process. You always begin with an accurate birth chart, because the entire map is derived from it.
- Calculate an accurate natal chart. You need your exact birth date, time and city — even a few minutes' error shifts the angles and moves the lines.
- Identify which planetary lines are most relevant to your goals (for example Venus for relationships, Jupiter for opportunity, Sun for visibility).
- Find where those lines fall on the world map and note which angle they sit on — AC, DC, MC or IC changes how the planet expresses itself there.
- Consider "crossings" (where two lines meet) and the zone of influence — effects are usually felt strongest within roughly 100–150 miles of a line, weakening with distance.
Astrocartography is a symbolic, interpretive technique rather than a scientifically validated predictor. Use it as one input among many — practical factors like work, cost of living, language and community matter just as much.
"Where should I move?" — using your map
The most common reason people explore astrocartography is to choose a place to live, relocate, or travel. The map can highlight cities and regions where a desired planet's energy is emphasized — a Venus or Moon line for a place that feels like home, a Jupiter or Sun line for growth and opportunity, and lines you might prefer to avoid for a long stay.
A good way to start is to calculate your birth chart precisely, then compare a few candidate cities against your most important planetary lines. Remember that no single line decides a move — weigh the astrological signal alongside your real-world priorities.
Astrocartography FAQ
What is astrocartography?
Astrocartography is a form of relocation astrology that projects your natal birth chart onto a world map. It draws a line for each planet showing where that planet was angular (rising, setting, culminating, or at its lowest point) at your birth. Living near a line is said to amplify that planet's themes in your life.
Who invented astrocartography?
American astrologer Jim Lewis (1941–1995) developed and named the technique Astro*Carto*Graphy in the 1970s, building on older traditions of locational astrology. He began producing and mailing hand-drawn relocation maps to clients in 1976.
What do AC, DC, MC and IC mean on the map?
They are the four chart angles. AC (Ascendant) is where a planet was rising on the eastern horizon; DC (Descendant) is where it was setting in the west; MC (Midheaven) is its highest point in the sky; and IC (Imum Coeli) is its lowest point beneath the horizon. Each angle changes how that planet's energy is expressed in a location.
Which planetary line is best for where I should move?
It depends on your goal. Venus and Moon lines are popular for love, comfort and feeling at home; Jupiter and Sun lines for growth, opportunity and visibility; Saturn lines are demanding and better suited to building long-term structure. There is no universal "best" line — choose based on what you want from a location.
How accurate is astrocartography, and do I need my exact birth time?
Yes — an exact birth time is essential, because the angles (and therefore every line) shift even with a few minutes' error. Astrocartography is a symbolic, interpretive system, not a scientifically validated method. Treat it as a meaningful lens rather than a guarantee, and combine it with practical considerations.
Can I create an astrocartography map online for free?
Yes. Start by calculating an accurate natal chart with your exact birth date, time and city — that chart is the foundation of any relocation map. From there you can examine where your key planetary lines fall and which cities sit closest to the energies you want to emphasize.
Start with an accurate birth chart
Every astrocartography map begins with a precise natal chart. Calculate yours free, then explore where your planetary lines lead.
Sources & References
- The Astro*Carto*Graphy Book of Maps: The Astrology of Relocation — Llewellyn Publications (ISBN 0-87542-434-1)Foundational text by the originator of Astro*Carto*Graphy, defining planetary lines and the AC/DC/MC/IC angularity method.
- The Psychology of Astro*Carto*GraphyInterpretive framework for relocation astrology and how angular planets shape experience by location.
- Jim Lewis (astrologer) — WikipediaBiographical reference: Jim Lewis (1941–1995) coined the term Astro*Carto*Graphy and began producing relocation maps in 1976.
- AstroCartoGraphy Maps & Analyses — Locational Astrology — astrocartography.ukSecondary reference on the technique, originally developed by astrologer Jim Lewis, and the meaning of planetary lines on the world map.
- Horizons Ephemeris System — NASA JPLSource of the planetary positions used to compute the natal chart that an astrocartography map projects.