Astrocartography — the map of relocation
Astrocartography (Astro*Carto*Graphy) shows how your natal chart energies are distributed across the globe. Planetary lines on the map indicate places where a certain planet becomes angular (on ASC, MC, DSC, or IC), amplifying its influence. Find the best cities for career, love, creativity, or spiritual growth.
MC — career, status
IC — home, roots
ASC — Personality
DSC — Partnership
What is Astrocartography
Astrocartography is the projection of your natal chart onto a world map. For each planet, lines are drawn along which that planet was on the Ascendant, Descendant, Midheaven, or IC at the moment of your birth. Places through which these lines pass amplify the influence of the corresponding planet.
The method was developed by Jim Lewis in the 1970s and is now primarily used for choosing a place to relocate, work abroad, or take a vacation.
How to read the lines on the map?
The Sun line is usually associated with visibility and self-realization, Venus with comfort and relationships, Jupiter with opportunities and expansion, Saturn with responsibility and limitations, Mars with energy and conflicts.
It is important not only which planet it is but also which angular point: the AC line describes how you are perceived, the MC line relates to career, the IC line to home and roots, and the DC line to partnerships.
Does a “bad” line mean you shouldn’t go there?
No. Saturn or Pluto lines do not forbid relocation; they describe the nature of the experience. Many people consciously choose a Saturn line for study or career building because it provides structure and discipline, even if it does not offer ease.
How wide is the line’s influence?
Usually, a corridor of about 150 kilometers on either side of the line is considered, sometimes up to 300. The closer a city is to the line, the more distinctly the planet manifests. Latitudinal lines, or parans, which work at any longitude, are considered separately.
Is an exact birth time necessary?
Yes. Astrocartography is entirely based on the chart’s angular points, which depend on the birth time. An error of a few minutes shifts the lines by dozens of kilometers, and an error of an hour makes the chart unusable.