Chart

From Astrowiki-en

A horoscope chart is the visual portrayal of the planets and house divisions for a particular time as viewed from a particular place. It expresses three dimensions in a two-dimensional graphic. The usual method is as follows: The twelve signs of the zodiac are plotted in an anti-clockwise direction along the edge of an outer circle. The circle is divided into 360 degrees and the symbols for the planets, the Moon's Nodes (sometimes only the North Node) and occasionally some of the so-called [[sensitive points]] are plotted within it. An 'R' next to a planetary symbol indicates that the planet was retrograde at the time of birth. The Ascendant (East) is on the left-hand side and the Descendant (West) on the right-hand side of a horizontal axis drawn through the middle of the circle. The Medium Coeli (South) marks the beginning of the tenth house at the top of the circle and the Imum Coeli (North) the beginning of the fourth house at the bottom of the chart. The twelve houses - also running in an anti-clockwise direction - divide the circle into twelve segments.

Aspects are plotted using coloured lines. For the [[Major Aspect|major aspects]] the colour blue is usually used for the harmonious aspects and red for the [Disharmonious Aspect:disharmonious aspects]. This makes it easier to quickly recognise the nature of any particular aspect. The thickness of the lines can also be varied to indicate the exactitude of orb (the thicker the line, the closer the aspect) which emphasises which aspects are more likely have a more powerful influence. The closer the orb, the more powerful an aspect is likely to be. Visual information such as the colour or thickness of lines can assist the intuitive process and reduce time by alleviating the amount of mental calculation. However, too much visual information can cause confusion. Therefore it is not recommended to include all minor aspect in the horoscope graphic. The symbols for any potentially significant minor aspects not included for this reason can be printed to one side of the chart.

The aspect lines make it possible to quickly recognise [[Aspect Figure|aspect figures]] and aspect patterns. At one time it was not common practice to include aspect lines in the chart.

Thanks to modern and affordable computer technology it is nowadays hardly necessary to draw horoscopes by hand. However, this also has disadvantages. The actual act of drawing the horoscope can be part of the interpretation process. Additionally, there is the danger that horoscopes quickly printed by computer are only looked at superficially. A hand-drawn horoscope, on the other hand, requires effort to produce and is often a small work of art that also reveals something personal about the drawer.