Step 4 - Position the Planets

Once the signs have been written in, the planets can be placed in their relevant sign and house. Referring to the ephemeris for the day of birth, the planets can be read from left to right starting with the Sun.

However, because ephemerides are based upon the position of the planets at noon (or midnight), some adjustments to the personal planets (Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus and Mars) may need to be made according to the time of birth, unless it was within an hour of noon.

Adjustments for the Sun

The Sun moves 1° per day (30' every 12 hours, 15' every six hours) and needs to be adjusted only if the degree changes. For example, if a person was born at 6 pm, and the sun was positioned at 28° 30' at noon on the day of their birth, they will need to adjust the position by 15' (6 pm is an additional 6 hours from noon). This means the sun would be positioned at 28° 45'. The minutes would need to be deducted for an a.m. birth.

Adjustments for the Moon

The Moon moves approximately 1° every two hours and usually needs adjusting from the noon position. Someone born at 6 pm with the Moon at 24° at noon would, therefore, require an adjustment of plus 6 hours which equals 3° of Moon movement, thereby giving a Moon position at birth of 27°. Again, the adjustment would need to be deducted for an a.m. birth.

Adjustments for other Planets

Mercury, Venus and Mars move more erratically and will often need no adjustment; however, when they are moving very fast they will need to be checked for minor adjustments.

Entering the Data

Reading across the ephemeris from left to right, and ignoring the column marked between the Sun and Moon (the Moon's north node), all the planets from the Sun to Pluto should be entered in the birth chart in their relevant position. Remember that each house contains 30 degrees and unless the Ascendant and corresponding house cusps are at exactly 0 degrees they will always run from one sign to the next (for example, 18 degrees of one sign to 18 degrees of the next sign.

Notations to Watch Out For

Stationary Planets

An "S" alongside the planetary degree stands for the word stationary and will occur only when the planet is slowing down and has virtually stopped moving.

Retrograde Planets

An "R" placed beside a planetary degree in the ephemeris stands for retrograde and means that the planet has changed its orbital direction from a forward to a backward motion as viewed from the Earth.

Direct Planets

A "D" alongside the planetary degree stands for direct. This indicates that the planet is in direct motion and is written in when a planet changes from a backward direction (retrograde) to a forward direction (direct).