The Solar Return
what’s a solar return?
While a birth chart is cast for you, and it’s a chart that always sticks with you, we can cast other types of charts to examine particular times (or even places) in your life.
The Solar Return chart is one such chart. It’s predictive, and it covers the themes a person might expect in their birthday year.
The Solar Return is calculated for the exact moment when the Sun returns to its natal position. This occurs within two days of your birthday.
So, let’s say you were born with the Sun in Taurus at the precise degree of 25 degrees 32 minutes and 22 seconds. Every year, the Sun will return to that degree, and the exact date and time of this return is the date and time of your Solar Return for that birthday year.
This chart can be read much like a natal chart, except that it must be kept in mind that it is in effect only for the course of a year–approximately from birthday to birthday. [Some astrologers believe the Solar Return is in effect for a longer period of time.]
Does a Solar Return Chart resemble your Natal Chart?
Not in most ways. It depends on the year, but the only factor that is guaranteed to be the same as in your natal chart is the Sun! Each year, the Solar Return chart looks different, except for the degree of the Sun.
Still, where you find the Sun by house position is not necessarily going to be the same. For example, if you were born with the Sun in the seventh house, the Sun in your Solar Return chart may not also be in the seventh house. It can be there, but it’s not expected to be there.
Does a Solar Return Chart occur on your birthday?
Many times, the Solar Return chart occurs on the same day as your birth, but often enough, it occurs on the day before or after.
So, for example, if you were born on May 17th, your Solar Return chart for 2030 might occur on May 17th, 2030, or it can occur on May 16th, 2030. Why? Because a Solar Return is drawn for the exact degree of the Sun’s return, not the date and time of a person’s birth. That precise degree doesn’t happen at the same time or even date each year.
Do you need to know your birth time to create a Solar Return chart?
It is terrific to have an accurate birth time when working with Return charts. However, if you don’t have your birth time, a Sunrise chart is an option–we can still get some information from your Solar Return, even if it’s not as detailed.
Explore more about Solar Returns:
You can create your own Solar Return chart with some key interpretations with my Zodiacal Free Chart service.
You might want to order a Solar Return report in the Cafe Astrology Shop (there are several to choose from).
Try your hand at interpreting Solar Returns:
Interpreting Solar Returns 1: Discover this predictive technique and learn some basics on how to interpret a Solar Return chart.
Interpreting Solar Returns 2, features an example of a Solar Return chart.
Interpreting Solar Returns 3, shows more techniques for fine-tuning a Solar Return analysis.
Interpreting Solar Returns: Ascendant, includes interpretations of the Ascendant sign in the Solar Return chart, as well as the natal house brought to the Solar Ascendant.
Interpreting Solar Returns: The Sun, features interpretations of the Solar Return Sun in aspect to other Solar Return planets and points.
Interpreting Solar Returns: The Moon, outlines the importance of the Moon in the Solar Return chart, by sign, house, and aspect.
On page 7 of our Solar Returns Feature, comparison of books and suggestion of resources for interpreting Solar Returns.
We have Solar Return computerized reports that examine any given Solar Return chart piece by piece. We have multiple different styles, and each report is typically around $4.95.
