MTZ FAQ

Your signs are different because true sidereal astrology uses the actual location of the planets in the sky. Mainstream western astrology (tropical) doesn't use where the planets actually are - it uses a seasonal calendar system instead.

We believe the true sidereal chart is the most foundational chart in astrology. It shows what constellations the planets were actually in at the time of your birth - the same sky our ancestors looked at for thousands of years before simplified calendar systems.

Ophiuchus is the 13th sign of the zodiac and shares the same part of the sky as Scorpio. Because Ophiuchus is situated on the ecliptic (the path through which the planets orbit the Sun), it is considered a zodiac sign.

Both Ophiuchus and Scorpio carry 8th house energies of transformation and depth. The Sun passes through Ophiuchus from December 6 to December 19 in our Midpoint Method.

Yes. 13-sign astrology is another name for true sidereal astrology. Both terms describe the same approach: using the actual constellations the planets pass through.

The "13-sign" name emphasizes that this system includes Ophiuchus, the constellation between Scorpio and Sagittarius that mainstream astrology leaves out. True sidereal astrology naturally has 13 signs because that's how many constellations the Sun actually travels through each year.

True sidereal dates are different from both tropical and mainstream sidereal systems. We use the actual uneven sizes of the constellations - some signs last only 18 days (Cancer) while others last up to 50 days (Virgo) because of their respective size in the sky. We also include Ophiuchus, the 13th sign.

View all the true sidereal sun sign dates to find your actual Sun Sign.

We use true sidereal astrology because it shows the actual placement of the planets in the constellations. This is the most ancient form of astrology - before calendars and clocks, we simply looked up at the night sky and noticed patterns with our lives.

While we think tropical is accurate as a secondary system, true sidereal is the most foundational chart in astrology. It shows what our ancestors saw for thousands of years, not a simplified calendar system.

No, we use the same interpretations as mainstream Western astrology. The tropical and sidereal interpretations are practically identical.

The main difference is how we interpret the angles like the ascendant. While traditional astrology sees the ascendant as your "persona," we view the sidereal ascendant as who you are becoming - not what you were born with, but what life helps you develop. This is also true for the other angles such as the Midheaven, whereby the angle shows the life experiences not the personality characteristics.

In true sidereal astrology, we still read them as oppositions - specifically, the opposing parts of those signs.

Example: Leo opposite Pisces
• The Leo part in opposition to Pisces emphasizes self-oriented, passionate desires and pursuits
• The Pisces part in opposition to Leo emphasizes selflessness and surrender to what life wants for us

You don't need to get too technical - simply view them as opposites and you'll see how these energies can be balanced, even though they're not classically opposite signs.

We recommend starting with your North and South Nodes (Rahu and Ketu). They are the most important energies for life direction and cultivating balance between physical and spiritual needs.

In your chart, look for two horseshoe symbols - the 'n' is the North Node and the 'u' is the South Node. Note their house and sign placements. This is by far the most powerful part of the chart and what our readings are centered around.

For a tutorial on how to read your birth chart check out our in-depth article on how to read a birth chart.

Without birth time, you can still see:

• Planet signs - Your personality characteristics
• Planetary aspects - Your strengths and challenges

What's missing are the houses, which show specific life areas like relationships and career. Even without a birth time you'll still get about two-thirds of your chart's insights. Our chart report is a great way to explore your placements in depth.

If you are reading your own chart, you can also set the Sun as the ascendant to get house interpretations for the outer-consciousness perspective.

The key difference is karma:

The nodes are karmic points. The north node represents karma you're building in this life. It requires careful balance with the south node to avoid extremes. Going too far into either node creates challenges.

The ascendant and chart ruler are simply this life's experiences without karmic weight. They're beneficial to develop without the same risk of imbalance.

The nodes teach us balance through repeated cycles and life lessons. The angles like the ascendant show straightforward growth and development.

We use the Midpoint Method. The boundary between two constellations is the halfway point (midpoint) between the last star of one constellation and the first star of the next, measured along the ecliptic (the Sun's path). Stars are drawn from both the IAU (Western) and Vedic (Eastern) constellation traditions.

For a full explanation with tables and visuals, see our Midpoint Method article. For the complete technical documentation, see the research paper on Zenodo.

The IAU boundaries you see on Wikipedia and some astrology sources are for astronomy, not astrology. They don't reference the ecliptic (the Sun's path). We use the Midpoint Method, which is more accurate for astrology as it references the ecliptic. With this method, the Sun is in Ophiuchus from December 6 to December 19.

Also please keep in mind that there are no visible divisions in the sky. Dates within three days of two signs are a blend of both signs.

We use 12 houses because Scorpio and Ophiuchus share the same part of the sky - the 8th house region.

If you look at the constellations, they span above and below each other perfectly along the ecliptic. Both carry 8th house energies of transformation and depth. This is why the 12-house system remains accurate even with 13 zodiac signs.

If you were to include a 13th house it would be the second half of the 8th - where Ophiuchus sits in the sky.

We prefer Equal House because it shows the sky as we actually see it. Other systems stretch and shrink houses to fit other points in the chart. For example, quadrant house systems like Placidus stretch and shrink the houses to North, East, South, and West. Another example is the Whole Sign house system which sets the houses to the zodiac signs. While these systems are accurate, Equal House provides a more fundamental view by keeping the sky's natural proportions.

We still find other house systems like Placidus accurate. We just find that Equal House best represents the visible sky without distortion.

The map lines are identical, but the relocated charts differ.

Astrocartography lines reference the houses planets are in, not the signs. The planetary lines show where planets fall on the four angles (North, East, South, West) - their house positions. Since houses remain the same in both systems, your astrocartography map is unchanged whether using tropical or sidereal.

However, the relocated chart for any specific location will show different signs in true sidereal than in tropical. To see your true sidereal astrocartography with accurate relocated charts, use True Sky online astrology software.

True Sky is our online astrology software designed for everyone - from complete beginner to professional astrologer. No astrology knowledge is needed thanks to its one-click design and built-in interpretations.

Works instantly on any device - Mac, PC, tablet, or phone. Simply login and get all chart types calculated with one click (natal, transit, progression, return, synastry, composite). Save up to 5,000 charts that sync across all your devices. Free tier available or $15/month.

True Sky astrology software defaults to tropical settings when first loaded. The software is for all forms of astrology and tropical is still the expected standard. To use our true sidereal system, go to the SETTINGS section and switch to:

• Zodiac: Midpoint (true sidereal)
• House: Equal
• Coordinate: Topocentric

These settings will give you accurate true sidereal calculations using our Midpoint Method.

We no longer distribute Prometheus Astrology Software. If you are an existing customer who purchased Prometheus through us and need assistance, please contact Athen.

We recommend using True Sky astrology software for all of your true sidereal astrology calculations. It's fully true sidereal compatible and available for all devices, including mobile, tablet, and Mac.

We recommend using GeneticMatrix (paid version) for true sidereal HD charts. Under Astro HD Sidereal settings, use:

• Ayanamsa: User Defined SVP
• Fixed Sidereal Vernal Point: 31.2816
• Yearly Incremental SVP: 0.00
• Reference Year: 2000
Then choose the true sidereal-M (Midpoint) setting.

The Report: A comprehensive printout of all your placements with detailed interpretations. Perfect for understanding your personality, strengths, and challenges.

Personal Readings: A personal 1-hour Zoom reading with Athen focused on your unique life path and how to align with it for greater fulfillment.

Choose the report for detailed self-knowledge, or a reading for customized life path guidance.

We recommend four books for learning the basics of astrology. Although written by tropical astrologers, these books provide an excellent starting point. Starting from least to more complex:

• Astrology for Yourself
• Chart Interpretation Handbook
• Predictive Astrology
• The Changing Sky

For general astrology questions, we're happy to answer via our contact page.

For a personal interpretation of your chart, we recommend booking a reading with Athen. He'll walk you through your unique life path and current transits in a 1-hour Zoom session.