Astrocartography API: Build Location-Based Astrology Features

"Where should I move?"

It's one of the most common questions astrologers get. And it's one of the hardest to answer without astrocartography.

Astrocartography maps your birth chart onto the globe. It shows where each planet's energy is strongest for you. Your Sun line might run through Barcelona. Your Venus line through Bali. Your Saturn line through that city where nothing ever worked out.

The problem? Calculating astrocartography is complex. You need to compute planetary positions at every longitude on Earth, account for latitude variations, find line intersections, and generate visualizations.

Building this from scratch takes 6+ months. Using an API takes an afternoon.

TL;DR - What You Need to Know

Astrocartography calculations require:

• Planetary position calculations for every degree of longitude
• AC/MC/DC/IC line computations
• Paran (latitude crossing) calculations
• Power zone identification (line intersections)
• SVG map generation
• Location-specific interpretations

Building from scratch: 6+ months. Using an API: One afternoon.

• For astrologers: Offer relocation consultations at scale
• For app builders: "Where should I live?" is a premium feature users pay for
• For entrepreneurs: Combine with travel/real estate apps for unique value
• Jim Lewis: Created astrocartography in 1976. The system is proven and trusted.
• Power Zones: Where two lines cross = amplified energy (positive or challenging)

What Is Astrocartography?

The concept is simple: your birth chart changes depending on where on Earth you are.

If you were born in New York but move to Tokyo, your chart shifts. Different planets become angular (more prominent). Different houses get activated. Your life experience changes.

Astrocartography maps these shifts onto a world map. It shows:

1. Where each planet is angular (strongest influence)
2. What type of influence (AC, MC, DC, IC)
3. Where energies combine (power zones)

The Real-World Impact

People use astrocartography for:

• Relocation decisions: Should I move to Los Angeles or Austin?
• Travel planning: Best places for vacation, creative inspiration, romance
• Business decisions: Where to open an office, host events, expand
• Understanding patterns: Why did Paris feel magical? Why did London feel heavy?

Understanding Planetary Lines

Each planet creates four lines across the globe.

AC Line (Ascendant)

The planet was rising on the eastern horizon at your birth moment at this longitude.

"Personal power and charisma magnified. You shine brightest here, natural leadership emerges."

MC Line (Midheaven)

The planet was at its highest point in the sky at your birth moment at this longitude.

"Career in arts, beauty, or diplomacy succeeds. Professional relationships harmonious."

DC Line (Descendant)

The planet was setting on the western horizon at your birth moment at this longitude.

"Beneficial partnerships and fortunate relationships. Partners bring opportunities."

IC Line (Imum Coeli)

The planet was at its lowest point, beneath the Earth, at your birth moment at this longitude.

"Deep sense of belonging and emotional security. Ideal for establishing home and family."

Planetary Line Interpretations

Here's what each planet means on each line type. This is the actual data from the API (based on Jim Lewis's system).

Sun Lines

Moon Lines

Venus Lines

Mars Lines

Jupiter Lines

Saturn Lines

Uranus Lines

Neptune Lines

Pluto Lines

Power Zones: Where Lines Cross

The most powerful places on your astrocartography map are where two planetary lines cross.

These "power zones" combine the energies of both planets. The effect can be:

• Harmonious (Venus-Jupiter crossing = abundance and love)
• Challenging (Mars-Saturn crossing = frustration and obstacles)
• Intense (Sun-Pluto crossing = transformation and power)

How the API Identifies Power Zones

1const response = await fetch('https://api.astrology-api.io/v3/astrocartography/power-zones', {
2  method: 'POST',
3  headers: {
4    'X-Api-Key': 'your-api-key',
5    'Content-Type': 'application/json'
6  },
7  body: JSON.stringify({
8    birth_date: '1990-05-15',
9    birth_time: '14:30',
10    birth_location: 'New York, NY'
11  })
12});

• Location coordinates of each crossing
• Which planets and line types cross
• Combined interpretation
• Intensity rating (mild, moderate, strong, very strong)
• Nearest major cities

Actual API Response: Power Zone Calculation

1{
2  "birth_data": {
3    "date": "1990-05-15",
4    "time": "14:30:00",
5    "location": "New York, NY",
6    "timezone": "America/New_York"
7  },
8  "power_zones": [
9    {
10      "latitude": 34.05,
11      "longitude": -118.24,
12      "nearest_city": "Los Angeles, CA",
13      "distance_km": 12,
14      "planets": ["Sun", "Jupiter"],
15      "line_types": ["MC", "AC"],
16      "intensity": "very_strong",
17      "interpretation": "Sun-Jupiter power zone: Exceptional opportunities for recognition, success, and expansion. Career advancement and personal growth converge powerfully here.",
18      "keywords": ["success", "expansion", "recognition", "optimism", "leadership"],
19      "best_for": ["career", "public_recognition", "leadership_roles"]
20    },
21    {
22      "latitude": 41.38,
23      "longitude": 2.17,
24      "nearest_city": "Barcelona, Spain",
25      "distance_km": 45,
26      "planets": ["Venus", "Neptune"],
27      "line_types": ["AC", "MC"],
28      "intensity": "strong",
29      "interpretation": "Venus-Neptune crossing: Heightened romantic and artistic sensitivity. Ideal for creative pursuits, spiritual love, and aesthetic experiences.",
30      "keywords": ["romance", "creativity", "spirituality", "beauty", "inspiration"],
31      "best_for": ["creative_work", "romance", "spiritual_growth"]
32    }
33  ],
34  "calculation_time_ms": 156,
35  "ephemeris_source": "Swiss Ephemeris DE431"
36}

According to our API calculations, this chart shows a Sun-Jupiter power zone within 12 kilometers of Los Angeles - classified as "very_strong" intensity. The system identifies the nearest major city and categorizes which life areas benefit most from that location.

API Endpoints for Astrocartography

The API provides comprehensive astrocartography calculations.

1. Generate Astrocartography Map

Returns SVG map and line data for all planets.

1const response = await fetch('https://api.astrology-api.io/v3/astrocartography/map', {
2  method: 'POST',
3  headers: {
4    'X-Api-Key': 'your-api-key',
5    'Content-Type': 'application/json'
6  },
7  body: JSON.stringify({
8    birth_date: '1990-05-15',
9    birth_time: '14:30',
10    birth_location: 'New York, NY',
11    planets: ['Sun', 'Moon', 'Venus', 'Mars', 'Jupiter'],
12    include_svg: true
13  })
14});

• SVG content ready to display
• Array of all planetary lines with coordinates
• Each line's interpretation
• Power zones where lines intersect

2. Analyze Specific Location

Get detailed analysis for any city or coordinates.

1const response = await fetch('https://api.astrology-api.io/v3/astrocartography/location-analysis', {
2  method: 'POST',
3  headers: {
4    'X-Api-Key': 'your-api-key',
5    'Content-Type': 'application/json'
6  },
7  body: JSON.stringify({
8    birth_date: '1990-05-15',
9    birth_time: '14:30',
10    birth_location: 'New York, NY',
11    target_location: 'Barcelona, Spain',
12    language: 'en'
13  })
14});

• Nearest planetary lines to that location
• Distance from each line (in degrees)
• Whether location falls within a power zone
• Comprehensive interpretation for that place
• Best life areas for this location (career, love, home, etc.)

3. Compare Multiple Locations

Help users decide between cities.

1const response = await fetch('https://api.astrology-api.io/v3/astrocartography/compare-locations', {
2  method: 'POST',
3  headers: {
4    'X-Api-Key': 'your-api-key',
5    'Content-Type': 'application/json'
6  },
7  body: JSON.stringify({
8    birth_date: '1990-05-15',
9    birth_time: '14:30',
10    birth_location: 'New York, NY',
11    locations: [
12      'Los Angeles, CA',
13      'Austin, TX',
14      'Miami, FL'
15    ]
16  })
17});

• Side-by-side comparison of all locations
• Dominant planetary influences at each place
• Best location for specific goals (career, love, creativity)
• Ranking by overall favorability

4. Generate Relocation Chart

Full natal chart recalculated for a new location.

1const response = await fetch('https://api.astrology-api.io/v3/astrocartography/relocation-chart', {
2  method: 'POST',
3  headers: {
4    'X-Api-Key': 'your-api-key',
5    'Content-Type': 'application/json'
6  },
7  body: JSON.stringify({
8    birth_date: '1990-05-15',
9    birth_time: '14:30',
10    birth_location: 'New York, NY',
11    relocation: 'Tokyo, Japan'
12  })
13});

• Complete relocated natal chart
• New house placements for all planets
• New Ascendant and Midheaven
• Comparison to birth chart (what changed)
• Life area shifts based on house changes

5. Paran Map

Parans show where planets were rising, setting, or at the meridian at the same moment across latitudes.

1const response = await fetch('https://api.astrology-api.io/v3/astrocartography/paran-map', {
2  method: 'POST',
3  headers: {
4    'X-Api-Key': 'your-api-key',
5    'Content-Type': 'application/json'
6  },
7  body: JSON.stringify({
8    birth_date: '1990-05-15',
9    birth_time: '14:30',
10    birth_location: 'New York, NY'
11  })
12});

• Paran lines (horizontal lines across latitudes)
• Where planetary combinations occur at specific latitudes
• Paran interpretations

Building Astrocartography Features

Here's how to implement common use cases.

Example 1: Interactive Map Component

1async function renderAstrocartographyMap(userId) {
2  const user = await getUser(userId);
3
4  const mapData = await fetch('/api/astrocartography/map', {
5    method: 'POST',
6    body: JSON.stringify({
7      birth_date: user.birth_date,
8      birth_time: user.birth_time,
9      birth_location: user.birth_location,
10      include_svg: true
11    })
12  }).then(r => r.json());
13
14  // Display the SVG
15  document.getElementById('astro-map').innerHTML = mapData.svg_content;
16
17  // Add click handlers for lines
18  mapData.map_data.lines.forEach(line => {
19    const lineElement = document.querySelector(`[data-planet="${line.planet}"][data-line-type="${line.line_type}"]`);
20    lineElement.addEventListener('click', () => {
21      showLineDetails(line);
22    });
23  });
24}

Example 2: Location Recommendation Engine

1async function findBestLocations(userId, goal) {
2  const user = await getUser(userId);
3
4  // Get power zones
5  const powerZones = await fetch('/api/astrocartography/power-zones', {
6    method: 'POST',
7    body: JSON.stringify({
8      birth_date: user.birth_date,
9      birth_time: user.birth_time,
10      birth_location: user.birth_location
11    })
12  }).then(r => r.json());
13
14  // Filter by goal
15  const relevantZones = powerZones.filter(zone => {
16    if (goal === 'career') {
17      return zone.planets.includes('Sun') || zone.planets.includes('Jupiter');
18    }
19    if (goal === 'love') {
20      return zone.planets.includes('Venus');
21    }
22    if (goal === 'creativity') {
23      return zone.planets.includes('Venus') || zone.planets.includes('Neptune');
24    }
25    return true;
26  });
27
28  return relevantZones.map(zone => ({
29    city: zone.nearest_city,
30    reason: zone.interpretation,
31    intensity: zone.intensity
32  }));
33}

Example 3: Relocation Consultation Tool

1async function generateRelocationReport(userId, targetCity) {
2  const user = await getUser(userId);
3
4  // Get location analysis
5  const analysis = await fetch('/api/astrocartography/location-analysis', {
6    method: 'POST',
7    body: JSON.stringify({
8      birth_date: user.birth_date,
9      birth_time: user.birth_time,
10      birth_location: user.birth_location,
11      target_location: targetCity
12    })
13  }).then(r => r.json());
14
15  // Get relocated chart
16  const relocatedChart = await fetch('/api/astrocartography/relocation-chart', {
17    method: 'POST',
18    body: JSON.stringify({
19      birth_date: user.birth_date,
20      birth_time: user.birth_time,
21      birth_location: user.birth_location,
22      relocation: targetCity
23    })
24  }).then(r => r.json());
25
26  return {
27    city: targetCity,
28    dominant_influences: analysis.nearest_lines,
29    in_power_zone: analysis.power_zone,
30    chart_changes: {
31      new_ascendant: relocatedChart.ascendant,
32      new_midheaven: relocatedChart.midheaven,
33      planets_changing_houses: relocatedChart.house_changes
34    },
35    interpretation: analysis.interpretation,
36    best_for: analysis.recommended_activities
37  };
38}

Real Use Cases

For Astrologers

You offer relocation consultations. Clients ask "Should I move to Denver or Seattle?"

Manually calculating astrocartography takes 2-3 hours per client. With the API:

1. Input client's birth data
2. Get full astrocartography map in seconds
3. Compare both cities automatically
4. Generate client-ready report

For Travel Apps

"Where should I vacation for romance?"

Integrate astrocartography to show users their Venus lines. Highlight destinations along those lines. Partner with travel booking sites.

For Real Estate Apps

"Where should I buy a home?"

Show users their Moon IC and Venus IC lines (best for home and comfort). Flag Saturn lines (potential challenges).

For Digital Nomads

"Where will my business thrive?"

Show Sun MC and Jupiter MC lines (career success). Identify power zones where success energies combine.

FAQ

How accurate is astrocartography?

The API uses Swiss Ephemeris for planetary positions (NASA-level accuracy). Line calculations use standard Jim Lewis methodology, the industry standard since 1976.

Do I need to physically be at a location to feel the energy?

Opinions vary. Some astrologers say you need to visit or live there. Others believe connections (business, relationships, remote work) with people in those places also activate the lines.

How close do I need to be to a line?

Practitioners generally cite a range of about 700 miles (approximately 10 degrees longitude). Effects are strongest directly on the line and diminish with distance. Some report feeling a line's influence even when it passes through ocean 600 miles away.

What if I have a "bad" line through a place I want to live?

No line is entirely bad. Saturn lines bring structure and achievement through hard work. Mars lines bring energy and drive (but also conflict if not channeled). The key is understanding and working with the energy.

Can astrocartography change over time?

Your birth chart never changes, so your astrocartography lines stay constant. However, transiting planets can temporarily activate different lines. Progressed charts create new astrocartography maps that evolve over your lifetime.

What's the difference between astrocartography and local space astrology?

Astrocartography shows planetary lines on a world map. Local space astrology draws planetary direction lines from a single point (your location) outward, showing which direction from you holds each planetary energy.

Why are MC/IC lines vertical and AC/DC lines curved?

MC/IC lines follow meridians (lines of longitude) which are straight north-south. AC/DC lines follow the horizon, which curves based on latitude due to Earth's tilt.

A Critical View: What We're Not Telling You

Let's be uncomfortable for a moment.

The Validation Problem

Jim Lewis received awards from astrologers. He wrote books. He trademarked the name. What he never did: scientifically validate the system.

That doesn't mean the system is worthless. But it does mean we should be honest about what it is: a symbolic framework, not a predictive tool.

The Confirmation Bias Trap

But consider: You moved because you believed good things would happen. You arrived optimistic, open to opportunity. You networked more. You took risks you wouldn't have taken elsewhere.

Did Jupiter "work"? Or did your expectations create the outcome?

This isn't a gotcha. It's a genuine question. Confirmation bias is powerful. We notice what confirms our beliefs. We explain away what doesn't.

The Privilege Check

Here's what astrocartography marketing never mentions: most people can't choose where to live.

Refugees don't consult their Venus lines. Immigrants follow jobs, not Jupiter. Poor people live where they can afford rent.

"Where should I live based on my chart?" is a question for people with:

• Financial resources to relocate
• Legal ability to move (visas, citizenship)
• No family obligations anchoring them
• Jobs that can relocate or go remote

Astrocartography is, by definition, a practice for the privileged. That's not wrong. But we should acknowledge it.

The Dangerous Advice

Some astrologers tell clients to quit their jobs and move to another continent because a line looks favorable. This is irresponsible.

Real relocation factors - employment, cost of living, language, healthcare, safety, family, immigration law - don't appear on any astrocartography map. Symbolic interpretation should never override practical reality.

What Astrocartography Can Offer

Despite these critiques, many people find value in the practice:

• Self-reflection: A framework for thinking about why places felt different
• Travel inspiration: A creative way to choose destinations
• Personal narrative: Understanding your life story through a geographic lens
• Intentional living: Being conscious about where and why you're locating

The key is approaching it as insight, not instruction. A conversation starter, not a life plan.

The Business Case for Astrocartography

Astrocartography is a premium feature. Users will pay for personalized location insights.

1. High perceived value: Location decisions are major life choices
2. Visual appeal: Maps are engaging and shareable
3. Unique differentiation: Few apps offer quality astrocartography
4. Repeat use: Users check before every move, vacation, business decision

• Premium feature unlock
• Per-consultation fee
• Subscription tier
• White-label for travel/real estate partners

Conclusion

"Where should I live?" is one of the most valuable questions in astrology.

Astrocartography answers it. Your birth chart projected onto the globe. Where each planet is strongest for you. Where energies combine in power zones.

Building astrocartography from scratch takes 6+ months. You need planetary calculations across all longitudes, line computations, power zone detection, and map visualization.

Or you can add it this afternoon.

Your users want to know where they'll thrive. Now you can tell them.