How to Read an Astrocartography Map

An astrocartography map can look complicated when you first see one. There may be many coloured lines crossing countries and oceans, with planetary symbols and letters such as AC, DC, MC and IC placed beside them. The easiest way to understand the map is to remember that each line combines a planet with one of the four main angles used in astrocartography. The planet describes the type of influence involved, while the angle shows the area of life where that influence may become more noticeable.

Start by finding the location you want to examine. This could be where you live now, somewhere you are considering moving to, or a place you intend to visit. Look for the planetary lines passing through or close to that location. You can then identify the planet represented by each line and whether it is connected with the Ascendant, Descendant, Midheaven or Imum Coeli.

The Ascendant is usually marked AC. It represents the eastern horizon and is connected with the self, personality and the way we approach the world. A planet on an Ascendant line can therefore place greater emphasis on how its characteristics are expressed personally. A Sun AC line, for example, can place greater attention on confidence, self expression and vitality, while a Mars AC line can emphasise energy, ambition and self assertion. The Sun is associated with the inner self, ego, power and self expression, while Mars is associated with confidence, energy, strength, ambition and impulsiveness.

The Descendant is marked DC and sits opposite the Ascendant. It is connected more closely with relationships, partnerships and our dealings with other people. A Venus DC line can therefore place the qualities of Venus into relationships and partnerships. Venus represents affection, harmony and balance and also has strong connections with romantic relationships, marriage and business partnerships. A Saturn DC line would have a very different character, potentially placing greater emphasis on responsibility, boundaries and commitment within relationships.

The Midheaven is marked MC. It is particularly important when considering career, ambition, recognition and someone's place in the outside world. A Jupiter MC line combines these subjects with the growth, prosperity, good fortune and opportunities traditionally associated with Jupiter. A Saturn MC line places more emphasis on hard work, responsibility, discipline and ambition. Neither should be considered automatically good or bad. They simply describe very different astrological influences around career and public life.

The Imum Coeli is marked IC and sits opposite the Midheaven. Its emphasis is more private, with connections to home, family and security. A Moon IC line can therefore be particularly interesting because The Moon itself is associated with emotions, memories, nurturing, home, security and past experiences. Someone reading an astrocartography map for questions about where to establish a home may pay particular attention to IC lines and the planets connected with them.

Once you understand the four angles, the next step is to identify the planetary symbol attached to the line. Each planet brings its own character to the interpretation. The Sun brings attention to the inner self, self expression, creativity and vitality. The Moon brings emotions, moods, home and security. Mercury represents intellect, thoughts and communication. Venus brings affection, harmony, relationships and pleasure. Mars represents energy, strength, ambition and self assertion. Jupiter is associated with growth, prosperity, travelling and exploration, while Saturn represents responsibility, restriction, hard work and discipline.

Uranus, Neptune and Pluto can also appear on an astrocartography map. Uranus is associated with originality, individuality, freedom and change. Neptune has connections with idealism, compassion, illusion and confusion. Pluto can bring subjects involving self empowerment, endings and important changes. These planets should be considered in exactly the same way as the others by combining their characteristics with the angle shown on the map.

The important part is to read the planet and angle together. Seeing Venus near a location is only the beginning of the interpretation. Venus AC, Venus DC, Venus MC and Venus IC lines all contain the influence of Venus, but they place it into different areas of life. The same rule applies to every other planet.

For example, someone looking at a Jupiter DC line would combine Jupiter with the Descendant. Jupiter brings growth, prosperity, freedom and exploration, while the Descendant directs this towards relationships and other people. A Jupiter MC line uses the same planet but directs the emphasis towards career, ambition and public life. A Jupiter IC line turns attention towards home and private life. This simple method of combining planet and angle is the basis for reading most of the main lines on an astrocartography map.

The next thing to consider is how close the location is to the planetary line. A line may run directly through a city, but it does not have to do so before astrologers consider it relevant. Places surrounding a line can also be included in an interpretation. Different astrologers use different distances, so the map should not be read as though the influence suddenly begins or ends at an exact geographical boundary. A location directly on a line is usually treated as having a stronger connection with that particular planetary position than somewhere considerably farther away.

Some locations have several planetary lines running nearby. In these areas it is important not to choose one line and ignore the others. A city close to both Venus and Saturn lines, for example, contains a very different combination from somewhere influenced mainly by Venus. Several nearby lines can make the interpretation more complicated because the characteristics of several planets need to be considered together.

Other places may have no major planetary lines nearby. This does not mean the location is empty, unimportant or somewhere that nothing will happen. Astrocartography lines highlight particular planetary positions. They do not divide the world into important and unimportant places. A relocation chart can provide more information about a location even when there are no major astrocartography lines close to it.

The original birth chart should also remain part of the interpretation. A planet does not lose its original Zodiac sign, aspects or connections with the rest of the chart simply because it is being examined on an astrocartography map. Someone with a particularly important Mars in their birth chart may experience a Mars location differently from someone whose Mars has very different connections. This is why two people can live in the same city but have completely different astrocartography maps and interpretations.

Birth time also needs to be considered before placing too much importance on an exact location. Astrocartography depends heavily on an accurate time of birth because the lines show where planets were positioned on the angles at that particular moment. An inaccurate birth time can move these lines geographically. If the birth time is uncertain, the exact position of a line should therefore be treated with greater caution.

When comparing several possible locations, it helps to begin with the reason for looking at the map. Someone interested in career can first examine the MC lines, while someone concentrating on relationships may begin with the DC lines. Questions about home and private life make the IC particularly relevant, while AC lines place more attention on the individual. After identifying the appropriate angle, look at the planets involved and then return to the complete birth chart for the wider picture.

An astrocartography map should not simply be used to search for the nearest Venus or Jupiter line while avoiding Mars and Saturn. Venus can bring harmony and pleasure, while Jupiter is associated with growth and good fortune, but every planetary influence has different ways of expressing itself. Mars can provide energy and ambition. Saturn can provide discipline and a strong sense of responsibility. The most useful line depends on the individual, the birth chart and what they are looking for from a particular place.

In simple terms, read an astrocartography map in three stages: find the location, identify the planetary line, and identify whether that line is AC, DC, MC or IC. Combine the meaning of the planet with the meaning of the angle, consider how close the location is to the line and then look at the planet within the complete birth chart. Once this basic method is understood, a complicated map of lines and symbols becomes considerably easier to read.