Skycarta How to read an astrocartography map
An astrocartography map looks busy at first — 40 colored lines crossing the globe. Here is how to read it in five steps.
1. Identify the planet by color and symbol
Each planet has its own color and glyph: ☉ Sun, ☽ Moon, ☿ Mercury, ♀ Venus, ♂ Mars, ♃ Jupiter, ♄ Saturn, ♅ Uranus, ♆ Neptune and ♇ Pluto. On Skycarta you can switch planets on and off to reduce clutter.
2. Read the angle label
Straight north–south lines are MC (solid) and IC (dashed) lines. Curved lines are AC (solid, the planet rising) and DC (dashed, the planet setting). The angle says which part of life the planet affects: career (MC), home (IC), self (AC) or relationships (DC).
3. Check the distance
Most astrologers consider a line strongest within about 150 miles (250 km), with a weaker influence up to roughly 600 miles (1,000 km). Skycarta lists the major cities closest to each line with their distance.
4. Look at crossings
Where two lines cross, their themes blend. A Venus line crossing a Jupiter line is a classic "lucky in love" spot; a Mars line crossing a Saturn line can feel tense.
5. Match places to your goal
- Love: Venus DC, Venus AC, Jupiter DC, Moon DC.
- Career: Sun MC, Jupiter MC, Venus MC, Mars MC.
- Home and family: Moon IC, Venus IC, Jupiter IC.
- Challenging: Saturn, Mars and Pluto lines can bring growth through pressure — not necessarily bad, but rarely easy.