The Sunward field guide
Learn astrocartography, one question at a time.
Start with the question in front of you. These guides explain the map, walk through a real calculation, and help you separate the geometry from its symbolic interpretation.
New to astrocartography?
Begin with what the map measures, then follow a complete reading using the same teaching input as our calculator. You can read every guide without an account.
What is astrocartography?
Understand what an astrocartography map calculates, what its planetary lines mean, and how to explore cities with a clearly explained example.
Read a map, step by step
Read an astrocartography map step by step: confirm birth details, choose a theme, inspect a city’s line and distance, and save a report.
Understand the details
An accurate birth moment, a line label and a distance each answer a different question. Use these references when a result needs a closer look.
How much does birth time matter?
See how changing a birth time moves astrocartography lines, why historical time zones matter, and what to do when your recorded time is uncertain.
MC, IC, ASC and DSC explained
Learn the difference between a planet and an angle, understand MC, IC, ASC and DSC, and see which lines Sunward Atlas uses for each theme.
What does distance from a line mean?
Understand shortest distance to an astrocartography line, why changing themes reorders cities, and why closeness is not a luck score or effect threshold.
Real calculations. Clear limits.
Our examples use a synthetic birth input: 15 June 1995, 09:30, Shanghai (Asia/Shanghai). The numbers come from the same engine as the calculator. They demonstrate a method; they are not customer stories or evidence of life outcomes.
Astrological interpretation has no scientifically established predictive validity. Use the map as a prompt for reflection, with practical information about any place you are considering. For calculation definitions and data handling, see the methodology and privacy pages.