Solar arc advances every point in the birth chart by the same amount the Sun has moved — roughly one degree per year of life. It is considered one of the sharpest timing techniques in astrology.
What is solar arc?
The entire chart is directed forward by an identical arc for each year of life, creating new aspects between the directed chart and the natal chart. These are never read alone — always in comparison with the natal positions.
Degrees 0° and 29° carry extra weight: 0° marks the opening of a new cycle, while 29° (the anaretic degree) marks completion and a crisis threshold.
How to read it
Mark the years when a directed planet approaches a natal planet or angle (Ascendant, MC). Conjunctions are the strongest signal — directed Saturn conjunct the natal Sun reads as a period of responsibility and maturation.
A solar arc contact stays active for roughly a year, so combining it with transits narrows an event down to both the year and the month.
Who is it for?
Anyone planning turning points such as career moves, marriage or relocation years ahead — and anyone decoding the astrology behind past major events.
Frequently asked questions
Is solar arc the same as progressions?
No. In progressions each planet moves at its own rate; in solar arc the whole chart advances by the Sun's arc.
Why must it be read against the natal chart?
Solar arc has no standalone meaning — its value comes from the aspects directed points make to natal planets.
Why do 0° and 29° matter?
0° signals the start of a new cycle; 29° signals completion of a theme and usually an intense threshold.