How we calculate your alignment

All planet positions are computed locally from the astronomy-engine library, which implements the VSOP87 and JPL-compatible algorithms. There are no external API calls and no random values — every longitude is deterministic for a given date. We then compare each transiting planet against your natal birth chart positions to find aspects (conjunctions, oppositions, squares, trines within ±3° orb). When a tight aspect exists, it becomes the lead signal — the headline — of your daily reading.

The moon's zodiac sign changes roughly every 2.5 days. The moon phase is derived from the actual angular separation between the Moon and Sun — more accurate than a simple synodic-period approximation. Both values appear in your reading as 'Moon in Gemini · Waning Crescent' and drive the mood-guidance paragraph ('Moon in Gemini scatters emotional energy across many channels…') drawn from our 12 × 3 sign-variant table.

We track Mercury, Venus, and Mars for retrograde. When any is retrograde, your reading shows a 'Retrograde Watch' row. When a planet stations (changes direction) today, that event becomes the headline of your reading above anything else except a tight transit-to-natal aspect. Retrograde guidance comes from our per-planet content bank (3 variants each, picked deterministically).

Ingresses are the second-highest priority sky event. When a planet crosses into a new sign, the headline leads with that crossing: what energy is now available, what the sign change means for you specifically as your Western zodiac and Life Path lens. On days with no ingress or tight transit, the moon sign and phase become the headline. On almost all non-event days, the moon-in-sign guidance is the lead.

The Ganzhi (干支) system is a Chinese 60-day calendar cycle combining 10 Heavenly Stems and 12 Earthly Branches. Each day has a unique stem-branch pair. The animal of the day is the Earthly Branch animal and shapes the 'day animal energy' described in your reading — the collective frequency everyone on Earth is running inside, regardless of birth year.

This is the universal numerological frequency of the calendar date — the same number for every person on Earth that day. It shapes the 'Number of the Day' block and the Lean Into / Go Easy On guidance. A Day 4 favors structure, methodical effort, and real work — shortcuts cost more than they save.

Unlike the Universal Day, your Personal Day is unique to you — it mixes your Personal Year with the calendar date, so two people on the same day can be in different personal-day frequencies. On a Personal Day 3, creative expression and outward communication are specifically amplified for you — not just the ambient day energy. This number appears in your reading's snapshot table alongside the Universal Day so you can see both frequencies at once.

Planetary hours are an ancient timing technique — used in electional astrology to choose the best moment for specific actions. Your reading's "Today's Windows" card shows the key time-tagged moments of the day: when planets change signs, when aspects perfect, and when the moon moves into a new sign. Each window is labeled with what it favors or cautions. On days when your timezone is known, these appear as local times (e.g. '2:14 PM'). When timezone is unknown, only date-level phrasing is shown.

Your natal positions are the fixed reference frame. When transiting planets (from today's sky) form aspects to your natal positions, those are personally activated energies — they are not ambient like the Universal Day. The more data you provide (birth time, birth city), the more precise your natal Moon and the more targeted the transit-to-natal headline becomes. With date of birth only, all natal planets except the Moon are precise to within 1° and fully usable for transit detection.

Your Western zodiac sign is fixed — the sun was in Capricorn when you were born, and that does not change. It is the lens through which every daily sky signal is interpreted. When a transit headline fires, it is contextualized by your sun sign: "As a Capricorn, this transit speaks into your Venus — the intersection of self-discipline and what you value." The sun sign traits, elements, and modality are all part of this fixed identity layer.

Your Chinese zodiac animal and year element are fixed at birth. They describe your baseline operating style, strength, and blind spot. The year element (Fire, Earth, Metal, Water, Wood) informs your Lucky Color. Both are the "who you are" layer — the character you bring into whatever the day-animal energy is running.

Your Life Path Number is your numerological constant — it describes your long-range pattern, deepest power, and recurring challenge. It does not change by day or year. It is the personal frequency that the Universal Day interacts with: on a Day 4, a Life Path 8 channels structure to build real authority; on a Day 1, that same Life Path 8 is primed to initiate something ambitious. Master numbers (11, 22, 33) carry intensified energy and are preserved as double-digit numbers rather than being reduced. For example: June 1, 1984 → 6 + 1 + 1 + 9 + 8 + 4 = 29 → 2 + 9 = 11 → Life Path 11 (not reduced to 2). A Life Path 11 carries the intuitive, visionary frequency of the master teacher.