Nakshatra Calculator
Your nakshatra, or birth star, is the lunar mansion the Moon was in when you were born, one of 27 equal sections of the sidereal zodiac. Enter your birth date, time and place to find it, with its pada (quarter) and ruling planet.
What a nakshatra is
Indian astronomy divides the circle of the sky into 27 nakshatras (lunar mansions), each named after a star or group of stars near the Moon's path. The Moon takes about 27.3 days to go around the zodiac, so it spends roughly one day in each nakshatra, which is where the scheme comes from. Each nakshatra is 13 degrees 20 minutes wide and is split into four padas of 3 degrees 20 minutes.
The nakshatra the Moon occupied at your birth is your janma nakshatra. In Indian practice it is used for naming (each pada has traditional starting syllables), for matching charts and for the timing system of Vimshottari dasha, which starts from your nakshatra's ruling planet.
How your nakshatra is calculated, with an example
The calculator computes the Moon's tropical longitude for your birth moment, subtracts the Lahiri ayanamsa (about 24 degrees in 2026) to get the sidereal longitude, and divides by 13 degrees 20 minutes.
Example: a sidereal Moon at 15 degrees Taurus is 45 degrees from the start of Aries. 45 divided by 13.333 is 3.375, so the Moon has passed three full nakshatras (Ashwini, Bharani, Krittika) and is 37.5% of the way through the fourth, Rohini. Each pada is a quarter, so 37.5% falls in the second pada. Rohini's ruling planet is the Moon.
Because the Moon moves about half a degree an hour, a birth time off by a few hours can change the pada, and near the boundary it can change the nakshatra itself. When yours is within an hour of a boundary, the calculator says so.
The 27 nakshatras
Spans are in the sidereal zodiac. The lord is the planet used to start Vimshottari dasha.
| # | Nakshatra | Sidereal span | Lord |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ashwini | 0°00′ Aries to 13°20′ Aries | Ketu |
| 2 | Bharani | 13°20′ Aries to 26°40′ Aries | Venus |
| 3 | Krittika | 26°40′ Aries to 10°00′ Taurus | Sun |
| 4 | Rohini | 10°00′ Taurus to 23°20′ Taurus | Moon |
| 5 | Mrigashira | 23°20′ Taurus to 6°40′ Gemini | Mars |
| 6 | Ardra | 6°40′ Gemini to 20°00′ Gemini | Rahu |
| 7 | Punarvasu | 20°00′ Gemini to 3°20′ Cancer | Jupiter |
| 8 | Pushya | 3°20′ Cancer to 16°40′ Cancer | Saturn |
| 9 | Ashlesha | 16°40′ Cancer to 30°00′ Cancer | Mercury |
| 10 | Magha | 0°00′ Leo to 13°20′ Leo | Ketu |
| 11 | Purva Phalguni | 13°20′ Leo to 26°40′ Leo | Venus |
| 12 | Uttara Phalguni | 26°40′ Leo to 10°00′ Virgo | Sun |
| 13 | Hasta | 10°00′ Virgo to 23°20′ Virgo | Moon |
| 14 | Chitra | 23°20′ Virgo to 6°40′ Libra | Mars |
| 15 | Swati | 6°40′ Libra to 20°00′ Libra | Rahu |
| 16 | Vishakha | 20°00′ Libra to 3°20′ Scorpio | Jupiter |
| 17 | Anuradha | 3°20′ Scorpio to 16°40′ Scorpio | Saturn |
| 18 | Jyeshtha | 16°40′ Scorpio to 30°00′ Scorpio | Mercury |
| 19 | Mula | 0°00′ Sagittarius to 13°20′ Sagittarius | Ketu |
| 20 | Purva Ashadha | 13°20′ Sagittarius to 26°40′ Sagittarius | Venus |
| 21 | Uttara Ashadha | 26°40′ Sagittarius to 10°00′ Capricorn | Sun |
| 22 | Shravana | 10°00′ Capricorn to 23°20′ Capricorn | Moon |
| 23 | Dhanishta | 23°20′ Capricorn to 6°40′ Aquarius | Mars |
| 24 | Shatabhisha | 6°40′ Aquarius to 20°00′ Aquarius | Rahu |
| 25 | Purva Bhadrapada | 20°00′ Aquarius to 3°20′ Pisces | Jupiter |
| 26 | Uttara Bhadrapada | 3°20′ Pisces to 16°40′ Pisces | Saturn |
| 27 | Revati | 16°40′ Pisces to 30°00′ Pisces | Mercury |
Some traditions add a 28th, Abhijit, a narrow span in late Capricorn used for timing, not for birth stars.
Common nakshatra mistakes
- Using a tropical Moon. Nakshatras belong to the sidereal zodiac. Taking a Western Moon position without subtracting the ayanamsa puts you about 24 degrees, almost two nakshatras, too far on.
- Calendar nakshatra versus birth nakshatra. Panchang calendars list the nakshatra of the day at sunrise. Your birth nakshatra is the one at your exact birth moment, which can differ if the Moon changed nakshatra later that day.
- A different ayanamsa. Other ayanamsas shift the boundaries slightly; near a boundary this can change the result.
See your full sidereal chart in the kundli calculator and your Western Moon sign in the moon sign calculator.
Questions
What is my nakshatra?
It is the lunar mansion of the Moon at your birth in the sidereal zodiac. Enter your birth date, time and place above to find it with its pada and lord.
How do I find my nakshatra by date of birth?
The date gets you close, but the Moon changes nakshatra about once a day, so a birth time is needed to be sure. Without one, the calculator shows the nakshatras the Moon passed through that day.
What is a pada in a nakshatra?
A quarter of a nakshatra, 3 degrees 20 minutes wide. Each pada is linked with a navamsa sign and with traditional name syllables.
How many nakshatras are there?
27 in the standard system, each 13 degrees 20 minutes wide. Some traditions add Abhijit as a 28th for timing purposes.
Is nakshatra the same as rashi?
No. Your rashi is the Moon's sidereal sign, one of 12. Your nakshatra is the Moon's lunar mansion, one of 27. Each sign holds two and a quarter nakshatras.
More astrology calculators
Read your birth chart
Planets, houses and aspects from your birth date, time and place.
Calculate my chart