How to Read a Solar Return Chart

There is a specific kind of anticlimax that hits the day after your birthday. The texts stop coming in, the wrapping paper is in the trash, and you are left with a vague sense of existential dread: What am I supposed to do with this new age?

You could make a vision board. You could join a gym. Or, you could look at the actual itinerary the stars have printed out for you.

It is called a Solar Return Chart. If your Natal Chart is the script of your life, the Solar Return is the script for this specific season. It is a temporary horoscope that completely resets every year on your birthday, giving you a forecast of the themes, the drama, and the wins that will define your next chapter.

What Is It, Exactly?

Technically, the Solar Return occurs at the exact millisecond the Sun returns to the specific degree it occupied when you were born. This usually happens on your birthday (or a day before/after).

The chart is a snapshot of the sky at that precise moment. It casts a new Ascendant, a new Moon, and places your Sun in a specific house. It acts as a "filter" over your personality for the next twelve months. It explains why one year you are obsessed with your career (Sun in the 10th), and the next year you want to sell everything and live in a van (Sun in the 9th).

1. The Vibe: The Solar Return Ascendant

The first thing to look at is the Ascendant (Rising Sign) of this annual chart. This is the "costume" you are wearing for the year. It determines your approach to the world.

• Aries: The Year of Action. You are bold, impulsive, and frankly, tired of waiting.
• Taurus: The Year of Stability. You want money, luxury, and to not be disturbed.
• Gemini: The Year of Noise. You are social, busy, and probably overbooked.
• Cancer: The Year of Nesting. You are focusing on home, family, and your feelings.
• Leo: The Year of the Protagonist. You want the spotlight, the romance, and the drama.
• Virgo: The Year of the Edit. You are fixing your health, your routine, and your life.
• Libra: The Year of Partnership. You are focused on love, collaboration, and aesthetics.
• Scorpio: The Year of Transformation. You are going deep, getting intense, and shedding old skin.
• Sagittarius: The Year of Expansion. You are traveling, learning, and refusing to be tied down.
• Capricorn: The Year of the Empire. You are focused on career, status, and the hustle.
• Aquarius: The Year of the Future. You are reinventing yourself and finding a new tribe.
• Pisces: The Year of the Dream. You are spiritual, creative, and slightly checked out of reality.

2. The Plot: The Solar Return Sun

Your Sun is always in the same sign (obviously), but in your Solar Return chart, it lands in a new House. This house tells you where the main action of the movie is taking place.

• 1st House: It’s all about you. New look, new brand, new identity.
• 2nd House: It’s all about the money. Focus on income and self-worth.
• 3rd House: It’s all about ideas. Writing, speaking, and short trips.
• 4th House: It’s all about home. Moving, renovating, or family drama.
• 5th House: It’s all about joy. Romance, creativity, and maybe a baby?
• 6th House: It’s all about the grind. Work, health, and daily rituals.
• 7th House: It’s all about "The Other." Marriage, business partners, or contracts.
• 8th House: It’s all about depth. Intimacy, investments, and therapy.
• 9th House: It’s all about the horizon. Travel, education, and philosophy.
• 10th House: It’s all about the peak. Career recognition and public reputation.
• 11th House: It’s all about the network. Friends, social circles, and wishes.
• 12th House: It’s all about the void. Solitude, spirituality, and rest.

3. The Feelings: The Solar Return Moon

Finally, check the Moon. This tells you where your heart is. It reveals what will make you feel safe and emotionally regulated this year.

• Moon in 1st: You wear your heart on your sleeve.
• Moon in 2nd: You need retail therapy and a savings account.
• Moon in 3rd: You need to talk about your feelings constantly.
• Moon in 4th: You just want to stay home.
• Moon in 5th: You need romance and creative validation.
• Moon in 6th: You need a schedule to feel sane.
• Moon in 7th: You need a partner to feel grounded.
• Moon in 8th: You crave deep, intense emotional bonding.
• Moon in 9th: You need freedom and adventure to feel happy.
• Moon in 10th: You are emotionally married to your job.
• Moon in 11th: You need your friends more than ever.
• Moon in 12th: You need privacy and secret hideaways.