Sidereal vs tropical
Glossary · Last updated: 2026-07-26
The tropical zodiac (Western sun signs) starts Aries at the March equinox. The sidereal zodiac (Vedic) aligns to star backgrounds with an ayanamsa correction.
Neither is 'wrong' in isolation, they answer different historical questions. Comparing them side by side is educational.
On this site
Western cards use tropical sun signs. Vedic Moon and Lagna use sidereal positions. Chinese, Mayan, Celtic, Akan, and Tibetan cards use entirely different calendars.
Related
Main reading and tools
These are the main reading and calculator pages. Use them for a daily note, a birth-sign tool, or a pair check.
- Today's Horoscope hubAll twelve Western sun-sign daily pages, plus links into the seven-tradition reader.
- Horoscope & Zodiac CompatibilityTwo birth dates for Western, Chinese, and Vedic folk pairing, plus every sun-sign hub.
- Zodiac Sign CalculatorWestern sun sign from birth date, with element, modality, and ruler.
- Vedic Rising Sign CalculatorLagna estimate when you have birth date, time, and place.
- Vedic Moon Sign CalculatorJanma Rashi and nakshatra when birth time and city are available.