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Solar Arc Directions Chart

A Solar Arc Directions chart shows where the birth chart has been carried by the solar arc at a given age, and when directed points reach natal places. Click Charts → Solar Arc Directions Chart to open one (see New Chart), select the natal record on the Natal Data tab, then walk the directed date with the pickers and chevrons, drag directed points onto natal places, or click Calculate.

What the Chart Shows​

A Solar Arc Directions chart advances every point of the birth chart by the same amount, the solar arc, to time events. One ring carries two sets of points, with the birth chart's angles and houses:

  • The natal points, at their birth places.
  • The directed points, each advanced by the one arc.

Aspects are matched from the directed points to the natal points with this chart type's orbs and drawn as chords. The chart draws no parallels.

The chart is cast for a directed date. It opens at the present moment in the natal record's time zone, and the pickers and chevrons above the wheel walk the directed date through the life.

Shift-drag a directed point onto a natal place or one of its aspect points to list that direction, or click Calculate to list them all, in the directions list beside the wheel. The technique has one sense, direct. With Display Chart Info. checked, the chart information block on the wheel prints the rate, the multiple, the solar arc and the age.

Rectify a Birth Time​

On this chart the chevrons walk the directed date, so correct the birth date or time in the Natal Date and Natal Time fields on the Natal Data tab instead. A corrected birth date or time moves the natal points, the solar arc and, with it, the directed points, and the date of every listed direction; the stored natal record is not changed. See Solar Arc Directions Chart Configuration.

Window Layout​

The Solar Arc Directions chart window holds these areas:

  • Chart Window Toolbar: four icon buttons at the top left of the window, above the settings panel, for saving the chart and opening the Chart Settings and Aspect Settings editors.
  • Solar Arc Directions Chart Configuration: the settings panel, in two tab pairs. The upper pair is the Natal Data and Directions tabs, and the lower pair is the Directed & Aspects and Natal Bodies tabs. The Natal Data tab holds the natal record, its birth date and time, and the frame rows (see Chart Frame). The Directions tab holds the solar arc settings, described in Solar Arc Settings, Year Reckoning and Max Years. The Directed & Aspects and Natal Bodies tabs hold the two body lists (see Chart Bodies Selection) and the Direction Aspects grid (see Chart Aspect Angles).
  • Chart Time Navigation: the time band above the wheel, with date and time pickers for the directed moment, a step-unit drop-down and back and forward chevrons that step the directed date.
  • Chart Message Banner: a banner above the wheel that appears only when there is an error or a notice to report about the chart's calculation.
  • Chart Wheel: the wheel in the middle of the window, with a splitter between it and the settings panel. Right-clicking a body glyph or an aspect chord opens the Wheel Context Menu, whose copied position names the point's role, directed or natal.
  • Chart Display Options: the display strip beneath the wheel, with Coord. Format, Display Lat./Decl. and Display Chart Info.
  • Directions List: the list of directions at the right of the window, with a splitter between it and the wheel. Double-clicking a dated row moves the chart to that row's date. Above the list sit a date field and a Find button (Find a Direction by Date); beneath it sit the Calculate button (Calculate Directions) and the Delete and Clear buttons (Remove Directions and Clear the Directions List). Its row menu also offers Copy Directions.

The Solar Arc Directions chart window, labeled to show its toolbar, settings panel, directed-date time band, wheel, display options and directions list.

To list a direction from the wheel, Shift-drag a directed point onto a natal target, as described in List a Direction by Dragging. Which way you drag makes no difference on this chart.