The 27 Nakshatras
The nakshatras are the 27 lunar star groups of Vedic astrology. Here is how they fit with the twelve signs, which planet rules each one, and a full list with links to each nakshatra's meaning.
Nakshatras are 27 equal divisions of the sidereal zodiac, each 13°20′ wide, named after a star or star cluster in that part of the sky. They follow the Moon, which passes through about one nakshatra a day on its 27.3-day trip around the zodiac. The nakshatra holding your Moon at birth is your birth star, one of the most personal details in a Vedic chart.
How the nakshatras fit with the 12 signs
The twelve signs and the 27 nakshatras are two grids laid over the same 360° circle. A sign is 30° wide and a nakshatra is 13°20′, so each sign holds two and a quarter nakshatras. To make the two grids line up, each nakshatra is split into four quarters called padas, each 3°20′ wide. That gives 108 padas, exactly nine per sign.
The grids meet cleanly at three points: 0° Aries, 0° Leo and 0° Sagittarius, where Ashwini, Magha and Mula begin. Everywhere else, a nakshatra can straddle two signs. Krittika, for example, has its first pada in Aries and its other three in Taurus, so a Krittika Moon can belong to either sign.
| Sign | Nakshatras in it (padas) |
|---|---|
| Aries | Ashwini, Bharani, Krittika (1) |
| Taurus | Krittika (2–4), Rohini, Mrigashira (1–2) |
| Gemini | Mrigashira (3–4), Ardra, Punarvasu (1–3) |
| Cancer | Punarvasu (4), Pushya, Ashlesha |
| Leo | Magha, Purva Phalguni, Uttara Phalguni (1) |
| Virgo | Uttara Phalguni (2–4), Hasta, Chitra (1–2) |
| Libra | Chitra (3–4), Swati, Vishakha (1–3) |
| Scorpio | Vishakha (4), Anuradha, Jyeshtha |
| Sagittarius | Mula, Purva Ashadha, Uttara Ashadha (1) |
| Capricorn | Uttara Ashadha (2–4), Shravana, Dhanishta (1–2) |
| Aquarius | Dhanishta (3–4), Shatabhisha, Purva Bhadrapada (1–3) |
| Pisces | Purva Bhadrapada (4), Uttara Bhadrapada, Revati |
The planetary lords
Each nakshatra has a ruling planet, and the rulers repeat in a fixed cycle of nine: Ketu, Venus, Sun, Moon, Mars, Rahu, Jupiter, Saturn, Mercury. The cycle runs three times around the zodiac, so every planet rules three nakshatras spaced 120° apart. Ketu, for instance, rules Ashwini, Magha and Mula, the three nakshatras that open a fire sign.
The lords are more than labels. They set the order of the Vimshottari planetary periods: whichever planet rules your birth nakshatra is the period you were born into. The mahadasha calculator shows how that plays out over a lifetime.
What a nakshatra adds to a chart
Signs give the broad strokes; nakshatras give the shading. Two people with a Moon in Sagittarius can feel quite different if one has it in Mula, which is about getting to the root of things and starting over, and the other in Purva Ashadha, which is about conviction, persuasion and staying power. Every planet in your chart sits in a nakshatra, but the Moon's is the one called your birth star, and your rising degree's nakshatra is the second most read.
No nakshatra is good or bad. Some, like Mula or Ashlesha, have a reputation for intensity, but intensity also means depth, focus and the ability to transform. Each page below describes a nakshatra's tone, strengths and the lessons it tends to bring.
All 27 nakshatras
| Nakshatra | Degrees (sidereal) | Lord | Symbol |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ashwini | 0°00′ Aries – 13°20′ Aries | Ketu | a horse's head |
| Bharani | 13°20′ Aries – 26°40′ Aries | Venus | the yoni, or womb |
| Krittika | 26°40′ Aries – 10°00′ Taurus | Sun | a razor or blade, also shown as a flame |
| Rohini | 10°00′ Taurus – 23°20′ Taurus | Moon | an ox cart or chariot |
| Mrigashira | 23°20′ Taurus – 6°40′ Gemini | Mars | a deer's head |
| Ardra | 6°40′ Gemini – 20°00′ Gemini | Rahu | a teardrop, also drawn as a diamond |
| Punarvasu | 20°00′ Gemini – 3°20′ Cancer | Jupiter | a quiver of arrows |
| Pushya | 3°20′ Cancer – 16°40′ Cancer | Saturn | a cow's udder, also shown as a flower or circle |
| Ashlesha | 16°40′ Cancer – 30°00′ Cancer | Mercury | a coiled serpent |
| Magha | 0°00′ Leo – 13°20′ Leo | Ketu | a royal throne |
| Purva Phalguni | 13°20′ Leo – 26°40′ Leo | Venus | the front legs of a bed, or a hammock |
| Uttara Phalguni | 26°40′ Leo – 10°00′ Virgo | Sun | the back legs of a bed |
| Hasta | 10°00′ Virgo – 23°20′ Virgo | Moon | an open hand or palm |
| Chitra | 23°20′ Virgo – 6°40′ Libra | Mars | a shining jewel or pearl |
| Swati | 6°40′ Libra – 20°00′ Libra | Rahu | a young sprout swaying in the wind |
| Vishakha | 20°00′ Libra – 3°20′ Scorpio | Jupiter | a triumphal arch decorated with leaves, also a potter's wheel |
| Anuradha | 3°20′ Scorpio – 16°40′ Scorpio | Saturn | a lotus flower, also a triumphal arch |
| Jyeshtha | 16°40′ Scorpio – 30°00′ Scorpio | Mercury | a circular amulet, also an umbrella or earring |
| Mula | 0°00′ Sagittarius – 13°20′ Sagittarius | Ketu | a bunch of roots tied together, also an elephant goad |
| Purva Ashadha | 13°20′ Sagittarius – 26°40′ Sagittarius | Venus | a winnowing basket, also a fan or an elephant's tusk |
| Uttara Ashadha | 26°40′ Sagittarius – 10°00′ Capricorn | Sun | an elephant's tusk, also the planks of a bed |
| Shravana | 10°00′ Capricorn – 23°20′ Capricorn | Moon | an ear, also three uneven footprints |
| Dhanishta | 23°20′ Capricorn – 6°40′ Aquarius | Mars | a drum |
| Shatabhisha | 6°40′ Aquarius – 20°00′ Aquarius | Rahu | an empty circle |
| Purva Bhadrapada | 20°00′ Aquarius – 3°20′ Pisces | Jupiter | the front legs of a funeral cot, also a two-faced man |
| Uttara Bhadrapada | 3°20′ Pisces – 16°40′ Pisces | Saturn | the back legs of a funeral cot, also a serpent in the water |
| Revati | 16°40′ Pisces – 30°00′ Pisces | Mercury | a fish, also a drum |
Find your nakshatra
You need your birth date, time and place to find your birth star, because the Moon moves through a nakshatra in about a day. The free nakshatra calculator works it out, with your pada and your rising nakshatra. To see where the Moon is right now, check today's Moon nakshatra.
- Nakshatra calculatorFind your birth star and pada
- Today's Moon nakshatraWhere the Moon is now
- Vedic birth chartEvery planet's nakshatra
Questions people ask
What are the 27 nakshatras?
They are Ashwini, Bharani, Krittika, Rohini, Mrigashira, Ardra, Punarvasu, Pushya, Ashlesha, Magha, Purva Phalguni, Uttara Phalguni, Hasta, Chitra, Swati, Vishakha, Anuradha, Jyeshtha, Mula, Purva Ashadha, Uttara Ashadha, Shravana, Dhanishta, Shatabhisha, Purva Bhadrapada, Uttara Bhadrapada and Revati. Each covers 13°20′ of the sidereal zodiac, starting from 0° Aries.
What does nakshatra mean?
Nakshatra is usually translated as "star" or "lunar mansion." In Vedic astrology it means one of 27 equal segments of the zodiac, each named after a star or group of stars, that the Moon passes through on its monthly circuit. Your nakshatra usually means the one your Moon was in at birth.
Why are there 27 nakshatras and not 28?
Because the Moon takes about 27.3 days to circle the zodiac against the stars, so 27 equal parts give roughly one per day. An older scheme added a 28th, Abhijit, squeezed into early Capricorn between Uttara Ashadha and Shravana, and some traditions still use it for choosing auspicious times. Birth charts and the planetary period system use the standard 27.
Which nakshatra is the most powerful?
None is ranked above the others in a birth chart. Each has its own strengths: Pushya is prized for nurture and stability, Magha for leadership, Ashwini for speed and fresh starts. What matters is how your birth star works with the rest of your chart, especially the sign it falls in and the planet that rules it.
How do I find my nakshatra?
Enter your birth date, time and place in the free nakshatra calculator. It finds the sidereal position of the Moon at your birth and tells you which nakshatra and pada it falls in, plus your rising nakshatra if you know your birth time. Without a time, the result is still often right, as the Moon spends about a day in each nakshatra.