Nakshatra Calculator
Find your janma nakshatra — the birth star the Moon occupied when you were born — with its pada and lord, your Moon rashi, your Lagna and the Mahadasha you’re in now.
Quick answer
Your nakshatra (janma nakshatra) is the lunar mansion the Moon was in at your birth: one of 27 equal segments of the sidereal zodiac, 13°20′ each, split into four padas. Enter your birth date, time and place to find it, with its ruling planet, your Moon rashi, your Lagna and your current Vimshottari Mahadasha.
The 27 nakshatras
Each nakshatra spans 13°20′ of the sidereal zodiac and is ruled by one of the nine grahas, whose order sets the Vimshottari dasha sequence.
| Nakshatra | Span | Lord |
|---|---|---|
| 1Ashwini | Mesha 0°00′ – 13°20′ | Ketu |
| 2Bharani | Mesha 13°20′ – 26°40′ | Venus |
| 3Krittika | Mesha 26°40′ – Vrishabha 10°00′ | Sun |
| 4Rohini | Vrishabha 10°00′ – 23°20′ | Moon |
| 5Mrigashira | Vrishabha 23°20′ – Mithuna 6°40′ | Mars |
| 6Ardra | Mithuna 6°40′ – 20°00′ | Rahu |
| 7Punarvasu | Mithuna 20°00′ – Karka 3°20′ | Jupiter |
| 8Pushya | Karka 3°20′ – 16°40′ | Saturn |
| 9Ashlesha | Karka 16°40′ – 30°00′ | Mercury |
| 10Magha | Simha 0°00′ – 13°20′ | Ketu |
| 11Purva Phalguni | Simha 13°20′ – 26°40′ | Venus |
| 12Uttara Phalguni | Simha 26°40′ – Kanya 10°00′ | Sun |
| 13Hasta | Kanya 10°00′ – 23°20′ | Moon |
| 14Chitra | Kanya 23°20′ – Tula 6°40′ | Mars |
| 15Swati | Tula 6°40′ – 20°00′ | Rahu |
| 16Vishakha | Tula 20°00′ – Vrishchika 3°20′ | Jupiter |
| 17Anuradha | Vrishchika 3°20′ – 16°40′ | Saturn |
| 18Jyeshtha | Vrishchika 16°40′ – 30°00′ | Mercury |
| 19Mula | Dhanu 0°00′ – 13°20′ | Ketu |
| 20Purva Ashadha | Dhanu 13°20′ – 26°40′ | Venus |
| 21Uttara Ashadha | Dhanu 26°40′ – Makara 10°00′ | Sun |
| 22Shravana | Makara 10°00′ – 23°20′ | Moon |
| 23Dhanishta | Makara 23°20′ – Kumbha 6°40′ | Mars |
| 24Shatabhisha | Kumbha 6°40′ – 20°00′ | Rahu |
| 25Purva Bhadrapada | Kumbha 20°00′ – Meena 3°20′ | Jupiter |
| 26Uttara Bhadrapada | Meena 3°20′ – 16°40′ | Saturn |
| 27Revati | Meena 16°40′ – 30°00′ | Mercury |
Frequently asked questions
What is a nakshatra?
A nakshatra is a lunar mansion: the sidereal zodiac divided into 27 equal parts of 13°20′, roughly the distance the Moon travels in a day. Your janma nakshatra (birth star) is the one the Moon occupied at your birth. In Jyotish it shapes your dasha timeline, is used in naming, and is the basis of Kundli matching.
What is a pada?
Each nakshatra is divided into four padas (quarters) of 3°20′. The pada narrows down where in the nakshatra the Moon was, and each pada falls in one navamsa sign, which is why it appears in the Navamsa (D9) chart.
Why is my Moon sign different from my Western Moon sign?
Jyotish uses the sidereal zodiac, measured against the stars, while Western astrology uses the tropical zodiac, tied to the seasons. Today the two are about 24° apart (the ayanamsa), so many people’s Moon rashi is one sign earlier than their Western Moon sign.
Do I need my birth time?
For the nakshatra, usually not — but the Moon moves about 13° a day, so it can change nakshatra on your birth day; if it did, the calculator shows both. Your Lagna and your dasha dates do need the time.
What is a Mahadasha?
In the Vimshottari dasha system, life unfolds through nine planetary periods totalling 120 years. The lord of your janma nakshatra rules the first one, and how far the Moon had moved through that nakshatra sets how much of it was left at birth. Each Mahadasha is divided into nine Antardashas.
Which ayanamsa does this use?
Lahiri (Chitrapaksha), the standard adopted by the Indian Calendar Reform Committee and the default in most Jyotish software, so results can be compared directly. Rahu and Ketu are the mean nodes; dasha years are 365.25 days.