The 27 Nakshatras

In Vedic astrology, the sky is divided into 27 Nakshatras — lunar mansions that each span exactly 13 degrees and 20 minutes of the zodiac. Together they cover the full 360-degree ecliptic, tracing the Moon's journey across the heavens over the course of a month.

Each Nakshatra is presided over by a ruling planet and a presiding deity, giving it a distinct quality of energy. The Nakshatra system is among the oldest in human astronomical record, predating the familiar 12-sign zodiac and remaining central to Hindu ritual timing, name-giving ceremonies, and astrological compatibility matching.

Your birth Nakshatra — also called your birth star or Janma Nakshatra — is determined by the position of the Moon at the exact moment of your birth. It is one of the most personal and significant placements in your Vedic chart, describing your instinctive nature, emotional temperament, and the kinds of experiences that feel most familiar to you.

Unlike your Sun sign in Western astrology, your birth star is calculated using the sidereal zodiac — the actual position of celestial bodies against the fixed star background — rather than the tropical zodiac that drifts with the equinoxes. This makes the Nakshatra a precise astronomical reference point as well as an astrological one.

Tamil tradition uses its own set of names for the 27 Nakshatras, reflecting the deep integration of this system into Tamil culture over millennia. Many Tamil names and auspicious dates are still chosen by reference to the Nakshatra prominent at the time.

To find your birth star, generate your Vedic Birth Chart — your Moon's Nakshatra will be shown directly in your results.