A natal chart is the unique astrological chart specific to an individual’s birth – often called as “birth chart”. It shows the positions of the Sun, Ascendant, Moon, Lunar Nodes and all of the other planets in the Solar system as viewed from our geocentric position here on Earth. There are several common used names for birth chart in English. These include horoscope, natus, astrological chart, astro-chart, celestial map, sky map, nativity, cosmogram, vitasphere, soulprint, radical chart, radix, or simply chart.

When setting up a birth chart it is important for a person to provide his or her accurate birth time including his or her first breath. These are the essentials in calculating your birth chart to have accurate reading or predictions which include the Ascendant or the Rising Sign along with the Midheaven. The place of birth is also required for the latitude and longitude of the location of the birth is necessary in order to set up a fully accurate birth chart.

Most of professional astrologers tend to dislike Sun-sign astrology because it creates misconception of the science of the stars such as the belief by others that astrology is entirely sun signs. Its inaccuracy often leads non-astrologers to reject all legitimate forms of astrology as untrue. Professional astrologers believe more on birth charts rather than the 12-sun sign system.

Nowadays, it is not that difficult to get the time of your birth because it is already recorded in your birth certificate which are required by law. But there are fairly common practice done by the nurse or doctor wherein they rounded off the birth times. In this regard, the parent should always take note the exact time of the child’s first breath in this world. Parents should not rely on the time given on the birth certificate in case they ever plan on having a fully accurate birth chart calculated for their newborns.