Glossary · நட்சத்திரம் · नक्षत्र
What is Nakshatra?
A Nakshatra is one of 27 equal divisions of the zodiac, each about 13°20'. The Moon spends about a day in each. Your birth Nakshatra, or birth star, is the one the Moon was in when you were born.
The name
How it's used
Families use the birth star for naming, birthdays (especially in Tamil Nadu and Kerala), matching for marriage and choosing good days. Each Nakshatra has four quarters, called padas.
Daily use
The day's Nakshatra appears in every Panchangam and shapes what a day is traditionally good for.
Find your birth Nakshatra
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Questions people ask
What is a pada?
Each Nakshatra is split into four quarters of 3°20'. The pada refines the birth star and is used for choosing the first syllable of a name.
Calculated by ChiChakra from real planetary positions (Astronomy Engine, sidereal zodiac with a Lahiri-style setting) · How we calculate · About ChiChakra. Solar timings use the geometric solar centre at 0° altitude without atmospheric refraction; upper-limb almanacs can differ by several minutes. Rahu and Ketu use mean nodes. Traditional guidance, not a guarantee or professional advice.