Nakshatra calculator: birth star, rashi and name syllable
Quick answer
A nakshatra calculator works out the Moon's sidereal position at the moment of birth, which shows which of the 27 nakshatras and which of its padas the Moon was in. That also gives your Moon sign and the first syllable for a name. Enter the date, time and city above to see yours.
Key takeaways
- 27 nakshatras with 4 padas each: 108 padas in all, each with its own syllable.
- The calculation uses the Lahiri ayanamsha, the system of the Indian government's almanac as well.
- The Moon crosses a nakshatra in about a day, so the exact birth time matters.
- Your details are not sent anywhere: the whole calculation runs in your browser.
How the nakshatra calculator works
The Moon’s path through the sky is divided into 27 equal parts of 13 degrees 20 minutes, called nakshatras. Each nakshatra has four equal quarters, called padas, of 3 degrees 20 minutes. The same circle is also divided into 12 rashis, or signs, of 30 degrees each.
The calculator works in four steps. First, your date and time are converted into an exact moment using the city’s time zone; for cities abroad, that day’s daylight-saving rule is included. Second, astronomy-engine gives the Moon’s position at that moment. Third, the Lahiri ayanamsha is subtracted to give the sidereal position used in Indian panchangs. Fourth, dividing by 13 degrees 20 minutes gives the nakshatra, the remainder gives the pada, and dividing by 30 degrees gives the rashi.
The formula is short: nakshatra number = whole part of (Moon’s sidereal longitude ÷ 13.333) + 1, and rashi number = whole part of (sidereal longitude ÷ 30) + 1. The Moon’s position barely changes with the city, because these are geocentric values. The city matters only through its time zone.
The name syllables follow the Avakahada chakra tradition, as printed by vedicfeed.com and dekhopanchang.com. Those two lists agree except at Ardra’s fourth pada and at Shravana, and in those places we show both forms. If a birth falls very close to a change of pada, the calculator warns you, because even 15 minutes could change the answer.
Three worked examples of finding a nakshatra
Example 1: 15 August 1990, 06:30, Delhi
- At this moment the Lahiri ayanamsha is 23.726° and the Moon's sidereal longitude is 46.553°.
- 46.553 ÷ 13.333 = 3.491, whole part 3, so nakshatra number 4: Rohini.
- Into the nakshatra by 6.553°; the whole part of 6.553 ÷ 3.333 is 1, so pada 2, syllable Va.
- The whole part of 46.553 ÷ 30 is 1, so the Moon sign is Taurus (Vrishabha).
Example 2: 26 January 2005, 22:15, Mumbai
- At this moment the Lahiri ayanamsha is 23.928° and the Moon's sidereal longitude is 116.706°.
- 116.706 ÷ 13.333 = 8.753, whole part 8, so nakshatra number 9: Ashlesha.
- Into the nakshatra by 10.039°; the whole part of 10.039 ÷ 3.333 is 3, so pada 4, syllable Do.
- The whole part of 116.706 ÷ 30 is 3, so the Moon sign is Cancer (Karka).
Example 3: 10 March 2024, 12:00, Kolkata
- At this moment the Lahiri ayanamsha is 24.195° and the Moon's sidereal longitude is 324.492°.
- 324.492 ÷ 13.333 = 24.337, whole part 24, so nakshatra number 25: Purva Bhadrapada.
- Into the nakshatra by 4.492°; the whole part of 4.492 ÷ 3.333 is 1, so pada 2, syllable So.
- The whole part of 324.492 ÷ 30 is 10, so the Moon sign is Aquarius (Kumbha).
Table of the 27 nakshatras and their name syllables
| # | Nakshatra | Moon's longitude | Syllables of the 4 padas |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ashwini | 0.00°–13.33° | Chu, Che, Cho, La |
| 2 | Bharani | 13.33°–26.67° | Li, Lu, Le, Lo |
| 3 | Krittika | 26.67°–40.00° | A, I, U, E |
| 4 | Rohini | 40.00°–53.33° | O, Va, Vi, Vu |
| 5 | Mrigashira | 53.33°–66.67° | Ve, Vo, Ka, Ki |
| 6 | Ardra | 66.67°–80.00° | Ku, Gha, Ng, ChhaSome lists: Ku, Gha, Ng, Na |
| 7 | Punarvasu | 80.00°–93.33° | Ke, Ko, Ha, Hi |
| 8 | Pushya | 93.33°–106.67° | Hu, He, Ho, Da |
| 9 | Ashlesha | 106.67°–120.00° | Di, Du, De, Do |
| 10 | Magha | 120.00°–133.33° | Ma, Mi, Mu, Me |
| 11 | Purva Phalguni | 133.33°–146.67° | Mo, Ta, Ti, Tu |
| 12 | Uttara Phalguni | 146.67°–160.00° | Te, To, Pa, Pi |
| 13 | Hasta | 160.00°–173.33° | Pu, Sha, Na, Tha |
| 14 | Chitra | 173.33°–186.67° | Pe, Po, Ra, Ri |
| 15 | Swati | 186.67°–200.00° | Ru, Re, Ro, Ta |
| 16 | Vishakha | 200.00°–213.33° | Ti, Tu, Te, To |
| 17 | Anuradha | 213.33°–226.67° | Na, Ni, Nu, Ne |
| 18 | Jyeshtha | 226.67°–240.00° | No, Ya, Yi, Yu |
| 19 | Mula | 240.00°–253.33° | Ye, Yo, Bha, Bhi |
| 20 | Purva Ashadha | 253.33°–266.67° | Bhu, Dha, Pha, Dha |
| 21 | Uttara Ashadha | 266.67°–280.00° | Bhe, Bho, Ja, Ji |
| 22 | Shravana | 280.00°–293.33° | Khi, Khu, Khe, KhoSome lists: Ju, Je, Jo, Gha |
| 23 | Dhanishta | 293.33°–306.67° | Ga, Gi, Gu, Ge |
| 24 | Shatabhisha | 306.67°–320.00° | Go, Sa, Si, Su |
| 25 | Purva Bhadrapada | 320.00°–333.33° | Se, So, Da, Di |
| 26 | Uttara Bhadrapada | 333.33°–346.67° | Du, Tha, Jha, Jna |
| 27 | Revati | 346.67°–360.00° | De, Do, Cha, Chi |
Sources: vedicfeed.com, dekhopanchang.com (read on 4 November 2026). The Hindi forms are written from their Latin spellings.
What to look at after you know your nakshatra
See which nakshatra the Moon is in today on today's panchang. If you are planning a wedding, the wedding muhurat 2027 list names the nakshatra of each date. The method is explained in how the panchang is made.
This calculator gives an astronomical result, not a prediction. For a kundali or a naming ceremony, please consult your pandit.
Frequently asked questions
How do I find my birth nakshatra?
Enter your date, time and city of birth in the calculator above. It works out the Moon's sidereal position at that moment and tells you which of the 27 nakshatras the Moon was in. That is your birth nakshatra. The more accurate the time, the firmer the result, because the Moon crosses a whole nakshatra in about a day.
How can I find my nakshatra without a birth time?
The Moon crosses one nakshatra in about 24 hours, so a date alone usually narrows it down, except on a day when the nakshatra changes. Enter your best estimate, then try a morning and an evening time as well. If all of them give the same nakshatra, the answer is fairly reliable. If they differ, you need the actual time.
How does the nakshatra decide the first letter of a name?
Each nakshatra has four padas, or quarters, and each pada has its own syllable: Ashwini's four are Chu, Che, Cho and La. The syllable of the pada the Moon occupied at birth is considered auspicious for the start of the name. This is a custom rather than a binding rule, and many families name children by their own tradition.
What is the difference between Moon sign and Sun sign?
Your Moon sign is the sign the Moon occupied at birth, and in Indian astrology this is what is usually meant by your rashi. Your Sun sign is the sign of the Sun at that moment, the one newspaper horoscopes generally use, though those normally follow the tropical zodiac. This calculator gives both in the sidereal system, using the Lahiri ayanamsha.
Why does another panchang show a different nakshatra for me?
There are three common reasons: a slightly different birth time was entered, the city or time zone differs, or that site uses another ayanamsha such as Krishnamurti or Raman instead of Lahiri. Changing the ayanamsha moves the Moon by a few arc-minutes, which can change the answer for someone born close to a nakshatra boundary. This calculator always uses Lahiri.
Does this calculator work for births outside India?
Yes. Choose a nearby city in the USA, Canada, the UK or Australia from the list. The calculator applies that place's time zone and daylight-saving rules for you. Nakshatra and rashi depend on the exact moment, not on your precise distance from the city, so any nearby city in the same time zone will do. Enter the time shown on the birth certificate.