What is an Ephemeris?
An ephemeris (plural: ephemerides) is an astronomical table that shows the precise positions of celestial bodies—planets, the sun, moon, and other objects—at specific times. Think of it as a cosmic timetable that tells us exactly where each planet is located in the zodiac at any given moment.
Etymology The word comes from the Greek “ephēmeros” meaning “daily” or “lasting only a day,” because these tables were originally calculated day by day.
How it Works Astronomers use complex mathematical calculations to predict where planets will be positioned months or years in advance. These calculations account for:
- Each planet’s orbital speed
- Gravitational influences from other celestial bodies
- The elliptical nature of planetary orbits
Why Ephemeris Matters in Human Design
- Birth Chart Calculation: To create your Human Design chart, we need to know exactly where all the planets were at your birth time and 88 days before (for the unconscious side)
- Transit Tracking: We use ephemeris data to follow current planetary movements and their influence on our charts
- Line Timing: The ephemeris shows us when the sun moves from one line to another within a gate
- Accuracy: Modern computer ephemerides are incredibly precise, allowing us to track planetary positions to the minute
Example When we say “the sun is in Gate 31, Line 2 today,” we’re reading that information from the ephemeris, which tells us the sun’s exact zodiacal position and how that translates to Human Design gates and lines.
-I am using the freely available chart from 64keys.com 🙏