AstroChart adds an interactive natal chart calculator and SVG wheel to any page via shortcode. The default calculation engine runs locally on your server. No API key, no recurring HTTP, no third-party SaaS. Two optional engines are available for higher precision or experimental NASA-source calculations, all documented under "External services" below.
Built for
- Astrology consultants who deliver birth charts to clients and need a private, professional embed on their pro site
- Astrology schools and editorial portals that publish charts and want full visual control without a recurring per-chart cost
- Developers who want a clean shortcode, customizable engine, and an open source calculation library
What it does
Drop a shortcode on any page:
[astrochart_chart date="1990-05-16" time="08:45" timezone="Europe/Rome" lat="45.46" lon="9.19"]
The page renders an interactive SVG wheel, planet/house/aspect tables, and an optional input form for site visitors.
Calculation features
- Three interchangeable engines: pure-PHP Core (default, always available), pre-computed Table (sub-arcsecond, optional one-time data download), experimental JPL Horizons (NASA real-time)
- 7 house systems verified against an independent astronomical reference: Placidus, Koch, Regiomontanus, Campanus, Porphyry, Equal, Whole Sign
- 13 bodies: Sun..Pluto plus Chiron, Mean Node, and Mean Lilith
- Natal chart, Ascendant-only, and Solar Return calculations
Display and customization
- Interactive SVG wheel with zodiac bands, house lines, planet markers, aspect lines, and on-wheel filters
- Visual configurator with live preview, JSON import/export, theme presets
- CSS override via shortcode for per-instance styling
- Custom orb values per aspect type via shortcode or optional form
- Stack or tabbed layout for result panels
- Planet, aspect, house/cusp, legend, and calculation data panels
Developer integration
- WordPress filters to customize chart output at any stage
- Open source calculation engine (BSD 3-clause): https://github.com/simopa/AstroPHP
- Configurable geocoder with Nominatim default (no key) and optional API-key providers
Languages
Italian, English, Spanish translations included.
Shortcodes
- [astrochart_chart] - full natal chart with form, wheel, and data tables
- [astrochart_ascendant] - Ascendant-only calculation