The Astro Academy is where you learn to read astrology and tarot yourself instead of only scrolling horoscopes. Above, you see the day as it stands in the sky: the moon phase, the transits and the general astro weather. Below that sit the free tools that let you calculate your birth chart and understand it piece by piece. Every term is translated in the same breath. A trine, for example, just means two planets work together without you having to push.
Today the Sun stands at 24°08' Libra and the Moon at 11°22' Capricorn — the phase is called Waxing Crescent. Retrograde right now, meaning they appear to move backwards as seen from Earth: Venus, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune. The full daily view with every aspect lives on planetary positions today. To see how these planets touch your own chart, open the calculator for your personal transits.
Planet positions on 17 October 2026, 12:00 UT
Planet
Sign
Degree
Motion
Sun
Libra
24°08'
direct
Moon
Capricorn
11°22'
direct
Mercury
Scorpio
18°24'
direct
Venus
Scorpio
4°36'
retrograde
Mars
Leo
11°00'
direct
Jupiter
Leo
22°20'
direct
Saturn
Aries
10°17'
retrograde
Uranus
Gemini
5°08'
retrograde
Neptune
Aries
2°25'
retrograde
Pluto
Aquarius
3°04'
direct
Computed with the Swiss Ephemeris for 12:00 Universal Time.
The free tools
Every calculator works without signing up and shows a complete result. A few places most people start:
Free birth chart calculator: Sun, Moon, rising sign, houses and aspects from your date, time and place of birth.
The astrology calendar lists every event of the year, calculated to the day: each full moon, each new moon, eclipses and retrogrades. The question people search most is whether Mercury is retrograde — the weeks when the planet seems to walk backwards.
Tarot, zodiac signs and houses
In the tarot card library each of the 78 cards has its own page. The twelve zodiac signs are described with their element, modality and ruling planet, and the overview of the 12 houses shows which area of life belongs to which house — the groundwork for reading a chart on your own.
Frequently asked questions
Is The Astro Academy free?
The calculators, the daily astro weather, the astrology calendar, the daily tarot card and every card meaning are free and need no account. A free account saves your birth chart. Pro unlocks the 30-day path, all courses and the audio coaching.
Do I need my birth time?
Your birth date is enough for your Sun and Moon sign. The rising sign and the houses depend on the time: they move by roughly one sign every two hours. Without a time, the calculator shows everything the date can pin down reliably.
How accurate are the planet positions?
Every position is computed with the Swiss Ephemeris, the astronomical basis professional astrology software uses as well. The table above shows the positions for 12:00 UTC on the stated day.
Can I learn astrology and tarot here?
Yes. The 30-day path explains signs, planets, houses and aspects in short sessions of about 5 minutes a day, always with your own chart as the example. Tarot has its own path through all 78 cards.
Calculate your horoscope
Your chart, your love, your year.
Three horoscopes you can calculate free in under a minute — your birth chart, a relationship, and your new year of life. No jargon, instantly clear.
Global astrologyHow planets affect youEverything currently running in the sky, with a real start and end. Calculated to the day.
Global astrologyHow planets affect youEverything currently running in the sky, with a real start and end. Calculated to the day.
Today’s skyOctober 17, 2026
Where the planets are right now.
Points
☀
Planet · Direct
Sunin Libra
♎ 24°19'
☀
What does Sun mean?
The Sun stands for your sense of self — who you want to be. It shows what makes you feel alive and what drives your core purpose. Think of it as your daily spark, the part of you that wants to shine and express itself in the world.
♎
What does Libra mean?
Libra is all about balance, fairness, and partnership. A person with strong Libra traits loves harmony and strives to make things fair for everyone. They might spend a lot of time weighing options or trying to bring people together, perhaps by suggesting a compromise when friends disagree.
∞
Sun · always direct
Sun never goes retrograde. Its energy flows steadily forward — no phases of inner retreat, no standstill.
✦
Astro fact
The Sun takes roughly 30 days to move through each zodiac sign. Libra season: September 23 – October 22.
Together this means
With the Sun in Libra right now, the general mood is about finding balance and connection. You might notice yourself looking for more harmony in your daily interactions or thinking about how your actions affect others. It's a good time to make decisions by considering everyone involved.
Relevant for you today
How does Sun in Libra land in your chart?
Sun in Libra hits every chart differently – for you, the house it lands in decides, and the area of life it activates.
NASA DE441 · Sun-noon · UTC·Oct 17, 16:31 UTCWhat does this mean?
Retrograde
From Earth’s vantage the planet is moving backwards through the zodiac. Astrologically a period of review — the planet’s themes get revisited.
Node (M / T)
Not a planet but where the Moon’s orbit crosses the Sun’s apparent path. Astrologically your karmic life direction. (M) = mean, (T) = true (oscillating).
Lilith (M)
The mean apogee of the Moon’s orbit ("Black Moon"). Represents the untamed, unconscious, tabooed. A point, not a body.
Chiron
Minor planet between Saturn and Uranus. The "wounded healer" — themes where we ourselves are sore, and precisely therefore can help others.
That’s where the sky stands today. What that means for you comes next.
Pick your zodiac sign — and see what today’s sky means for you.
Go deeper
That’s your sun sign. Want your real birth chart — day by day?
You share your sun sign with a twelfth of the world. Your birth chart shows how today’s sky meets your exact birth moment — with one clear do and don’t for today.
Above, you saw where each planet stands today. Here you see what’s happening between them — when they meet at particular angles, you get what astrology calls a "transit": full moon, square, trine, retrograde.
♀
Encounter
Venus Retrograde in Scorpio
Until May 6, 2026Active
What does Venus mean?
Venus is all about love, beauty, and what you value. It describes how you relate to others, what you find attractive, and how you seek pleasure and harmony.
What does a retrograde mean?
When a planet is retrograde, it appears to move backward in the sky. Astrologically, this means its usual themes are turned inward, prompting review and re-evaluation rather than forward action.
What does the sign mean?
Scorpio dives into the depths, seeking profound connections and intense experiences. A person with strong Scorpio traits is fiercely loyal and wants to understand everything fully.
Together this means
Together this means your relationships and desires are undergoing a deep, internal review. You might find yourself re-thinking what truly makes you happy in love or reconsidering past choices. It's a time to privately reflect on your desires, rather than chasing new ones.
Relevant for you today
How does Venus retrograde in Scorpio land in your chart?
Venus retrograde in Scorpio hits every chart differently – for you, the house it lands in decides, and the area of life it activates.
