Janma Nakshatra Calculator: Find Your Birth Star and Moon Sign
Your Janma Nakshatra is the lunar mansion the Moon occupied at your birth. This calculator uses your birth date, time and place with the sidereal Lahiri zodiac to give your nakshatra, its pada, your Moon sign (Chandra Rashi), the ruling planet and the dates your star returns each month.
By Dr. Mekhala V Jois · Last updated: 2 November 2026
Janma Nakshatra Calculator Calculator
Enter the birth details below. Everything is calculated in your browser and nothing is stored.
What does the Janma Nakshatra calculator show?
The calculator shows five things from one set of birth details: your Janma Nakshatra, the pada (quarter) of that nakshatra, your Moon sign, the planet that rules your nakshatra and its presiding devata. It also lists the next three times the Moon returns to your birth star.
Your Janma Nakshatra is the name most pooja sankalpams are taken in, together with your gotra and name. Priests ask for it before an archana, abhisheka or homa, and many families also use it to choose the first letter of a child’s name. The pada narrows the nakshatra to a quarter of 3 degrees 20 minutes, which is why two people with the same star can still start their names with different syllables.
How this janma nakshatra calculator finds your birth star
The zodiac is divided into 27 nakshatras of 13 degrees 20 minutes each. The calculator finds the Moon’s longitude at your exact birth moment, subtracts the Lahiri ayanamsha to move from the tropical to the sidereal zodiac, and reads off the nakshatra, pada and sign that contain that point.
Your birth city matters because the Moon moves about 13 degrees a day, and a time zone mistake of one hour can shift the Moon by half a degree. The calculator therefore takes the historical time zone of your birth city, including daylight saving, and does not assume a fixed offset. If you do not know the time of birth, it tells you honestly whether the Moon changed nakshatra on that date.
Chandra at a glance
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Nakshatras in the zodiac | 27, each 13 degrees 20 minutes wide |
| Padas per nakshatra | 4, each 3 degrees 20 minutes wide |
| Moon’s time in one nakshatra | About 22 to 26 hours |
| Moon’s return to the same star | About every 27.3 days |
| Ganda Moola nakshatras | Ashwini, Ashlesha, Magha, Jyeshtha, Mula, Revati |
How is the Janma Nakshatra used in practice?
Traditionally the Janma Nakshatra sets the starting point of the Vimshottari dasha, because the planet that rules your birth star gives its name to the first dasha of life. A person born in Pushya starts life in a Saturn dasha, one born in Rohini in a Moon dasha.
The nakshatra also drives compatibility checks such as porutham and the choice of auspicious days for a person, since the Moon’s daily nakshatra is compared with the birth star. Nothing here predicts an outcome. It gives the reference point that a reader of the full chart works from.
Where to go next
Janma Nakshatra Calculator: Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Janma Nakshatra calculator?
A Janma Nakshatra calculator finds the nakshatra the Moon was in when you were born. It needs your date, time and place of birth and returns your birth star, pada, Moon sign and ruling planet in the Vedic sidereal zodiac.
How do I find my birth star by date of birth?
Enter your date of birth, your time of birth and your birth city in the calculator above. The Moon’s position at that moment decides the star, so the date alone is not enough when the Moon changes nakshatra during the day.
Can I find my nakshatra without my birth time?
Yes, the calculator will tell you if the Moon stayed in one nakshatra all day. If the Moon changed nakshatra on your birth date it shows that, and you will need the exact time or a birth record to be sure.
What is the difference between nakshatra and rashi?
Rashi is one of twelve signs of 30 degrees. Nakshatra is one of 27 divisions of 13 degrees 20 minutes. Your Moon sign is the rashi the Moon was in at birth, and your Janma Nakshatra is the nakshatra the Moon was in at that same moment.
Why does my Vedic Moon sign differ from my Western Moon sign?
Vedic astrology uses the sidereal zodiac, which is about 24 degrees behind the tropical zodiac used in Western astrology. The Moon sign therefore often differs by one sign. Poojas.in uses Lahiri ayanamsha, the Indian government standard.
What are Janma Nakshatra days?
These are the days each month when the Moon returns to your birth star. Devotees often arrange an archana or abhisheka in their name and star on such days. The calculator lists the next three with start and end times.
Read this result with Dr. Mekhala
A short consultation looks at the planets, houses and the running dasha together. Share your name, date, time and place when you book.