The chart of the exact moment the Sun returns to the position it held at birth.
It falls each year around your birthday, but not necessarily on it: it can be the day before or after, and the time matters. It is read as the chart of the year ahead. It is computed for wherever you will be at that moment, which is usually not your birthplace — which is why some people travel for it.
Reading the chart of the year
A solar return is a full chart, with its own Ascendant, houses and aspects, and it is read in two ways. On its own: traditionally the year's Ascendant and the house the Sun falls in describe the tone of the twelve months and the area of life that asks for most attention. Against the birth chart: you look at which natal houses the return planets fall into and which aspects they make to your natal planets.
By definition the Sun is always exactly where it was at birth. Everything else changes from year to year, starting with the Moon and the angles.
Why location changes the chart
The moment of the return is the same the world over: at that instant the Sun reaches its natal degree whether you are in London or in Tokyo. What does change are the Ascendant and the houses, which depend on the spot on Earth from which the sky is viewed. A few degrees of longitude shift the Ascendant by a few degrees; a long-haul trip can change it entirely.
Choosing where to spend your birthday therefore amounts to choosing the houses of your year. The site calculates the return for whichever place you enter; if you leave it blank it falls back on your birthplace, which is only a stopgap. The time of the return is shown in that place's time zone.
Frequently asked questions
Is my solar return always on my birthday?
No. The civil calendar and the Sun's motion do not line up perfectly: a year lasts about 365 and a quarter days, and leap years only make up the difference every four years. So the Sun returns to its natal degree at a different time each year, sometimes the day before or after your birthday. What counts is the exact moment, not the date.
Which location should I use if I'm travelling on my birthday?
Use the place where you are at the exact moment of the return; your usual home does not come into it. Before deciding, check what time the return falls in that place's time zone, as it can land the day before or after your birthday, and your travel plans may need to allow for that.
Do I need an exact birth time for a solar return?
Yes, very much. The Sun moves about one degree a day, so an error of a few hours in your birth time shifts your natal Sun by a fraction of a degree and the moment of the return by the same few hours. In two hours the Ascendant moves on average a whole sign, so without a reliable time the year's Ascendant and houses remain uncertain.
See it in your own chart
Calculating your birth chart is free: wheel, planets, houses, aspects and a first reading. All you need is your date, time and place of birth.