Frequently Asked Questions

Vedic Astrology (Jyotish) is an ancient Indian system of astrology that uses the sidereal zodiac. It considers the actual positions of planets against the backdrop of fixed stars, using the Lahiri Ayanamsa for calculations. Unlike Western astrology which uses the tropical zodiac (based on seasons), Vedic astrology tracks the real astronomical positions of celestial bodies, making it more astronomically accurate.

AstroLense uses precise astronomical calculations from Swiss Ephemeris, the same library used by professional astrologers worldwide. Our AI interpretations are based on classical Vedic texts and provide guidance based on planetary positions. Like all astrology, predictions should be taken as guidance rather than absolute certainty—your free will and life choices ultimately shape your destiny.

Birth time determines your Ascendant (Lagna) and house positions, which change approximately every 2 hours. Even a few minutes difference can change your Ascendant sign. The Ascendant is the foundation of your entire chart—it determines which planets rule which houses and how they'll affect different areas of your life. If you don't know your exact birth time, use 12:00 PM as an approximation, but note that Ascendant-related readings may not be accurate.

North Indian: Houses are shown in a diamond pattern with the 1st house always at top center. Signs rotate anti-clockwise. The number inside each house indicates which zodiac sign occupies it.

South Indian: Uses a 3x4 grid where signs are fixed in specific boxes (Aries is always in the second box of the top row). Signs progress clockwise. Look for "Asc" to find your 1st house.

East Indian: Also uses a 3x4 grid with diagonal corner houses. Signs are fixed and arranged anti-clockwise.

All three contain the same astrological information—only the visual representation differs. Choose the style you find easiest to read!

Vimshottari Dasha is the most widely used planetary period system in Vedic astrology, spanning 120 years. Each planet rules a specific number of years: Sun (6), Moon (10), Mars (7), Rahu (18), Jupiter (16), Saturn (19), Mercury (17), Ketu (7), and Venus (20). Your Mahadasha (major period) and Antardasha (sub-period) significantly influence life events. Understanding your current dasha helps explain why certain themes are prominent in your life right now.

Ayanamsa is the angular difference between the Tropical Zodiac (used in Western astrology, based on seasons) and the Sidereal Zodiac (used in Vedic astrology, based on fixed stars). Due to the Earth's axial wobble (precession), this difference increases by about 1 degree every 72 years. Currently, it's approximately 24 degrees. AstroLense uses the Lahiri Ayanamsa, the official standard adopted by the Indian government and most professional Vedic astrologers.

Our AI uses a RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) system powered by Google's Gemini. When you request an interpretation, your chart data is combined with a curated knowledge base of classical Vedic texts including Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra and other authoritative sources. The AI analyzes planetary positions, aspects, house placements, and dasha periods to generate personalized interpretations that follow traditional Jyotish principles.

Yes! After generating your chart, you can use the "Ask the Astrologer" feature to ask specific questions about career, relationships, health, finances, or any other life area. The AI analyzes your chart in the context of your question and provides relevant insights based on planetary positions, house significations, and your current dasha periods.

Rahu and Ketu are not physical celestial bodies—they're mathematical points where the Moon's orbital path intersects the Earth's orbital plane (the ecliptic). Rahu is the North Node (ascending) and Ketu is the South Node (descending). Despite being "shadow planets," they're considered extremely powerful in Vedic astrology. Solar and lunar eclipses only occur when the Sun and Moon are near these nodal points.

The Ascendant (rising sign) is determined by the local eastern horizon at your specific birth location. When it's sunrise in London, it might be midnight in New York. A baby born in London at that moment would have the Sun in their 1st house (rising), while a baby born simultaneously in New York would have a completely different sign rising and the Sun in a different house. This is why birth location is just as crucial as birth time.

While zodiac signs are based on the Sun's monthly movement, Nakshatras (lunar mansions) are based on the Moon's 27.3-day cycle through the stars. The zodiac is divided into 27 Nakshatras, each spanning 13°20'. This system allows much more precise tracking of the Moon's daily position. Your birth Nakshatra (Moon's Nakshatra) reveals deep personality traits and is essential for calculating Vimshottari Dasha periods and marriage compatibility.

AI-powered features consume credits based on their complexity:

• Chart Generation: 1 credit
• Daily/Weekly Horoscope: 2 credits
• AI Analysis & Reports: 5 credits
• Kundli Match Making: 3 credits
• Dosha Analysis (Mangal/Kaal Sarp): 2 credits

New users receive free credits to try the app. Additional credits can be purchased through our affordable credit packs.

We accept all major credit and debit cards (Visa, MasterCard, American Express) through Stripe, our secure payment processor. Apple Pay and Google Pay are also supported where available. Your payment information is never stored on our servers—Stripe handles all card processing directly.

Refunds are available for duplicate charges or technical errors that prevented service delivery. Contact support@astrolense.app within 7 days of your purchase with details of your issue. Refunds are processed within 5-7 business days to your original payment method.

Yes, we take privacy seriously. All data transmission uses TLS encryption (HTTPS). Your birth data and readings are stored securely on Google Cloud (Firebase) with encryption at rest. We are GDPR compliant—you can export or delete all your data anytime from your Profile settings. We never share your personal information with third parties.

Yes! You can use Guest Mode to try basic features without signing up. However, creating an account allows you to save your readings, access your history, and sync across devices. Guest sessions are temporary—data may be lost when you close the app or clear your browser.

You can request data export or deletion by contacting support@astrolense.app. We honor all GDPR and CCPA-style data requests. You can also delete your account directly from the Profile settings in the app, which will remove all associated data.