Sometimes we are curious about the natal chart of a person we just met, our favorite celebrity, TV show, or country. But in our curiosity, we realize there is no official time of birth given. It is easy to get discouraged to have a chart with no time since it is taught that a chart is better understood with a correct time. But there is still a way to find the answer(s) we are looking for in an untimed chart and that is by using sun sign and derivative astrology.

Sun Sign Astrology

Sun sign astrology has its purpose in dealing with the personality of the subject of the chart you are looking at. I use this method in my Patreon exclusive series The Ups + Downs of… by looking at the Sun sign of the cast members of the reality TV shows. I take it a step further by including the exoteric and esoteric rulership of the sign and the planets which are exalted, debilitated, and fall in that sign. From there, the archetype of the sign as expressed through the cast member is revealed.

Below are guides to help you get started on how I approach Sun sign astrology:

Derivative Astrology

Derivative astrology is a method of replacing the ascendant/1H (or lack thereof) with a planet or different house placement. That planet’s sign will determine the order of the houses of the chart. For example, if you knew the signs of my personal planets (Sun-Saturn) but did not know my ascendant, you could use one of my personal planets in place of the ascendant and create a chart from there.

The ascendant entails the desired path of life to walk, so putting a planet in its place will show the desired path of the planet’s purpose. Here’s a general look at what each planet represents:

1. SUN: personality expression
2. MOON: comfort zone and instinct
3. MERCURY: willingness to change one’s mind
4. VENUS: desire to love and sustain it
5. MARS: action based on passion or curiosity; motivation
6. JUPITER: the kind of guidance needed or is given to others
7. SATURN: the circumstances that shape one’s lifetime
8. NEPTUNE: unwavering devotion and loyalty
9. URANUS: everchanging expression of one’s self
10. PLUTO: intentional destruction

The latter three only being impactful when in close relation to a personal planet (Sun-Saturn).

I recently did two birth chart analysis using derivative astrology on my Patreon so I recommend checking it out if you want to see my example.

Chart Rectification

An additional method would be to rectify the time of birth. Rectification is a difficult method that requires an immense number of investigative skills. You would have to approximate a time that places the planets and ascendant in the right signs and degrees to align with the occurrences of the life of the subject. I would only recommend this method to those who are willing to put in the great effort that is required.

With a correct time, however, there is much more available to look at such as the divisional charts used in Vedic Astrology, persona charts and Astrocartography. Many predictive astrology work cannot be done with a correct time as well, so I truly only recommend the above two methods as a last resort (sun sign) or an additive to other methods of chart delineation (derivative).