How to Discover Your Birth Time

Not all hospitals and countries document birth times, but it might be worthwhile to invest the effort and expense in obtaining a comprehensive birth certificate. Recollections from your parents, midwife, or longtime family acquaintances could also prove valuable. If you're seeking your birth time for astrological purposes, you might attempt to refine an approximation using a technique known as star chart rectification.

Consult your parents and other individuals present during your birth. Your parents might recall the time of your birth, or guide you to other relatives or acquaintances who were present at the time. They may also possess a copy of your birth certificate.

• If your parents have any 'family history' materials stored away, check them for old journals, family bibles, and family newsletters from around your birth date.

Request a Birth Certificate with Recorded Birth Time from Government Authorities If you lack a copy of your birth certificate, you can typically solicit one from the health department or vital records office linked to the region of your birth. Be prepared to furnish various forms of identification and possibly pay a fee. Always specify your need for a birth time record. Initiate your inquiry using one of the following links corresponding to your birth country:

• Canada
• England or Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.
• The United States, or refer to this resource
  for additional requirements.

Inquire with the Hospital Regarding Records As a final option, consider contacting the records division of the hospital where you were born. Reach out to the hospital via phone, email, or in-person visit, and request access to any records that may contain your birth time. You may need to provide one or more forms of identification.

Determine the Necessity of Accuracy If you subscribe to the belief that astrology can forecast your future based on your birth date and time, you may have previously constructed or commissioned a star chart. If your birth time is based on maternal recollection, rounded to the nearest hour on your birth certificate, or unknown, your star chart may be founded on incorrect data. The online calculators below will assess the likelihood of accuracy for various types of star charts or chart elements. Input the number of hours by which you speculate your birth time may be inaccurate, such as '3' if you possess only a general time of day, or '12' if your birth time is unknown. If there is a considerable probability that your star chart aligns with predictions despite potential discrepancies, you may opt to forego the meticulous process outlined below.

• Moon signs for Western astrology or Vedic astrology
• Zodiac sign of your ascendant
• Solar arc
• Dasha predictions

Create a preliminary star chart estimation. This initial chart doesn't require extensive details, as it serves as a starting point. If your birth time is unknown, use noon as a placeholder. For instance, if your estimated birth time falls between 4:00 and 8:30, set it at 6:15.

• If you lack the expertise, consider hiring an astrologer or learn to create one yourself. Alternatively, you can enlist an astrologer to rectify your star chart, bypassing the subsequent steps.

Compile a roster of significant life events. Jot down notable events in your life, including dates, years, and ideally, times. While traumatic incidents and accidents are valuable, include milestones such as marriage, divorce, childbirth, job changes, and other pivotal moments. These entries help assess the alignment between your current star chart's predictions and your life events.

Forecast using the star chart. Utilize transits, solar arcs, and various astrology methodologies to forecast outcomes based on the preliminary star chart. Consider the following guidelines based on the celestial bodies' movement pace across the chart. Seek guidance from astrology resources or professionals if needed:

• Apply any solar arcs excluding the Ascendant, Midheaven, and Moon.
• Examine transits involving Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, and the Lunar Nodes. If you're confident about your birth date, factor in the Sun, Mercury, Venus, and Mars.

Contrast predictions with real-life occurrences. Various techniques are employed by seasoned astrologers to rectify star charts. The fundamental objective is to ascertain whether life events align with predictions or if alternate birth times could explain them. Experienced practitioners use the following strategies:

• Rule out events attributable to natal planetary connections. Analyze remaining events and determine if they cluster around specific degrees corresponding to your Ascendant and Midheaven, provided the positions align.
• Analyze recent transits of outer planets (Jupiter through Pluto) in correlation with recent life events to identify influential houses.