The Ayanamsha is a crucial correction factor in Vedic Astrology, representing the difference between the tropical (moving) and sidereal (fixed) zodiacs. This calculator helps you determine the Ayanamsha value for a given year based on various popular systems.
Vedic astrology uses the sidereal zodiac, which is aligned with the actual constellations. Due to the precession of the equinoxes, the tropical zodiac (used in Western astrology) gradually drifts away from the sidereal zodiac. The Ayanamsha accounts for this drift, allowing for accurate planetary longitudes in the sidereal system.
Different schools of Vedic astrology use slightly varying Ayanamsha values. The most commonly used is the Lahiri Ayanamsha, also known as Chitrapaksha Ayanamsha. Other systems like Raman, KP (Krishnamurti Paddhati), and Fagan-Bradley also have their proponents, each with a slightly different starting point or rate of precession.
Lahiri (Chitrapaksha): The most widely accepted Ayanamsha in India, officially adopted by the Indian government for its national calendar. It sets the zero point when the star Chitra (Spica) is at 180 degrees.
Raman: Developed by the renowned astrologer B.V. Raman, this system has a slightly different zero point compared to Lahiri, resulting in a smaller Ayanamsha value.
KP (Krishnamurti Paddhati): Used in the Krishnamurti Paddhati system of astrology, it is very close to the Lahiri Ayanamsha, with only a minor difference.
Fagan-Bradley: Popular among some Western sidereal astrologers, this system is based on the fixed star Aldebaran and has a slightly larger Ayanamsha value than Lahiri.
How to Use This Calculator:
Enter the Year: Input the year for which you want to calculate the Ayanamsha. This could be your birth year or any year of interest.
Select Ayanamsha System: Choose the specific Ayanamsha system you wish to use from the dropdown menu.
Click "Calculate Ayanamsha": The calculator will then display the Ayanamsha value in degrees, minutes, and seconds.
Example:
Let's say you want to find the Lahiri Ayanamsha for the year 1985.
Enter "1985" in the "Year of Birth or Event" field.
Select "Lahiri (Chitrapaksha)" from the "Ayanamsha System" dropdown.
Click "Calculate Ayanamsha".
The calculator would output a value close to 23° 38′ 26″ (the exact value will vary slightly based on the precise formula and precession rate used, but this is a realistic approximation).
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function calculateAyanamsha() {
var inputYear = document.getElementById("inputYear").value;
var ayanamshaSystem = document.getElementById("ayanamshaSystem").value;
var resultDiv = document.getElementById("result");
// Input validation
if (isNaN(inputYear) || inputYear === "" || parseFloat(inputYear) 3000) {
resultDiv.innerHTML = "Please enter a valid year (1-3000).";
return;
}
var year = parseFloat(inputYear);
// Base Lahiri Ayanamsha for Jan 1, 2000 (23 degrees 51 minutes 0 seconds)
var baseLahiri2000Degrees = 23 + (51 / 60); // 23.85 degrees
var precessionRateArcSecPerYear = 50.29; // Approximate rate of precession
// Calculate Lahiri Ayanamsha for the given year
var yearsDiff = year – 2000;
var lahiriAyanamshaDegrees = baseLahiri2000Degrees + (yearsDiff * precessionRateArcSecPerYear / 3600);
var finalAyanamshaDegrees;
// Adjust based on the selected Ayanamsha system
if (ayanamshaSystem === "raman") {
// Raman Ayanamsha is approximately 1 degree 29 minutes less than Lahiri
finalAyanamshaDegrees = lahiriAyanamshaDegrees – (1 + (29 / 60)); // Subtract 1.48333 degrees
} else if (ayanamshaSystem === "kp") {
// KP Ayanamsha is very slightly different from Lahiri.
// A very small offset for distinction.
finalAyanamshaDegrees = lahiriAyanamshaDegrees – (0.00008);
} else if (ayanamshaSystem === "faganBradley") {
// Fagan-Bradley Ayanamsha is approximately 9 minutes more than Lahiri
finalAyanamshaDegrees = lahiriAyanamshaDegrees + (9 / 60); // Add 0.15 degrees
} else { // Default to Lahiri
finalAyanamshaDegrees = lahiriAyanamshaDegrees;
}
// Convert decimal degrees to Degrees, Minutes, Seconds
var degrees = Math.floor(finalAyanamshaDegrees);
var minutesFloat = (finalAyanamshaDegrees – degrees) * 60;
var minutes = Math.floor(minutesFloat);
var seconds = Math.round((minutesFloat – minutes) * 60);
// Handle rounding up to 60 seconds/minutes
if (seconds >= 60) {
minutes += Math.floor(seconds / 60);
seconds = seconds % 60;
}
if (minutes >= 60) {
degrees += Math.floor(minutes / 60);
minutes = minutes % 60;
}
// Format for display
var formattedResult = degrees + "° " +
String(minutes).padStart(2, '0') + "' " +
String(seconds).padStart(2, '0') + "\"";
resultDiv.innerHTML = formattedResult;
}