The sidereal (nirayana) zodiac is anchored to stellar reference points, and 'sidereal' means relating to the stars. Vedic astrology uses it.
It has twelve equal 30-degree signs, but these are not the same as the unequal astronomical constellations you see in the sky.
In the early 21st century, the sidereal zodiac sits about 24 degrees from the tropical zodiac, and that gap is called the ayanamsa.
Lessons that use this term
- What is Vedic astrology (Jyotish)? A beginner's guide
- Vedic vs Western astrology: sidereal and tropical zodiac differences
- Sun sign vs moon sign vs ascendant in Vedic astrology
- What is a birth chart (kundali) in Vedic astrology?
- Nine planets (navagraha) in Vedic astrology: a beginner's guide
- 12 zodiac signs (rashis) in Vedic astrology
- 12 houses in Vedic astrology (bhavas) explained
- House lords in Vedic astrology: how lordship works
- Functional benefic and malefic planets for each ascendant
- How Skybond reads a Vedic chart: method and conventions
- 12 ascendants (lagnas) in Vedic astrology
- Aries ascendant (Mesha lagna) in Vedic astrology: traits and planets
- Taurus ascendant (Vrishabha lagna) in Vedic astrology: traits and planets
- Gemini ascendant (Mithuna lagna) in Vedic astrology: traits and planets
- Cancer ascendant (Karka lagna) in Vedic astrology: traits and planets
- Leo ascendant (Simha lagna) in Vedic astrology: traits and planets
- Virgo ascendant (Kanya lagna) in Vedic astrology: traits and planets
- Libra ascendant (Tula lagna) in Vedic astrology: traits and planets
- Scorpio ascendant (Vrischika lagna) in Vedic astrology: traits and planets
- Sagittarius ascendant (Dhanu lagna) in Vedic astrology: traits and planets
- Capricorn ascendant (Makara lagna) in Vedic astrology: traits and planets
- Aquarius ascendant (Kumbha lagna) in Vedic astrology: traits and planets
- Pisces ascendant (Meena lagna) in Vedic astrology: traits and planets
- What is ayanamsa? Lahiri and Chitra Paksha explained
- Why is my sign different in Vedic astrology?
- Why birth time matters in astrology (and what if you don't know it)
- Fate, free will and karma in Vedic astrology
- Classical texts of Vedic astrology: BPHS, Phaladeepika, Saravali
- How to read a North Indian birth chart
- How to read a South Indian birth chart
- What is lagna (ascendant) in Vedic astrology?
- What is moon sign (rashi) in Vedic astrology?
- Chandra lagna and Surya lagna: reading from the Moon and Sun
- Whole sign houses vs other house systems in Vedic astrology
- How to read the planet table in a Vedic chart
- Sun (Surya) in Vedic astrology: meaning and significations
- Moon (Chandra) in Vedic astrology: meaning and significations
- Mars (Mangala) in Vedic astrology: meaning and significations
- Mercury (Budha) in Vedic astrology: meaning and significations
- Jupiter (Guru) in Vedic astrology: meaning and significations
- Venus (Shukra) in Vedic astrology: meaning and significations
- Saturn (Shani) in Vedic astrology: meaning and significations
- Rahu (north node) in Vedic astrology: meaning and significations
- Ketu (south node) in Vedic astrology: meaning and significations
- Natural benefic and malefic planets in Vedic astrology
- Planetary dignity in Vedic astrology: strong and weak planets
- Aries (Mesha) sign in Vedic astrology: traits and lord
- Taurus (Vrishabha) sign in Vedic astrology: traits and lord
- Gemini (Mithuna) sign in Vedic astrology: traits and lord
- Cancer (Karka) sign in Vedic astrology: traits and lord
- Leo (Simha) sign in Vedic astrology: traits and lord
- Virgo (Kanya) sign in Vedic astrology: traits and lord
- Libra (Tula) sign in Vedic astrology: traits and lord
- Scorpio (Vrishchika) sign in Vedic astrology: traits and lord
- Sagittarius (Dhanu) sign in Vedic astrology: traits and lord
- Capricorn (Makara) sign in Vedic astrology: traits and lord
- Aquarius (Kumbha) sign in Vedic astrology: traits and lord
- Pisces (Meena) sign in Vedic astrology: traits and lord
- Sign lords (rulers) of the 12 signs in Vedic astrology
- Vedic sun sign dates: sidereal zodiac sign dates
- 1st house in Vedic astrology: meaning and significations
- 2nd house in Vedic astrology: meaning and significations
- 3rd house in Vedic astrology: meaning and significations
- 4th house in Vedic astrology: meaning and significations
- 5th house in Vedic astrology: meaning and significations
- 6th house in Vedic astrology: meaning and significations
- 7th house in Vedic astrology: meaning and significations
- 8th house in Vedic astrology: meaning and significations
- 9th house in Vedic astrology: meaning and significations
- 10th house in Vedic astrology: meaning and significations
- 11th house in Vedic astrology: meaning and significations
- 12th house in Vedic astrology: meaning and significations
- Kendra, trikona, dusthana and upachaya houses explained
- What is a yogakaraka planet? Yogakaraka for each ascendant
- About Skybond: who makes it and what it does
- Editorial standards and corrections
- What is gochar? Planetary transits in Vedic astrology
- Transits from moon sign vs ascendant: which to use
- Vedic astrology basics quiz: practice 0
- Read a sample Vedic chart: practice 1 (foundations)
- Saturn in Pisces (Mar 2025 to Jun 2027)
- Saturn enters Aries (Jun 2027)
- Jupiter in Cancer, exalted (Jun to Oct 2026, again Jan to Jun 2027)
- Jupiter in Leo (Oct 2026 to Jan 2027, again Jun to Nov 2027)
- Rahu in Aquarius, Ketu in Leo (May 2025 to Dec 2026)
- Rahu in Capricorn, Ketu in Cancer (Dec 2026 to mid-2028)
- Doshas in Vedic astrology: what they are and what they are not
- Manglik dosha: calculation, cancellation and myths
- Sade Sati: Saturn's 7.5-year transit explained
- Kaal Sarp dosha: origins and controversy
- Shani dhaiya: Ashtama Shani and Kantaka Shani explained
- Pitra dosha: what the classical texts say
- Nadi dosha and Bhakoot dosha in kundali matching
- How to read a dosha claim calmly
Drafted with AI from verified sources, fact-checked and edited by Skybond before publishing. Read more.