Nakshatra in the panchang: the Moon's mansion of the day
In the panchang, nakshatra means the lunar mansion the Moon occupies at the moment you read. Each nakshatra spans 13 degrees 20 minutes of sidereal longitude. Almanacs give the nakshatra at sunrise and the time it ends when the Moon enters the next mansion.
You'll learn
- Which nakshatra the panchang lists
- Why the Moon's mansion changes through the day
- How end times work
- Where the 27 names are taught
- Nakshatra in muhurta versus in a birth chart
Width
13°20′ of sidereal longitude each
Daily row
Moon's nakshatra at sunrise on the sheet
End time
When the Moon crosses the next boundary
Before thisTithi in the panchang: lunar days, paksha and end times
Moon's nakshatra, not the Sun's
The panchang nakshatra row always follows the Moon. It is unrelated to your birth nakshatra unless you are reading a birth chart.
Daily sky versus natal chart
Your birth chart stores the nakshatra the Moon occupied at birth. That natal nakshatra sets starting points such as Vimshottari dasha.
The panchang instead tracks the Moon's current mansion for today. Because the Moon moves about 13 degrees per day, the daily nakshatra changes often, sometimes twice on one civil date near a boundary.
Skybond lists all 27 names and their ranges in the nakshatra glossary entry and in the Moon and timing lessons. This page does not repeat those 27 descriptions.
Why the day's nakshatra is checked
Traditionally the Moon's nakshatra colours the tone of the day for muhurta and festival rules, alongside tithi and vara.
Daily almanac habit
Household almanacs note the nakshatra beside tithi so readers can match a activity to the Moon's mansion. Some traditions map each nakshatra to a deity or quality.
Skybond describes those associations only where classical sources are clear. This lesson stays with the astronomical fact: which 13 degree 20 minute slice the Moon occupies and when it changes.
When a muhurta must fall inside a chosen nakshatra, the end time on the panchang tells you the latest clock hour still inside that mansion.
End times and double entries
- 01Take the Moon's sidereal longitude
- 02Find which 13°20′ segment it occupies
- 03Use the printed end time when the next nakshatra begins
Like tithi, nakshatra can change mid-day. A panchang may show two nakshatras on one civil date when a boundary falls after sunrise.
Same pattern as tithi end times
Software computes the exact minute the Moon's longitude crosses a multiple of 13 degrees 20 minutes. Printed sheets round to the minute or second depending on the publisher.
Place matters because the Moon moves with time, not with time zones alone. Two cities can share a civil date yet show different nakshatras at their respective sunrises.
Check yourself
Whose nakshatra does the panchang list?
Show answer
The Moon's current nakshatra, not the Sun's and not your birth nakshatra unless you are reading a chart.
How wide is one nakshatra?
Show answer
13 degrees 20 minutes of sidereal longitude.
Where can I read all 27 names?
Show answer
In the Skybond glossary nakshatra entry and in chart lessons such as moon sign (rashi).
Key takeaways
- Panchang nakshatra is the Moon's lunar mansion.
- Each nakshatra spans 13°20′ of sidereal longitude.
- Sheets give the value at sunrise and an end time.
- The 27 names are taught in the nakshatra glossary, not repeated here.
- Daily nakshatra differs from your birth nakshatra.
Next lessons
Conventions and sources
- Sidereal zodiac
- Sunrise to sunrise day
- Location-specific times
Panchang nakshatra uses the Moon's sidereal longitude. See ayanamsa for how the zodiac gap is set.
Sources for this page
- P.V.R. Narasimha Rao, Vedic Astrology: An Integrated Approach (nakshatra width and Moon emphasis)
FAQ
What nakshatra is listed in a panchang?
The nakshatra the Moon occupies at the reference time, usually sunrise for the place.
Is panchang nakshatra the same as dasha nakshatra?
Dasha uses your birth Moon's nakshatra. The panchang lists the Moon's mansion on the current day.
Can the nakshatra change twice in one day?
Yes, when the Moon crosses a boundary after sunrise and again before the next sunrise.
Drafted with AI from verified sources, fact-checked and edited by Skybond before publishing. Read more.