This series on Astrology was written by Amy Herring for Kiddiegram.com.
A Moment in Time:

Imagine if we could see the entire sky around us: above the earth, below it, and all angles, unobstructed. An astrology chart is essentially a map of the sky as a full circle all around the Earth, with us in the very center of that map. It shows where the planets in our solar system, the Sun, and the Moon were in relation to us on Earth at any chosen moment in time.

Earth is not depicted in an astrology chart because it is our viewpoint so we cannot see it out there in the sky since we are standing on it.

You can choose any moment of time you wish and “cast a chart” to see where all the planets were at that moment, which his, to create the sky map. One of the most common reasons to cast a chart is for the birth of a person, otherwise known as a natal or birth chart. A natal chart, when read by an astrologer who knows how to interpret all the symbols in the chart, can give you information about the person’s life lessons and life purpose, as well their spiritual, emotional, mental, social, and physical needs. You can get useful and personally relevant information to common questions people ask about their life, such as What career is best suited to me? What sort of person is best for me romantically? and Why am I here?
Casting your chart:

To find out where the heavenly bodies were at the time of one’s birth, you need to know your full birth date, time, and place of birth, such as June 6th, 1985, 7:09 am, in Albany, New York.

With this information an astrologer can see exactly how the planets would have been observed by you, at the moment of your birth and at the exact location on the Earth you were born. You see, astrologically speaking, the world really does revolve around you!

To continue reading, click on Puzzle Pieces: Planets, Signs, Houses and Aspects by Amy Herring.
Copyright Kiddiegram.com, 2008