Frequently asked questions

Both — but they play different roles.

Your birth sky, star positions and celestial coordinates are astronomical calculations based on established catalogue and ephemeris data. You can check those positions using an independent planetarium application.

Western astrology, Chinese astrology, BaZi and numerology are symbolic traditions. Their interpretations are intended for reflection, guidance and entertainment; they are not scientific findings or predictions.

AsterNym combines a carefully calculated sky with openly identified symbolic interpretations.

Your birth date alone gives us your Western sun sign, Chinese zodiac animal, Life Path and the first three pillars of your BaZi chart.

Your exact time unlocks your BaZi hour pillar. Your time and birthplace together allow us to calculate your rising sign and reconstruct your local birth sky. Earth rotates by approximately one degree every four minutes, so time matters when determining which part of the sky was directly above you.

If you do not know your birth time, we show everything that can still be calculated and clearly identify what is unavailable. We never quietly substitute noon and present it as your actual birth time.

Guest information remains in your browser on your device until you remove it using the visible delete option.

Creating an account is optional, available only to people aged 18 or older and requires only an email address. Information from guests under 18 is not saved to an AsterNym account.

Our Privacy Policy explains exactly what is stored when you choose to register.

An AsterNym dedication connects your chosen name and message with a real catalogued star on a public page in our private registry.

It does not change the star's scientific designation, create ownership of the star or receive recognition from the International Astronomical Union. Commercial star dedications are symbolic commemorative records rather than official astronomical names.

We explain this before checkout — not in the small print.

Your AsterNym print, personal report, daily readings, birth sky and famous-chart comparisons are free.

Optional star dedications come in two principal tiers. Birth-Sky Star — $9.90 one-time: a star selected from our curated catalogue of approximately 600,000 Tycho-2 objects, chosen from the region overhead at the birth moment; it never expires, and these stars generally require binoculars or a telescope to observe. Signature Star — $29.95 per year: a dedication attached to a prominent star that already has an IAU-approved proper name; your dedication is exclusive within the AsterNym registry while it remains active, but the star retains its existing scientific name.

Gift presentations and framed packages are available separately.

When a documented, source-rated birth time is available, we use it to reconstruct that person's birth sky.

When no reliable time is available, their actual birth sky cannot be known precisely. In that case, we create a clearly labelled reference sky using 9:00 p.m. local time above their birthplace on their birth date.

Public birth information is obtained from Wikidata and other cited public sources. The source and confidence level appear on each profile.

The AsterNym compatibility score uses a formula that is fully disclosed on each result: 80% BaZi compatibility (read in both directions — what each of you brings the other), 20% the traditional aspect between your Western Sun signs (capped low because one Sun-sign aspect should not control a score), plus labelled bonuses — shared lucky traits, age group or birthplace connections, the angular distance between your Birth-Sky Stars and any AsterNym star bond you create. When a birth time is missing the score is shown as a range with its confidence level. Every component is displayed so you can see where the score came from.

The result is a symbolic comparison between two profiles. It does not predict whether a friendship or romantic relationship will succeed, and a celebrity match does not make any claim about that person's real feelings or private life.

Not quite. Because registry pages are public, dedication names and messages are screened for profanity, slurs, harassment and other prohibited material before checkout.

AsterNym may remove a dedication or restrict an account when content violates our published terms or could harm other people.

No. AsterNym does not predict specific events or guarantee outcomes.

Its readings are a mirror made from symbolic traditions: something you can use for reflection, reassurance and personal discovery. You decide what resonates and what role it plays in your life.

Nothing on AsterNym is medical, financial or legal advice. Important decisions should always be made with an appropriately qualified professional.