What is a solar return chart?

The solar return is the chart cast for the exact moment the Sun returns to its natal degree, which happens once per year, within a day of the birthday. It describes the themes and circumstances of the year ahead, from one birthday to the next.

The most important factors in a solar return are the Ascendant of the return chart (which sets the whole chart's orientation), planets in angular houses (1st, 4th, 7th, 10th), and the condition of the Sun itself. Location matters: the solar return shifts if cast from a different city, so some astrologers choose to be in a specific place on their birthday to influence the return chart.