Famous birth charts · Duke Ellington
Duke Ellington’s chart in full
Born April 29, 1899, Washington, D.C., District of Columbia, United States. The chart is cast for noon on the day, and everything shown here held all day long.
Point at a body or a sign to see its connections.
The chart, fact by fact
Planets
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The ten bodies astrology reads: the Sun, the Moon and eight planets. The planet says which part of a person it speaks for, the sign says how that part behaves, and the house says where in life it shows.
Sun in Taurus
The Gardener. Steady, sensual and sure.
9°08′
Moon in Sagittarius
The Moon moved from Sagittarius into Capricorn at 1:20 p.m. that day, local time: in Sagittarius for a birth before then, in Capricorn for one after.
29°13′
Mercury in Aries
The Spark. First to speak.
16°20′
Venus in Aries
The Chaser. Love at first sight.
3°14′
Mars in Leo
The Leader. Courage with an audience.
5°57′
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Jupiter in Scorpioretrograde
The Researcher. Faith in what lies beneath.
4°50′
Saturn in Sagittariusretrograde
The Wise Teacher. Belief that has been tested.
23°05′
Uranus in Sagittariusretrograde
7°07′
Neptune in Gemini
22°52′
Pluto in Gemini
14°22′
Beyond the planets
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Points read beside the planets. The rising sign, or Ascendant, is the sign coming up over the eastern horizon at the minute of birth: the first impression. The Midheaven is the highest point of the sky: career and public life. The North Node is where the Moon’s path crosses the Sun’s: the direction a life grows in. Chiron, a small body between Saturn and Uranus, is a lifelong sore spot and the gift it leaves for others. Black Moon Lilith, where the Moon’s orbit swings farthest from Earth, is what a person keeps untamed.
North Node in Capricorn
The direction his life grows in: Capricorn, ambitious and patient.
0°33′
Chiron in Sagittarius
In Sagittarius, Chiron is a restless question about what it all means, and a gift for lending others a wider view.
12°00′
Black Moon Lilith in Leo
In Leo, Lilith is the wish to be seen whole, without shrinking to suit anyone.
6°51′
The rising sign and the Midheaven need the birth time to the minute, so they are left out.
Patterns
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When several aspects lock into one shape, such as a triangle or a cross, the planets in it act together, and the shape says how: easily, under strain, or with one planet as the focus.
T-square
Two planets pull against each other, and a third stands at right angles to both, where the strain gathers.
In his chart, his identity (the Sun in Taurus) and his optimism (Jupiter in Scorpio) face each other across the wheel, and his drive (Mars in Leo) took the strain: the part of him that worked hardest.
Grand trine
Three planets in an easy triangle, each in flowing contact with the other two: a gift that comes without effort.
In his chart, his heart, his drive and his independence (Venus in Aries, Mars in Leo and Uranus in Sagittarius) make the triangle, so these came to him naturally.
Aspects by strength
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An aspect is a set angle between two bodies in the sky at birth. Some angles flow, some rub, and some fuse two bodies into one. The number is how far the angle is from exact: the smaller it is, the stronger the link.
Only the aspects that held from the first minute of the day to the last are shown; each figure is for noon.
Saturn opposition Neptune almost exact at 0.2°
The dream and the hard work seldom agreed on terms: his discipline and his imagination asked different things of him.
Mars square Jupiter close at 1.1°
He took on more than any one person could, and his boldness ran ahead of his plans.
Mars trine Uranus close at 1.2°
Quick and inventive in action: he moved fast, broke with habit and made sudden changes work.
The Moon conjunction North Node close at 1.3°
His instincts led the way: following his feelings was how he found his direction.
Venus quincunx Jupiter close at 1.6°
His taste and his appetite for more needed adjusting: he kept learning what was enough.
Mercury sextile Pluto close at 2.0°
A probing mind: he got to the bottom of things, and his words had power when he chose to use them.
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The Sun quincunx Uranus close at 2.0°
His restlessness kept testing his plans, so he changed course more than once to stay true to himself.
Venus square North Node close at 2.7°
What felt comfortable in love and what helped him grow were different things, and he chose between them more than once.
Venus trine Mars close at 2.7°
Charm and desire worked together: he knew what he wanted in love and how to win it.
The Sun square Mars wide at 3.2°
He fought hard for what he wanted, and his temper was part of his courage.
Venus trine Uranus wide at 3.9°
He loved the unusual: original taste, unexpected friendships and a style all his own.
Jupiter sextile North Node wide at 4.3°
Hope helped him grow: faith in what was possible kept him moving forward.
The Sun opposition Jupiter wide at 4.3°
He reached for more than one life could hold: big plans, big promises, and a habit of saying yes before counting the hours.
Mercury trine Saturn wide at 6.8°
A patient, exact mind: he chose every word, and his thinking got sharper with practice.
Uranus opposition Pluto wide at 7.2°
Upheaval and the urge to break free ran strong, and he pushed for change rather than waiting for it.
Saturn conjunction North Node wide at 7.5°
A serious path: growing asked for patience, and he gave it.
Neptune opposition North Node wide at 7.7°
Dreams and the way forward clashed, and growing meant trading some illusions for clear sight.
Chart signature
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The chart’s balance at a glance: which of the four elements and three modes it leans on, which body is most connected, and any body standing alone.
Elements
Modes
The Moon changed sign that day; it is counted where it stood at noon.
You and Duke Ellington
See where your chart meets Duke Ellington’s, and the signs you share.