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Zodiac System Selection

Select the zodiac framework for position calculations. Cygnus supports two zodiac systems that differ in how they define the starting point of the zodiac.

Selecting a Zodiac System

Select a zodiac system from the Zodiac dropdown in the study configuration panel.

Available Systems

  • Tropical -- The zodiac is aligned with the equinoxes. The first point of Aries corresponds to the spring equinox. This is the system used by most Western astrologers.
  • Sidereal -- The zodiac is aligned with fixed star constellations. Positions are offset from tropical positions by the ayanamsa (the precession of the equinoxes). Vedic (Jyotish) astrologers primarily use this system.
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The choice of zodiac system affects the Sign Position metric. Longitude values remain the same in both systems; only the sign-based representation differs.