Compute Planetary Returns

Use the /v1/returns endpoint to find the exact moment a transiting planet returns to its natal longitude and get a full chart for that moment.

What you need

Birth date and time in UTC (the natal longitude is computed from this)
Search start date — when to begin looking for the return
Location — where the person is at the time of the return (for house cusps)

Solar return for the current year

Bash

curl "https://api.morphemeris.com/v1/returns?\
body=sun\
&datetime=1990-06-15T18:30:00Z\
&search_start=2024-01-01T00:00:00Z\
&lat=38.4496&lon=-78.8689" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer morphemeris_live_YOUR_KEY"

The response includes a full chart at the return moment — positions, houses, aspects, and dignities — just like a natal chart.

Track monthly lunar returns

Lunar returns happen roughly every 27.3 days. Use count to get several at once:

javascript

const res = await fetch(
  "https://api.morphemeris.com/v1/returns?" + new URLSearchParams({
    body: "moon",
    datetime: "1990-06-15T18:30:00Z",
    search_start: "2024-03-01T00:00:00Z",
    lat: "38.4496", lon: "-78.8689",
    count: "6",
  }),
  { headers: { Authorization: `Bearer ${apiKey}` } }
);
const { data } = await res.json();

for (const chart of data.charts) {
  console.log(`Return on ${chart.metadata.datetime}`);
  console.log(`  Ascendant: ${chart.houses.ascendant.sign} ${chart.houses.ascendant.sign_degree.toFixed(1)}°`);
}

Find a Saturn return

Saturn returns happen roughly every 29.5 years. For someone born in 1995, the first Saturn return occurs around 2024-2025:

Python

import requests

res = requests.get(
    "https://api.morphemeris.com/v1/returns",
    params={
        "body": "saturn",
        "datetime": "1995-08-20T14:00:00Z",
        "search_start": "2024-01-01T00:00:00Z",
        "lat": 40.7128, "lon": -74.006,
    },
    headers={"Authorization": "Bearer morphemeris_live_YOUR_KEY"},
)
data = res.json()["data"]

print(f"Natal Saturn: {data['natal_longitude']:.2f}°")
for chart in data["charts"]:
    print(f"Saturn return: {chart['metadata']['datetime']}")

Saturn's retrograde motion means it may cross the natal degree multiple times — the response includes each crossing in chronological order.

Compare a return chart with the natal chart

Use /v1/synastry to overlay the return chart onto the natal chart and see the inter-chart aspects:

Bash

curl "https://api.morphemeris.com/v1/synastry?\
datetime_a=1990-06-15T18:30:00Z&lat_a=40.7128&lon_a=-74.006\
&datetime_b=2024-06-14T17:37:00Z&lat_b=38.4496&lon_b=-78.8689" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer morphemeris_live_YOUR_KEY"

Use the return moment's datetime and the person's current location as chart B.

Tips

The search_start should be before the expected return. For solar returns, January 1 of the target year works well.
Return chart location matters — use the person's current residence, not their birthplace.
Solar returns cost 2 credits. Using count doesn't multiply the cost.
See Planetary Returns for background on return chart interpretation.

Compute Planetary Returns

Compute Planetary Returns

What you need

Solar return for the current year

Track monthly lunar returns

Find a Saturn return

Compare a return chart with the natal chart

Tips

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