Chitra is the 14th of the 27 nakshatras, the lunar mansions of Indian astronomy. It spans 23°20′ Kanya to 6°40′ Tula of the sidereal zodiac. Its name means "the bright one", its presiding deity is Tvashtr, the divine craftsman, and its planetary lord in the Vimśottarī system is Mars.

The span is calculated with the Lahiri ayanamsa. The name, deity, lord and junction star are traditional and cited below; they describe a cultural system, not a measured influence.

Nakshatra 14 of 27 · Kanya (Virgo) / Tula (Libra)

Chitra चित्रा

The bright one

Presided over by Tvashtr, the divine craftsman, and ruled by Mars.

At a glance

TRADITION
Position
14th of 27
Sidereal span
23°20′ Kanya – 6°40′ Tula
Sign
Kanya (Virgo) → Tula (Libra)
Planetary lord
Mars
Presiding deity
Tvashtr
Junction star
Spica (α Virginis)

When the Moon is next in Chitra

Times in UTC · Lahiri ayanamsa · to the nearest minute

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The four padas

Each pada is a quarter of 3°20′. The 108 padas of the zodiac cycle through the twelve signs in order, giving each pada its navamsa (D9) sign.

Pada 1

23°20′ Kanya – 26°40′ Kanya

Navamsa: Simha

Pada 2

26°40′ Kanya – 30°00′ Kanya

Navamsa: Kanya

Pada 3

0°00′ Tula – 3°20′ Tula

Navamsa: Tula

Pada 4

3°20′ Tula – 6°40′ Tula

Navamsa: Vrischika

The other Mars mansions

The nine lords repeat three times around the zodiac, so each lord rules three mansions, 120° apart.

Sources

  • Taittirīya Saṃhitā 4.4.10 — the Vedic list of nakshatras with their presiding deities. Keith, A. B. (Trans.). (1914). The Veda of the Black Yajus School entitled Taittiriya Sanhita (Part 2). Harvard University Press. Read the translation
  • Sūrya Siddhānta, chapter 8 — the asterisms and their junction stars. Burgess, E. (Trans.). (1858–1860). Translation of the Sûrya-Siddhânta, a text-book of Hindu astronomy. Journal of the American Oriental Society, 6. Read the translation
  • Bṛhat Parāśara Horā Śāstra, Vimśottarī daśā chapter — the nine planetary lords in nakshatra order. Santhanam, R. (Trans.). (1984). Brihat Parasara Hora Sastra (Vol. 2). Ranjan Publications.

Junction-star identifications differ between texts and commentators. English meanings are approximate renderings of the Sanskrit name.