Mars ingress calculation reference
How Maha defines and brackets each Mars zodiac-boundary crossing in tropical and Lahiri-sidereal coordinates, including repeated crossings and uncertainty.
Timing reference · released 2026-08-18
Event definition
A Mars ingress is a root of the signed angular distance between its declared geocentric ecliptic longitude and a selected 30-degree zodiac boundary. Mars can remain in or revisit a sign for months around opposition, making a single mean-duration estimate inadequate.
Reproducible calculation
Sample Mars longitude through the requested interval, unwrap longitude continuously, detect every change across the selected boundary, and refine each bracket to the declared time tolerance. Repeat the search independently in tropical and Lahiri-sidereal frames; retain crossing direction rather than collapsing retrograde re-entry into the first result.
Required inputs
- UTC search interval
- Mars ephemeris state and observing origin
- Tropical or named sidereal frame
- Boundary longitude and numerical tolerance
Maha convention
Maha treats usually one sign in several weeks, with much longer stays near retrograde as orientation only, never as a search shortcut. Results retain UTC, frame, ayanāṁśa where applicable, direction, crossing sequence, ephemeris/software version, and the continuous longitude on both sides of the root.
Uncertainty and edge cases
An ingress near the edge of the search interval, an ephemeris disagreement, or an ayanāṁśa difference can move the reported crossing. Retrograde loops can add crossings rather than merely shifting one date, so the complete interval must be searched before counting events.
How reports may use this reference
Reports may state that Mars crossed a declared boundary at a reproducible instant and show the corresponding tropical and sidereal labels separately. Any tradition-specific interpretation must cite a reviewed rule and cannot borrow authority from the numerical crossing.
What this does not establish
The crossing does not establish that a new life or business phase begins, that an event will occur, or that Mars causes an outcome.
Calculation and convention sources
Sources establish astronomical states or a declared chronology convention. They do not establish predictive meaning.
- Horizons System Manual
NASA/JPL Solar System Dynamics · 4.98d (2025-11-21)
Time-indexed solar-system states, observer centers, coordinate frames, apparent corrections, and output quantities used to verify planetary event searches.
Boundary: Horizons establishes astronomical states only when the complete query contract is retained; it supplies no astrological interpretation.
- Astronomy Engine
Don Cross (cosinekitty) · 2.1.19
Locally computed planetary longitudes, moon phases, eclipses, and search primitives used by Maha’s deterministic calculation layer.
Boundary: Library output is a computed astronomical result. Its reproducibility does not validate a symbolic or predictive meaning.
- Standards of Fundamental Astronomy
International Astronomical Union SOFA Board · 2023-10-11 release
Standard astronomical time-scale, precession, nutation, Earth-rotation, and coordinate-transformation algorithms.
Boundary: A standard transformation still requires declared inputs, ephemeris data, frame, origin, corrections, and software release.