Planet Positions

Overview

Pass observer latitude, longitude, and a chosen planet from Pluto to the Moon. The API calculates observation geometry with optional observer altitude and observation time, returning whether the target sits below the local horizon. Paid plans let you set specific dates and return right ascension, declination, distances, sidereal time, and Cartesian position vectors.

Endpoint

One host, one path per API. The block below shows this call in four languages; every one of them is the same HTTP request. Making requests covers the timeouts, retries and parameter rules that apply to all of them. The SDKs wrap the same call in a typed client.

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curl -X POST https://api.apiverve.com/v1/planetpositions \
  -H "x-api-key: your_api_key_here" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
  "planet": "Moon",
  "date": "2025-04-15 10:37:00",
  "lat": 37.7749,
  "lon": -122.4194,
  "alt": 52
}'

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const res = await fetch('https://api.apiverve.com/v1/planetpositions', {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: {
    'x-api-key': 'your_api_key_here',
    'Content-Type': 'application/json',
  },
  body: JSON.stringify({
  "planet": "Moon",
  "date": "2025-04-15 10:37:00",
  "lat": 37.7749,
  "lon": -122.4194,
  "alt": 52
}),
});

if (!res.ok) throw new Error(`${res.status} ${await res.text()}`);

const { data } = await res.json();
console.log(data);

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import requests

res = requests.post(
    "https://api.apiverve.com/v1/planetpositions",
    headers={"x-api-key": "your_api_key_here"},
    json={
    "planet": "Moon",
    "date": "2025-04-15 10:37:00",
    "lat": 37.7749,
    "lon": -122.4194,
    "alt": 52
},
    timeout=15,
)
res.raise_for_status()

print(res.json()["data"])

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package main

import (
	"fmt"
	"io"
	"net/http"
	"strings"
)

func main() {
	body := strings.NewReader(`{
  "planet": "Moon",
  "date": "2025-04-15 10:37:00",
  "lat": 37.7749,
  "lon": -122.4194,
  "alt": 52
}`)
	req, _ := http.NewRequest("POST", "https://api.apiverve.com/v1/planetpositions", body)
	req.Header.Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
	req.Header.Set("x-api-key", "your_api_key_here")

	res, err := http.DefaultClient.Do(req)
	if err != nil {
		panic(err)
	}
	defer res.Body.Close()

	out, _ := io.ReadAll(res.Body)
	fmt.Println(string(out))
}

Replace your_api_key_here with the key from your dashboard. When the inputs arrive as a list rather than one at a time, batch requests run up to 200 of them through this same API in a single call.

Authentication

Send your key in the x-api-key header. That is the only auth step — there is no token exchange and no per-endpoint scope to configure. Authentication covers creating, rotating and revoking keys.

Parameters

Sent as JSON in the request body. Premium parameters are accepted on every plan but only take effect on plans that include them.

Response

Every API returns the same three top-level keys, so one response handler covers your whole integration: status, error and data. Only data changes shape. Response format covers the envelope, the other output formats and how premium fields are withheld.

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{
  "status": "ok",
  "error": null,
  "data": {
    "planet": "Moon",
    "isBelowHorizon": false,
    "date": "2025-04-15T10:37:00Z",
    "observer": {
      "latitude": 37.7749,
      "longitude": -122.4194
    },
    "rightAscension": {
      "hours": 15,
      "minutes": 13,
      "seconds": 11
    },
    "declination": {
      "degrees": -23,
      "minutes": 10,
      "seconds": 56
    },
    "distance": {
      "km": 402457.36,
      "lightTravelSeconds": 1.342,
      "astronomicalUnits": 0.003
    },
    "siderealTime": {
      "hours": 16,
      "minutes": 2,
      "seconds": 42
    },
    "hourAngle": {
      "hours": 0,
      "minutes": 49,
      "seconds": 31
    },
    "vectors": {
      "x": -0.0016452947779903913,
      "y": -0.0018463324771434563,
      "z": -0.0010590407236111441
    }
  }
}

Response fields

Paths are relative to data. Premium fields are absent rather than zeroed on plans that do not include them, so check for presence instead of comparing to 0.

Errors

Read the HTTP status first, then error for the specific reason. The body names the parameter that has to change. Error handling covers the full status list and which of them are worth retrying.

Use cases

Stargazing Tour Scheduling

When planning evening viewing sessions, astronomy guides check if target planets sit below the horizon at their field camp location and scheduled observation time.

Telescope Mount Pointing

Astrophotographers on paid plans calculate exact right ascension and declination coordinates to aim automated tracking mounts toward visible solar system targets.

Astrology Chart Generation

Natal chart software queries planetary bodies across specific dates on paid plans to map celestial positions for birth chart generation.

Planetarium Display Sync

To project accurate night sky exhibits, science museum kiosks query live planetary coordinates based on local building coordinates and viewing time.

Other ways to use Planet Positions

Set up Planet Positions on APIVerve, or reach the same source a different way. Your APIVerve account and credits work on all of them — one key, one balance.

Related

More in Astrology: