The Scope Scoop Recommends
Astrologers
Different specializations mean that there are infinite ways to “do” astrology, and every individual astrologer is going to come up with their way of doing things according to their background, preferred techniques, approach, etc. Any field with a lot of specializations needs a system for referrals—in medicine, you have your general doctor, but if you’re going for something specific, your doctor will usually refer you to a specialist, who may or may not refer you to another kind of specialist, etc.
The same is true for astrology! If we apply this metaphor, Cam would be the “general astrologer” because of her conceptual, holistic, and practical approach, and the astrologers listed below would be “specialists” who can help you with specific things that Cam touches on, but doesn’t focus on as much.
Elizabeth from The Sol Ascension incorporates the natural sciences into her spiritual ascension coaching and is a specialist in living authentically.
Diana from Voice of the Sacred incorporates psychology and the humanities into her evolutionary astrological analyses and is a specialist in karma and past lives.
The Scope Scoop's philosophy combines scholarship and spirituality. Our ethos is one of spreading knowledge and (healthy, holistic, non-toxic) positivity—inclusively and ethically. Cam wants to support others who share this philosophy! If this sounds like you, and you want to be listed, please Contact Us.
Make a Chart
There are so many places to get charts online and receive a generic, impersonal interpretation. There are pros and cons to each of these sites and specific things that some do better than others and vice versa, but deciding which one to use ultimately comes down to aesthetic preferences. Below, you’ll find the 3 top sites for creating astrological charts; in all of them, the data on the charts is customizable (i.e., which planets are included, which house system is used). These sites also have many other amazing tools besides making charts, such as databases filled with charts of famous people, places, and events.
Astro-Seek.com is hands-down the best (free) tool for astrology (at this moment). And the site itself is quite easy to navigate with different tabs that group together the different tools and techniques. It is particularly excellent for cosmic alignment and co-creating reality with the cosmos (“manifesting”) because of all its different transit and timing-related tools. Plus, they have an extensive list of generic interpretations and explanations, which they freely provide for almost every single imaginable different cosmic situation—placement descriptions, general transit explanations, personal transit meanings, etc.
When you create a chart on their site, all you need to do is enter the information—date of birth, time, and birth city—but after you do that, make sure to click “extended settings” and change the “house system” from “placidus” (the default on all chart websites) to “whole sign.”
Note that the sheer amount of tools and options available might be a bit overwhelming for an astrological novice. This is why Cam has written some tips and tricks for using this website on her Patreon page. Also, since it’s Cam’s preferred learning/teaching tool for astrology, Patrons can always send DMs with questions for help using and understanding this site.
Astro-Charts.com is for highly visually appealing and aesthetically pleasing charts. If you’re a complete beginner and have never even looked at a chart before, this is probably the least overwhelming place to start because of its visual simplicity, which makes it a bit easier to comprehend and take in.
When you create a chart on their site, all you need to do is fill in your details (name, place, date, time). Once you get to the chart, you’ll be able to change the “settings,” so make sure to change the “houses” to the “whole sign (oldest)” system.
Astro.com offers a wide variety of automatically-generated reports based on the given birth date and is also the best place for finding celebrity or historical figure/event charts (especially if you’re searching for specific aspects/placements).
These charts are what you’re most likely going to see if you are part of a lot of astrology-themed groups on Facebook.
Note that they definitely have an overwhelming amount of learning resources for the astrological novice—even their basic chart interpretation that they do for every chart is quite extensive and technical. However, if you’re already fairly advanced in your study, you should definitely make use of their free articles!
NOTE:
All three of these websites offer automatically-generated reports. Some reports are free, or at least they are free samples of what you might get if you purchase the full report. Although there are certain benefits to automatically-generated reports, if you are going to purchase a report, The Scope Scoop's suggestion is to purchase a unique, personalized report rather than a cookie-cutter one.
Monthly Forecasts
This does not mean horoscopes—which are rarely based on any actual astrology and should be avoided—it means astrological weather forecast.
The Astrology Podcast (TAP)'s Monthly Forecast is usually posted a few days before the start of each month, and the video/audio can be found on their website, youtube channel, plus several other platforms.
The Astrology Podcast is a podcast started by Chris Brennan, who is the writer of Hellenistic Astrology, one of Cam’s many teachers throughout her learning journey, and the hands-down best astrologer currently working in the English-speaking world. If you only follow one of the recommendations on this page, it should absolutely be this one. TAP is the gift that keeps on giving for all astrology fans, and it just keeps getting better. More info & support here.
Best Apps
There are a lot of nonsense apps with no real astrological or spiritual foundation, so here’s the scoop on which to use if you want to really learn or get aligned.
Sky-View Lite is a star-gazing guide, not an astrology app, but it’s a must-have tool if you really want to understand what the fundamental basis of astrology is, i.e., what’s happening in the skies.
TimePassages Lite is the best and most easy-to-navigate app for keeping track of the daily transits and the current astrological weather, so it’s the best app for anyone who wants to live in a more cosmically aligned way—you can input your chart to see what your personal transits are (i.e., your personal horoscope). Make sure to change the settings to Whole Sign Houses!
Currently working on reviewing AstroGold and Chani. Stay tuned.
A Note on CoStar
This app became so popular so fast that it seems irresponsible not to mention something about it here. The scoop is that their charts (specifically, the houses) are different and this can be really confusing for the astrological novice. But, it’s just about the house system they use and the shape they’ve chosen! More significantly than the visual appearance of the charts is the way they translate things. Their interpretations are deeply situated in contemporary ‘Western’ youth culture, so they tend to be quite ethnocentric. That doesn’t make them wrong, it’s just something to be aware of.
