Robert Sterling Hand was born December 5, in 1942, in Plainfield, New Jersey. He graduated with a B.A. in history from Brandeis University and attended Princeton University. He is currently studying at the Catholic University of America for his Ph.D. in medieval history.

Hand began studying astrology in 1960 at the age of 17. His father, Wilfred Hand, taught him the basics of casting astrological charts and claimed to be a specialist in Heliocentric astrology and Cosmobiology; his father also claimed to have used astrological cycles for use in forecasting the financial and stock markets. In 1972 Rob began practicing astrology as a full-time profession.

He began writing programs for microcomputers in 1977 in order to bring the benefits of fast and accurate calculations to the practice of astrology. Out of this effort, he founded Astro-Graphics Services in 1980 which later become Astrolabe, Inc.(see also Astrology and computers).

Robert Hand founded the Archive for the Retrieval of Historical Astrological Texts (ARHAT) in 1997, an archive that publishes translations of ancient and medieval texts pertaining to the ancient/classical/medieval study of astrology. ARHAT Media Inc. and The Robert Hand Library now house the original texts and translations of dozens of ancient, classical, and medieval astrologers/astronomers, philosophers, and scientists.

Mr. Hand has also served as Chairman of the National Council of Geocosmic Research, and holds membership in other organizations including AFAN, ISAR, the Astrological Lodge of London, the Astrological Association of Great Britain, as is a patron of the Faculty of Astrological Studies. He is the current Chairman of the Board for Kepler College of Astrological Arts and Sciences.

Robert Hand lectures in conferences, seminars, and workshops worldwide and operates an astrological consulting practice in the Washington, D.C area. He offers professional astrological services to astrologers and the general public, using tropical, heliocentric, sidereal, Uranian, cosmobiological, Astrological Mapping and in mundo techniques with classical, medieval and modern methods.

Hand is the author, editor, and/or translator of several books. His major works to date include:

• Planets in Transit: Life Cycles for Living. (Whitford Press, 1976) ISBN 978-0914918240.
• Planets in Composite: Analyzing Human Relationships. (Para Research, 1975). ISBN 978-0914918028.
• Planets in Youth: Patterns of Early Development. (Para Research, 1977). ISBN 978-0914918264
• Essays on Astrology. (Schiffer Publishing, 1982). ISBN 978-0914918424.
• Night and Day: Planetary Sect in Astrology. (ARHAT Publications, 1995).
• Horoscope Symbols. (Para Research, 1981). ISBN 978-0914918165.
• Whole Sign Houses: The Oldest House System. (ARHAT Publications, 1999).