# Mandelbrot Set

> Draws the Mandelbrot set as a coloured image inside a time and price box that you place on the chart.

Updated: 2026-10-24T23:15:41.000Z · https://chartrider.com/docs/indicators/mandelbrot/

## What you see
An image of the Mandelbrot set, stretched over a box you place on the chart. It does not use market data and does not change with new candles – it is a picture to lay over price for visual comparison. The default viewport shows the whole set.

## How it is computed
For every pixel the indicator takes the complex number c = Re + i·Im and repeats z → z² + c, starting at z = 0. If |z| stays at or below 2 for all iterations up to **Depth**, the point belongs to the set and is drawn dark indigo. Points that escape earlier get a colour from a smooth escape-time gradient that cycles through several hues; points that escape very quickly stay transparent, so the candles show through.

Only the upper half of the set (Im ≥ 0) is drawn; the lower half is its mirror image. The box maps the complex plane onto the chart:

| Chart | Complex plane |
|---|---|
| Start → End | Re Min → Re Max |
| Price (Re=0) → Price Max | Im = 0 → Im Max |

## Placing it
Switch **Select time range** to Active, then click twice in the chart: the two clicks are opposite corners of the box, in time and price. You can also right-click the chart and use Indicators → Mandelbrot Set → Start here, End here, Pick range or Clear, or type the values in the settings. Nothing is drawn until the box has a start, an end and two different prices.

## Settings

Open the settings with the slider icon next to the indicator (Indicators, `F3`). Numeric settings can be swept as Step 1 / Step 2 parameters when you run a strategy.

### Placement

| Setting | Type | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Select time range | Switch | Inactive | Active: the next two clicks in the chart set opposite corners of the box. Turns itself off after the second click. Inactive / Active. |
| Start | Date and time | – | Left edge of the box (Re Min). |
| End | Date and time | – | Right edge of the box (Re Max). |
| Price (Re=0) | Number | `0` | Lower price edge of the box. The real axis (Im = 0) lies on this edge. |
| Price Max | Number | `0` | Upper price edge of the box (Im Max). 0 means not set. |

### Mandelbrot Viewport

| Setting | Type | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Re Min | Number | `-2.5` | Real part at the left edge. |
| Re Max | Number | `1` | Real part at the right edge. |
| Im Max | Number | `1.25` | Imaginary part at the top edge; the bottom edge is always Im = 0. |

### Rendering

| Setting | Type | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depth | Number | `256` | Maximum number of iterations per pixel (32 to 2048). Higher values show finer detail near the boundary and take longer. |
| Grid Width | Number | `2048` | Horizontal resolution of the image in pixels (64 to 3840). |
| Grid Height | Number | `1024` | Vertical resolution of the image in pixels (64 to 2160). |
| Opacity | Slider | `0.85` | Transparency of the image. |

## Outputs

This indicator draws on the chart only – it has no values for Trade Setup gates or `use indicator`.