North and South Lunar Node calculator

The Lunar Nodes are the two points where the Moon's orbit crosses the Sun's apparent path (the ecliptic). The North Node is the point where the Moon crosses from south of the ecliptic to north of it; the South Node is the exact point opposite. Eclipses only occur when the Sun is close to this axis.

Retrograde motion and the 18.6-year cycle

The Nodes move backward through the zodiac and complete a full circuit in about 18.6 years, staying on each sign axis for roughly a year and a half on average. The two Nodes are always in opposite signs: if the North Node is in Aries, the South Node is in Libra.

The Mean Node

The calculator uses the Mean Node, which moves backward at a steady rate. The True Node can deviate from it by nearly two degrees and occasionally moves forward briefly. On dates very close to a sign boundary, the two methods can give different signs.

What do the Lunar Nodes describe?

In modern Western astrology, the North Node is associated with growth and direction, while the South Node is associated with familiar, easy patterns. In Vedic astrology, the Nodes are interpreted in a different framework under the names Rahu and Ketu.

These are interpretive traditions, not a scientifically validated measurement.

Do you need a birth time?

The Nodes move about 0.05 degrees a day, so your birth date alone is enough to find their sign. Enter your birth time as well to see which houses the Nodes fall in on your chart.