✦ Astrology Glossary
Lunar Node
Points where the Moon's orbit crosses the ecliptic, revealing karmic themes and life direction.
Lunar Nodes are not planets but mathematical points where the Moon's orbit intersects the ecliptic (the Sun's apparent path). The North Node (True Node) points toward growth and unfamiliar territory, while the South Node represents comfort zones and past patterns. Together, they form an axis that highlights your soul's evolutionary path.
How it works
In a natal chart, the Lunar Nodes always appear opposite each other, about 18 degrees apart. Their sign and house placement reveal the tension between what you're naturally good at (South Node) and what you need to develop (North Node). For example, a North Node in Aries in the 1st house suggests learning independence and self-assertion, while the South Node in Libra in the 7th points to a tendency to over-rely on relationships. The Nodes move retrograde through the zodiac, spending about 18 months in each sign.
In practice
When interpreting Lunar Nodes, focus on the North Node's sign and house as a growth area—where life pushes you out of your comfort zone. The South Node shows skills you already possess but may lean on too heavily. Transits to the Nodes (especially eclipses) often mark turning points. For a personalized look, build your chart and check which houses your Nodes occupy.
✦ Astraly
The full astro calendar
Full moons, new moons, retrogrades, ingresses. The Moon's exact position, every day.
☽See the calendar →Related terms
Balsamic Moon
The Balsamic Moon phase is the final, quiet stage of the lunar cycle, a time for release and reflection before the new moon.
Blood Moon
A Blood Moon is a total lunar eclipse where the Moon appears reddish, caused by sunlight filtering through Earth's atmosphere.
Crescent Moon
A lunar phase occurring a few days after the New Moon, when a thin sliver of the Moon becomes visible.
Disseminating Moon
The Disseminating Moon is the phase after the Full Moon, when the Moon wanes and the light begins to decrease.
Full Moon
A Full Moon occurs when the Sun and Moon are opposite, illuminating the sky and highlighting themes of culmination and release.
Gibbous Moon
A phase between the First Quarter and Full Moon, when the Moon is more than half but not fully illuminated.