Where the Moon's path crosses the Sun's
The lunar nodes are not planets. They are the two points where the Moon's tilted orbit crosses the ecliptic, the Sun's yearly path through the zodiac. The North Node is the crossing where the Moon heads north, and the South Node sits exactly opposite.
Because the two points are always 180 degrees apart, your South Node sign is the opposite of your North Node sign. If your North Node is in Gemini, your South Node is in Sagittarius.
Mean node or true node?
The node's position wobbles as the Sun pulls on the Moon's orbit. The mean node smooths out that wobble and moves steadily backward. The true node follows the actual, slightly irregular position, and can briefly appear to stand still or even move forward.
The two can differ by up to a degree or two, and once in a while that difference puts them in neighboring signs. Astrologers use both, so we show both. If they disagree on your sign, you can read each one and see which fits your experience.
A backward cycle of 18.6 years
The nodes move through the zodiac in reverse order, from Aries back to Pisces, then Aquarius, and so on. A full circle takes about 18.6 years, so they spend roughly one and a half years in each sign.
That shared timing means your node sign is shared by everyone born within that stretch. The North Node entered Pisces on January 29, 2025, moved into Aquarius on August 18, 2026, and reaches Capricorn on March 7, 2028. The house your node occupies, which needs a birth time, is what makes it more personal.
How astrologers read the nodes
In modern astrology the South Node is linked with familiar habits and talents that come easily, sometimes described as a comfort zone. The North Node is read as the direction of growth: qualities that feel less natural but are said to bring a sense of purpose when developed.
Older traditions read the nodes more as points of increase and release, often in connection with eclipses. Eclipses happen when a New or Full Moon falls near the nodes, which is why astrologers link the two.
Next steps with your nodes
Many readers look at the North Node together with the planet that rules its sign. Your full birth chart shows both, along with the house each node falls in.
Some astrologers also rotate the entire chart around the North Node, a technique you can try with the draconic chart. For another calculated point tied to the Moon, see the Lilith calculator.