ASTROLOGY
The
Lunar Nodes
 
North
Node - South Node
The lunar
nodes are represented by a horseshoe symbol. The horseshoe is
open on the bottom for the north node and open on the top for
the south node.The lunar nodes, north and south, are not real
planets. Lunar nodes are points that mark the intersection of
the Moon's orbit around the Earth with the ecliptic path. The
ecliptic is the illusory path of the Sun as it revolves around
the Earth during a year. Actually, it is the Earth's circle around
the Sun in the annual orb.The nodes are merely the interception
of these two orbit lines. One when the Moon is passing south to
north, and the other when Moon is passing north to south.All the
planets form nodes but only the Moon's are considered significant
enough to be included in horoscopic analysis.
The North
Lunar Node is the point at which the interception is made while
the Moon is ascending from the south to the north. Hence it is also
called the Ascending Node. In Hindu astrology it is called the Dragon's
Head . The South Lunar Node is also known as the Descending Node
or the Dragon's Tail. These two nodes are always exactly opposite
of one another.
When the Sun
and Moon are in conjunction, and either lunar node is also in conjunction
with both, a solar eclipse occurs. When the Sun and Moon are in
opposition, and each is in conjunction with one of the lunar nodes,
a lunar eclipse occurs.
The north node
is viewed a point of opportunity for growth and development, while
the south is thought to represent karmic repression or tendencies
that restrict growth. The north node carries the positive tone of
Jupiter, while the south node expresses the restrictions of Saturn.
The north node represents positive objectives and the south node
denotes the easy way out with little opportunity for growth.The
lunar nodes travel backwards at the rate of about 3 minutes a day.
It takes 18 1/2 years for a lunar node return to occur.The
lunar nodes are taken seriously in compatibility analysis between
two characters.
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