The true lunar nodes
The nodes are where the Moon’s orbit crosses the ecliptic. This site uses the true node of the birth moment. The north node and the south node face each other.
Editorial review: 2026-09-22 · Reviewed by fateshow · Editorial method
The true node is not the mean node
The true node wobbles. Read whichever the chart prints. Do not edit its degrees from a mean-node table.
North and south are two ends of one axis
They sit about 180 degrees apart. Name the north node’s sign and the south node is in the opposite sign. They are not two unrelated matters, and they are not proof of a past life.
North node in Aries
Illustration: the true north node is at 12 Aries, so the south node sits near Libra. Write north node in Aries, south node in Libra, and say it is the true node. It is not “this life must develop toward Aries.”
Common mistakes
- Replacing the true node with the mean node.
- Turning the nodes into a past and a future life.
- Treating the nodes as Zi Wei’s Life and Body palaces.
Use it in fateshow
Frequently asked questions
Do the nodes move backward?
They usually travel backward along the ecliptic. Still use the position and speed on the chart. Do not memorise a direction apart from it.
Do I read the nodes before the Ascendant?
The Ascendant is a horizon axis. The nodes are the Moon’s orbital crossings. Write both. Neither replaces the other.
Does synastry include node contacts?
Each person needs a natal node first. An angle across charts is written only when the synastry tool prints it.
Sources and editorial basis
- 1. fateshow chart rule snapshot
Each generated report stores the engine settings that produced it. Compare those settings before treating two charts as the same calculation.
- 2. fateshow interpretation dictionary
Plain-language tendencies used in reports. They describe conditions and cautions, not fixed personality or inevitable outcomes.