Learn Jyotish
Rahu and Ketu, the lunar nodes
Rahu and Ketu are not physical planets but the two points where the Moon's orbit crosses the Sun's apparent path. In Jyotish, Rahu signifies desire and the unfamiliar; Ketu signifies detachment and past mastery.
Rahu and Ketu are the north and south lunar nodes: the two points where the Moon's orbital plane intersects the ecliptic. Eclipses happen when the Sun and Moon line up near these points, which is why mythology links the nodes to eclipses. They are always exactly opposite each other and move backwards through the zodiac, taking about 18 years for a full cycle.
What does Rahu mean in a chart?
Rahu amplifies the house and sign it occupies: ambition, fascination, the foreign and the unconventional, technology, and sometimes obsession. Its house often shows where you hunger to grow.
What does Ketu mean in a chart?
Ketu represents detachment, intuition, research and spirituality — areas where you may have natural skill but less attachment. Its house can show where you let go more easily.
Mean node or true node?
The mean node is a smoothed average position; the true node includes the Moon's orbital wobble and can differ by up to about 1.5°. Many Indian almanacs use the mean node, which is VYOMIRA's default.
Common questions
Are Rahu and Ketu real planets?
No. They are mathematical points — the lunar nodes — where the Moon's orbit crosses the ecliptic. Jyotish treats them as shadow planets (chaya grahas).
How long is a Rahu Mahadasha?
18 years in the Vimshottari dasha system; Ketu's Mahadasha lasts 7 years.
Keep reading
- What is a Janam Kundli (Vedic birth chart)?
- Sade Sati: what it is — and what it isn't
- Manglik (Kuja) dosha, explained calmly
- How to read your Kundli in five steps
Updated 6 November 2026 · VYOMIRA by Cloudisoft