North Node — Astrology glossary

The North Node is one of the two lunar nodes, the points where the Moon's orbit crosses the ecliptic, the Sun's apparent path. It is not a body but a calculated point, marking where the Moon moves north across the ecliptic. In astrology the North Node represents the direction of growth: qualities and experiences a person is drawn to develop but does not find automatic. In a natal chart it matters because it points away from comfort, toward what feels unfamiliar yet rewarding. For example, someone with the North Node in Capricorn is read as learning to build structure, take responsibility, and work toward long-term goals, even if their instinct pulls toward the easier, more emotional patterns of the opposite sign. The nodes move backward through the zodiac, completing a cycle in about eighteen and a half years.