South Node — Astrology glossary

The South Node is the second lunar node, opposite the North Node, where the Moon crosses the ecliptic moving south. Like its counterpart, it is a calculated point rather than a physical body, and the two always sit exactly opposite each other. In astrology the South Node represents what already comes naturally: ingrained habits, inherited talents, and patterns a person falls back on without effort. In a natal chart it matters as the counterweight to the North Node's growth: the South Node shows the familiar territory one is meant to lean on but not hide in. For example, someone with the South Node in Cancer is read as having an easy, well-worn capacity for nurturing and emotional retreat, which can become a comfort zone they overuse when challenged.