A TOPIC · ASTRA ANIMA
The Moon and cycles: what happens in the sky and how astrology interprets it
This collection brings together two different ways of looking at the sky. Astronomy explains observable phenomena and the motion of celestial bodies; astrology interprets cycles and transits symbolically. We keep those approaches distinct and do not present interpretations as scientific forecasts.
Begin with the Moon, stars and planets, then explore how astrological traditions make symbolic meaning from particular cycles.
Articles in this guide: 13
The Moon and the sky
Observable phenomena that help make sense of the night and daytime sky.
Why Can We See the Moon in Broad Daylight?
The Moon does not belong exclusively to the night. It reflects sunlight and spends roughly half its time above the horizon during daylight - it is simply harder to notice against a bright sky.
Why Does the Moon Always Face Earth with the Same Side?
It may seem that the Moon does not rotate on its axis at all. In fact, it does - one rotation simply takes almost exactly as long as one orbit around Earth: about 27.3 days.
Why Do Stars Twinkle While Planets Shine More Steadily?
The light of a distant star passes through constantly moving layers of Earth’s atmosphere. Air varies in temperature and density, so the light changes direction slightly many times. To an observer, the star appears to tremble, grow brighter and dimmer, and sometimes even change colour.
What Is a Shooting Star Really?
Real stars do not fall anywhere. The bright streak that crosses the night sky for a second is a meteor.
Why Does Sunlight Take More Than Eight Minutes to Reach Earth?
Light moves at an incredible speed - almost 300,000 kilometres per second. Even so, it needs time to cross the cosmic distance between the Sun and Earth.
Why Is Sunday Considered the Sun’s Day?
In ancient tradition, every day of the week was associated with one of the seven celestial bodies that could be observed without a telescope.
Astrological cycles and transits
A symbolic look at planetary ingresses and lunar phases - without promises to predict specific events.
What changes when Venus moves into Scorpio?
On September 10, Venus moves from Libra into Scorpio.
New Moon in Virgo: why does a good new cycle begin with order?
A New Moon occurs on September 11 at 03:27 UTC. In tropical astrology, it takes place in Virgo.
Full Moon in Aries: where does compromise end and losing yourself begin?
A Full Moon occurs on September 26 at 16:49 UTC. In tropical astrology, the Moon is in Aries, opposite the Sun in Libra.
More articles in this topic
Why Does the Moon Change Signs Every Few Days While Pluto Takes Years?
In an astrological calendar, the Moon is in one sign today and in the next a couple of days later. Pluto can remain in one sign for years. The difference can seem almost magical until you look at the scale of their motion.
Planetary Transits: How Is Today’s Sky Compared with a Natal Chart?
A natal chart records the positions of celestial bodies at the moment of birth. The sky has not stood still since. When an astrologer compares current planetary positions with those in a birth chart, they are looking at transits.
The Lunar Nodes Aren’t Planets: What Are These Points, and Why Do Astrologers Use Them?
On a natal chart, the lunar nodes have symbols and precise coordinates. But you cannot see them through a telescope as two celestial bodies. The nodes are the points where the Moon’s orbit crosses the plane of Earth’s orbit around the Sun—the ecliptic.
Retrograde Motion: Why Do Planets Seem to Move Backward in the Sky?
If you track Mars against the stars for a few weeks, its path on a chart may unexpectedly bend. It seems to slow down, stop, and move backward for a while. Has the planet actually reversed direction in its orbit?