Astrology

Ketu approaches a Vedic astrology junction before its December sign change

Ketu is approaching a junction between Leo and Cancer, with a meeting with Mars in Leo on November 13, The Times of India reports. In Vedic astrology, Ketu is the descending lunar node, one of two points where the moon's orbit crosses the sun's apparent path across the sky.

The junction is known as Gandanta, a boundary between a water sign and the fire sign that follows it. The Times of India says Ketu and Rahu move in the reverse direction, from fire to water, at such crossings.

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Ketu approaches Mars in Leo#

The Times of India places Ketu and Mars together at 1 degree, 5 minutes in Leo on November 13, with Jupiter close by at 1 degree, 33 minutes and 15 seconds. The outlet describes the approach to Gandanta as part of the significance of the meeting.

The Sanskrit term Gandanta refers to a knot or entanglement, The Times of India reports. In the outlet's account of the astrological tradition, the junction represents the close of one phase and the start of another, linking the water and fire elements.

The Times of India identifies three such boundaries: Cancer and Leo, Scorpio and Sagittarius, and Pisces and Aries. It says the transit is significant both because of the Gandanta crossing and because the same transit last occurred 19 years ago.

Rahu and Ketu change signs#

Rahu and Ketu are called shadow planets in Vedic astrology, although they are lunar nodes rather than physical planets. Rahu is the north node and Ketu the south node; The Economic Times says the pair occupy opposite zodiac signs.

The Economic Times says Rahu is traditionally associated with ambition, worldly desires and unconventional opportunities. Ketu, by contrast, is associated with detachment, spirituality and intuition. The outlet also notes that Capricorn is linked in astrology with discipline, responsibility and long-term planning. Astroyogi says its transit readings use the ascendant, or Lagna, sign to identify the birth-chart houses associated with each node.

Under the commonly followed Vedic mean-node calculation, Rahu moves from Aquarius into Capricorn and Ketu from Leo into Cancer on December 5, 2026, according to The Economic Times. The outlet says the nodes generally change signs about every 18 months and places the end of this transit in June 2028.

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