Rahu moves into Makara and Ketu into Karka in December 2026
After eighteen months in Kumbha and Simha, the nodes change signs in early December 2026. Why the date differs between panchangs, what the move means, and which Moon signs feel it most.
Rahu and Ketu are not planets at all. They are the two points where the Moon's path crosses the Sun's path — the lunar nodes. Eclipses only happen when the Sun and Moon are near them, which is why the myth of Rahu swallowing the Sun grew up around these points.
They always move backwards through the zodiac, always exactly opposite each other, and spend about eighteen months in each sign.
The dates
Since 18 May 2025, Rahu has been in Kumbha (Aquarius) and Ketu in Simha (Leo).
In early December 2026, Rahu moves back into Makara (Capricorn) and Ketu into Karka (Cancer). By the mean-node calculation the change is on 5 December 2026. They stay until about June 2028, when Rahu moves into Dhanu and Ketu into Mithuna.
Why panchangs give different dates
There are two ways to calculate the nodes:
- The mean node smooths out the Moon's wobble and moves steadily backwards. Most traditional Indian panchangs use it.
- The true node follows the actual crossing point, which rocks back and forth by up to about a degree and a half.
Near a sign boundary this difference can move the ingress by days or even a few weeks. Neither is wrong; they answer slightly different questions. Our tools use the mean node, as most panchangs do.
Rahu in Makara
Makara is Saturn's sign, and Rahu is said to act like Saturn. It tends to work well here: ambition, structure, government, large organisations and long-term projects. The shadow side is hunger for status and a willingness to cut corners to get it.
Ketu in Karka
Karka is the Moon's sign — home, mother, emotional security. Ketu detaches. Its time here is often felt as restlessness at home, a pull towards spiritual practice, or a quiet re-thinking of what "security" means.
Which Moon signs feel it most
Transits of the nodes are traditionally counted from the Moon sign. Rahu and Ketu are considered favourable in the 3rd, 6th and 11th from the Moon.
Here is the house each node occupies from every Moon sign from December 2026:
| Moon sign | Rahu (Makara) from Moon | Ketu (Karka) from Moon |
|---|---|---|
| Mesha | 10th | 4th |
| Vrishabha | 9th | 3rd |
| Mithuna | 8th | 2nd |
| Karka | 7th | 1st |
| Simha | 6th | 12th |
| Kanya | 5th | 11th |
| Tula | 4th | 10th |
| Vrishchika | 3rd | 9th |
| Dhanu | 2nd | 8th |
| Makara | 1st | 7th |
| Kumbha | 12th | 6th |
| Meena | 11th | 5th |
The traditionally strong placements are Rahu in the 3rd, 6th or 11th (Vrishchika, Simha, Meena) and Ketu in the 3rd, 6th or 11th (Vrishabha, Kumbha, Kanya).
Makara and Karka Moon signs carry the nodes on the Moon itself — a period that asks for calm and good advice rather than impulsive decisions. Mithuna and Dhanu have the nodes across the 2nd and 8th, which traditionally calls for care with money, speech and health.
Remedies
The tradition offers simple, low-cost remedies for a difficult node transit:
- For Rahu: Om Ram Rahave Namah, Durga worship, and donating to sanitation workers or people who work at night.
- For Ketu: Om Kem Ketave Namah, Ganesh worship, and feeding stray dogs.
- A Rahu–Ketu shanti pooja at the time of the transit.
Gomed and Lahsuniya are strong stones and should only be worn after an astrologer has looked at where Rahu and Ketu sit in your birth chart.
Common questions
Is this connected to eclipses? Yes. Eclipses always happen near the nodes, so the eclipses of 2027 will fall across the Makara–Karka axis.
Is Rahu always bad? No. Rahu gives worldly drive and unconventional success. A well-placed Rahu in a birth chart is often seen in people who rise quickly in technology, politics and foreign lands.
See where the nodes sit in your own chart with the free kundli.
Written by the Jyotishvanii editorial desk from classical sources. For a reading of your own chart, talk to an astrologer.
