How to Find the Transiting Moon in Your Natal Chart

by Anne Reith, Ph.D.
Starlit pathway leading to brilliant full moon against dark blue sky
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Starlit pathway leading to brilliant full moon against dark blue sky

IMPORTANT: Will you be able to use these directions?

Unfortunately, identifying the house in which the transiting New Moon or Full Moon is located in your natal chart isn’t a beginning-level skill. For example, if a New Moon is located at 11°42’ of Gemini, then you would need to know how to find not only Gemini in your natal chart but also 11°42’ of Gemini.

Learning how to locate astrological signs, degrees, and minutes in an astrological chart usually requires at least a few hours of training. Consequently, teaching this skill is beyond the scope of this Blog post.

Therefore:

  • If you know how to read an astrological chart: READ ON!
  • If you do NOT know how to read an astrological chart: My apologies! You will need to learn how to do so before the following directions will be of any use.

NOTE: If you would like me to confirm that you have accurately located a New or Full Moon in your natal chart, please set up a brief Training or Mentoring Session by completing the “Interested Form” at the bottom of that page.

What is provided in this Blog post?

  • Information about why it’s helpful to locate the transiting New or Full Moon in your natal chart.
  • General information needed for locating the New or Full Moon in your natal chart:
    • Rounding up degrees.
    • Exceptions to rounding up degrees (e.g., critical degrees).
    • A special note about intercepted charts.
    • Interpretive information about how “close” a New or Full Moon needs to be in order to impact a natal planet, asteroid, Node, house cusp, or angle.
    • A note regarding how long each New Moon and Full Moon impacts us.
  • Directions and an example for finding the New Moon in your natal chart.
  • Directions and an example for finding the Full Moon in your natal chart.

Why is it helpful to locate the transiting New or Full Moon in your natal chart?

About every 2 weeks, we experience a New Moon or Full Moon.  At that time, many astrologers record themselves verbally or provide written interpretations about the possible planetary impact of that lunar event. 

As part of that interpretation, they will often provide the following general information:

  • Signs:  The sign or signs in which the New or Full Moon is located (e.g., Cancer, Sagittarius) tells you how the Moon will behave.  They often include the degrees and minutes (e.g., New Moon at 18°24’ of Libra).
  • Aspects:  Aspects (e.g., squares, trines) represent the geometric/angular relationships between objects in our solar system (e.g., planets, asteroids).  They can tell an astrologer whether or not these two astral bodies support or challenge each other at the time of the New or Full Moon.   

The interpretive information provided by an astrologer is usually very broad and general.  It applies to everyone, regardless of where the New or Full Moon might be located in a natal chart.

However, if you know where that New or Full Moon (i.e., the sign, degrees, minutes) is located in your natal chart, then you can take those general descriptions and apply them to a specific area of your life (i.e., the issues associated with the house or houses that are involved).  

Here are some examples:

  • New Moons: New Moons often represent new beginnings.  If the current New Moon is located in your 5th house, which represents your creative endeavors, then you might be starting a new creative project around the time of the New Moon.
  • Full Moons: Full Moons often represent decision points.  If the current Full Moon is located in your 4th and 10th houses, which represents your home and your career, then you could be making some important decisions about the balance between your home life and your career around the time of the Full Moon.  (NOTE:  Full Moons always impact 2 houses.)

NOTE: Here is a link to a Blog post that will provide you with more information about the meaning of New Moons and Full Moons: New and Full Moons – How to Interpret Them Astrologically.

The first step is to round up

When locating the transiting Moon in your natal chart, most (but not all) astrologers only use the degrees.  The minutes are used, but only to determine whether or not to round up to the next degree. 

Although it’s not mathematically correct, most astrologers round up regardless of whether the number of minutes is 01’ or 59’.

Here are a couple of examples:

  • If the Moon is located at 5°03’, then this will be rounded up to 6°.
  • If the Moon is located at 26°47’, then this will be rounded up to 27°.

Exceptions to rounding up

There are 2 exceptions to the rule regarding rounding up to the nearest degree:

  • We will not round up if the minutes are 00’.  For example, if the location of the transiting Moon is 9°00’, then we would not round up to 10°.  We would use 9°.
  • We will not round up when the transiting Moon and Sun are located in what are referred to as “critical degrees”:
    • If the location is 0°, then the astrologer will not round up to 1°.  This is true even if the location of the Moon is 0°59’.  0° of any sign is seen as the strongest degree in the sign.  It represents fresh, new energy, and it often corresponds with a powerful new beginning in the qualities of that sign and/or the issues associated with the house in which it is located in your natal chart. 
    • If the location is 29°, then the astrologer will not round up to 0°, which would be the beginning of the next sign.  This is true even if the location of the Moon is 29°59’.  29° of any sign is seen as a critical point of transition, a turning point, or even completion or culmination in the qualities of that sign and/or the issues associated with the house in which it is located in your natal chart.

Special directions for those with an intercepted chart 

If your natal chart was created using an unequal house system (e.g., Placidus, Campanus), then you may have an intercepted chart. You know you have an intercepted chart if either of the following is present:

  • There are astrological signs in the outer ring of your chart that:
    • Don’t fall on a house cusp
    • Don’t have degrees and minutes on either side of them
  • Identical astrological signs are found on back-to-back house cusps (e.g., Leo on the 4th and 5th house cusps).

If you have an intercepted chart, then there are certain times each year when you will have an easier time locating the New or Full Moon in your chart than people with charts that are not intercepted. 

Here are the 2 different scenarios when dealing with an intercepted chart:

  • SCENARIO #1 – If the sign of the Moon/Sun happens to match one of your intercepted signs (i.e., the signs in the outer rim of your chart that don’t fall on a house cusp and don’t have numbers around it): Your job is very easy.  This means that all of the degrees of that sign are contained within that house, so you know the Moon/Sun is located in that house. 
  • SCENARIO #2 – If the Moon/Sun does NOT happen to fall within one of the intercepted signs in your chart: Follow the directions in the remainder of this handout. 

In terms of interpretation, if the New or Full Moon happens to fall within one of your intercepted signs (i.e., SCENARIO #1), then just be aware that the energy of that New Moon or Full Moon may be harder for you to access.  But, if you can consciously work on tapping into that energy, then it can provide you with greater benefits than someone who doesn’t have the New Moon or Full Moon located in an intercepted sign.

If the location of the New or Full Moon falls near a planet, asteroid, or Node

Sometimes, you will find that the location of the New or Full Moon falls near a planet, asteroid, or Node in your natal chart.  Yes, this can mean that this specific New or Full Moon is going to be even more powerful for you. 

However, most astrologers believe that the Moon and/or Sun needs to be within 1° before or 1° after the planet, asteroid, or Node in order for there to be a profound impact. 

Here are 2 scenarios:

  • Let’s say the New Moon is located at 7° of Virgo and your natal Mars is located at 3° of Virgo.  Although Mars may appear to be close to the New Moon, it’s too far away to have much impact. 
  • Let’s say the New Moon is located at 4° of Virgo and that your natal Mars is located at 3° of Virgo.  Yes, it’s very likely that this New Moon will impact Mars, and vice versa.

If the location of the New or Full Moon falls near a house cusp or angle

Sometimes, you will find that the location of the New or Full Moon falls near a house cusp or angle. Most astrologers believe that the only time this is important is when the New or Full Moon falls within (a) about 1° on either side of the Ascendant or (b) about 1° on either side of the Midheaven.  All other house cusps are not seen as that important. 

Here are 3 scenarios:

  • Let’s say the New Moon is located at 22° of Pisces and your Ascendant is located at 23° of Pisces.  Because the New Moon and your Ascendant are within 1° of each other, it’s likely that you will feel the impact of this New Moon more profoundly than others. 
  • If, on the other hand, your Ascendant is located at 17° of Pisces, then a New Moon at 22° of Pisces may appear to be close, but it’s not “close enough.” 
  • Finally, the New Moon would not have extra significance if it was located at 22° of Pisces and your 3rd house cusp is located at 23° of Pisces. However, given it’s close proximity to the house cusp, the New Moon might be impacting issues related to both the 2nd and 3rd houses. But again, the New Moon would not have increased power or significance based on it’s proximity to the house cusp.

Do you need to identify the EXACT location in your natal chart?

You usually do NOT need to identify the exact location of the New or Full Moon in your chart (i.e., how far into a house it’s located).  All you need to know is the house in which the transiting New or Full Moon is located. 

How long will a New or Full Moon impact us?

A New or Full Moon will impact us for about 3 days before, the day of, and the 3 days after the actual event (i.e., a total of 7 days).  

You can think of the strength of the impact like a bell-shaped curve: 

  • The impact will “ramp up” for the 3 days before the New or Full Moon.
  • The strongest impact will be the day of the lunar event. 
  • The impact will gradually decrease for the 3 days after the New or Full Moon. 

DIRECTIONS: Finding the transiting New Moon in your natal chart

Here are the directions for finding the transiting New Moon in your chart. (NOTE: See the next section for an example using my natal chart.)

  • Determine the sign, degree, and minutes associated with the New Moon.
  • Using the degrees and minutes, apply the “rounding technique” explained in a previous section of this Blog post.
  • Start at the 9:00 hour in your natal chart and move around the outside rim of your natal chart in a counterclockwise direction until you reach the sign associated with the transiting New Moon.  (REMINDER:  If you have an intercepted chart, see discussion in previous section of this Blog post.)
  • Identify the degrees associated with the cusp of that house.  (NOTE:  Ignore the minutes.)
  • Using the degrees associated with the cusp of the house, determine the house/location of the transiting New Moon by doing the following: 
    • If the degree associated with the New Moon is greater than the degree of your house cusp, then you will continue to move in a counterclockwise direction.
    • If the degree associated with the New Moon is less than the degree of your house cusp, then you will need to move backwards in a clockwise direction into the previous house. 
  • Interpretation:  Once you have identified the house in which the New Moon is located, determine the issues associated with that house.  Then, as you read or listen to any author’s interpretation of the New Moon, you can apply the information to the issues associated with that house.
Anne's Natal Chart in black and white

EXAMPLE:  Locating a New Moon in Anne’s chart

My natal chart is presented to the right. I have applied the directions above to locate a hypothetical New Moon. I have also included a possible interpretation.

  • Let’s say we have a New Moon that is located at 4°38’ of Capricorn. 
  • I would round up the number of degrees for the New Moon from 4°38’ to 5°.
  • Beginning at the 9:00 hour, I proceed in a counterclockwise direction around my chart until I have located the sign for Capricorn in the outside rim.  Capricorn is on the cusp of my 5th house (5:00 hour).
  • The degrees for the cusp of my 5th house are 7°.
  • Because 7° is greater than 5°, then I’m going to move in a clockwise direction back into the previous house, which in this case would be the 4th house.  Therefore, this New Moon is located in my 4th house.
  • Possible interpretation:  This New Moon (e.g., new emotional start) is located in my 4th house, which represents my family-of-origin and/or the family I’ve created.  Given the New Moon is located in Capricorn (e.g., responsibilities, discipline, hard work), it could mean I’m going to be taking on some new responsibilities or will have some new projects beginning that will require hard work.  

DIRECTIONS: Finding a transiting Full Moon in your natal chart

Here are the directions for finding the transiting Full Moon in your chart. (NOTE: See the next section for an example using my natal chart.)

  • Determine the sign, degree, and minutes associated with either the Moon or the Sun involved in this Full Moon. (NOTE: In these directions, I have used the Sun to determine the location.  However, the Moon would have worked equally as well.)
  • Using the degrees and minutes, apply the “rounding technique” explained in a previous section of this Blog post.
  • Start at the 9:00 position in your natal chart and move around the outside rim of your natal chart in a counterclockwise direction until you reach the sign associated with the transiting Sun. (REMINDER:  If you have an intercepted chart, see discussion in previous section of this Blog post.)
  • Identify the degrees associated with the cusp of that house.  (NOTE:  Ignore the minutes.)
  • Using the degrees associated with the cusp of the house, determine the location of the transiting Sun by doing the following:
    • If the degree associated with the Sun is greater than the degree of your house cusp, then you will continue to move in a counterclockwise direction. 
    • If the degree associated with the Sun is less than the degree of your house cusp, then you will need to move backwards in a clockwise direction into the previous house. 
  • Once you have identified the house in which the transiting Sun is located, determine the position of the Moon by identifying the house that is exactly opposite the house in which the Sun is located. 
  • Interpretation:  Once you have identified the 2 houses involved in the Full Moon, determine the issues associated with those houses.  Then, as you read or listen to any author’s interpretation of the Full Moon, you can apply the information to the issues associated with those 2 houses.

NOTE: When locating a Full Moon, you only have to apply this process to either the Sun or the Moon.  By definition, a Full Moon means that the Sun and Moon are exactly opposite each other in a chart. Therefore, if you determine the location of the Sun in your chart, then the Moon will be located in the house exactly opposite that house. 

Anne's Natal Chart in black and white

EXAMPLE:  Locating a Full Moon in Anne’s chart

Again, my natal chart is presented to the right. I have applied the directions above to locate a hypothetical Full Moon. I have also included a possible interpretation.

NOTE: This time, I’ll use the position of the transiting Moon to determine the location of both the Sun and the Moon in my chart. 

  • For this Full Moon, let’s say that the transiting Moon is located at 12°07’ of Sagittarius and the Sun is located at 12°07’ of Gemini. 
  • I would round up the number of degrees for the Moon from 12°07’ to 13°.
  • Beginning at the 9:00 hour, I proceed in a counterclockwise direction around my chart until I have located the sign for Sagittarius in the outside rim.  Sagittarius is on the cusp of my 4th house (6:00 hour).
  • The degrees for the cusp of my 4th house are 7°. 
  • Because 7° is less than 13°, I’m going to continue in a counterclockwise direction.  
  • Because my transiting Moon is located in my 4th house, I would look to the house exactly opposite the 4th house to determine the position of the transiting Sun.  The 10th house would be where my transiting Sun is located. 
  • Possible interpretation:  With this Full Moon (e.g., need for balance), my transiting Moon is located in my 4th house, which represents my family-of-origin and/or the family I’ve created.  The transiting Sun is located in my 10th house, which represents my career and public persona.  Therefore, the issues associated with this Full Moon will likely mean I need to evaluate if I have a good balance between my home life (4th house) and career (10th house).  The Sun is in Gemini (e.g., communication, learning, flexibility) and the Moon is in Sagittarius (e.g., adventurous, ethical, fun-loving).  I may also need to make sure I have a good balance between being communicative (Gemini) and ethical (Sagittarius). 
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By Anne Reith, Ph.D.

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