The S&P 500 versus the Speed of the True Lunar Node

Financial markets correlate closely with the 4–14 day cycle of the retrograde–stationary–direct motion of the True Lunar Node (North Node). This cycle can be depicted best by charting the Speed of the True Lunar Node against the S&P 500 (where "speed" refers to the geocentric motion in degrees of longitude per day).

S&P 500 (daily candles) vs True and Mean Lunar Node Speed, December 2025 to June 2026.

On March 30, 2026 — the date of the major stock market low shown in the chart above — the True Lunar Node was positioned at approximately 3°–4° Pisces (retrograde) in the Buttonwood Agreement NYSE natal chart (May 17, 1792, 8:52 AM LMT, New York). Using the Placidus house system, it fell in the 11th house, the sector governing groups, large-scale public participation, collective sentiment, international alliances, and speculative market trends driven by the masses.

Expect potential short-term changes in trend when the True Lunar Nodal Speed (blue solid line in the chart above)

► equals the Mean Lunar Nodal Speed (red horizontal dashed line), or

► is at 0 (grey horizontal dashed line), or 
► reaches maximum and minimum extremes.

 

The absolute maximum of the True Lunar Nodal Speed is approximately +0.0015 degrees of geocentric longitude per day (brief direct motion); the absolute minimum is -0.1074 degrees per day (peak retrograde motion). Standstills (stations) of the True Lunar Node occur when its geocentric speed in longitude momentarily reaches zero, as it oscillates around its mean retrograde motion due to solar and planetary perturbations. 

 

True Lunar Node speed data generated by eph1.

 

The True Node is predominantly retrograde (negative speed, averaging –0.053°/day) but regularly slows, stations (speed = 0°/day), and briefly moves direct (positive speed, up to +0.0015°/day) for hours to days before resuming retrograde motion. These stations are most pronounced and prolonged near eclipse seasons (roughly every 173 days), when solar perturbations on the lunar orbit are strongest.

The S&P 500 versus the Speed of the True Lunar Node (solid blue line)
and the Speed of the Mean Lunar Node (blue dashed line), 2014 to 2016.

In addition to the phenomenon of eclipses, there is a period of approximately ±2 weeks around the equinoxes, when Earth crosses the ecliptic from south to north (spring) and vice versa (fall). During these intervals, geomagnetic activity tends to be relatively strong, though highly variable and unpredictable, as solar emissions impact both hemispheres in an unbalanced manner.

 The S&P 500 versus the Speed of the True Lunar Node (solid blue line), November 2015 to April 2016.

 

The S&P 500 versus the Speed of the True Lunar Node and Eclipse Crash Windows, October 2014 to December 2015. 

The physical wobbling and oscillation of the Moon in its orbit around Earth and the Sun are driven by square aspects and conjunctions in both longitude and declination relative to the Sun and Earth. Around solar and lunar eclipses, the lunar nodes undergo rapid transitions between direct motion (speed above zero), retrograde motion (below zero), and near-standstill phases (at or very close to zero), as indicated by the blue-shaded time frames in the charts above. During these periods, financial markets commonly exhibit sentiment extremes and elevated volatility.

Approximately every 86.5 days, a so-called Moon Wobble occurs when the Sun is conjunct, opposite, or square (0°, 90°, 180°, 270°) to the True Lunar Node. The lunar node begins wobbling about two weeks before the exact event and remains unstable until roughly one week afterward. When coupled with solar or lunar eclipses, the wobble effect can be extended. As the Sun approaches conjunction or opposition to the lunar node, its motion is nearly blocked (as indicated by the bluish shaded areas). These periods are potential crash windows in financial markets. 

 

The S&P 500 versus the Sun conjunct, opposite, and square (0°, 90°, 180°, 270°) to the True Lunar Node, 2011 to 2015. 

 

The Moon's Nodal Wobble refers primarily to the retrograde precession of the lunar orbital nodes—the points where the Moon's orbit intersects the ecliptic plane. This line of nodes completes a full 360° cycle westward (retrograde) relative to the vernal equinox in approximately 18.613 years, at a mean rate of about 19.35° per year or 0.053° per day.

 

This "wobble" or instability in nodal speed reflects heightened perturbations when the Sun's gravitational influence on the Moon's orbital plane is strongest. The True Node may exhibit rapid fluctuations in direction and speed (retrograde-stationary-direct), magnifying energetic or disruptive effects in observational contexts. Mean nodes remain steadily retrograde but also decelerate noticeably.
 

The Draconic Month—also known as the nodical or draconic lunar month—has a mean length of 27.212220 days (27 days, 5 hours, 5 minutes, and 35.8 seconds) and is one of the five distinct lunar orbital periods used in astronomy and astrology.

This Precession causes the Moon's maximum declination to vary between roughly ±18.3° (minor lunar standstill) and ±28.6° (major lunar standstill) over the cycle, influencing eclipse patterns, tidal extremes, and the apparent "wobble" in the Moon's orbital orientation as viewed from Earth. A secondary, shorter-term perturbation arises from solar gravitational effects, causing the True (osculating) Node to oscillate around the mean node by up to about ±1.5° with a dominant period of roughly 173 days.

The Moon's Extreme Declinations represent the annual instants of greatest northern (positive) and southern (negative) geocentric declination, which delineate the progression of the 18.613-year lunar standstill cycle. These events reach their peak values (±28.43°) during the major lunar standstill in 2025 and their minimum values (±18.33°) during the minor lunar standstill in 2034.

The Moon's Extreme Declinations and Standstill Cycle, 2025 to 2035.

These values reflect the combined effects of the Moon’s orbital inclination (≈5.15°) and the 18.613-year nodal precession relative to the ecliptic. During major standstill years the extremes approach the sum of the obliquity of the ecliptic (≈23.44°) plus the orbital inclination; during minor standstill years they approach the difference. The listed times mark the precise moments of zero declination rate of change (local extrema).

Eclipses occur when the Sun aligns closely with the lunar nodes (conjunction or opposition) near a new or full Moon, aligning the Sun, Earth, and Moon in three dimensions. Around these times—typically twice yearly in eclipse seasons separated by about 173 days—the True Node's geocentric motion slows markedly, often becoming stationary or briefly direct (positive speed) before resuming retrograde motion.

 

As observed from Earth, the Sun crosses both lunar nodes as it travels along the ecliptic. The interval between successive returns of the Sun to the same node is known as the draconic (or eclipse) year, approximately 346.6201 days. Hence, there are about 12.74 draconic months in one eclipse year, and 13.42 draconic months in one tropical (or solar) year. 

Equinoxes mark when the Sun crosses the celestial equator, aligning its apparent position with the intersection of the ecliptic and equator. The lunar nodes' alignment with equinox points modulates the Moon's Extreme Declinations and Standstill Cycles. When a node coincides near an equinox, it accentuates the 18.613-year nodal cycle's effects on lunar rising/setting azimuths and tidal variations. The True Node's oscillatory behavior can interact with these seasonal alignments, though without the pronounced speed reversal seen at eclipses. 

 

See also:

TPR (2012 to 2019) - The S&P 500 versus the Speed of the True Lunar Node (more historical chart examples). 
TPR (April 9, 2026) - Bradley Cowan’s Lunar Cycle Projection Methodology Applied to the S&P 500.

TPR (February 4, 2026) - 2026 US Stock Market Forecast Based on Jack Gillen's Principles.

The S&P 500 versus the True Lunar Node's Speed

There is a notable correlation between the speed of the True Lunar Node (North Node, Rahu)—defined as its motion in degrees of geocentric longitude—and short-term changes in financial market trends. This relationship becomes particularly evident when:

■ the speed of the true lunar node approaches zero, and
■ the lunar node changes direction (i.e., at the minima and maxima of its oscillations).

 On June 4, 2012 — the date of the major stock market low shown in the chart above — the True North Node was positioned at approximately 18°54' Sagittarius (retrograde) in the Buttonwood NYSE natal chart (May 17, 1792, 8:52 AM LMT, New York). Using the Placidus house system, it fell in the 5th house, the sector governing speculation, risk-taking, short-term market movements, creativity, and public sentiment.

 

The result is a rapid cycle of approximately 2–7 days, during which short-term trend shifts may occur, sometimes aligning with larger market moves. This behavior corresponds to the lunar node’s retrograde, stationary, and direct phases, recognized in both astrology and astronomy.  During lunar and solar eclipses, the node exhibits a pronounced “wobble,” oscillating quickly between these phases. As the Sun approaches a 180° opposition to the node (e.g., late May 2012), the node’s motion slows to near standstill. This condition—often termed a lunar standstill—is regarded as a potential crash window in equity markets.

In financial astrology, the North Node's placement in a national or corporate horoscope (or its transits over key points) is interpreted as indicating areas where external or collective forces exert significant influence on markets, capital flows, and economic activity. It frequently highlights overseas or foreign involvement, as the nodes are inherently tied to international and cross-border themes due to their connection with eclipses and global cycles. In the quadrant-based and time-dependent Placidus House system interpretations in this context include:

■ 7th House: Partnerships, alliances, and open enemies. The North Node here often points to foreign investors, international trade partners, or overseas corporations playing a major role in domestic markets or corporate deals.
■ 9th House: Long-distance matters, foreign countries, international law, and higher finance. A North Node placement or transit here may signify foreign capital inflows, influence from international institutions, or global news affecting investor sentiment.
■ 3rd House: Communication, media, short-distance travel, and local/international news flow. The North Node can indicate foreign news, rumors, or international reporting that drives market volatility or public reaction.
■ 2nd House: National wealth, currency, and financial resources. Here, the North Node often denotes foreign capital, overseas investment into domestic assets, or influxes of money from abroad that strengthen or inflate values.
■ 10th House: Government, national reputation, and authority figures. The North Node in this house may reflect foreign governments, international regulators, or global political influences affecting policy, trade agreements, or sovereign markets.
■ 12th House, 6th House, or 8th House (the "loss" or hidden houses): These placements are generally more challenging. The North Node here can indicate foreign-related losses, hidden foreign influences causing outflows, scandals involving overseas entities, supply-chain disruptions (6th), debt or crisis involving foreign creditors (8th), or secretive international dealings leading to financial leakage (12th).

 

The Lunar Nodes precess rapidly along the ecliptic, completing a full revolution—known as the draconitic or nodal period (associated with nutation)—in about 18.6 years, distinct from the saros cycle. The Moon's orbit is inclined ~5° to the ecliptic, while the ecliptic is inclined ~23.4° to the celestial equator. Consequently, once per nodal cycle, when the ascending node aligns with the vernal equinox, the Moon reaches its maximum northern and southern declinations (the Lunar Node Declination Cycle). At these extremes, it also attains its widest rising and setting azimuths, its highest and lowest meridian altitudes, and may produce unusually delayed first visibilities of the New Moon.

The True Lunar Node Cycle (Draconic Cycle or Nodal Precession Cycle) has a mean period of 18.61296 solar years (approximately 18.613 years or 6,798.38 days). Its 4th harmonic is 4.65324 years (approximately 4.653 years or 1,699.595 days). Accordingly, the North Node (Mean Node) advances 30° — entering a new zodiac sign — every 1.551 years on average. This is equivalent to:

≈ 18.61 months
≈ 80.93 weeks
≈ 566.5 calendar days
≈ 10.12 weeks per 1/8 segment (45°)
≈ 55 trading days per 1/8 segment (assuming ≈252 trading days per year)

The term "Moon Wobble," coined by Carl Payne Tobey (1902–1980), described periods when the Sun is conjunct either node or forms a T-square to the nodal axis. Based on his study of major disasters—fires, severe weather, and loss of life—he found such configurations frequently coincide with heightened risk, especially near eclipses, though not exclusively. These periods are associated with pronounced declinational instability of the Moon and an increased likelihood of environmental and material disruption.