N. Node, S. Node, Pt. of Fortune?

OK, I've been reading references to these things, and I don't know what they are. One lady told me that the N. Node represents where our spiritual calling lies, and the S. Node represents the baggage we bring with us.
I have no idea what the Pt. of Fortune is, or how to find it.
Thanks for answering a stupid question.

The North and South Nodes relate to the orbit of the Moon around the Earth and in particular, the points at which it crosses the ecliptic - the plane on which the Sun and the Earth lie. Eclipses of the Moon and the Sun take place when the Moon is at or very near its Nodes.

All planets have nodes but only the Moon's are used because they move around the Zodiac much faster than those of other planets - even so it takes something like 18 years for them to complete a full revolution of the Zodiac.

The traditional view has been that the North Node is benefic and the South Node malefic but a more modern approach is that the nodes have karmic meaning. The South Node gives some indication of what you bring into this life and the North Node some indication of the challenges and progress you need to make. The South Node therefore shows what we are familiar with and how we behave out of habit - what we do when we are faced with a challenge. However in order to progress we have to begin to shed the habits and look forward - this is the challenge of the North Node.

The Part of Fortune is about the only surviving regularly used Arabic Part. Indeed it dates back into Classical Greek Astrology. Essentially it depends on the Ascendant, Sun and Moon positions being equal to ASC + MOON - SUN (All planets measured in degrees of a circle).

The Part is said to provide an indication to geneal health, well being and by sign and house how you will prosper in life.


The Calculation reverses the position of Sun and Moon for night births (a calculation often referred to as the Part of Spirit).

Whoa, boy, that Pt. of Fortune sounds complicated. I've had my chart calculated several times, and never seen any of the three things listed anywhere (although one chart has my "true node" but I don't know which one that is).

Well, just too complicate things more

The chart with 'true node(s)' actually does show the Moon's nodes - both North and South.

Because the Moon's orbit around the Earth tends to wobble the Nodes themselves move back and forward with the wobble - these are the true Nodes. However many Astrologers discount the 'wobble' by useing the Mean, or average, position of the Nodes. Epmerides such as The American Ephemeris for the 21st Century, give the true Nodes on a day by day basis and the Average node position for the month.

I'm surprised you haven't come across the Part of Fortune in your chart because virtually all charts tend to include it by default. If it is show it's a circle with a St. Andrews cross (X) in the middle.

if you're using astro.com DeLani, you have to select Pars Fortunae in the extended chart selection section.

Minderwiz said:

The North and South Nodes relate to the orbit of the Moon around the Earth and in particular, the points at which it crosses the ecliptic - the plane on which the Sun and the Earth lie. Eclipses of the Moon and the Sun take place when the Moon is at or very near its Nodes.

Click to expand...

OK, since my sun, moon, and "true node" are all on the same degree, does that mean I was born during a solar eclipse?

oops

Never mind - Minderwiz already answered me in another thread.
Sorry!