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Ketu in Astrology Explained
Lesson 19 of 100 · Planets
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Ketu is the quiet twin of Rahu. It is the South Node of the Moon, the second point where the Moon's orbit crosses the ecliptic, and like Rahu it is a shadow planet rather than a physical body. If Rahu pulls you outward toward desire, Ketu pulls you inward toward release. Where Ketu sits in a chart often marks an area you already feel mastered, even bored by, because the lesson was learned in a past life. This primer sketches the essentials; the linked deep guide carries the same themes into greater depth.
This topic has a full, in-depth guide on AstroAsk. Read it, then come back to take the test.
Read the full guide →What Ketu signifies
Ketu stands for detachment and the urge to let go. It rules spirituality, intuition, and the inner search that does not care for worldly reward. Because it is the tail of the mythic serpent, the part with no head and no appetite, Ketu cares little for the things Rahu craves.
It is strongly tied to past-life karma. The house and sign of Ketu often describe skills or burdens carried over from before, talents that come easily and ties you are meant to loosen. Ketu also points toward moksha, spiritual liberation, which is why it is linked to renunciation, mysticism, and sudden insight. Its harder side shows up as loss, confusion, or a sense that something is slipping away, since Ketu can dissolve what it touches.
Nature, motion, and remedy
Like Rahu, Ketu is classed as a shadow malefic. Its difficulty is not aggression but vagueness, the way it can make a part of life feel cut off or unrewarding even when nothing is outwardly wrong. Ketu is always retrograde, moving backward through the zodiac, and it always sits exactly opposite Rahu, 180 degrees away.
The gemstone associated with Ketu is cat's eye, the chatoyant chrysoberyl named for the band of light that slides across it. As with all nodal stones, it is worn only after a careful chart reading, because Ketu's energy is subtle and easy to misjudge.
Key takeaways
- Ketu is the Moon's South Node, a shadow planet (chhaya graha), not a physical body.
- It signifies detachment, spirituality, intuition, past-life karma, moksha, and sometimes loss.
- Ketu is a shadow malefic whose difficulty shows as vagueness and dissolution rather than aggression.
- Ketu is always retrograde and sits exactly opposite Rahu.
- Its gemstone is cat's eye (chrysoberyl), worn only after a proper chart reading.
Knowledge check
6 quick questions on this lesson. Answer all, then submit to see your score and explanations.