Rahu Ketu transit 2028

Rahu and Ketu’s sign and nakshatra changes in 2028 by the mean node and the true node, with exact dates and times in the sidereal zodiac (Lahiri).

Time zone

Rahu enters Sagittarius, Ketu enters Gemini

Mean node Sat 24 Jun 2028, 01:29

True node Wed 24 May 2028, 15:07

Every change in 2028, both nodes

Times in Asia/Kolkata. Sidereal zodiac, Lahiri ayanamsa.

Change	Mean node	True node	True node is
Ketu enters Punarvasu	Sat 22 Apr 2028, 03:50	Fri 21 Apr 2028, 14:11	1 day earlier
Rahu enters Sagittarius	Sat 24 Jun 2028, 01:29	Wed 24 May 2028, 15:07	30 days earlier
Ketu enters Gemini	Sat 24 Jun 2028, 01:29	Wed 24 May 2028, 15:07	30 days earlier
Rahu enters Purva Ashadha	Fri 25 Aug 2028, 23:09	Tue 19 Sep 2028, 10:11	24 days later
Ketu enters Ardra	Fri 29 Dec 2028, 18:29	Sat 2 Dec 2028, 05:10	28 days earlier

Mean node

Moves backwards through the zodiac at a steady rate. The Surya Siddhanta counts the Moon’s node this way. Surya Siddhanta 1.33

True node

The point where the Moon’s orbit actually crosses the ecliptic. It swings back and forth around the mean node, so its sign changes can come weeks earlier or later.

Questions

Mean and true node dates, both computed with the Swiss Ephemeris.

When does Rahu enter Sagittarius in 2028?

By the mean node, on 24 June 2028 at 01:29 IST. By the true node, on 24 May 2028 at 15:07 IST. Ketu changes sign at the same moments, into the opposite sign.

Which is right, the mean node or the true node?

Both are computed from the same ephemeris. The Surya Siddhanta gives the Moon’s node a mean motion only, so this page lists the mean node first; the true node, the Moon’s actual crossing point, is shown beside it. Charts on this site use the true node unless you choose otherwise. Surya Siddhanta 1.33

Why are Rahu and Ketu always opposite each other?

They are the two points where the Moon’s orbit crosses the ecliptic, the plane of the Earth’s orbit around the Sun, so they always lie 180° apart.

Why do Rahu and Ketu move backwards?

The Moon’s orbit turns slowly in the opposite direction to the Moon’s own motion, so the crossing points move backwards through the zodiac, about one sign every year and a half.

How the positions are found

Read the methodology

Positions: Geocentric, in the sidereal zodiac with the Lahiri ayanamsa, from the Swiss Ephemeris (NASA JPL’s DE441).
Rahu and Ketu: Sign changes give the mean node first, as the Surya Siddhanta does (1.33), with the true node beside it.
Western positions: The tropical zodiac runs about 24° ahead of the sidereal one, so Western sign dates fall earlier.
Time zones: Times are in India time by default. Switch to any other zone at the top of the page.

Lahiri ayanamsa · geocentric · times to the minute · Swiss Ephemeris · Method