Ketu’s nakshatra shows the skill a person seems to arrive with and the area where they are learning to let go. Ketu is the south node of the Moon, a calculated point rather than a physical body, always exactly opposite Rahu, and it signifies detachment, intuition, research, sudden events and moksha, liberation. This page summarises Ketu in each of the 27 nakshatras and links to a full guide for each one.
Why Ketu’s nakshatra is shared by so many people
Ketu moves backwards through the zodiac at a mean rate of about eighteen months per sign, which works out to roughly eight months per nakshatra. Everyone born within the same stretch of months therefore has Ketu in the same nakshatra. What makes it personal is the house Ketu occupies, the condition of the lord of the sign it sits in, and any planets it joins or is aspected by. The nakshatra then adds the specific flavour: the kind of skill Ketu carries and the kind of attachment it is learning to drop.
Three steps for reading Ketu’s nakshatra
Start with the sign and its lord. Ketu’s own signs are disputed. One line of teaching gives Ketu exaltation in Scorpio and debilitation in Taurus; another gives exaltation in Sagittarius and debilitation in Gemini. Some authors also link Ketu with Pisces. Because the classical table of natural friendships covers only the seven visible planets, Ketu is usually read through the lord of the sign it occupies, and through the widely quoted saying that Ketu acts like Mars.
Then the nakshatra lord. Ketu rules three nakshatras itself, Ashwini, Magha and Mula, and works there in its own direct, cutting way. In the other twenty-four, it takes on much of the agenda of the nakshatra’s lord, and that lord’s strength in the chart matters.
Then the axis. Rahu is always 180 degrees away, which is thirteen and a half nakshatras. If Ketu is in the first or second pada of a nakshatra, Rahu is in the third or fourth pada of the nakshatra thirteen places on. If Ketu is in the third or fourth pada, Rahu is in the first or second pada of the nakshatra fourteen places on. The two always read as one axis: what Ketu releases on one side, Rahu reaches for on the other.
Ketu’s mahadasha lasts seven years in the Vimshottari system. It is the first period of life for anyone whose Moon is in Ashwini, Magha or Mula. Ketu’s nakshatra also shapes how the nakshatra lord’s own periods play out for that person.
Ketu’s 27 nakshatras with lords and sign dignity
| Nakshatra | Span | Lord | Dignity by sign (traditions differ) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ashwini | 0°00’ to 13°20’ Aries | Ketu (its own) | no classical dignity |
| Bharani | 13°20’ to 26°40’ Aries | Venus | no classical dignity |
| Krittika | 26°40’ Aries to 10°00’ Taurus | Sun | Aries: no classical dignity; Taurus: debilitated in one tradition |
| Rohini | 10°00’ to 23°20’ Taurus | Moon | debilitated in one tradition |
| Mrigashira | 23°20’ Taurus to 6°40’ Gemini | Mars | Taurus: debilitated in one tradition; Gemini: debilitated in another tradition |
| Ardra | 6°40’ to 20°00’ Gemini | Rahu | debilitated in another tradition |
| Punarvasu | 20°00’ Gemini to 3°20’ Cancer | Jupiter | Gemini: debilitated in another tradition; Cancer: no classical dignity |
| Pushya | 3°20’ to 16°40’ Cancer | Saturn | no classical dignity |
| Ashlesha | 16°40’ to 30°00’ Cancer | Mercury | no classical dignity |
| Magha | 0°00’ to 13°20’ Leo | Ketu (its own) | no classical dignity |
| Purva Phalguni | 13°20’ to 26°40’ Leo | Venus | no classical dignity |
| Uttara Phalguni | 26°40’ Leo to 10°00’ Virgo | Sun | Leo: no classical dignity; Virgo: no classical dignity |
| Hasta | 10°00’ to 23°20’ Virgo | Moon | no classical dignity |
| Chitra | 23°20’ Virgo to 6°40’ Libra | Mars | Virgo: no classical dignity; Libra: no classical dignity |
| Swati | 6°40’ to 20°00’ Libra | Rahu | no classical dignity |
| Vishakha | 20°00’ Libra to 3°20’ Scorpio | Jupiter | Libra: no classical dignity; Scorpio: exalted in one tradition |
| Anuradha | 3°20’ to 16°40’ Scorpio | Saturn | exalted in one tradition |
| Jyeshtha | 16°40’ to 30°00’ Scorpio | Mercury | exalted in one tradition |
| Mula | 0°00’ to 13°20’ Sagittarius | Ketu (its own) | exalted in another tradition |
| Purva Ashadha | 13°20’ to 26°40’ Sagittarius | Venus | exalted in another tradition |
| Uttara Ashadha | 26°40’ Sagittarius to 10°00’ Capricorn | Sun | Sagittarius: exalted in another tradition; Capricorn: no classical dignity |
| Shravana | 10°00’ to 23°20’ Capricorn | Moon | no classical dignity |
| Dhanishtha | 23°20’ Capricorn to 6°40’ Aquarius | Mars | Capricorn: no classical dignity; Aquarius: no classical dignity |
| Shatabhisha | 6°40’ to 20°00’ Aquarius | Rahu | no classical dignity |
| Purva Bhadrapada | 20°00’ Aquarius to 3°20’ Pisces | Jupiter | Aquarius: no classical dignity; Pisces: no classical dignity |
| Uttara Bhadrapada | 3°20’ to 16°40’ Pisces | Saturn | no classical dignity |
| Revati | 16°40’ to 30°00’ Pisces | Mercury | no classical dignity |
Ketu in each nakshatra, in zodiac order
Ketu in Ashwini (0°00’ to 13°20’ Aries)
Ketu is in its own nakshatra here, in the Mars-ruled sign Aries, under the Ashvins, the healer twins. It gives quick, instinctive insight and quick release, with little patience for slow processes.
Read the full guide to Ketu in Ashwini nakshatra
Ketu in Bharani (13°20’ to 26°40’ Aries)
A Venus-ruled nakshatra under Yama, the god of death and restraint. Detachment is applied to desire and to endings, with an instinctive ease around life’s thresholds.
Read the full guide to Ketu in Bharani nakshatra
Ketu in Krittika (26°40’ Aries to 10°00’ Taurus)
Ruled by the Sun and governed by Agni, the fire god, Krittika sharpens Ketu’s detachment into purification: a precise cutting away of what no longer serves.
Read the full guide to Ketu in Krittika nakshatra
Ketu in Rohini (10°00’ to 23°20’ Taurus)
A Moon-ruled nakshatra of growth and beauty, named for the Moon’s favourite wife. Ketu here asks for detachment from the very comfort and abundance Rohini is known for.
Read the full guide to Ketu in Rohini nakshatra
Ketu in Mrigashira (23°20’ Taurus to 6°40’ Gemini)
Ruled by Mars and symbolised by a deer’s head, Mrigashira is the searching nakshatra. It doubles Ketu’s gift for research and intuition, along with a habit of dropping a search before it is finished.
Read the full guide to Ketu in Mrigashira nakshatra
Ketu in Ardra (6°40’ to 20°00’ Gemini)
Ardra is one of the three nakshatras ruled by Rahu, Ketu’s opposite point. Under Rudra, the storm god, it intensifies Ketu’s link with sudden events and with release that comes through upheaval.
Read the full guide to Ketu in Ardra nakshatra
Ketu in Punarvasu (20°00’ Gemini to 3°20’ Cancer)
Ruled by Jupiter and presided over by Aditi, the boundless mother. Punarvasu means the return of the light, so Ketu’s detachment here clears space for renewal.
Read the full guide to Ketu in Punarvasu nakshatra
Ketu in Pushya (3°20’ to 16°40’ Cancer)
A Saturn-ruled nakshatra of nourishment under Brihaspati. Ketu places detachment inside the most protective and sustaining nakshatra of the zodiac.
Read the full guide to Ketu in Pushya nakshatra
Ketu in Ashlesha (16°40’ to 30°00’ Cancer)
Ruled by Mercury and governed by the Nagas, the serpent deities. Hidden, intuitive knowledge comes close to the surface, with a coiled quality that can release suddenly.
Read the full guide to Ketu in Ashlesha nakshatra
Ketu in Magha (0°00’ to 13°20’ Leo)
Ketu’s own nakshatra in Leo, under the Pitris, the ancestors, with a royal throne as its symbol. It suggests inherited authority held without much personal attachment to it.
Read the full guide to Ketu in Magha nakshatra
Ketu in Purva Phalguni (13°20’ to 26°40’ Leo)
Ruled by Venus and governed by Bhaga, god of fortune and marital happiness. Ketu places detachment inside the nakshatra most devoted to rest, pleasure and reward.
Read the full guide to Ketu in Purva Phalguni nakshatra
Ketu in Uttara Phalguni (26°40’ Leo to 10°00’ Virgo)
Ruled by the Sun and governed by Aryaman, god of contracts and patronage. Ketu turns toward steady, unglamorous support of others rather than personal reward.
Read the full guide to Ketu in Uttara Phalguni nakshatra
Ketu in Hasta (10°00’ to 23°20’ Virgo)
Hasta means hand. Ruled by the Moon and governed by Savitar, it gives skilled, practical ability held without grasping at the results.
Read the full guide to Ketu in Hasta nakshatra
Ketu in Chitra (23°20’ Virgo to 6°40’ Libra)
Ruled by Mars and governed by Tvashtar, the divine craftsman. It brings real skill in design and making, with little need for credit.
Read the full guide to Ketu in Chitra nakshatra
Ketu in Swati (6°40’ to 20°00’ Libra)
A Rahu-ruled nakshatra of independence under Vayu, the wind. It gives an inborn self-sufficiency and comfort with change, shaped heavily by Ketu’s house and by the strength of Venus and Rahu.
Read the full guide to Ketu in Swati nakshatra
Ketu in Vishakha (20°00’ Libra to 3°20’ Scorpio)
A Jupiter-ruled nakshatra of single-minded goals under Indra and Agni. The person often already knows how to reach a goal and is learning how little the reaching itself still means.
Read the full guide to Ketu in Vishakha nakshatra
Ketu in Anuradha (3°20’ to 16°40’ Scorpio)
Saturn rules this nakshatra of friendship and alliance, presided over by Mitra. The person usually knows how to build lasting cooperation and is learning to need less of the belonging it creates.
Read the full guide to Ketu in Anuradha nakshatra
Ketu in Jyeshtha (16°40’ to 30°00’ Scorpio)
Ruled by Mercury and governed by Indra, the nakshatra of seniority. The person is often at ease with authority and is learning to release the need to hold the senior position.
Read the full guide to Ketu in Jyeshtha nakshatra
Ketu in Mula (0°00’ to 13°20’ Sagittarius)
Ketu’s own nakshatra, under Nirriti, whose name is linked with dissolution, and whose symbol is a bunch of roots. It gives a direct relationship with whatever lies beneath the surface, shaped by the house and by Jupiter as lord of Sagittarius.
Read the full guide to Ketu in Mula nakshatra
Ketu in Purva Ashadha (13°20’ to 26°40’ Sagittarius)
A Venus-ruled nakshatra of purification and conviction under Apas, the waters. Tested confidence is present, and this placement tends to turn it inward.
Read the full guide to Ketu in Purva Ashadha nakshatra
Ketu in Uttara Ashadha (26°40’ Sagittarius to 10°00’ Capricorn)
A Sun-ruled nakshatra of lasting victory under the Vishvedevas. The person can build durable things and is learning to let go of credit for them.
Read the full guide to Ketu in Uttara Ashadha nakshatra
Ketu in Shravana (10°00’ to 23°20’ Capricorn)
Shravana means hearing. Ruled by the Moon under Vishnu, it gives a strong capacity to learn by listening, which this placement tends to turn inward.
Read the full guide to Ketu in Shravana nakshatra
Ketu in Dhanishtha (23°20’ Capricorn to 6°40’ Aquarius)
Ruled by Mars, the planet Ketu is said to act like, and governed by the Vasus. It suggests someone who can build success and let it go again without much regret.
Read the full guide to Ketu in Dhanishtha nakshatra
Ketu in Shatabhisha (6°40’ to 20°00’ Aquarius)
The third Rahu-ruled nakshatra, under Varuna. It points to private, specialised knowledge and solitary healing, with little need to explain it to others.
Read the full guide to Ketu in Shatabhisha nakshatra
Ketu in Purva Bhadrapada (20°00’ Aquarius to 3°20’ Pisces)
A Jupiter-ruled nakshatra of austerity under Aja Ekapada. It gives comfort with intensity and with facing transformation head on.
Read the full guide to Ketu in Purva Bhadrapada nakshatra
Ketu in Uttara Bhadrapada (3°20’ to 16°40’ Pisces)
A Saturn-ruled nakshatra of depth and stillness under Ahir Budhnya, the serpent of the deep. It suggests settled inner wisdom that rarely needs to show itself.
Read the full guide to Ketu in Uttara Bhadrapada nakshatra
Ketu in Revati (16°40’ to 30°00’ Pisces)
The last nakshatra, ruled by Mercury and governed by Pushan, guide of travellers. It carries the sense of a long journey finished and an ease with endings.
Read the full guide to Ketu in Revati nakshatra
Ketu’s nakshatras grouped by ruling planet
- Ketu-ruled (its own): Ashwini, Magha, Mula
- Venus-ruled: Bharani, Purva Phalguni, Purva Ashadha
- Sun-ruled: Krittika, Uttara Phalguni, Uttara Ashadha
- Moon-ruled: Rohini, Hasta, Shravana
- Mars-ruled: Mrigashira, Chitra, Dhanishtha
- Rahu-ruled: Ardra, Swati, Shatabhisha
- Jupiter-ruled: Punarvasu, Vishakha, Purva Bhadrapada
- Saturn-ruled: Pushya, Anuradha, Uttara Bhadrapada
- Mercury-ruled: Ashlesha, Jyeshtha, Revati
Ketu by house, by sign and on the Rahu axis
- Ketu in all 12 houses
- Ketu in all 12 signs
- Rahu in all 27 nakshatras
- The Rahu-Ketu transit, 2026 to 2028
- The Rahu-Ketu axis
Frequently asked questions
↳ What does Ketu's nakshatra show in a birth chart?
It shows the skill you arrive with and what you are learning to release: where you act from instinct and familiarity, and where detachment comes easily. Because Ketu is slow and shared by many people born in the same months, the house it occupies and its sign lord make the reading personal.
↳ Is Ketu exalted in Scorpio or in Sagittarius?
Traditions differ. One line of teaching exalts Ketu in Scorpio and debilitates it in Taurus; another exalts it in Sagittarius and debilitates it in Gemini. We name both rather than pick one, and weigh the house and the sign lord more heavily either way.
↳ How do Rahu and Ketu work together?
They are always exactly opposite, so every chart carries both ends of one axis: Ketu where you already know, Rahu where you are reaching. Read Ketu's nakshatra alongside Rahu's, and see the Rahu-Ketu axis guide for the houses.
↳ How do I find my Ketu nakshatra?
You need your birth date, time and place calculated in the sidereal zodiac. The free kundali tool lists Ketu's nakshatra and pada in its planetary positions table.