A shadow body with no disc of its own
Rahu is always exactly 180 degrees opposite Ketu and is treated in Vedic astrology as a shadow planet with no physical body. It moves backwards through the zodiac, taking about eighteen months per sign and about eighteen years to complete a full cycle, which is why a Rahu transit is a long-range event rather than a passing one.
Rahu transits as a genuine turning point
Rahu is associated with obsession, unconventional paths, foreign travel, technology, sudden gains and sudden losses, and with events that feel disproportionate to their cause. Classical texts treat a Rahu transit over the ascendant, seventh or tenth house as a real turning point rather than a background influence.
Rahu across the twelve signs
Rahu is traditionally associated with Scorpio, Aquarius and Capricorn, where it is said to operate more strongly. These are traditional attributions rather than astronomical positions, because Rahu is a node defined purely by the geometry of the Moon's orbit.
Rahu transit questions
How long does Rahu stay in one sign?
About eighteen months. Rahu moves retrograde through the zodiac and completes a full cycle in roughly eighteen years, so a Rahu transit is a long-range event.
Does Rahu have a physical form?
No. Rahu is a shadow graha, the ascending lunar node, defined purely by geometry as the point where the Moon's orbit crosses the Sun's. Vedic astrology gives it significations without an astronomical body.
What is the relationship between Rahu and Ketu?
They are always exactly 180 degrees apart. When Rahu transits a sign, Ketu transits the opposite sign at the same moment, so both move on the same schedule.
Are these transit dates the same for every city?
Yes. The instant a body changes sign is an astronomical fact, not a local one, so the underlying UTC date is identical everywhere on Earth. This page converts those instants to your selected city for display, so changing your location changes the clock time you see but never the date, and never triggers a new calculation.