Lunar turning point
The points at which the Moon reaches its highest and its lowest position in the sky. At the northern turning point the descending Moon begins, at the southern one the ascending Moon.
What is a lunar turning point?
In just over 27 days the Moon rises once in the sky and sinks again, just as the Sun does over the course of a year. The points where it reverses are called turning points. At the northern turning point the Moon stands furthest above the celestial equator and, in our latitudes, crosses the sky at its highest. After that the descending Moon begins. At the southern turning point it stands at its lowest, and after that it rises again.
The height is measured as declination, the angle to the celestial equator. In 2027 the Moon reaches a good 27.5 degrees north and south at its turning points. In 2027 the northern turning point always lies in front of Taurus, the southern one in front of Scorpio. Over the decades both move slowly through the neighbouring constellations.
Turning points in the biodynamic calendar
The turning points divide the two halves of the Moon’s course. Biodynamic practice puts harvesting, grafting and cut flowers in the ascending Moon, planting, transplanting, pruning and compost in the descending Moon. The calendar records both turning points with their time.
The turning point has nothing to do with the phase of light. A Full Moon can stand at the northern turning point or at the southern one. More on this under Ascending is not waxing.
Major and minor lunar standstill
How high the Moon rises varies in a rhythm of 18.6 years, the cycle of the lunar nodes. At the major lunar standstill the tilt of the Moon’s orbit adds to the tilt of the Earth’s axis. The Moon then reaches a good 28.7 degrees, most recently in 2024 and 2025. At the minor lunar standstill the tilt of the orbit is subtracted from it, and the Moon stays at a good 18.5 degrees. The next minor lunar standstill falls in 2034.
In the years around the major lunar standstill the Moon stands especially high at its northern turning point and rises far to the north-east. Around the minor lunar standstill its arcs stay flatter.
Turning points 2027
| Date | Time | Turning point | Height above the equator | Moon in front of |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Jan | 21:38 | southern, then ascending | 27.6° | Scorpio |
| 20 Jan | 0:09 | northern, then descending | 27.7° | Taurus |
| 2 Feb | 3:32 | southern, then ascending | 27.7° | Scorpio |
| 16 Feb | 8:58 | northern, then descending | 27.7° | Taurus |
| 1 Mar | 10:36 | southern, then ascending | 27.7° | Scorpio |
| 15 Mar | 15:13 | northern, then descending | 27.6° | Taurus |
| 28 Mar | 19:38 | southern, then ascending | 27.5° | Scorpio |
| 11 Apr | 21:25 | northern, then descending | 27.4° | Taurus |
| 25 Apr | 3:38 | southern, then ascending | 27.3° | Scorpio |
| 9 May | 3:37 | northern, then descending | 27.2° | Taurus |
| 22 May | 10:46 | southern, then ascending | 27.2° | Scorpio |
| 5 Jun | 11:53 | northern, then descending | 27.1° | Taurus |
| 18 Jun | 16:50 | southern, then ascending | 27.1° | Scorpio |
| 2 Jul | 21:44 | northern, then descending | 27.2° | Taurus |
| 15 Jul | 22:19 | southern, then ascending | 27.2° | Scorpio |
| 30 Jul | 7:43 | northern, then descending | 27.2° | Taurus |
| 12 Aug | 4:06 | southern, then ascending | 27.2° | Scorpio |
| 26 Aug | 16:15 | northern, then descending | 27.2° | Taurus |
| 8 Sep | 10:54 | southern, then ascending | 27.1° | Scorpio |
| 22 Sep | 22:35 | northern, then descending | 27.0° | Taurus |
| 5 Oct | 18:48 | southern, then ascending | 26.9° | Scorpio |
| 20 Oct | 3:39 | northern, then descending | 26.8° | Taurus |
| 2 Nov | 2:11 | southern, then ascending | 26.7° | Scorpio |
| 16 Nov | 8:34 | northern, then descending | 26.6° | Taurus |
| 29 Nov | 10:05 | southern, then ascending | 26.6° | Scorpio |
| 13 Dec | 16:57 | northern, then descending | 26.6° | Taurus |
| 26 Dec | 16:49 | southern, then ascending | 26.6° | Scorpio |
Times for Central Europe (CET, CEST in summer).
Sources
- Declination, Wikipedia
- Orbit of the Moon, Wikipedia
Frequently asked questions about the lunar turning point
What is a lunar turning point?
The point where the Moon’s course reverses. At the northern turning point the Moon stands at its highest and begins to descend, at the southern one it stands at its lowest and begins to ascend.
How often is there a lunar turning point?
Twice in just over 27 days, once in the north and once in the south. There are 27 turning points in 2027.
Is the lunar turning point the same as the Full Moon?
The turning point belongs to the Moon’s height, the Full Moon to its light. The two rhythms run independently of each other.
What is the major lunar standstill?
The years in which the Moon stands at its highest and at its lowest, a good 28.7 degrees above and below the celestial equator. It comes every 18.6 years, most recently in 2024 and 2025.