Solar Eclipse : Rahu and Ketu

Rahu and Ketu, from my previous post are the astronomical points in the sky respectively called the north and south lunar nodes.

To the observer on earth, the paths of the sun and the moon appear to be two great circles projected on the celestial sphere . The sun’s path, the solar ecliptic, makes a complete revolution in one year. At the same time, the moon’s circular path is completed in about one month. Every month the moon will overtake the sun which moves more slowly. This is called new moon or in Sanskrit, amavasya. Usually the moon’s path passes above or below the sun’s path and no eclipse occurs.

But, periodically the moon overtakes the sun at the place where their paths intersect. This causes the sun or the moon to be hidden from the earth’s view and is thus called a solar or lunar eclipse.

These places of intersection are the north and south lunar nodes, or as they are referred to in Hindu mythology, Rahu and Ketu.

Therefore, in the symbolic language of mythology, Rahu and Ketu are said to “swallow up” the Sun and the Moon.