Astrology and Moon guides

Start with a question. Each guide gives a short answer, explains the terms and links to a tool you can use.

• What are my Sun, Moon and rising signs?Your Sun, Moon and rising signs are often called your Big Three. They describe three different placements at birth. In Western astrology, the Sun is associated with identity, the Moon with emotional needs, and the rising sign with your approach to the world. They are symbolic interpretations, not personality test results.
• What do waxing and waning mean?Waxing means the visible sunlit part of the Moon is growing. Waning means it is shrinking. A crescent is less than half illuminated; a gibbous Moon is more than half illuminated. These terms describe the Moon’s appearance, not an effect on your mood or luck.
• Which zodiac signs are compatible?In Western astrology, signs of the same element are often described as compatible: fire with fire, earth with earth, air with air, and water with water. Fire–air and earth–water pairings are also commonly described as complementary. This is a symbolic starting point, not a prediction of whether a relationship will work.
• Is a lunar day the same as the Moon’s age?No. On La Lune, a traditional lunar day is counted using the new moon and local moonrise. Moon age is the elapsed time since the exact new moon. A label such as “lunar day 19” therefore does not mean the Moon is exactly 19 days old.
• Does cutting hair by the Moon make it grow faster?Lunar haircut calendars describe a tradition, not an established way to change hair growth. A “good day” on La Lune means that the date meets our traditional rating rules. It does not guarantee a better haircut, faster growth or thicker hair.
• What is gardening by the Moon?Gardening by the Moon is a tradition of choosing gardening dates using lunar phases and, in some systems, zodiac signs. It is not a substitute for local planting seasons, frost dates, soil temperature or the needs of a particular plant.
• What does Mercury retrograde actually mean?Mercury retrograde is an apparent change in Mercury’s direction against the background sky as seen from Earth. The planet does not reverse its orbit. In astrology, the period is often interpreted as a time to review plans and check details; that interpretation is separate from the astronomical motion.
• Is today’s Moon sign the same as my Moon sign?Usually, “your Moon sign” means the Moon’s zodiac sign at your birth. “Moon sign now” means its current zodiac position. Your birth Moon sign stays the same, while the moving Moon passes through a sign roughly every two to three days.