Home › Nakshatras › Ashlesha
Ashlesha nakshatra
The ninth of the 27 lunar mansions of Vedic astrology. Its name means the embrace.
| Number | 9 of 27 |
|---|---|
| Meaning of the name | The embrace |
| Span | Karka 16°40′ to Karka 30°00′ (sidereal) |
| Moon sign (rashi) | Karka |
| Ruling planet | Mercury |
| Deity | The Nagas |
| Symbol | A coiled serpent |
| Main stars | δ, ε, η, ρ and σ Hydrae |
Padas and name letters
Each nakshatra has four padas (quarters) of 3°20′. A child born with the Moon in a pada is traditionally given a name starting with that pada's syllable.
| Pada | Syllable | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Di | Karka from 16°40′ |
| 2 | Du | Karka from 20°00′ |
| 3 | De | Karka from 23°20′ |
| 4 | Do | Karka from 26°40′ |
Spellings and a few syllables vary between regional traditions; a family priest may use a slightly different list.
When the Moon is in Ashlesha
The Moon passes through Ashlesha about once every 27.3 days and stays about a day. Times are IST, to the minute; almanacs can differ by one.
2026
| Moon enters Ashlesha | Moon leaves |
|---|---|
| Mon 5 Jan, 1:24 pm | Tue 6 Jan, 12:17 pm |
| Sun 1 Feb, 11:57 pm | Mon 2 Feb, 10:47 pm |
| Sun 1 Mar, 8:34 am | Mon 2 Mar, 7:51 am |
| Sat 28 Mar, 2:50 pm | Sun 29 Mar, 2:37 pm |
| Fri 24 Apr, 8:14 pm | Sat 25 Apr, 8:04 pm |
| Fri 22 May, 2:49 am | Sat 23 May, 2:08 am |
| Thu 18 Jun, 11:32 am | Fri 19 Jun, 10:06 am |
| Wed 15 Jul, 9:46 pm | Thu 16 Jul, 7:52 pm |
| Wed 12 Aug, 7:59 am | Thu 13 Aug, 6:06 am |
| Tue 8 Sep, 4:39 pm | Wed 9 Sep, 3:14 pm |
| Mon 5 Oct, 11:09 pm | Tue 6 Oct, 10:17 pm |
| Mon 2 Nov, 4:30 am | Tue 3 Nov, 3:46 am |
| Sun 29 Nov, 10:59 am | Mon 30 Nov, 9:42 am |
| Sat 26 Dec, 8:12 pm | Sun 27 Dec, 6:04 pm |
2027
| Moon enters Ashlesha | Moon leaves |
|---|---|
| Sat 23 Jan, 7:31 am | Sun 24 Jan, 4:53 am |
| Fri 19 Feb, 6:35 pm | Sat 20 Feb, 4:07 pm |
| Fri 19 Mar, 3:20 am | Sat 20 Mar, 1:31 am |
| Thu 15 Apr, 9:33 am | Fri 16 Apr, 8:18 am |
| Wed 12 May, 2:55 pm | Thu 13 May, 1:40 pm |
| Tue 8 Jun, 9:36 pm | Wed 9 Jun, 7:48 pm |
| Tue 6 Jul, 6:33 am | Wed 7 Jul, 4:03 am |
| Mon 2 Aug, 5:09 pm | Tue 3 Aug, 2:16 pm |
| Mon 30 Aug, 3:44 am | Tue 31 Aug, 1:02 am |
| Sun 26 Sep, 12:37 pm | Mon 27 Sep, 10:33 am |
| Sat 23 Oct, 7:07 pm | Sun 24 Oct, 5:41 pm |
| Sat 20 Nov, 12:27 am | Sat 20 Nov, 11:06 pm |
| Fri 17 Dec, 7:07 am | Sat 18 Dec, 5:11 am |
Is Ashlesha your birth nakshatra?
Your janma nakshatra is the one the Moon was in when you were born. Find yours with the Moon sign calculator, or see which nakshatra the Moon is in today.