By Selene Tides · Updated August 3, 2026
Lunar Cycles Guide
What is the Void of Course Moon?
The Moon is void of course (VoC) when she has completed her last major aspect to one of the classical planets before changing zodiac signs. In William Lilly's Christian Astrology (1647), this is when 'the matter shall come to nothing, or to a very small effect.' Many traditional astrologers still use this as a guide for what NOT to begin during the void window.
Right now
The Moon is in ♈ Aries
Not currently void of course.
The next void begins at Tue, Aug 4, 06:51 PM UTC (after the Moon's sextile to Mars) and ends at Wed, Aug 5, 02:35 AM UTC.
7-day void forecast
- ♈
Moon in Aries → ♉ Taurus
Void from Tue, Aug 4, 06:51 PM UTC (after Moon sextile Mars) to Wed, Aug 5, 02:35 AM UTC
Duration: 7 hr 44 min
- ♉
Moon in Taurus → ♊ Gemini
Void from Thu, Aug 6, 11:24 PM UTC (after Moon sextile Mercury) to Fri, Aug 7, 06:07 AM UTC
Duration: 6 hr 43 min
- ♊
Moon in Gemini → ♋ Cancer
Void from Sat, Aug 8, 08:29 AM UTC (after Moon sextile Sun) to Sun, Aug 9, 07:45 AM UTC
Duration: 23 hr 16 min
- ♋
Moon in Cancer → ♌ Leo
Void from Mon, Aug 10, 07:29 AM UTC (after Moon square Saturn) to Tue, Aug 11, 08:38 AM UTC
Duration: 25 hr 8 min
What to avoid during a void Moon
Signing important contracts (especially long-term ones)
Launching a business, product, or significant project
Getting married, or proposing
Major purchases (cars, houses, large investments)
First meetings that need to lead somewhere (job interviews, first dates with intention)
Initiating lawsuits, complaints, or formal disputes
Surgery that can be scheduled flexibly (where the elective timing is yours to choose)
What's fine during a void Moon
Routine, repeated tasks (the laundry, the inbox triage, the grocery run)
Journaling, dreaming, free writing without an audience
Sleep, rest, restorative practice
Cleaning, sorting, archiving, finishing things rather than starting them
Reading, learning for its own sake (not for a credential)
Spending time with people you already love (the relationship is not 'starting')
Meditation, prayer, contemplative practice
A note on schools
Void of course traditions vary by school. CrystalStones.com uses the Lilly/Hellenistic rule: VoC begins when the Moon completes her last major Ptolemaic aspect (conjunction, sextile, square, trine, opposition) to a classical planet (Sun, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn) before leaving her current sign. VoC ends when the Moon enters the next sign. Other schools, modern electional astrology, Vedic jyotisha, use different rules and will sometimes disagree about whether a given moment is void.
Selene's reading
The void is not bad luck. It is the moon's pause, her exhale between two breaths. The cycle keeps the rhythm even when the calendar doesn't. Many practitioners learn to read the void as a quieter quality of attention, not as a problem to avoid. The rule of thumb is simple: the void is a poor time to begin and an excellent time to rest.
The Moon enters void of course many times each month, sometimes for minutes, sometimes for nearly two days. Your body often recognizes the void before the chart confirms it: a slight blur, a difficulty starting new tasks, an inclination toward rest. Many practitioners learn to read this quality of attention as information rather than obstacle.
In medical astrology, described historically, assigns each zodiac sign to a body region; in the older Hellenistic doctrine, the void Moon was considered particularly significant when it occurred in the natal Moon's sign (a kind of monthly mini-eclipse of intention). CrystalStones.com names this lineage; we publish the calendar so you can use it as a reflective practice, not as a strict ban on activity.
See also: the moon phase today · the full month-by-month moon calendar · the moon cycles hub for readers who want to place each void window inside the wider lunar month.
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Frequently asked questions
What does 'Moon void of course' mean?
The Moon is 'void of course' (VoC) when she has completed her last major Ptolemaic aspect (conjunction, sextile, square, trine, opposition) to a classical planet (Sun, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn) before changing zodiac signs. The void window runs from that last aspect to the Moon's ingress into the next sign.
Should I avoid all decisions during a void Moon?
No. The classical rule applies to NEW initiatives, signing contracts, launching businesses, starting major projects. Routine tasks, rest, journaling, and continuing existing work are fine. William Lilly (Christian Astrology, 1647) was specific: 'the matter shall come to nothing' refers to new beginnings, not to all activity.
How long is a typical void of course period?
Voids range from a few minutes to about two days. Most voids are short (under 12 hours). The longest voids occur when the Moon enters a fast-moving sign with few other planets to aspect.
Why do different astrology apps disagree about whether the Moon is void?
Different schools use slightly different rules. CrystalStones.com uses the Lilly/Hellenistic rule (major Ptolemaic aspects to classical planets only). Some modern apps use modern planets (Uranus, Neptune, Pluto) as triggers; some use minor aspects (semisextile, quincunx). The disagreements are real and predate computing.
Can I get married during a void Moon?
Classical electional astrologers strongly advise against it, William Lilly considered VoC marriages especially risky. Modern electional practitioners agree but vary on severity. If you have flexibility, time your wedding outside the void window; if you don't, the marriage will not 'fail' because of moon timing, only the classical rule says it might come to less than it could.
Where does the void of course rule come from?
The doctrine appears in Hellenistic astrology (Vettius Valens, 2nd century CE), is elaborated through the Arabic and medieval astrologers, and reaches its definitive modern form in William Lilly's Christian Astrology (1647). Modern restorations include Lee Lehman's Classical Astrology for Modern Living.
Living by the Moon
Selene Tides on the eight phases and what each has traditionally been for, the moon through the twelve signs, and a blank lunar month planner you can fill for any month.
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