ermetikon

Lunar Placement

Last Quarter in Cancer

Classical astrology meaning for the last quarter when it occurs in Cancer - a Water Cardinal sign ruled by Moon.

At a glance

What last quarter in Cancer emphasizes

This page combines the lunar phase with a water, cardinal sign ruled by Moon, so the doctrine is more specific than a generic phase page.

Current sky

Last Quarter in Pisces

The Moon is not in Last Quarter in Cancer right now.

Next occurrence

October 3, 2026

Exact astronomical moment: Oct 3, 2026, 1:25 PM UTC

Moon in Cancer

In Domicile

Moon is entirely at home in Cancer — sovereign, resourced, and acting with full natural authority.

Sign profile

Water / Cardinal

The Crab. Cancer encloses, nourishes, and protects. It is moist, fertile, and bound to roots, household matters, and the body's responsiveness.

Visual geometry

Last Quarter in Cancer

The visual geometry stays fixed by phase, while the sign changes the atmosphere and expression.

270 deg square
Sun
Moon
0 deg
90 deg
180 deg
270 deg

Solar side

Sun in Libra.

Lunar side

Moon in Cancer during the last quarter.

Local personalization

Local timing for Last Quarter in Cancer

The canonical page keeps one stable doctrinal reading, but you can apply coordinates here to get local-time conversions, local ascendant, and the current planetary hour.

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Current moon

Last Quarter in Pisces

Last Quarter in Cancer is not active right now.

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Featured local timings

Next Last Quarter in Cancer

Oct 3, 2026, 1:25 PM UTC

Last Quarter in Cancer, with the Sun in Libra.

Why Cancer changes this Last Quarter

Cancer is water and cardinal, ruled by Moon. That means the last quarter does not land in an abstract way: it is filtered through the crab. cancer encloses, nourishes, and protects. it is moist, fertile, and bound to roots, household matters, and the body's responsiveness.

Lunar condition in this sign

The Moon is in domicile in Cancer, so the lunation inherits a more sharply defined lunar condition than it would in a peregrine sign.

Sun-Moon geometry

A last quarter in Cancer means the Sun is in Libra. The page therefore combines the Moon's phase doctrine with the zodiacal atmosphere of Cancer and the implied solar counter-sign that completes the lunation.

The Last Quarter - Classical Doctrine

The Last Quarter Moon occurs when the Moon reaches 270 deg of elongation from the Sun - the third square in the lunation cycle. The Moon is now waning, decreasing in light and moving back toward the Sun's conjunction. Classical doctrine marks this square as a moment of release, clearing, and preparation for the cycle's end.

The Waning Square

The Last Quarter is geometrically the same as the First Quarter (both are 90 deg from the Sun) but carries entirely different quality. The First Quarter is a waxing crisis demanding action; the Last Quarter is a waning crisis calling for release. Classical doctrine is attentive to the Moon's direction of travel - and at the Last Quarter, the Moon is clearly moving toward the Sun's consuming embrace.

Decreasing in Light

At the Last Quarter, the Moon is decreasing in illumination while locked in a waning square to the Sun. In classical doctrine, that combination weakens its power for fresh beginnings, even while it remains appropriate for completing existing ones and preparing for what comes next.

Moon in Cancer - Classical Doctrine

When Moon occupies Cancer, the Moon acts from her own domicile, strengthening memory, attachment, protectiveness, and responsiveness to family or place. Classical doctrine treats this as one of the Moon's most natural expressions in a nativity.

Element

Water

Modality

Cardinal

Ruler

Moon

Classical Sources

Primary-source passages from the Hermetikon archive on the last quarter and Moon in Cancer.

Cover of A Manual of Astrology

A Manual of Astrology

Raphael (Robert Cross Smith)
1828
"After the full , she begins to decrease gradually, as she moves through the other half of her orbit; and when the eastern half of her only is enlightened, she is said to be in her third quarter"
Page 60Open in Reader
Cover of Tetrabiblos

Tetrabiblos

Claudius Ptolemy
150
"The third part of this consideration appertains to significations applying more minutely, and points out their force or weakness. In this case, the partile configurations of the Sun and Moon, at the intermediate quarters, as well as at the new or full Moon, are to be attentively regarded; since there is a certain variation in the constitution of the atmosphere, which usually commences about three days before, and sometimes, also, about three days after the Moon has equated her course to the Sun"
CHAPTER XIII MODE OF CONSIDERATION FOR PARTICULAR CONSTITUTIONS OF THE ATMOSPHEREOpen in Reader
Cover of Tetrabiblos

Tetrabiblos

Claudius Ptolemy
150
"from her full state to her third quarter she causes dryness; and from her third quarter to her occultation she causes cold"
CHAPTER VIII THE INFLUENCE OF POSITION WITH REGARD TO THE SUNOpen in Reader
Cover of Astrology for All

Astrology for All

Alan Leo (William Frederick Allan)
1899
"THE MOON IN CANCER. ☽ in ♋. This indicates a personality fond of ease and comfort, homely in his habits, and attached to his family, especially to his mother, whom he will much resemble. He is friendly and sociable in manner, imaginative, emotional and changeable. He is influenced greatly by his surroundings, being very sensitive to outside influences, and so falls in readily with the ways and methods of others, adopts their suggestions, sympathises with their joys and sorrows, and generally takes his colouring from outside to some extent. He is most fortunate when acting under the direction of, or in accordance with the advice of, someone else. But this may be greatly modified if positive signs or planets are prominent in the nativity; under the influence of Mars or martial signs, especially, he will show much positiveness and independence. There is some ability for mimicking, acting, or expressing the thoughts and emotions of others; also for music, painting or poetry. This position relates somewhat to mediumship, psychism, and the astral plane generally. The native is drawn to the watery element; lives near water or travels by water; deals in liquids; and is fortunate with house or land property and shipping"
Page 84Open in Reader
Cover of Clavis Astrologiae Elimata

Clavis Astrologiae Elimata

Henry Coley
1669
"The Moon in Cancer , represents a middle statur'd Person, well proportioned, and fleshly, a round full Face, a sad brown Hair, a pale duskish Complexion; for disposition, it signifies a flexable person, jocular, and pleasant, often added to Good fellowship, very harmless, (p. 64) and generally well beloved; fortunate in most affairs yet mutable and uncertain in his resolves, but free from passion, or rash actions"
Page 77Open in Reader
Cover of Encyclopaedia of Occultism

Encyclopaedia of Occultism

Lewis Spence
1920
"Saturn is Aquarius, Jupiter in Sagittarius, Mars in Scorpio, the Sun in Leo, Venus in Taurus, Mercury in Virgo, and the Moon in Cancer. Cogent reasons are given why the planets should joy in these houses rather than others"
Page 73Open in Reader

Sources on Last Quarter in Cancer

Open the cited books and authors in the Hermetikon archive.

Books cited here

Manual of Astrology

Open the full book page in the archive.

Tetrabiblos

Open the full book page in the archive.

Astrology for All

Open the full book page in the archive.

Clavis Astrologiae Elimata

Open the full book page in the archive.

Encyclopaedia of Occultism

Open the full book page in the archive.

Authors cited here

Claudius Ptolemy

Open the author page in the archive.

Alan Leo (William Frederick Allan)

Open the author page in the archive.

Henry Coley

Open the author page in the archive.

Lewis Spence

Open the author page in the archive.

Last Quarter in Cancer - FAQ

What does Last Quarter in Cancer mean in astrology?

The Last Quarter in Cancer combines the last quarter's the moon stands in its third square to the sun, now waning and decreasing in light with the qualities of Cancer - a Water Cardinal sign ruled by Moon. When Moon occupies Cancer, the Moon acts from her own domicile, strengthening memory, attachment, protectiveness, and responsiveness to family or place. Classical doctrine treats this as one of the Moon's most natural expressions in a nativity.

When is the next Last Quarter in Cancer?

The next Last Quarter in Cancer occurs on October 3, 2026.

Related Pages

Last Quarter - Phase MeaningMoon in CancerPlacements HubMoon Return CalculatorRetrograde CalendarLast Quarter in AriesLast Quarter in TaurusLast Quarter in GeminiLast Quarter in LeoMoon Phase HubAstrology Today