The Ecliptic is the apparent path the Sun traces across the celestial sphere over the course of a year as Earth orbits the Sun. Astronomically, it corresponds to the plane of Earth’s orbit projected outward onto the sky. The zodiac is centered along this path, and the positions of the Sun, Moon, Planets, Lunar Nodes, and other chart factors are commonly measured in relation to it. The Lunar Nodes are specifically defined by the two points where the Moon’s orbital path crosses the ecliptic. Because the ecliptic provides a common reference framework for celestial positions, it plays an important role in both astronomy and astrological chart calculation.