Comparison
Morning Star vs Evening Star
They are mirror images. A morning star forms after a decline: a large red candle, a small candle, then a large green candle closing well into the first candle's body. It is bullish. An evening star forms after an advance with the colours reversed, and it is bearish.
Morning Star
bullish bias
A morning star is a three-candle bullish reversal: a large red candle, a small candle that gaps or sits lower, and a large green candle that closes well into the first candle's body.
Evening Star
bearish bias
An evening star is a three-candle bearish reversal: a large green candle, a small candle that trades higher, and a large red candle that closes well into the first candle's body.
Side by side
| Aspect | Morning Star | Evening Star |
|---|---|---|
| Forms after | A decline | An advance |
| Sequence | Large red, small body, large green | Large green, small body, large red |
| Bias | Bullish | Bearish |
| Invalidation | A close below the middle candle's low | A close above the middle candle's high |
How to tell them apart on a chart
- Check the trend into it and the colour of the first candle.
- The third candle should close at least well into the first candle's body for either one.
- A small middle candle that is a doji gives a morning or evening doji star, a slightly stronger variant.
Morning Star: confirmation and invalidation
Confirms: The third candle is part of the pattern's own confirmation; a further higher close adds to it.
Invalidated: A close below the low of the middle candle.
Evening Star: confirmation and invalidation
Confirms: A further lower close after the third candle.
Invalidated: A close above the high of the middle candle.
Frequently asked questions
Is a morning star more reliable than an evening star?
Neither is reliably stronger. Location, at support or resistance, matters more.
Do I need a gap before the middle candle?
The classic definition has one. On 24-hour markets gaps are rare, so most traders accept the pattern without them.
Full guides
Related comparisons
Educational content only, not financial advice. Chart patterns describe probabilities, not certainties, and every pattern can fail. See our disclaimer.