Shooting Star
Reversal1 candleA single-candle bearish reversal pattern with a small body and long upper wick, signaling potential trend reversal after an uptrend.
Visual Example
When It Usually Fails
This is what most courses don't teach you. These conditions turn textbook patterns into losing trades.
- Forms at support instead of resistance
- Appears in a strong bullish trend (fighting momentum)
- Volume is below average
- No follow-through on next candle
Why Shooting Star Often Fails (60%)
This pattern doesn't fail because of the pattern itself. It fails when context is wrong.
Location
Shooting Star at support instead of resistance
Example: Pattern forms at a support level during an uptrend. Upper wick shows rejection, but there's no resistance to reject from. Win rate drops to 25%.
Market Regime
Appears in strong bullish trend
Example: Market is making higher highs consistently. Shooting Star tries to signal reversal but trend momentum is too strong. Uptrend continues.
Order Flow
Below average volume on rejection candle
Example: Shooting Star looks perfect visually but volume is 40% below average. No real selling pressure behind the rejection. Fake signal.
Key insight: The same Shooting Star that fails 60% of the time in wrong context can succeed 68%+ when all three factors align.
When It Usually Works
- Forms at established resistance level after an uptrend
- Upper wick is at least 2x the body length
- Volume is above average
- Followed by bearish confirmation candle
Common Traps
Shooting star at support
Wrong location entirely
Low volume rejection
No real selling pressure
Bull market shooting star
Trend too strong to reverse
Historical Statistics
Based on analysis of historical data. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Note: These statistics are for educational purposes. Individual results vary based on market conditions, timing, and risk management.
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Variants (1)
Shooting Star
Small body at bottom, long upper shadow (2x+ body), little/no lower shadow.
Confusing with inverted hammer (which appears after downtrends).
Warning sign at resistance after uptrend; needs bearish follow-through.
Key Concepts:
Training Note: Pattern variants are educational classifications. Real-world price action rarely matches textbook definitions exactly. Always evaluate patterns in context of regime, location, and volume.
Practice This Pattern
Build intuition through daily training with real Shooting Star scenarios.