Moonsign,
Sunsign
and More
by Jenny Yates

October 23 to 30, 2020


What sign is the moon in?  What signs do the planets occupy?  
What is the current lunar cycle about?  

For the aspects currently affecting everyone, click here.  

And for a daily overview, click here.   

Venus is in Gemini

In Gemini, Venus is devoted to
intellectual pleasures.  This can mean
anything from crossword puzzles to
lectures on Medieval candle magic.   

It's especially good for scintillating
conversation.  Everyone is wittier and
more interesting, and everyone is
quicker to respond to your ripostes.
(And they're ready to repost
everything you write, too.)  

And yes, it's a good time for puns.  
Try to control yourself.    

Venus will be in Gemini until July 4.   

Venus entered Gemini
in NYC: Thurs, June 9, 10:23 am
in Vancouver: Thurs, June 9, 7:23 am
in London: Thurs, June 9, 3:23 pm
in Berlin:  Thurs, June 9, 4:23 pm


The Moon


moves into Aquarius
in NYC: Fri, Oct 23, 8:16 am  
in Vancouver: Fri, Oct 23, 5:16 am   
in London: Fri, Oct 23, 1:16 pm    
in Singapore: Fri, Oct 23, 8:16 pm    
in Sydney: Fri, Oct 23, 11:16 pm   

moves into Pisces
in NYC: Sun, Oct 25, 5:18 pm
in Vancouver: Sun, Oct 25, 2:18 pm  
in London: Sun, Oct 25, 9:18 pm
in Singapore: Mon, Oct 26, 5:18 am  
in Sydney: Mon, Oct 26, 8:18 am

moves into Aries
in NYC: Weds, Oct 28, 4:44 am
in Vancouver: Weds, Oct 28, 1:44 am
in London: Weds, Oct 28, 8:44 am
in Singapore: Weds, Oct 28, 4:44 pm  
in Sydney: Weds, Oct 28, 7:44 pm

moves into Taurus
in NYC: Fri, Oct 30, 5:18 pm
in Vancouver: Fri, Oct 30, 2:18 pm  
in London: Fri, Oct 30, 9:18 pm  
in Singapore: Sat, Oct 31, 5:18 am
in Sydney: Sat, Oct 31, 8:18 am

What does the
moon's sign tell
you?

See
Moon Signs and
Lunar Transits

Pluto is in Capricorn


Pluto has to do with the slowest, most
relentless and most inexorable trends.  
In spite of being demoted from planet
status, it's still very influential when it
comes to social transformation.  

As soon as Pluto entered this
pragmatic, restrained ascetic sign, the
economy took a very different shape.  
Everyone switched from spending and
speculating to worrying and saving.  
The emphasis is on what works, not
necessarily what feels good.

This is a long-term conservative
influence, but the word "conservative"
can mean a lot of different things.  It
could mean conserving the land, and
becoming better stewards of the
earth.  It could mean conserving the
wisdom of our elders.  It could mean
looking to the people who have spent
their lives developing practical skills
and asking, "Okay, how do we do this?"

Pluto has been in Capricorn since
November 2008 and will be here until
March 2023.  

Saturn is in Capricorn

Saturn returns to its home sign for a final six
months, after spending most of the last two and a
half years here. Some familiar old fears could be
reactivated, and some onerous restrictions
reenacted. There may be a sense that we’re going
backwards, even that we’re re-entering the dark
ages. There won’t be a lot of time or room for
frivolity.

For Saturn in Capricorn, the main thing is to
maintain the status quo, and to bolster it further
whenever possible. For many reasons, including
the pandemic, there could be more poverty and
lack during this time. Natural resources become
scarcer, and people already in power continue to
take control of what’s there.  

When times are hard, people focus on the basics,
and act more cautiously. However, with Mars going
through Aries during this time, there will be some
pitched battles between the two of them, and so
sparks will fly. Saturn in Capricorn will focus on
duty, responsibility and pragmatism, while Mars in
Aries keeps fighting, pushing to break through all
the walls and achieve victory.

In addition, Saturn in Capricorn encourages
organization in all forms, and so there could be
more grassroots organizational efforts.  People will
find alternate ways to distribute the earth’s
resources.  Some folks already have the skills they
need to survive, and they’ll teach them to others.  
Discipline, commitment and clear vision are all
rewarded by Saturn in this sign.    

Saturn will be in Capricorn until December 17,
2020.   

Saturn entered Capricorn
in NYC: Weds, July 1, 7:37 pm
in Vancouver: Weds, July 1,
4:37 pm  
in London: Thurs, July 2,
12:37 am  
in Singapore: Thurs, July 2,
7:37 am    
in Sydney: Thurs, July 2,
9:37 am   

Mars is in Aries

Wow, Mars is going to be in Aries for a
long time – for the rest of the year, in
fact. Usually it spends two months in a
sign, so this gives a long stretch of
highly focused, dynamic energy. Mars
in Aries is very vital, so you can get
some important work done.

This fire sign is passionate, rebellious
and spontaneous, and it can mean
leaping headfirst into the most
ambitious projects – and often,
accomplishing things that were
supposed to be impossible. The urge
to compete and win is very strong. But
it’s not the most organized, structured
or patient influence in the world.
Everybody wants to be a leader,
nobody wants to compromise, delays
are intolerable, and arguments can
sap a lot of time and energy.

A town full of Lone Rangers can be
somewhat chaotic, so the best way to
handle this is to stay as self-aware as
possible, and keep your sense of
humor intact.  If you catch yourself
throwing the rules, schedules and
contracts in the trash can, pause for a
minute and ask yourself if this is really
a good idea. Even though
you’re eager to move forward, you
may want to stop, look around, and
see what others are saying or doing.  

A brief pause won’t hurt anything.  
Everything is still moving very quickly,
and there will be plenty of dragons left
for you to slay.

Mars will be in Aries until January 6.     

Mars entered Aries
in NYC: Sat, June 27, 9:45 pm  
in Vancouver: Sat, June 27, 6:45 pm   
in London: Sun, June 28, 2:45 am    
in Singapore: Sun, June 28,
9:45 am      
in Sydney: Sun, June 28, 11:45 am    

Mars is Retrograde
(28° Aries)

Mars retrograde doesn’t tend to be as
disruptive as Mercury retrograde, but it
can mean less effective, focused
action. Mars in Aries is generally
impulsive and spontaneous, but while
it’s retrograde, your impulses may send
you in a completely wrong direction.
There can be a feeling that you’re in a
great hurry, but not going anywhere.

Intending to rush forward, you can find
yourself rushing back into the past. All
the people you’ve ever been mad at,
you find yourself annoyed at once
more.  Everything that’s ever frustrated
you is now frustrating you again.  Old
obstacles show up.  Or without
thinking, you repeat mistakes you’ve
made before.  

This can drive you crazy, until you
realize that you need to slow down and
stop over-reacting to everything.  What
are you supposed to learn from this?
It’s a good time to pause, look around
you, and draw some conclusions.  
When you’re still, your viewpoint
widens, until you can see patterns that
you never saw before, and make more
viable plans for the future.  

Anger is never simple, and less so now
than usual.  If you’re used to robustly
defending yourself, you may suddenly
recognize that you haven’t been
entirely blameless.  If you’ve been
feeling like a victim, you may notice the
ways in which you’ve let that happen.  If
you’ve run away from scary situations
in the past, you may find ways to move
towards them, and face what you’ve
always feared.  

Mars goes direct again on November
13.         

Mars goes retrograde
in NYC: Weds, Sept 9, 6:22 pm    
in Vancouver: Weds, Sept 9,
3:22 pm     
in London: Weds, Sept 9,
11:22 pm     
in Singapore: Thurs, Sept 10,
6:22 am      
in Sydney: Thurs, Sept 10,
8:22 am       

Jupiter is in Capricorn

Jupiter enters a new sign yearly, so this could be considered
the astrologer’s New Year.  Jupiter’s effect is to expand the
characteristics of its sign, and Capricorn is a pragmatic,
disciplined earth sign.  It’s not particularly optimistic, and so
it isn't always a good fit for this exuberant planet.  For many
people, the coming year will feel harder, plainer, simpler.  

This is a good sign when it comes to surviving, however.  
Whatever the year brings – climate change disasters,
economic ups and downs – people are more likely to seize on
practical, viable solutions.  There will be an emphasis on
preserving energy and resources, reusing things, and
preventing waste.

Old things will be valued more while Jupiter is in this sign, and
this includes older skills and traditions.  People will be learning
from their elders, learning from books, and taking classes, as
they study up on all the skills that kept people alive before the
Industrial Revolution.  Inventive people will be constructing
things that help people in immediate practical ways.

The realism of Capricorn can help everyone survive, but it
doesn’t always offer a hopeful vision of the future.  
There’s a sense that we have to go slowly, painstakingly, with a
lot of discipline and a certain amount of deprivation.  There
may be less energy given to pleasure, romance and the arts.  

However, long-term strategy is one of
Capricorn’s gifts, and so there could be some steady progress
this year.  There could be new structures and systems for
work, for agriculture, for waste management, and for health
care. Foundational texts – such as the Bible and the
Constitution – could be changed in some practical ways.  
(Maybe we’ll get an amendment that does away with the
electoral college.)  Historical preservation is likely to proceed at
a good pace.  

The shadow side of Jupiter in Capricorn is a preference for
hierarchy and tradition over anything new and innovative.  In
our current world, this could be disastrous.  But as I said,
Capricorn is a good sign for survival, and
it’s also a realistic sign.  So I’m thinking that, when they’re
really needed, working solutions will be proposed and put into
practice.  And, in general, paring down isn’t a bad idea at this
point in history.   

Jupiter will be here until December 19, 2020.   

Jupiter entered Capricorn  
in NYC:  Mon, Dec 2, 2019, 1:20 pm
in Vancouver: Mon, Dec 2, 2019, 11:20 am
in London: Mon, Dec 2, 2019, 6:20 pm
in Singapore: Tues, Dec 3, 2019, 2:20 am  
in Sydney: Tues, Dec 3, 2019, 5:20 am  

Mercury is in Scorpio

Mercury is the planet of intellect, and in
Scorpio, intellect is compressed,
concentrated, internal.  This is a time
when you can focus your mental powers
on what is really important to you.  It’s
especially good for research, for digging
down deep to find buried truths.

Scorpio is a retentive sign, and so
communication may be a bit more sparse
while Mercury is here.  Your tendency is to
mull things over, to let them percolate until
the time is right to reveal them.  If you’re
usually a chatty type, you’ll be more
thoughtful and discreet during this period.  
If you tend towards silence, you may be
positively inscrutable.

This is a good time to talk about deeper
emotional realities.  You are drawn
towards things that are intense, dense,
timeless, mysterious, and magical.  It’s a
good time for writers of fantasy and
science fiction, for psychologists, and for
story-tellers.  There’s a great deal of
power in the word, whether spoken or
written, and now is the time when that
power is most evident.     

Mercury will be in Scorpio until October 27.

Mercury entered Scorpio
in NYC: Sun, Sept 27, 3:40 am
in Vancouver: Sun, Sept 27, 12:40 am
in London: Sun, Sept 27, 8:40 am
in Singapore: Sun, Sept 27, 3:40 pm   
in Sydney: Sun, Sept 27, 5:40 pm

The Current Lunar Cycle
(23° Libra)

This is a really volatile new moon, with every planet
involved in a demanding aspect of some kind. There’s
a cardinal T-square with the sun and moon opposing
Mars in its home sign, and Jupiter/Saturn/Pluto (within
7° of each other) squaring both sides. And then, if
that’s not enough, Mercury opposes Uranus, and
Venus opposes Neptune. In addition, Mercury and
Mars are retrograde, so they have something to
prove.

So I expect some dramatic things to happen during
this lunar cycle. And, as I’m sitting here, it’s easy to
see what some of them might be, since we have a
presidential election, a Supreme Court seat up for
grabs, and a pandemic raging. Who knows how these
things will pan out? There could be the expected
power grabs, and there could be others that really
come out of the blue.  

A new moon signals new beginnings, and it looks like
everything could be tossed pretty thoroughly to make
room for something new. On the other hand, the
retrograde Mercury and Mars hold things in the past,
and so old problems do need to be corrected before
we can move forward. This gives a sense of
contained rage. Things need to change, but we can’t
go forward until we’ve gone backwards.  

This lunar cycle lasts until the next new moon on
November 15.  Its climactic moment is the full moon
on October 31.   

The new moon occurred
in NYC: Fri, Oct 16, 3:31 pm
in Vancouver: Fri, Oct 16, 12:31 pm
in London: Fri, Oct 16, 8:31 pm
in Singapore: Sat, Oct 17, 3:31 am
in Sydney: Sat, Oct 17, 6:31 am

Mercury is Retrograde
(11° Scorpio)

This is a period of many startling ups and
downs. Mercury retrograde is famous for
screw-ups, especially when it comes to
communication, transportation, and logistics.

Mercury in Scorpio tends to be a bit
secretive, and this can lead to
misunderstandings. You may think you
explained yourself, but actually you were
holding back a lot of important information,
perhaps because you felt vulnerable. Don’t
assume you know what others are thinking,
or that they know what’s going on in your
mind. You could both be completely off-
base.  

During the three weeks when Mercury is
retrograde, it’s not a particularly good time to
move forward with any new project.  
However, it can be a highly successful time
for finishing old projects, correcting mistakes,
or investigating whatever lies in your attic.
You could recover old things that you
thought were lost, or fix things that have
been damaged.     

This is also good for mending old rifts, since
Mercury retrograde always harkens to the
past in some way.  If you’re afraid to reach
out to people because you’ve been hurt in
the past, now is the time to work through
that. You might even have a healing
encounter with whoever hurt you, and realize
that you’re a stronger person for it.    

Mercury goes direct again on November 3.   

Mercury goes retrograde
in NYC: Tues, Oct 13, 9:05 pm
in Vancouver: Tues, Oct 13, 6:05 pm
in London: Weds, Oct 14, 2:05 am
in Singapore: Weds, Oct 14, 9:05 am
in Sydney: Weds, Oct 14, 12:05 pm

Neptune is in Pisces

This could be a time of beautiful spiritual flowering, a time
when large numbers of people open up their hearts and
connect with each other. The idealism of Neptune becomes
deeply intuitive, emotional and sympathetic when this planet
goes through Pisces.

The matter of faith is likely to be paramount as Neptune goes
through this sign.  Who and what do we trust?  People will
have a stronger need to believe in something (or someone),
and this can mean that some folks will be preyed upon by
unscrupulous con men. A gullible populace isn't always good
at picking leaders, so it will be important to talk as clearly and
fully as possible about all the issues of the day. Open
communication is important and protective during this
period.      

Neptune is the planet of the strange, so things may take odd
turns.  Everyone will be a little more susceptible to illusions,
confusion, fascinations, and poetic deliriums.  New drugs
could make an appearance – both medicinal and
recreational -  and new healing techniques be developed.  
Creativity is enhanced by Neptune in this sign, especially
when it comes to rhythmic forms like music and poetry, and
to the arts of illusion such as theatre and film. We could see
the flowering of some amazing new art-forms.  

Religious institutions get new life from
Neptune’s passage through Pisces, but only if they offer a
true connection with the wisdom of the inner self.  It’s not a
time for dogma, but for breaking down all artificial divisions
and merging with the infinite.  

Neptune will be here until March 2025.  

Neptune entered Pisces
in NYC:  Fri, Feb 3, 2012, 2:03 pm
in Vancouver: Fri, Feb 3, 2012,
11:03 am
in London:  Fri, Feb 3,2012,
7:03 pm
in Berlin: Fri, Feb 3, 2012, 8:03 pm
in Sydney: Sat, Feb 4, 2012,
6:03 am

Uranus is in Taurus

Uranus is the revolutionary planet, and now
it’s entering the most solid, grounded sign in the
zodiac, Taurus.  So this could be a time when
some very basic social and economic factors will
be challenged.  

There could be big changes to the way we all
handle matters of wealth and poverty, for example.
Currencies could be affected, and some could go
dormant, while new currencies are suddenly born.  
Our agricultural methods could be altered during
this time, along with the way we distribute food and
other goods.  New technology will reshape
science, especially when it comes to medicine.  
New art forms could have a big influence,
particularly in music and spoken poetry.  

Ecological issues will also be addressed with
innovative technology during this time, and some
of it will work, while some of it will fail.  It may
become clear that we do need to restructure our
societies in order to live sustainably on the earth,
but whether this will happen in a sufficiently radical
way remains to be seen.  There will be a lot of
push-back for every change that’s proposed.  
Sometimes it takes the shock of disaster to really
alter people’s consciousness, but that’s the hard
way to do it.

There may be more radical movements towards
traditional lifestyles during this time. Of course,
everybody interprets tradition in their own way.  
Some of these will be oppressive to women, gay
people, and minorities, while others are able to
combine a kinder social ethic with a sustainable
lifestyle.

Uranus will be in Taurus until July 7,
2025.                          

Uranus entered Taurus
in NYC:  Weds, Mar 6, 2019, 3:27 am
in Vancouver: Weds, Mar 6, 2019,
12:27 am
in London: Weds, Mar 6, 2019,
8:27 am  
in Singapore: Weds, Mar 6, 2019,
4:27 pm  
in Sydney: Weds, Mar 6, 2019,
7:27 pm

The sun is in Scorpio

This is a time of extreme emotions, fixed
attitudes, and powerful desires.  Everything
goes a little underground when the sun is in
Scorpio, and it’s a lot harder to figure out
what people are thinking and feeling.  People
who are introspective anyway will start
brooding about everything.  People who are
gregarious will wonder why nobody is calling
them up.   

The only kinds of relationships that flourish
when the sun is in Scorpio are intimate ones.  
People have much less time for anything
superficial, and may completely ignore the
usual niceties.   But intimate relationships can
get deeper.  This is the place where things
get dramatic and extreme, where Romeo and
Juliet scenarios are played out, where secrets
are kept and revealed, and sometimes, where
deep healing happens.  

There’s a lot of sexual energy when the sun is
in Scorpio, and that makes everything that
much more fraught.  And of course, sexual
energy gets sublimated in a lot of different
ways:  violent emotions spill over, people grab
for power, or people faint in religious
ecstasies.  And then, of course, there are the
people who are keeping all of it under wraps.  

The sun will be in Scorpio until November
21.             

The sun entered Scorpio
in NYC: Thurs, Oct 22, 6:59 pm
in Vancouver: Thurs, Oct 22, 3:59 pm  
in London: Thurs, Oct 22, 11:59 pm
in Singapore: Fri, Oct 23, 6:59 am    
in Sydney: Fri, Oct 23, 9:59 am    

Venus is in Virgo

As Venus enters this earth sign, work becomes more
fun.  You find it easier to be tackle practical jobs, to
improve your life in definite ways.  It makes you happy to
clean out closets and to fix or discard anything
that’s broken or that doesn’t fit into your daily routine.  
You want everything to be beautiful, clean, functional,
and uncluttered.   

Whatever your work, you’re happy to do it, but
it’s best if there are tangible, earthy results of some
kind.  This is a pleasant time for healers, herbalists,
gardeners, and craftspeople.  You enjoy an ongoing
sense of accomplishment, a contentment with the tasks
of each day.   

Virgo is about the details, and there can be some
tendency to be too picky, with Venus in this sign.  Try
not to nag your loved ones about the small things that
drive you crazy, but seek alternate systems that will work
better.  And avoid being overly mental in your approach,
expecting everything to be rational rather than looking at
the underlying feelings.  Sometimes people just need to
be listened to, rather than “fixed”.  

Venus will be in Virgo until October 27.              

Venus entered Virgo
in NYC: Fri, Oct 2, 4:47 pm
in Vancouver: Fri, Oct 2, 1:47 pm
in London: Fri, Oct 2, 9:47 pm
in Singapore: Sat, Oct 3, 4:47 am    
in Sydney: Sat, Oct 3, 6:47 am    

Mercury re-enters Libra

Mercury, the planet of intellect, is well-suited to the air sign
Libra. There’s a real love of the intellectual process - an
appreciation for learning, a willingness to teach and to
share knowledge, and an attraction to intricate concepts
and well-crafted sentences.  

This is an excellent time for cooperative work, especially in
small teams.  People are more willing to listen to each
other, to trade ideas back and forth, to compromise and
cooperate, to take turns exercising leadership. Everybody
is more focused on fairness, equality, and balance.
People are more apt to play by the rules, especially if it’s
obvious that these rules benefit others, either collectively
or individually.  

This is an idealistic time.  There’s less emphasis on
individual action, more on taking one’s place in the
community and being part of larger movements.  There
may be quite a lot of arguments and debates, but they will
mostly be pretty orderly.  The focus will be on ideas,
principles, and beliefs.

Libra is an artistic sign, and so everyone finds it easier to
communicate in a graceful and effective way.  Rhetoric
can rise to new heights.  At the same time, where is the
heart behind the words?  Sometimes the words can seem
a bit slick and overly crafted, and they can hide underlying
messages that are not so pretty, not so open-minded.  

Mercury will be here until November 10.   

Mercury re-enters Libra
in NYC: Tues, Oct 27, 9:33 pm
in Vancouver: Tues, Oct 27, 6:33 pm  
in London: Weds, Oct 28, 1:33 am
in Singapore: Weds, Oct 28, 9:33 am   
in Sydney: Weds, Oct 28, 12:33 pm

Venus enters Libra

When Venus, the planet of love, goes through
Libra, everyone is more romantic.  The trappings
of romance – candlelight, soft music, dancing, silky
fabrics – are all more evident.  Everything
connected to relationships is gentler, more subtle,
more refined.  There’s more give-and-take, a
willingness to look at the other point of view, to
cooperate, even to yield at times.

Single people may find themselves longing for
partners, and it’s very easy to fall in love during
this Venus sign.  You may be entranced by some
simple word or gesture which seems to reflect a
romantic ideal.  Whether this can go anywhere,
only time will tell, so take a while to get to know the
object of your desire.  This Venus sign is good for
that anyway, as it’s more cerebral than physical.  

During this time, artistic pleasure is enhanced.  It’s
a great time to go to a play, a concert or a
museum, even if only virtual.  People are drawn to
intellectual pleasures, parties are more elegant,
and conversation becomes an art.  Beauty and
culture relieve the stresses of life, and everybody
needs this these days. A little poetry or music
makes the most boring task go more smoothly.   

This is an idealistic time, in which the sense of
justice is stronger.  And so, even though it inclines
to peaceful solutions, it’s not always peaceful.  
There will be more processing during this Venus
sign, as people work out what it means to be fair,
egalitarian, and balanced in their relationships to
their partners, to society in general, and within
themselves.       

Venus will be here until November 21.  

Venus enters Libra
in NYC:  Tues, Oct 27, 9:41 pm
in Vancouver: Tues, Oct 27, 6:41 pm
in London: Weds, Oct 28, 1:41 am  
in Singapore: Weds, Oct 28, 9:41 am    
in Sydney: Weds, Oct 28, 12:41 pm