Hi Everyone
Hard to believe that this is the last Astro Doings for 2020! November is busy, but December is somewhat calmer. I do hope you’ve been enjoying watching the Moon, Saturn and Jupiter in the night sky in late October.
November
Three planets change directions this month, and Jupiter, Saturn and Pluto continue to stay close together in Capricorn for the whole month. At the end of the month they will be in a challenging relationship (square) with Mars. Capricorn is an earth sign and Aries, where Mars is, is a fire sign.
Mercury: The last retrograde for Mercury in 2020 ends on November 3rd at 12:50 p.m. EST. (Yes, that’s Election Day in the US.) He’ll be at 230 Libra, the sign of balance, relationship and fairness.
Mars. The planet of war, assertiveness, and initiative ends his retrograde motion on November 13th at 7:36 p.m. EST. He’ll be at 150 Aries. Mars is very strong in his own sign and may express itself as being impulsive and combative. Those with planets in Libra, Capricorn, Cancer and of course Aries, may be more impacted by this change of direction. In direct motion, Mars can be more impulsive, action-oriented and combative. However, he can also provide energy to move forward on projects that have been put aside when he was retrograde. At 150 Aries, Mars is exactly opposite Saturn, representing the executive, in the US (Sibly) chart. P.S. I also hope you’ve enjoyed seeing Mars in the night sky. He’s been quite impressive.
Neptune. The planet of fog, illusion, disillusion, compassion, and redemption ends her long retrograde period on the 28th at 7:36 p.m. EST. She’ll be at 180 Pisces. Some of the creative energy that has been gestating internally may be more easily expressed now. We may also become more aware of the fog! Those with planets in the other mutable signs, Virgo, Gemini, Sagittarius and Pisces, may feel this change of direction more than others. This leaves only one planet in retrograde motion – Uranus. Our innovative rebellion continues to be internal during this retrograde period. Great time to break down old patterns. Never fear, he’ll change direction in January.
Eclipses. There is a prenumbral lunar eclipse in November, and if it’s clear we may be able to see it. Eclipses are like energy vortices and are triggered by any planet transiting the degree of the eclipse. The vortex is “open” (sensitive) one month for every hour of eclipse duration.
This lunar eclipse will occur on November 30th at 80 Gemini, conjunct the Uranus in the US Chart. Lunar eclipses are about the endings of eras in how we’ve used the Gemini (or Sagittarius, Virgo or Pisces) energies in our charts. This eclipse will last about four hours. The focus of this eclipse is service, especially in the area of communication and relating. The companion solar eclipse occurs in December (see below).
The New Moon occurs on November 15th at 12:07 a.m. She’ll be at 230 Scorpio. The Sun enters Sagittarius on November 21st at 3:40 p.m.
December
Be sure to watch the heavens in mid-December as Jupiter and Saturn will be 10 apart. They haven’t been this close since 1623 and won’t be again until 2080. In mid-December they both move into Aquarius, the sign of the rebel, the innovator and humankind. It’s an air sign – the element of ideas and communication. There have been very few planets in air this year, so we may see newer (perhaps more radical) ideas about how to address the issues confronting us. Lots more Aquarian energy coming in January and February next year.
Eclipse. The companion eclipse to the lunar eclipse in November is a total solar eclipse. It occurs on December 14th and will last about 5.5 hours. It will not be visible in the US, however. The Sun will be at 230 Sagittarius, as will the Moon since a solar eclipse occurs on a New Moon. Solar eclipses are about new beginnings, and may impact those with planets in Sagittarius, Gemini, Pisces and Virgo more than others. Sagittarius is the sign of the quest for Truth but can also be outspoken and exclusionary. It can also be very lucky!
The Sun enters Capricorn, the Winter Solstice, on November 21st at 5:02 a.m. EST. The Sun will be next to Mercury in Capricorn, the sign of the status quo, structures, and also of the spiritual initiate.
We end 2020 with a Full Moon on December 29th at 10:28 p.m. EST. She’ll be at 80 Cancer near Venus, Jupiter and the Sun in the US chart. It will be interesting to see how the moody, nurturing lunar energy expresses itself at the end of this challenging year.
I hope you have a wonderful and safe end of 2020! On to 2021!
Peace and abundant blessings, Margaret