What does 2026 have in store for us astrologically speaking?
As a whole 2026 looks like a year in which we may begin to experience massive, dramatic changes in how our society operates. It looks like it’s going to be a very emotional year, a year in which we’re perhaps going to appreciate, understand, crave the nurturing reassurance that comes with a warm hug from a loving mom.
There could be changes in leadership, government, due to revelations. We could experience financial changes or shocks that push us to come together as humanity and recognize the need to care for one another in ways that we have not done so before, at least not in our lifetimes. We could find ourselves re-evaluating the importance of feminine energy, of emotional intelligence and resilience in particular. And we are going to continue to fine tune our relationships, not only with other people but ourselves.
Cancer Full Moons Bookend the Year
2026 is a year bookended by two Full Moons in the emotional, watery, feminine sign of Cancer. We have a Full Moon in Cancer on January 3 and a Full Moon in Cancer on December 23. And Mercury retrograde will occur three times this year, all in water signs.
We’re going to dive into all of this and more, but first let’s start from the beginning.
Numerology Indicates New Beginnings
The year 2026 in numerology is considered a one year. 2 + 0 + 2 + 6 = 10 but in numerology that 10 would become a 1 (1+ 0 = 1). A year one is connected with new beginnings, a fresh start. And I think that we will have a year in which there is going to be a lot of newness and some structures and parts of society may begin to crumble this year. It may feel exhausting because a one year is masculine energy. It requires initiative, action, doing something, creating something. And we just had a masculine year. 2025 was a nine year, a year all about endings, culmination, coming to the end of a chapter. And to have back to back masculine years that are about giving and doing vs receiving and resting, more feminine energy, it can feel more depleting.
I do want to share with you that there are some Chinese numerologists saying that we should recognize the year 10 in 2026 because it’s an energy connected to the heart and fire. The Chinese New Year will begin in February, specifically the same day as the Solar Eclipse New Moon in Aquarius and the Chinese are calling this a Fire Horse year. I’m flagging this for you because the eclipse axis in astrology is going to shift from Pisces-Virgo to Aquarius-Leo and Leo is fire energy, it’s energy that is connected to our heart, and that’s the energy we are releasing collectively. But I’ve seen Chinese numerologists specifically issue warnings about heart health and because we are releasing Leo energy, heart energy.
The year will begin rather smoothly, quietly considering what we will experience. This may be a year that when we get to next December it may feel like we have lived several lives or lifetimes because there just may be so many shocking twists and turns that I think more so than usual this will be a year in which we don’t end it the same person as when we began the year.
I do think Venus and Jupiter will be trying their best to soften some of these harsh influences and transits. But emotional resilience will be the game changer of the year. I would highly recommend using the beginning of January especially to honor the cycles of winter. To rest, to gather your strength, to check in with yourself emotionally, mentally. If there is something you want to accomplish this year, by all means, go ahead and get started, but I don’t want you to feel the need to overextend yourself and exhaust yourself at the start of the year because this is going to be a marathon year.
Planetary Shifts
In 2025, especially around July, we started to have the generational planets, Neptune, Saturn, Uranus, all shift into different zodiac signs. Neptune and Saturn entered Aries for a few weeks, Uranus entered Gemini for a few months, but they have all since retrograded back. But in 2026 those planets are changing signs again, this time permanently. And when we have generational planets shifting, that’s a big deal because it echoes throughout the collective community.
Neptune in Aries
Starting off in January Neptune is going to move into Aries for the next 14 years. Neptune is the planet that is connected to dreams, illusions, it’s this energy that is all about a cosmic ocean of love and oneness. It’s an energy that really doesn’t have boundaries, so whereas Venus is the planet of love and beauty between humans, Neptune is that love between humans, animals, planets, Mother Earth herself. And Neptune has spent the last 14 years transiting through Pisces, a sign it co-rules along with Jupiter. Neptune is also connected to addiction, pharmaceutical drugs, toxicity, rose-colored glasses, delusions, and we’ve really seen that in the last 14 years there has been a rise in pharmaceutical drug abuse and addictions, pharmaceutical drug toxicity has seemingly increased, we’ve also seen the rise of influencers and celebrities have been put on a pedestal.
But when Neptune moves into Aries on January 26, 2026, a zodiac sign all about the military, war, aggression, there is a chance we could find ourselves impulsively championing aggressive, militaristic actions, having more combative conversations, trying to assert our will on other people, or perhaps fighting someone else’s spiritual war or championing a cause we may not actually believe in. Find the house that Aries rules in your natal chart because that’s the area of your life Neptune will be influencing for the next 14 years.
The last time Neptune entered Aries was in 1861. And in the 14 years Neptune was in Aries in the late 1800s, there was the start of the American Civil War, battles for freedom, and the rise of new technologies like early cinema and photography equipment was created.
Aries energy is a bit naive and is quick to act without necessarily thinking things through. It’s possible that this naivety could allow for pioneering, creative ideas to come through. Aries is the muckraker of the zodiac and symbolized by the ram that walks sideways up the mountains, perhaps Neptune will be gifting us a streak of creative genius and just enough delulu to think we can actually accomplish what may have in the past intimidated us. Instead of that’s too much for one person, perhaps just enough of us will be inspired to think: why not me? Why can’t one person make a difference?
Saturn in Aries
Saturn will join Neptune in Aries starting on February 14 for the next two-and-a-half years. Find the house Aries rules in your natal chart, this is the area of your life where you could experience some slow-downs, limitations, and challenges through 2028. Saturn has been transiting Pisces since 2023 so find the house that Pisces rules for you, that’s the area of your life where you may have had slow-downs and challenges over the past two-and-a-half years or so. And now with Saturn moving into Aries, those slow-downs and challenges may be shifting to a different area of your life. Some of you may feel this more dramatically than others.
Saturn has not been in Aries since the late 1990s, so if you were born between 1996-1998 when Saturn last transited through Aries, you’re about to have your first Saturn return. A time in which you review just about everything and anything that has happened over the last 30 years. It’s a time in your life where you may question relationships, your job, your childhood, what you want for the future and more.
Now Saturn, planet of tough fatherly love is going to be annoyed with Aries. As I mentioned, Aries is the youngest sign of the zodiac and Saturn is one of the older energies and is less impulsive and much more focused on long-term goals, generational structures, and following rules. Although Saturn is in detriment in Aries, meaning its energy is not operating at its full potential, Saturn will be doing its best to bring more boundaries and strategy to Aries’ need for action.
So while Neptune in Aries is perhaps going to make you feel like anything is possible, to get you out of your head and having you just start working on new skills, trying new ways of doing things, learning how to assert yourself, Saturn is going to be there reminding us to be patient, to focus on long-term success instead of being first, to redefine our boundaries, and to act with purpose not just enthusiasm.
Aries energy tends to burn out rather quickly. It’s pioneering energy and it’s ambitious, but Aries energy struggles to follow through sometimes. This is where that Saturn energy comes in and really gets us to think about the best use of that impulsive, independent energy. If you’re going to fight for something, Saturn says, make sure it’s something you actually believe in and something you’re still willing to fight for and do when you’re tired and depleted five years down the road.
Uranus in Gemini
Uranus, the planet of innovation, electricity, technology, that demands freedom and wants to move at a galactic pace, will be moving into Gemini on April 25. Uranus last entered Gemini in 1941 and boy oh boy is Uranus happy to be out of Taurus. Uranus loves to disrupt things it’s also connected to the galactic center, it’s an energy that acknowledges there is life in the universe beyond Earth. And with Uranus moving into Gemini, it’s possible that there could be sudden, revolutionary changes happening in communication, technology, especially AI, transportation, and media, Gemini-ruled topics. When Uranus was in Gemini between 1941-1948 there was technological warfare like the atomic bomb, radar, information warfare like radio propaganda, code-breaking, and alliances were both fractured and forged. It’s possible that we could see new iterations of these topics over the next seven years that Uranus is transiting through Gemini.
Find the house Gemini rules for you, because that is the area of your life where there could be some kind of innovation or rupture. If you think back to late 2017, or 2018/2019, the house that Taurus rules for you is where Uranus has been transiting. And I know from doing astrology readings that for those of you with personal planets in Taurus or important astrological points, you really felt Uranus’ presence, I know I certainly did.
Eclipses on Aquarius-Leo Axis
So January will start slow. Neptune will move into Aries, things will start to heat up. Things will start to intensify in February especially with the Solar Eclipse New Moon in Aquarius on February 17, 2026. This is the first eclipse on the Aquarius-Leo axis since Pluto has moved into Aquarius.
Pluto has a very slow transit. Pluto has not been in Aquarius since it last transited through the rebellious, humanitarian focused zodiac sign since 1778-1798. Pluto in Aquarius in the late 18th century aligned with the American, French, and Haitian revolutions, it was the birth of the Industrial age, it saw a rise in technological advancements like the smallpox vaccine, and a shift away from monarchies and hierarchical societal structures. Aquarius is ruled by Saturn and Uranus, so even though it’s all about power to the people, there is a disciplined structure of how we’re organizing humanity. We want freedom, we want equality, we want to rebel and be innovative, we’re listening to the emotional wounds and stories and using that to inform how we want to move forward.
This eclipse then is going to be massive for those with personal planets and/or important astrological points in fixed signs: Taurus, Scorpio, Leo, and Aquarius. And if you are an Aquarius Rising, if you have your North Node in Aquarius, this is going to be a very powerful, potent time for you all year long because we are collectively being pushed in the direction of Aquarian energy, and those who have Aquarius North Nodes in particular, are kind of our guides, these are the people who are being asked to step up and help organize some aspect of our new world, our new societal structures.
This is going to be the lighting a match moment. And we’re going to really start to deal with some of the major revelations throughout February, March, and April. Things will start to cool down in May, June, and July. That’s our deep breath moment, where we put our oxygen mask back on. We get a drink of water. If you’re a dancer, this is the moment where you refocus on your focal point so that when you are doing pirouette after pirouette, you don’t get dizzy and slip off the stage.
Jupiter in Leo; South Node, Solar Eclipse, Jupiter conjunction in Leo
Then August things heat back up again. Leo season. We will have a Solar Eclipse New Moon in Leo. And this is where things really will get interesting. Jupiter is a planet that spends about a year in a particular zodiac sign. Since June 2025, Jupiter has been in Cancer, and this is beautiful auspicious energy, it’s an energy that has been expanding our emotional nurturing capabilities and I think this is one of the reasons we’ve seen people so quick to help other families around the globe struggling with war, natural disasters, medical bills, lack of empathy from government leaders. But at the end of June, Jupiter will move into Leo. And this is going to be interesting because the planets don’t think of energy as being good or bad the same way that we do, and Jupiter is going to, in August, be in Leo with the South Node.
Are we going to be expanding what we need to release to the point that our societal urge to put certain people on pedestals will come to an end? Are we going to see a massive exit in terms of kings, queens, political leaders, celebrities from the public eye? Are we going to have a better understanding of what kind of heart-led leadership is best for the many, the masses? Are we going to have a changed philosophy of how we structurally, societally need to and can show up and take care of one another? Will we move away from wanting to offer tax breaks to corporations and instead find a way to ensure that no child is hungry, especially between the ages of 0-3? Are we going to as a society work together to ensure that the wants of the few, the 1 percent are not put above the needs of the 99 percent?
Venus in Scorpio
In September, Venus will begin a transit through Scorpio. This is important because starting in October, Venus will retrograde through Scorpio and slide back into Libra. I’m pretty sure that this will be a time in which there will be some shocking revelations that come to our attention, perhaps about revelations related to abuse of power, exploitation, sex crimes, and the commodification of bodies. Venus will re-enter Scorpio in December.
We will finish the year with A Full Moon in Cancer. As I said, there are a lot of indications that 2026 is filled with new beginnings, new revelations, and the beginning of the end for the toxic, dark parts of society that do not support the health and wealth of the 99 percent. Pluto in Aquarius is all about power to the people. Uranus in Gemini, Neptune in Aries, and Saturn in Aries are giving us the impulsive need for freedom, to push for the creation of a society that honors ALL, even if it requires aggression to achieve it.
Sun-Venus-Mars Conjunction
There are signs that this is a year that requires balance between nurturing ourselves and others. There are signs that the importance of feminine energy, the strength, the perseverance, the power of maternal love all seem to be prevalent. Not only do we have mercury retrograding only in water signs in 2026, we kick off the year with a Sun-Venus-Mars conjunction in January that is an energy all about realignment, redistributing power, a recognition of what has not been in the spotlight.
Retrogrades in 2026:
Mercury will have three retrograde periods in 2026, all in water signs.
- Mercury will retrograde in Pisces between Feb. 25 – March 20, 2026.
- Mercury will retrograde in Cancer between June 29 and July 23, 2026
- and then in Scorpio between Oct. 24 and Nov. 13, 2026.
Venus will retrograde in the fall from Scorpio to Libra Oct. 3 until Nov. 13. Venus will first enter Scorpio on Sept. 10, 2026 and begin her retrograde on Oct. 3. Venus will slide back into Libra around Oct. 25 and station direct in Libra on Nov. 13. On Dec. 4, Venus will re-enter Scorpio. This is a tremendous period of time in which we will likely examine issues in our own relationships as well as collective sex crimes and crimes against the feminine.
Mars will not be retrograde this year.
Jupiter will begin the year retrograde in Cancer. Jupiter went retrograde in Cancer in Nov. 2025 and will move direct on March 10, 2026. In December Jupiter will retrograde again but this time in Leo through April 12, 2027.
Saturn will retrograde in Aries from July 26 through Dec. 10.
Uranus will begin the year retrograde in Taurus and station direct on Feb. 3, 2026. Uranus will move into Gemini at the end of April, April 26 specifically, and then station retrograde in Gemini on Sept. 10 through Feb. 8, 2027.
Neptune will retrograde in Aries from July 7 through Dec. 12, 2026.
Pluto will retrograde in Aquarius from May through Oct. 15.
Chiron begins the year retrograde in Aries, moving direct on Jan. 2, 2026. And will retrograde from Taurus into Aries between Aug. 3, 2026 and Jan. 6, 2027.
Nodal Axis & Eclipse Seasons in 2026:
The nodal axis is beginning to shift from Pisces-Virgo to Aquarius-Leo. There will be a Solar Eclipse New Moon in Aquarius on Feb. 17, followed by a Total Lunar Eclipse Full Moon in Virgo on March 3
We’ll have a Total Solar Eclipse New Moon in Leo on August 12, a partial Lunar Eclipse Full Moon in Pisces on August 27
We also begin and end the year with a Full Moon in Cancer. One on Jan. 3 and the other on Dec. 23. I find that very interesting given the end of 2025 had us in a series of seven back to back New Moons all at 28 degrees, the degree ruled by Cancer. And this pattern continues through the Pisces new Moon on March 18 and includes two solar eclipse New Moons, one in Virgo from Sept. 2025, the other in Aquarius on Feb. 17, 2026.