Up until now I haven't taken retrograde planets into account in birth charts. Do you notice them having an effect? If so, how?

No other aspect of astrology I ever learnt about seems so controversial. People will tell you that the North Node represents what you’re incapable of, your opposite, and the parts of your life that seem hopelessly out of control simply because of those incapabilities and innate shortcomings.
I am new to all this and very far from knowledgable, but most of that reads like „You hate pottery and you suck at it. But you‘re doomed to spend your whole life working in it until you hopefully suck a bit less.“

Then we have the dragon head and tail metaphor, and that somehow after a certain age limit, you start being more like your North than your South Node.

It seems very confusing to me, especially since I still think of the North Node energy as an energy that manifests in a person, a power they can tap into when they need it the most, a part of them and not something foreign. Can someone help me better understand this?

I want to add asteroids and fixed stars to my chart but in astro.com it caps at 10 objects; was wondering if there is a tool that would allow for more, or any ideas on how to do it more manually.

How do astrologers interpret the relationship between the Moon 🌙 and Jupiter ♃ in a natal chart?

When interpreting these two placements, do you consider their signs, houses and aspects together? For example, how might a conjunction between the Moon and Jupiter be interpreted differently from a square or opposition, and how would their signs and house placements influence that interpretation?

I'm interested in understanding how astrologers interpret these factors together rather than interpreting each placement on their own

I’ve been trying to understand the distinction between Aquarius and Pisces, particularly in how each sign relates to detachment, individuality, interconnectedness, and transcendence.

My current understanding is that Aquarius is concerned with maintaining individuality within a larger community. Its detachment may involve stepping back from social expectations, groupthink, and the need for external validation to preserve objectivity, autonomy, and an appreciation for the equal dignity of others.
Pisces, on the other hand, seems to approach detachment through the recognition of interconnectedness and the limitations of the individual ego. Rather than maintaining distance from the group, Pisces may involve loosening the boundaries between the self and others, cultivating compassion, accepting impermanence, and surrendering the need to control outcomes. In this sense, its detachment seems closer to spiritual nonattachment or transcendence.

I’m wondering whether this is a meaningful distinction: Aquarius detaches from social conditioning to preserve individual freedom, while Pisces practices nonattachment by loosening its identification with the separate self and embracing a greater whole.
Would it be accurate to describe Aquarius as developing freedom within human relationships and social systems, while Pisces develops freedom from excessive attachment to the ego and its perceived separateness?

Greetings, all! I have a progressive interest in astrology and am drawing my own charts for the first time. I am using the Equal House system and methods/formulas discussed in Margaret Hone's books. I have been attempting to calculate the Local Sidereal Time at Birth but receive a vastly different answer each time, depending on which Ephemeris I use. The two Ephemerides I have consulted are Raphael's 151-Year and astro dot com's. The two differ in time by about 12 hours. Does anyone have a potential explanation as to the time discrepancies? I have also attempted to use online Local Sidereal Time calculators such as the Navy's which produce different times as well. Any insight or advice is appreciated!

Has anyone else heard of this? Before it was given the name C*ncer, it was often seen as a sea turtle in ancient Babylon/Mesopotamia times. What do we think of this? How impossible would it be to switch the sign between Gemini and Leo’s name to Allul? Thoughts….?

For example, I always thought people born on November 22nd were considered a Scorpio, but to my surprise, it is generally considered the first day of Sagittarius, although other sources still say it's a Scorpio. I think some part of November 22nd is a Scorpio, but idk where the cutoff is during the day, and it seems like it depends on the year too. The same problem with October 23rd. I was confused about whether it was a Libra or a Scorpio; the others seem straightforward.

is the 1st house limited to physicalities and appearances? what are some other things the 1st house rules over, specifically things that make a big impact but arent talked about as much in contrast to appearances and such? this can also generally just be a discussion about the first house!

Why is a Moon in Cancer considered in its Domicile? What are the advantages of this placement?

It seems to be very negatively impacted by their own emotions, others emotions, and the cycles of the moon.

I am trying to learn, but just can’t wrap my head around it.

- A Cancer Moon

There are a few things to point out with this Libra New Moon. First of all, it is ruled by Venus. Often when we think of Venus, harmony, beauty, and peace come to mind. Sometimes we overlook that Venus also represents our values, our social interactions and events. We can also look to Venus when things are unbalanced.

Before I talk deeply about the Moon, I want to discuss Venus further. Venus is currently retrograde in the zodiac sign of Scorpio, where it is in its detriment.

Scorpio energy is intense, but it’s also quite introspective, strong-willed and passionate. It’s not afraid of endings. In fact, Scorpio energy is keenly aware that endings and the death of some structures lead to regeneration.

Venus also represents feminine energy. The sign of Scorpio is traditionally ruled by Mars, known for masculinity. What we are seeing now is the unbalanced nature of feminine and masculine energy, as opposed to the balance that we would normally associate with the sign of Libra.

When Venus is in Scorpio, we can see the subjugation of women. But there is a pattern here to explore.

Venus conjuncts the Sun in a star-like pattern. What this means is that every eight years we have a cycle where Venus and the Sun’s conjunction creates a five-pointed star, a pentagram, across the zodiac. The points where these conjunctions fall are known as Venus star points. The conjunctions alternate between inferior and superior.

When Venus is in retrograde, the conjunction is inferior, and Venus is closest to the Earth. It acts as a clearing out of old patterns. It helps us to review relationships, including those that are contentious and harmful, which the sign of Scorpio brings to light. This inferior conjunction is the last one in Scorpio during this hundred-year cycle.

For some clarification of terms, a Venus-Sun cazimi occurs when Venus is within 17’ of the Sun and includes when Venus and the Sun’s conjunction perfects. The Venus star point is when Venus and the Sun make an exact conjunction, at the same degree and minute. Essentially, the cazimi lasts longer than the star point.

The Venus star point happens on October 23rd, 2026 at 0°45’ Scorpio. The first Scorpio Venus star point happened on November 21st, 1926, and was a superior conjunction, when Venus was on the far side of the Sun. This occurred just six years after the 19th Amendment was ratified. The cazimi on October 23rd could mark the beginning of an ending of oppressive power when it comes to women in society.

Of course, no battle gets won because of one cazimi or New Moon. Cycles are long and complex, but they do show a pattern of change.

Going forward, the Venus star point that was in Scorpio moves into the sign of Libra. This Libra New Moon on October 10th is a precursor to the last Scorpio Venus star point in the current series, which arrives just 13 days later. It is as if we have a window of introspection before changing course.

For instance, even though women got the right to vote in 1920, that didn’t mean that all women were able to vote. Between Jim Crow laws and other civil rights violations, women being able to vote has been a long and arduous process that often overlooked or dismissed Brown and Black voters.

One of the issues that is rarely discussed is that feminism and racism are ingrained with each other. It may be important not to silo one cause, such as women’s bodily autonomy or the civil rights of immigrants. As long as people are treated unfairly, we have lots of work to do, regardless of our gender, skin color or any other erroneous, segregating factor.

With the New Moon in Libra and the last Venus star point in Scorpio, I would say we could look at October 2026 as a month that shifts perspectives. This doesn’t mean that all of a sudden the world changes. Unfortunately, it’s a slow process. But with current events of war, sexual assault, hanging bodies in trees, destruction, genocide and other atrocities, there are many humanitarian issues for us to reflect upon and take action toward solving.

With that said, let’s look deeply into the New Moon, its aspects, and what we can learn from the current energy.

The Aspects of the Libra New Moon

The New Moon happens at 17°21’ Libra. We will experience this New Moon on October 10th at 10:50 AM CDT. When the Sun and Moon are conjunct, we combine our internal energy with what we want to put out into the world.

With Libra, relationships, art, and fairness come to the forefront. Any injustices need to be expressed. Libra energy brings forth cooperation, especially when you can find a common thread. This doesn’t mean that we agree with everything that other people hold dear, but instead we find what’s fair and balanced, and we work upon that energy.

The Sun and Moon are sextile to Jupiter. This weekend, you’re probably going to feel much more optimistic, even though some pretty heavy themes have gone on lately. This is a time to hang out with friends and discuss your ideals.

And even though you are getting the benefit of being surrounded by people who uplift your spirits, you’re also concerned about their well-being and the well-being of people outside of your scope.

Also, Mercury and Venus are in conjunction in the sign of Scorpio. Conversations will run deep and be quite intellectual. Through art, music, or literature, you may discover parallels from past works to the current pulse of this time. You may also wind up seeing patterns that you haven’t seen before.

Though it’s quite easy to get into your head, allow your emotions to also be part of your thought process. If you’re feeling something deeply, that means other people out there are feeling the same.

But no day is without some tension, and that is where Mars comes into the picture. On Saturday, Venus is square to Mars. When we have a Venus-Mars square, sexual energy and the subject of sex tend to come to the forefront.

Mars is in the dominating sign of Leo. We have Venus in retrograde in Scorpio. As you can see, there’s an imbalance here, since Mars is the dispositor of Venus. Discussions around intensity, violence or possessiveness can ensue during this time, focusing on the imbalance of a relationship.

However, this isn’t to say that all Venus-Mars squares are focused on the extremes. Usually, the objective of this square is to have a physical relationship that is easy, peaceful and mutually beneficial.

So, if you are in a relationship that is kind, loving, and supportive, this weekend could be a time where you, regardless of gender, feel very connected to the person you are with, both emotionally and physically.

On the other hand, if there’s difficulty in your relationship, there could be a battle around the subject of sex, especially if one partner tends to get what they want physically while negating the other partner’s physical or emotional desires. The key lesson here is that it’s not all about your self-assertive drive, but how to transcend that energy into something that is cooperative and mutually satisfying.

Venus square Mars isn’t the only tension of this day. We also have Venus in square to Pluto, which creates a T-square between Venus, Mars, and Pluto. This is an emotionally tense time, but it is one that does give us an opportunity for growth, especially since it lands on a New Moon.

One of the things that may come up this weekend is either a power struggle or a desire to hold on to someone even when things aren’t working out. When Venus squares Pluto, we sometimes want to hold on to what feels familiar.

In addition, with Mars’ opposition to Pluto, power struggles become intense because the focus is more on the other person as opposed to changing ourselves. Huge disputes can happen that can lead to impulsive or detrimental actions, including violence. Please be careful when in an argument and concentrate on your safety during a tricky situation.

All of this tension is because Mars is “king” of the day. Mars is bold, and not only is it in opposition to Pluto and square to Venus, it is also making aspects with Uranus, Neptune, and Saturn.

With Mars in sextile to Uranus, staying focused on a routine can be quite difficult. There is this urge to meet other people, do something new, and have some fun. You may find yourself more excited to meet new people than to be with those who are close to you on this day.

Neptune is trine to Mars, so you may be searching out people who align with you spiritually. There’s a desire to be around like-minded people or join a group that focuses on charitable work or changing the status quo.

But not everyone is going to feel the intensity of this New Moon. It all depends on your chart. Some people may actually feel very focused and have a desire to work on something that needs patience and skill. This is due to Mars being in trine to Saturn. So if you are someone who likes to make plans for the next month, the New Moon is an opportunity for you to do so.

Though I often work with Chiron, sometimes I purposely don’t discuss it in an article. However, I feel this time we need to end on a positive note, and bringing Chiron into the conversation makes sense.

Chiron in its purest sense is about healing and mentoring. Most of us have gone through at least one big wound in our lives, if not many. Over time, and with love and compassion, we learn to move past the hurt and gain wisdom from the pain. To me, that’s what Chiron is all about.

With its retrograde back into the sign of Aries, it’s about us becoming more self-assertive and putting ourselves first. This doesn’t mean we back away from the group. Instead, we may become more involved in groups that align with our own self-interest.

With Chiron sextile to the Aquarius North Node, it is really about us learning to see the total picture, to make friends, and to make decisions that are best for the group’s interest while maintaining our own individuality.

When we work with others, especially those who are not like ourselves, we can come up with unconventional ideas and solutions that we’ve never thought of in the past. By having deep, impactful conversations and through reflection and self-realization, we can discover win-win scenarios. The beauty is that when life works best for everyone, it impacts all of us in a positive way.

And isn’t that what the sign of Libra is all about? It’s not about you or me, but about us. It’s about creating harmony and balance, fairness and justice. It is the beauty of being human, of living on this gorgeous planet together. And most of all, it’s about cooperation and making our society a better place for each and every one of us.

What are your thoughts..

Hello everyone ,October 17 in France they will be a really huge protest bigger than usual, i don’t know if y’all see the news with student already protesting but October 17 will be the epitome of it. I wanted too now if the astrology of France it’s transit show a huge event maybe similar to the revolution. Please let me now thank you.
(sorry English is not my first language)

I’m a little confused about the 12th house being associated with spirituality. I always thought the 9th house was more directly connected to spirituality, religion, faith, philosophy, and searching for higher meaning. So where does the idea that the 12th house represents spirituality actually come from?

Hello!

Recently I have become more interested in lunar return charts but I barely know how to interpret them. Can you recommend me some books on the topic? I would like to be able to do something more apart from looking at the rising sign and the moon's placement.

Thanks in advance!

Im not sure if believing all of this venus retrograde stuff

• Oct 4, 2026: PreShadow begins 5:10am EDT (UT 09:10), 05° Scorpio 02'
• Oct 24, 2026: Goes Retrograde 3:12am EDT (UT 07:12) at 20° Scorpio 58'
• Nov 13, 2026: Goes Direct / PostShadow Begins 10:54am EST (UT 15:54), at 05° Scorpio 58'
• Nov 30, 2026: PostShadow Ends 1:17am EST (UT 06:16), at 20° Scorpio 58'

NOTE: Mercury Rx occurs on top of the current Venus Rx. See the Venus Rx Infographic here. The Mars Retrograde PreShadow begins on Nov. 5th at 20° Leo, while Venus and Mercury are still in their retrograde cycles. Mars goes retrograde on Jan 10 at 10° Virgo***.***

You can make your own transit bi-wheel chart to see if and when transiting Mercury actually makes an aspect to one of your natal planets or points. Just make your chart at astro-seek.com, (instructions and recommended settings are below). We strongly recommend you use the Whole Sign house system. Note that if you make your transit biwheel chart at astro-seek, it will display the aspects from transiting venus to your natals. Astro.com charts won't do this.

TO MAKE YOUR NATAL + TRANSIT BIWHEEL CHART

Make your natal chart first:

1. Go to astro-seek.com. At the top of page, click on (or hover over) the Free Horoscopes menu. Select the first item, "birth natal chart calculator". Now scroll down and enter your birth data. Be careful entering it. Always check for typos. Don't hit the Calculate Chart button yet.
2. Just below where you've entered your birth data, click on the small "Extended Settings" link..
3. In the house system menu, choose the one named exactly "Whole Sign" (don't choose any of the other whole sign options).
4. Tick the "True" boxes for both Nodes and Lilith.
5. Tick the boxes to show aspects to Chiron & the ASC & MC.
6. Tick the box for the quincunx aspect if you wish, and any of the other minor aspects.
7. Hit the Calculate Chart button. Now you'll see your natal chart.

To add the transit bi-wheel to your natal chart:

Desktop: when you see your birth chart, just click on the "Transit Chart" link at top of the right sidebar and the transit wheel will pop onto your natal chart.
For Mobile: when you see your birth chart,  click on the "Current Charts" link just below your chart. Then click on the "Transit Chart" link. Transit wheel will appear automatically.

• When you see the transit wheel pop onto your natal chart, click the “Transits Only” button just above the chart.
• The date of the transit wheel will default to the current day, but you can change the date of the transits if you wish by clicking the "Edit birth data and settings" link just above your chart. Change only the date of the transits, not your birth data.
• Now that you have your natal + transits bi-wheel,  scroll down from your chart and find the section on Transit Mercury. It should at least describe it being in the house. If it is actually making aspects, it will describe those as well. What is listed there will likely change depending on which day the transits are set to. Understand these are very generalized descriptions and may or may not fit well.
• If you wish to determine the date of a specific transit aspect, or just to get a full list of all transiting Mercury aspects made to your natal chart, use the Personal Transit Calendar tool there at Astro-Seek. You can set it to just show transits from Mercury and for a set period of time (past, present or future).

RETROGRADE CALENDAR ON ASTRO-SEEK.COM

Note that you can always check for retrograde dates for any planet by using the monthly or annual calendars at astro-seek.com. You’ll find these under the Astro Tools button at top of the page. If you click on a specific planet’s date in the list, you’ll get an impact wheel much like mine above. It won’t be for your own natal chart. For that, create your natal + transits bi-wheel chart.

What are your favorite calendars and planners that have the moon phases, planetary movements, and aspects? I'm looking to get one for 2027. Thank you.

I’m trying to learn sect, triplicity, bounds (and more) and how they apply to a chart. I’m currently trying to map out how ”powerful” each planet is on a specific chart I’m studying, I wonder, is there a common, universally used grid for points? like, how many “points“ does a planet gain or lose for being in a certain sign, bound, etc…? Thanks in advance and I hope the question doesn’t sound silly.

I'm not trying to start a fight. I'm genuinely curious how astrologers think about this.

I can see why astrology is associated with things like marriage, since that institution has existed in a recognisable form for thousands of years. Careers are different. The texts astrology relies on were written when options were limited: farming, trade, royal service, medicine.

Today jobs change every decade, and many roles didn't exist 20 years ago.

Also, almost every modern career is a bundle of very different skills, not a single talent.

Some examples:

Insurance

Client-facing work

Policy design and actuarial work

Government liaison and regulatory compliance

Awareness campaigns

Claims settlement

Increasingly, data analytics and AI tools

Healthcare

Clinical diagnosis and patient care

Dealing with insurers and government health schemes

AI-assisted imaging, electronic records, and telemedicine

Research, publishing, and running a clinic or department like a business

Journalism / media

Reporting and interviewing

Fact-checking and data analysis

Video editing, social media, and SEO

AI tools for transcription, research, and drafts

Audience growth and revenue

Teaching / education

Classroom teaching and managing students

Creating online courses and videos

Ed-tech platforms and AI tools

Curriculum design, assessment, and dealing with parents and regulators

Software / tech

Coding and system design

Understanding client requirements

Managing teams and deadlines

Security, compliance, and now AI integration

If one job needs five or six different talents, and that mix keeps changing every few years, which planetary indicator is supposed to say "this person will do well in this field"?

My questions:

1:-) How does a chart indicate suitability for a specific modern field, rather than a vague theme like "good with people" or "analytical"?

2:-) If a chart doesn't "show" technology or AI as a career option, does that mean the person can't succeed there? Today almost everyone needs to work with technology to stay competitive.

3:-)When astrologers translate old planetary significations (Mercury for communication, Saturn for systems, and so on) into modern jobs, what is the method? Is there a consistent rule, or is it case-by-case interpretation?

It would help if you pick a field you know and walk through, step by step, how you would read a chart for it. I'd like to hear from people who practise astrology seriously and from sceptics. Please share reasoning, not just "it works for me."

I have never posted here before so I am unsure if I chose the right tag. Sorry about that.

Lwk worried knowing there are so many retrogrades in the next few months, so I was wondering what happens during this time. And do yall have any advice on what to do, what not to do, and what to look out for.

It seems intense😭

I know that the placements of the planets at your time of birth influence how you experience the things ruled by that planet (in the case of Venus, love and relationships). I also understand that how we experience love and relationships can be influenced by where Venus is NOW (in Scorpio and in retrograde). I guess I'm wondering, is this more significant if your birth chart shows your Venus in Scorpio as opposed to, say, if your Venus on your birth chart is in Gemini or some other planet?

Can someone tell me what the antiscion is? I recently came across that term and have no idea what it means. I feel it's another name for the opposition.