Nine Planets Summary
New Moon Annular Solar Eclipse in Virgo October 2
Jupiter Retrograde in Taurus October 9 – February 4
Mercury Transits Libra October 10 – 29
Venus Transits Scorpio October 12 – November 6
Sun Transits Libra October 16 – November 15
Full Moon in Aries October 17
Mars Transits Cancer October 20 – January 21
Mercury Transits Scorpio October 29 – January 3
November 2024 Headlines

Nine Planets Summary

For an in-depth analysis of specific planetary placements, please continue with the full planetary forecast.

New Moon Annular Solar Eclipse in Virgo October 2

The autumnul equinox was reached by the Sun on September 22nd, marking the official beginning of the northern hemisphere's fall season. As the Sun moves us toward shorter days and longer nights, we begin to feel the bite of cold and the crisp edges of leaves who are readying themselves for decomposition.

This is Virgo season, the dual earth sign lorded by versatile Mercury, who expresses his multi-faceted talents in Virgo through harvesting, separating, recycling, digestion, and processing. At the beginning of October, we find Sun and Mercury joining Ketu, the south node of the Moon, in the sign of the harvest maiden, one of the signs in the zodiac that has a human animal symbol. Both of Mercury's signs fall into this category with Gemini symbolized by twins or a couple and Virgo symbolized by the maiden. (Depending on which culture we tap into, Aquarius is also a candidate with the "water-bearer" symbol, but in Vedic wisdom, the symbol for Aquarius is "kumbh" which is a pot of water. Technically, being 75% water, human beings may also be viewed as a container of water!)

On October 2nd, the Moon joins the grouping in Virgo, marking the new Moon moment when the Sun and Moon join at 16 degrees Virgo in the second pada of Hasta nakshatra. This puts both Sun and Moon in pushkara navamsa, which is very auspicious and powerful.

This new Moon occurs near Ketu, making this the second eclipse of the pairing begun on September 17th with the full Moon lunar eclipse in Pisces. In addition, Mercury, ruler of Virgo and exalted in his own sign, will be near the eclipse degree as well, at 18 degrees Virgo. All four of the planets in Virgo will be placed in Hasta nakshatra, ruled by the Moon and symbolized by a hand, which is what "hasta" means.

Looking at the eclipse pairing, the Rahu and Moon combination in Pisces around mid-September may have revealed some ugly truths or given us unique perspectives that have allowed a deeper understanding about difficult situations. The fortnight between the two eclipses could feel disruptive in the sense of not being able to un-see what has been revealed, and therefore making unexpected or unwanted changes and decisions.

Use the energy of this solar eclipse on October 2nd to take the revelations that have come and begin to develop a new strategy to improve your current standing. The Sun, Moon, and extremely strong Mercury as a trio in the face of Ketu's blocking energy indicate that it is crucial to bring body, mind, and spirit into the same intention for removing what has been blocking your path. This may not be easy, but the trick here is to take down the self-generated obstacles or to reverse internal beliefs that may be holding you back from progress.

Jupiter Retrograde in Taurus October 9 – February 4

During the wee hours of October 9th, Jupiter's apparent progress through the late degrees of Taurus will stall and begin to trace back in the other direction starting at 28 degrees Taurus on October 9th and stationing direct at 18 degrees Taurus on February 4, 2025. This gives us four months of Jupiter in retrograde motion, which does happen each year. The Saturn and Jupiter retrograde overlap will be brief this year, from October 9th when Jupiter begins retrograde to November 15th, when Saturn resumes direct motion.

A common question we astrologers get when we say a thing like, "Jupiter will be retrograde in Taurus for four months..." is: Is that good or is that bad? The answer is yes, to almost any transit. Yes, it is good or it is bad. For some, Jupiter retrograde may be the best thing ever, based on their personal chart and the timing of their planetary periods. For others, it may be the worst thing ever for the same reasons. In trying to be objective about the planets' intentions, we must be somewhat detached about inserting our own fears into astrological interpretation.

Any planet reaching retrograde status carries the special quality of being liberated from their expected results. Retrograde planets carry a wildcard energy that keeps life exciting and can either reverse or enhance the natural qualities of a planet, making it very difficult to predict. For example, Jupiter symbolizes growth, expansion, positivity, and truth. A retrograde Jupiter could cause a stall for growth or it could cause wild growth out of sudden increased need or it could cause unwanted growth in the wrong direction.

Knowing that there is a wide array of possibilities caused by unstable energy of a retrograde planets, I feel we have the choice of two main responses. One choice is to fall victim to the unstable energy of forces beyond your control and watch as your well laid plans break apart, wasting resources and leaving you helpless. The other choice is to realize that instability can be exploited to destroy obstacles, find workarounds, and pivot quickly when it is apparent that prior strategies may not work as expected.

Jupiter retrograde at this time also has a deeper impact in that Jupiter's sign Pisces is currently the scene of Rahu's voyage. Rahu, the ever-retrograde force of chaos and innovation, will affect the planet whose sign he occupies. Since we rely on Jupiter as a guide, this may make finding our way a little more exciting through May, when Rahu will move on to Aquarius.

The combination of Rahu in Pisces with retrograde Jupiter in Taurus strongly indicates that the traditional view of growth and progress may not work as expected during the next four months. Keep risks in mind, of course, but this could be a time to really go for it, to break through glass ceilings, and jump fences.

Since Taurus is Venus' earth sign, strongly associated with family bonds, assets, and available resources, look out for themes of radical reorientation to those classic means of support.

Mercury Transits Libra October 10 – 29

Mercury enters Venus' air sign, Libra, on October 10th, giving us just two days with Mercury and Venus occupying the same sign before Venus moves into Scorpio. At the moment Libra is relatively peaceful, with neither challenging nor supportive aspects flowing in.

Mercury and Venus are friendly to one another and have similar functions as the rulers of communication and connection, our everyday friendly planets that help us navigate transactions and relationships. Mercury will move into Libra on October 10th, and can pick up the projects that Venus has gotten rolling as she moved into Libra on September 18th.

Mercury expresse the traits of flexibility, diagnosis, and ability to learn new skills quickly. Libra, an idealistic air sign symbolized by the balance or scales, can sometimes foster indecision due to Venus' empathic ability to feel how all of the outcomes will affect different parties.

Please find a way to avoid being mired in indecision or overthinking during this time. This is the enemy to productivity this month; plan in advance to make quick decisions and not waste time over evaluating outcomes that may or may not be accurate. Keep it moving!

Venus Transits Scorpio October 12 – November 6

As Venus hands the creative inspiration baton to Mercury, she prepares to move into enemy territory for a few weeks, fully aware that difficult situations will be confronted and transformation is inevitable.

Scorpio is a water sign that is co-ruled by Mars and Ketu, making it a very complicated environment by nature, with two fiery planets ruling a watery sign. Scorpio is the 8th sign of the zodiac and is associated with deep transformations, intense psychology, liberation practices, and all of the mysteries of life.

A great keyword for Scorpio is "metamorphosis," which means a change in form or nature by natural or supernatural methods. This could be the process of a catepillar becoming a butterfly or an addict healing into wholeness.

On any given day, Scorpio provides the environment for this kind of work. At this time, there is a much hotter roiling happening due to the trio of aspects coming into Scorpio from the outer planets. From Aquarius, Saturn aspects Scorpio, as does Rahu from Pisces, and Jupiter from Taurus. By October 9, both Saturn and Jupiter will be retrograde, similar wildcard energy to the ever-retrograde Rahu.

Venus will move through this zone from October 12th through November 6th, which could bring up some unexpected metamorphic energy. As the creator and relater, Venus can make art out of almost any materials, so get ready to create like a volcano during this time.

While this does sound like an amazing creative opportunity, realize that it is also an intense combination that could bring up situations that demand black and white thinking in a world of many colors. Remember that sometimes there is no way to make things work for everyone; ripping off a band aid is painful, no matter what, even if you're doing it yourself on your own time. This is a good stretch to do difficult things that require strength, detachment, and compassion.

Sun Transits Libra October 16 – November 15

The Sun will enjoy the peaceful atmosphere in Libra despite the debilitation status based on the surrounding environments. In Virgo, the Sun faced the eclipse axis. When the Sun gets to Scorpio in mid-November, he faces that intense environment of Scorpio. From mid-October to mid-November the debilitated Sun may be relatively not so horrible.

Just like Rahu affects Jupiter by being in Pisces, the Sun will affect Venus by being in Libra. Remember that Venus will be gliding through Scorpio during this time, facing all the dangers and challenges. Perhaps we can actually draw on the power of the Sun during this time to help Venus make it through the gauntlet.

The thing that often slows Venus down is the desire for all parties in any equation to be happy and fulfilled, which is a really big want. This can lead to decisions that are motivated by people pleasing or inappropriate compromising. Let the Sun in Libra stand up for personal desires and rights when you feel mired in decisions that demand that someone will end up NOT getting what they want.

While Sun in Libra is considered debilitated, it doesn't mean that we can't lean into the amazing creative mental energy that lives in Libra. Keep the creative momentum brought by Venus and Mercury moving through Libra alive with the Sun. We're talking about creative energy that gets us moving and grooving in an artistic way, and since the solo artist Sun is moving through Venus' studio, check out collaboration and playing with other artists, which demands both individual prowess and harmonizing with others.

Full Moon in Aries October 17

The Moon at 1 degree Aries will oppose the Sun at 1 degree Libra early on October 17th, giving us a full Moon in Aries, within Ashwini nakshatra. The Sun and Moon are about 16 degrees from the nodal axis, making this an "almost" lunar eclipse.

In general, around mid-October, we will start feeling the shift from the light Venus energy of Libra toward the intense Mars energy of Scorpio. The Moon in Mars' fiery sign of Aries and within the Ketu-ruled nakshatra of Ashwini may be a harbinger for the upcoming work to come as the Sun and inner planets head through Scorpio during October, November, and December. On any given year, that is exciting stuff, but this year, we have that added triple aspect into Scorpio, pushing us toward that metamorphasis, ready or not.

With the Sun having just moved into Libra, there may be a feeling of instability or doubt behind the clarity that we count on from the full, bright Moon. When you are feeling as if your eyes are deceiving you, gently close them and look within for the intuitive messages coming through the intelligence of your body.

This full Moon kicks off the Sun moving through Libra, and if untangling the self from the collective is part of the current work, this is a perfect combination to start a new approach toward rebalancing self-expression in the context of social groups or relationships. Whether the recipe calls for "a little more me" or "a little more them" doesn't matter, it will work for understanding and moving toward finding that right balance for you, and them.

Mars Transits Cancer October 20 – January 21

Speaking of Aries and Scorpio, our champion Mars will be plunging from Gemini into Cancer on October 20th for an an extended stay due to an upcoming retrograde phase that will challenge each of us to learn new skills when it comes to managing our allotment of power, strength, courage, and insight with a new level of emotional intelligence.

Mars will be spending three months in the sign of Cancer before moving in retrograde motion back into the stars of Gemini. This will be just one phase in the larger picture of Mars spending nine months between the signs of Gemini and Cancer.

This is Mars' itinerary through spring of 2025:

Mars in Gemini: August 26 – October 20
Mars direct in Cancer: October 20 – December 6
Mars retrograde in Cancer: December 6 – January 21
Mars retrograde in Gemini: January 21 – February 23
Mars direct in Gemini: February 23 – April 2
Mars in direct in Cancer, round 2: April 2 – June 6

This month, we experience the end of Mars in Gemini, phase one and the beginning of Mars in Cancer, phase one.

Mars in Gemini since August 26th could have involved many moving parts, lots of research, purchasing, gathering forces, and learning along the way. The air sign qualitiy of Gemini may have kept things theoretical and in the planning stages.

When Mars shifts into Cancer on October 20th for a three month visit, this fires up several different conditions that may be relevant to this whole metamorphic process that is going on. With part of the tricky nature of Scorpio involving the marriage of fire and water, we have that theme continuing with the fiery Mars moving through his debilitation sign, watery Cancer.

Cancer will feel the biggest impact of Mars, who relies on precision, strength, and confidence to do his job of channeling the power of fire. The environment of Cancer is watery, constantly shifting with moods and tides and seasons, making it difficult for black-and-white Mars to navigate and execute. This marriage of fire and water just may be the big trick we learn in this life. Regard the dissonence with curiosity as you may be invited to integrate your power in uncomfortable ways.

Mars will also push and shove into the signs he aspects during this next few months: Libra, Capricorn, and Aquarius. That gives Mars a push on Saturn, currently placed in Aquarius. Knowing when to wait and when to strike will be an interesting study; patiently ready, attending to our duties amidst big changes, we are sailing the high seas whether we are travelling or not.

Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn are all signs that fall into the category of moveable or cardinal, signs that are good for initiation and getting things moving. Slow moving Saturn in the stubborn sign of Aquarius could need a nudge from Mars, which can also be translated as courage in the face of fears that are blocking forward progress.

Mercury Transits Scorpio October 29 – January 3

Mercury joins his best friend Venus in Scorpio on October 29th giving the dynamic duo a week together in the swampy and charged environment currently receiving the energy of the heavy-hitting outer planets: pressurized Saturn, confusing Rahu, and positive Jupiter. Yeah, that's a lot.

Venus encountering this environment could be very challenged due to her high level of empathy and compassion as she moves through perceived dangers. Mercury joining may help to bring perspective and management skills in the midst of shifting sands underfoot and cold waters surging.

Making a study of challenging environments and situations can help to create a framework that assists us in navigating through emotional turmoil or radical change. There will be ample time for this study, as Mercury will spend over two months in Scorpio due to a retrograde cycle from November 26th through December 15th.

What is interesting is that the previous Mercury retrograde cycles of 2024 had a fire-water theme in that they began with Mercury in a fire sign and then moving back through the gandanta zone into a water sign. This will be the first Mercury retrograde cycle fully in a water sign in 2024 and will be followed by retrogrades in water signs in 2025. March 2025, Mercury will retrograde in Pisces and July 2025, Mercury will retrograde in Cancer.

We will explore more of Mercury's time in Scorpio in the November and December forecasts. Thank you for listening to the October 2024 monthly astrology forecast.

November 2024 Headlines

New Moon in Libra/Swati November 1
Venus Transits Sagittarius November 6 – December 1
Saturn Direct in Aquarius November 15
Full Moon in Aries Again November 15
Sun Transits Scorpio November 15 – December 15
Mercury Retrograde in Scorpio November 25 – December 15
New Moon in Scorpio/Anuradha November 30