Planetary Illuminations for January 2024 🌎
Happy new year! ⭐️ Here's what the planets have in store in January.
I apologize in advance for all the “subscribe now” buttons. I’m still trying to figure out how to manage these!!
Dear friends,
I have always loved the idea of a new year - a new planner notebook, a new calendar, and new ideas for ways to find more joy and satisfaction in my life and the lives of those I love.
Thanks for all of your positive feedback about the move of this newsletter to Substack. Many of you have been with me for decades, and I know that change isn’t easy! One of the things I am enjoying about Substack is the Notes feature, a microblogging Twitter substitute for ideas and links that interest me on the topic of astrology and the way it intersects with daily life. Check it out!
One of my projects during my writing sabbatical was the cleanup of over 3500 posts on my Astrological Musings blog. I realized that old posts about short-term planetary cycles don’t need to be kept forever and instead I’d like to keep the blog for “evergreen” content that has lasting value. Over 92% of you who responded to my survey agreed that sending the weekly forecast in newsletter format was a good idea, so that will begin Monday. The weekly newsletter will be linked from the blog as well as Facebook and Twitter.
Many thanks to those of you who have elected to upgrade to a paid subscription! Your support inspires and motivates this work. 🤩
Before we get to the monthly forecast, here are some blog posts you may have missed:
The astrology of 2024 - a look into the future
The astrology of the 2020s, a decade of change
The first of the presidential candidate profiles: Nikki Haley
Read on for the monthly illuminations from the planets
(a detailed weekly forecast will be delivered to you each Monday). 💖
DATES AND TIMES ARE FOR EASTERN TIME ZONE, please adjust for your locality. You'll find the full planetary calendar towards the bottom of this post.
MERCURY TURNS DIRECT.
This Mercury retrograde period from Capricorn back into Sagittarius has been a tough one - in Capricorn, Mercury likes to be efficient and get things done successfully so any delays or do-overs can be exceptionally frustrating. Still, these retrograde Mercury periods are essential for catching up, for taking a breath and reinvigorating our goals and refreshing the way we look at our world.
Mercury turns direct on January 2nd but will not pick up speed for a week or two during which time it may still feel like we’re a bit stuck. Gather your thoughts and strategies while Mercury is in Sagittarius (until Mercury enters Capricorn January 13th) and then the details will fall into place.
➡ Speaking of Capricorn, January is a heavily Capricornian month. The Sun is already in Capricorn, there is a New Moon in Capricorn, and Mars, Mercury and Venus will all enter Capricorn. By the end of the month all four fast moving planets will be in Capricorn, the sign of diligent hard work and the power of success. The entire month of January is a great time to set goals and establish a strategy to achieve them.
JUPITER STATIONARY FOR THE FIRST HALF OF THE MONTH.
Jupiter, planet of expansion and opportunity, was retrograde this fall and just turned direct on December 31st. Before and after a planet appears to change direction it slows down to a crawl, just like a car making a u-turn. During that period, called a “station,” it sits at or near a degree for a good while and its influence is amplified.
Jupiter has been at or near five to six degrees of Taurus since early December and will stay around six degrees Taurus until the end of January when it begins to speed up. Meanwhile, the expansive energies of Jupiter can help to fuel our ambitions and our desires, especially for those of us with planets between zero and 10 degrees of the fixed planets Taurus, Scorpio, Leo and Aquarius. When Jupiter’s optimism combines with the Capricornian motivations to work diligently towards success, we can accomplish anything we want to.
MARS ENTERS CAPRICORN.
The planet of action (Mars) is said to be exalted in the sign of achievement (Capricorn), and when we combine this with the Capricorn New Moon and the blessings of the Jupiter station it’s obvious that January is the perfect month to turn our goals into reality. Mars will be in Capricorn until February 13th and will be especially auspicious at the end of January when it teams up with Mercury (mind) to harmonize with Uranus for a download of exciting new ideas and practical wisdom.
CAPRICORN NEW MOON. The New Moon occurs January 11th at 6:57 am at 21 Capricorn. New Moons begin the lunar cycle, but because we are already in a strongly Capricornian time it won’t feel so much like a new beginning as an infusion of focused energy towards our highest aspirations.
The chart for the New Moon shows a tight square (90°) aspect to the lunar nodes of fate, suggesting that there could be a roadblock and a course correction. The New Moon can give us a boost and perhaps infuse our vision with a new direction, especially with a harmonious trine from Uranus which can awaken and point the way forward.
MERCURY ENTERS CAPRICORN.
Mercury has already been in Capricorn but dipped back into Sagittarius during its retrograde travels. It will re-enter Capricorn on January 13th, shifting the focus from Sagittarian faith and fun to Capricornian practicality. Decisions will need to be thought through more carefully and communication will become more important. Mercury will remain in Capricorn until it enters Aquarius on February 5th.
SUN AND PLUTO ENTER AQUARIUS.
The Sun conjoins Pluto on January 20th at the 29°59’ degree, the very last minute, of Capricorn before both slip into Aquarius. The last degree of a sign, called the anaretic or critical degree, is significant and represents the final karmic reckoning of a planetary body through that sign. The presence of the Sun combined with Pluto at this significant degree indicates that a powerful transformative force (Pluto) will be illuminated (Sun) around this time, with lasting reverberations. This influence will be especially notable when Pluto returns to this 29°59’ position in September and again in November, coinciding with the U.S. election (more on that in the months to come).
The Sun having entered Aquarius typically begins the season of Aquarius, a time of increased innovation and progressive ideas, since the faster moving planets often accompany the Sun. However, this more conservative Capricornian time will extend into February since Mercury, Venus and Mars all remain in Capricorn until the second and third week of February. The unique visionary influence of Aquarius will peek through the serious Capricorn focus on our duties and responsibilities, but expect the serious atmosphere to remain for most of January.
VENUS ENTERS CAPRICORN.
Venus enters Capricorn on January 23rd, ushering in a time when we take our relationships more seriously and may demand more of the people around us. This extends the seriousness of Capricorn into the season of Aquarius which could make it feel as though we are stuck on earth when we want to fly. However, the serious attention we pay to our interactions with others now will bear fruit later on when Venus enters Aquarius and we discover a new level of freedom and enrichment.
LEO FULL MOON.
The Moon is full in Leo on January 25th at 12:53 pm, and it is a doozy. Under the influence of Leo there is a sense of an expansive heart and a welcoming of experiences that bring joy. The Full Moon is a culmination of the cycle, and bringing something into form is an important piece of the intention here. Yet the Leo Moon is opposite the Aquarius Sun, necessitating a balance between our identification with the personal (Leo) and our lives as part of a collective (Aquarius).
Complicating the delicate balance between the personal and the collective here is a conjunction of the Moon to Pluto which adds a depth and intensity to these energies. Pluto demands that we delve into the deeper meaning rather than enjoy the playful pleasure that Leo seeks, so at this Full Moon we will want to do a deep examination of what brings us real joy and meaning. The Sun and Moon are both squared by Jupiter (90°) which amplifies the experience, whatever it may be. If there is joy and celebration, expect there to be more. If there is a Plutonic self-examination that takes us deep into the psyche, there will be more of that too. There are plenty of harmonious and supportive energies built into this Full Moon chart so I expect it to bring a supercharged transformation in the best way.
URANUS TURNS DIRECT.
Uranus is the last of the retrograde planets to turn direct (January 27th), and after this there will be no retrograde planets until Pluto makes that turn in early May. It is pretty rare for no planets to be retrograde, and it tends to coincide with periods in which time seems to be speeding up. In addition, Uranus will be virtually stationary at about 19° and will barely move until the end of February, so if (like me!) you have planets between 15 and 25 degrees of the fixed signs Taurus, Scorpio, Leo and Aquarius, the influence of Uranus will be quite potent indeed.
The gift of Uranus is unexpected insight and the ability to create change, but its burden is a restlessness and rebellion against rules and structure. This is the perfect time to take a look at our life and see if we are living a life that gives authentic expression to who we are at the core, and to make changes where possible. Obviously we are not always at liberty to free ourselves from burdens, but Uranus will intensify any passions for change so being prepared for this can be a great help.
Thank you for joining me in this exploration of the planetary cycles! If you'd like to know more about how your own personal chart is affected by these planetary events, consider having a personal consultation with me.
Planetary Calendar
(dates and times are for the Eastern time zone, please adjust for your locality)
1/1 Venus square Saturn
Mercury turns direct
1/4 Mars enters Capricorn
1/6 Sun square Chiron
1/8 Mercury square Neptune
1/9 Sun trine Uranus
Mars sextile Saturn
1/11 Venus trine Chiron
New Moon 21 Capricorn, 6:57 am
1/12 Mars trine Jupiter
1/13 Mercury enters Capricorn
1/14 Venus trine North Node
1/15 Sun sextile Neptune
1/16 Venus conjunct Ceres
1/18 Mercury sextile Saturn
1/19 Mercury trine Jupiter
Venus square Neptune
1/20 Sun conjunct Pluto
Sun enters Aquarius
Pluto enters Aquarius
1/23 Venus enters Capricorn
1/25 Mars square Chiron
Full Moon 5 Leo, 12:53 pm
1/26 Mercury square Chiron
1/27 Sun square Jupiter
Uranus turns direct
Mercury conjunct Mars
Mercury square North Node
1/28 Venus sextile Saturn
Mars square North Node
Mercury trine Uranus
Venus trine jupiter
1/29 Mars trine Jupiter