This week, as the world acknowledges the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, the Gemini Last Quarter Moon squares the Sun on a symbol of collective mourning. With Venus square Mars in Mercury-ruled signs, relationships benefit from clear but kind communications. Retrograde Mercury makes the second of three oppositions to Jupiter, whose grand schemes require that we fill the gaps in our knowledge. As the Sun in Virgo trines Pluto, excellence and merit might finally be rewarded. And April answers a lis...
Sep 12, 2022•29 min
It’s PODATHON week on the Big Sky Astrology Podcast, with daily episodes, guest interviews, and your chance to win big prizes! On this FINAL DAY of the Podathon: Oh hello, Mercury – retrograde again? Plus: Today’s Moon in Pisces just wants us to relax, but tell that to Venus and Mars! And April welcomes astrologer and author Simone Butler to talk about lunar rituals and her unique system of combining astrology and feng shui. This Labor Day week, September 5th through 9th, we bring you the Third ...
Sep 09, 2022•33 min
It’s DAY FOUR of the Third Annual Big Sky Astrology Podathon! This week of five daily episodes is your opportunity to support the podcast and be entered for a chance to win exciting prizes! In today’s astrology news: The Moon in Aquarius stumbles over tough aspects to both its ruling planets, disruptive Uranus and lonely Saturn. Its looooong void-of-course Moon period offers a chance to appreciate your emotional self-sufficiency. Then, the latest in this week’s Mooncentric episodes features an i...
Sep 08, 2022•31 min
It’s DAY THREE of the Third Annual Big Sky Astrology Podathon! This series of five daily episodes are your opportunity to support the podcast and be entered for a chance to win exciting prizes! In today’s astrology news: A sociable Moon in Aquarius connects with Mercury, Mars, and Jupiter; it’s a great day for networking without a lot of emotional drama! That said, Mercury is slowing down to turn retrograde on Friday, so don’t expect everything to move in a straight line. Plus, the latest in thi...
Sep 07, 2022•30 min
It’s DAY TWO of the Third Annual Big Sky Astrology Podathon! It’s your chance to support the podcast and have a chance to win exciting prizes! In astrology news, April explores what happens as today’s Moon, still in businesslike Capricorn, connects with the big change-agent planets: Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto. There’s a long void-of-course Moon period late in the afternoon, then the Moon enters quixotic Aquarius… more about that tomorrow! Plus: Today's guest is journalist and astrologer Maressa ...
Sep 06, 2022•25 min
It’s the Third Annual Big Sky Astrology Podathon! And today is a day of "firsts." It's the first day of the Podathon, and the very first Big Sky Astrology Podcast guest: an interview with a Cardinal sign-dominant (and therefore prone to "being first") astrologer Ms. Mel LaFara! Plus: Today’s Moon is in serious Capricorn, but its aspects to Jupiter and Mercury should make things a little bit chattier. And exactly what does it mean for the Moon to be "debilitated"? April goes straight to the sourc...
Sep 05, 2022•30 min
This week in the Big Sky: Mars dips into Gemini’s well to find inspiration for Jupiter’s big adventure, while Mercury provides logistical savvy and accounting skills; Venus enters Virgo to celebrate the beauty of everyday life; and the Sagittarius First Quarter Moon launches the great adventure that Jupiter has been preparing us for! Plus: a trip to the Container Store, cheerful pets, and putting it all on red. But first, a big announcement! Coming this Labor Day week, September 5th through 9th,...
Aug 29, 2022•30 min
This week in the Big Sky: The Sun enters its Virgo season, and this one comes with a spicy dash of Mars. Mercury picks up a little staying power from Pluto as it leaves Virgo for an extended stay in deliberative Libra. Venus takes a glamorous stroll through a rough neighborhood, Uranus turns retrograde, and the week ends with a Virgo New Moon that explores the balance between the realms of logic and imagination. Plus, a listener question about house cusps in progressed charts - why so inconsiste...
Aug 22, 2022•32 min
This week: Listener love letters; Mercury struggles to stay on the bucking bronco that is Uranus and wades into Neptune's waters; and let's go ahead and enjoy that Venus/Jupiter trine, although our stomachs might not thank us for it. The Taurus Last Quarter Moon exhorts us to take action and gives us a lovely grand trine to help us get things done. And Mars enters an extended stay in Gemini for many months of multitasking mastery! Plus: April answers a listener question about how astrology can b...
Aug 15, 2022•29 min
This week: Venus and Pluto prompt a review of last winter's difficult relationship transitions. A very crowded August 11 features an identity-refining Sun/Uranus square, an Aquarius Full Moon with hard aspects but a peaceful message, and Venus entering Leeeooo. The Sun's face-off with Saturn, and Mars trine Pluto, offer business breakthroughs and personal progress. Plus: listener Pat asks if a Mercury-Jupiter opposition in her chart is really an opposition? April, who has that opposition herself...
Aug 08, 2022•32 min
This week: Mars joins Uranus at the Moon’s North Node, and Venus arrives on the scene to offer some positive support. Mercury entering Virgo calls for caution in letting perfectionism overtake Leo's creativity. And how can you turn the frustrating August 7 Mars-Saturn square into a motivational powerhouse? Plus, April answers a listener question about how to prioritize transits - which ones do you need to mark on your calendar? If you’re a loyal listener of The Big Sky Astrology Podcast and want...
Aug 01, 2022•34 min
This Leo New Moon week features a very busy Mercury - which is just the way Mercury likes it; a glorious (but potentially overwhelming) Sun in Leo trine to Jupiter in Aries; Jupiter turning retrograde, introducing a four month period of introspection around life's persistent questions; and a rare and somewhat daunting conjunction of Mars, Uranus, and the Moon's North Node. April answers a question from listener Kellie about how to apply the planetary highlights to your own chart, including how t...
Jul 25, 2022•35 min
This week: Mercury and the Sun face off with Pluto before entering glorious LEO, where everybody makes their own fun (if you don't make it yourself, it's entertainment)! The Aries Last Quarter Moon is feeling some Pluto pressure of its own: Aries doesn't love introspection, and the Last Quarter Phase (and Pluto) insist upon it. Mercury and Jupiter work together to articulate a big vision; a conflict between Venus and Jupiter asks us whether going after what feels good in the moment will benefit ...
Jul 18, 2022•33 min
Episode 131 | Capricorn Full Moon: No Place Like Home This week, Venus makes important aspects to Saturn and Neptune before moving into Cancer; important matters are revealed at a powerful Capricorn Full Moon that’s in a conjunction with Pluto; the Sun makes a sweet, sleepy trine to Neptune and reaches an important moment in its cycle with Mercury. Plus: New sheets, reading on the davenport, and catching up with dad. And April answers a listener question about how to make the best use of the Sun...
Jul 11, 2022•32 min
This week, zippy Mars enters Taurus, which moves at a much more... deliberate pace than Mars prefers. Although your progress might be slower and frustration a little higher, this is a good transit for tackling projects that require patience and consistency. Mercury enters Cancer on July 4; hold your cards close to your chest, and trust your instincts. The Libra Last Quarter Moon leads us along circular paths on a full stomach. The Sun's sextile to Uranus suggests changing direction if you're on ...
Jul 04, 2022•29 min
This week in the big sky: A sextile between Mars and Saturn favors bold, direct action, because tiptoeing around won’t always get you where you need to go! The Cancer New Moon is on the Sabian symbol, Rabbits dressed in clothes and on parade. Indulge your imagination! But with the New Moon square Jupiter, be careful not to take on more than you can handle. Mars squares Pluto on the Sabian Symbol A large, disappointed audience, and nothing good ever came of that. And listener Angela wonders why t...
Jun 27, 2022•32 min
This week: Mercury in Gemini is the GPS that will help you reach your Jupiter in Aries goals more efficiently. The Pisces Last Quarter Moon is a looking-back time, and Venus trine Pluto offers a lesson in doing what we can with what we’ve got. Bewitching Venus enters Gemini, lending enchantment to clever words and appealing stories. The Cancer Solstice welcomes summer, the season of gestation, in the Northern Hemisphere, and winter below the equator; this leads to some thoughts about the use of ...
Jun 20, 2022•28 min
This week: Mercury leaves the last, exhausting degrees of Taurus and throws itself back into its home sign of Gemini. Time to touch base with old friends and to have constructive conversations, even if the topic is difficult. A Sagittarius Full Moon on the uplifting “bluebird of happiness” Sabian symbol is also square Neptune; are we happy, or just numb? The Sun and Venus both make aspects to Saturn and Neptune this week, with plenty of opportunities to maximize creative projects and work for wh...
Jun 13, 2022•33 min
April leads off with the Virgo First Quarter Moon, the perfect opportunity for you to buckle down and make one of your Gemini New Moon ideas a reality. Mercury wraps up a series of aspects to no-nonsense, truth-telling Pluto. And a Venus-Uranus conjunction shakes up relationships, routines, and finances. This week’s listener question invites April to address an imaginary writers' group about the ways astrologers are portrayed in films, tv shows, and books. Rather than the usual spooky mystic, Ap...
Jun 06, 2022•29 min
April invites you to take a breath and unwind from the intense emotions of the recent eclipse season, with a Gemini New Moon that's just a New Moon and not an eclipse! Mercury leaves its retrograde period and turns direct, but its shadow period extends some of the retrograde mischief through June 18th. Use this time to rest and to process your feelings from that heavy eclipse season. Meanwhile, do's and don'ts for Saturn's long retrograde period, which begins June 4. And April celebrates her own...
May 30, 2022•31 min
This week: Mars enters Aries, gaining home field advantage and galvanizing Jupiter. This is a feisty, energetic combination, but the Sabian symbol for this conjunction, "Two lovers strolling through a secluded park," could mean that our efforts aren’t visible to the outside world. Venus sextiles Saturn (we can get what we want if we make a plan) but also squares Pluto (we might not want it once we get it). Venus entering Taurus means that both Venus and Mars, the planets of romance, are in their...
May 23, 2022•27 min
It’s Gemini Season! The birds are birding, the bees are buzzing, and the rest of us just want to get together and socialize! Mercury's retrograde during Gemini Season, so be prepared to see old friends and lost acquaintances pop back up in your life in unexpected ways. Plus: the beginning of a new Mars/Neptune cycle – fight for your beliefs! The Sun and Mars unite with Pluto in empowering trine and sextile aspects. The Last Quarter Moon in Pisces is a time of reflection, leading up to next week’...
May 16, 2022•33 min
This week: April sets you up for Mercury's retrograde period (May 10-June 3), including myths and misconceptions about this potentially fruitful time! Jupiter, the god of the gods, enters Aries on May 10; time to take on big challenges. And gird your loins for May 15, an unusually busy day in the skies, with the Sun square Saturn and sextile Neptune, and a Scorpio Full Moon/Lunar Eclipse (see the links below for a discount on April's eclipse report). Also, a listener question about the secondary...
May 09, 2022•37 min
In this interim week between eclipses: Languid, pleasure-loving Venus rushes headlong into tempestuous Aries, and April offers advice on how to make the most of this contradictory pairing! Jupiter opens a significant dialogue with Pluto - which wins, optimism or powerlessness? April shares some tips for grounding yourself during the Sun's annual conjunction with destabilizing Uranus and passionate sextile with Mars. This week's Moon Report features a challenging Leo First Quarter Moon. And final...
May 02, 2022•38 min
This week: Eclipse season is upon us, as the Taurus New Mooooon connects with Uranus as part of a powerful Solar Eclipse! Join April for a mini-lesson about eclipses in the houses of the birth chart. Meanwhile, Venus, the planetary ruler of Taurus, makes conjunctions with otherworldly Neptune and jovial Jupiter this week; Pluto shifts to begin another long retrograde period; and Mercury enters Gemini and the shadow of its upcoming retrograde! Plus: Tea leaves, rose-tinted glasses, and more garde...
Apr 25, 2022•33 min
This week: A Venus-Uranus sextile brings new and surprising connections; a Last Quarter Moon in Aquarius offers a golden payoff for past efforts; a Sun-Pluto showdown; and the Sun's cleansing move into Taurus. And April considers listener Rachel's question about what it might mean to have the recent Jupiter-Neptune conjunction in her Jupiter return chart. Plus: a fox fur, a grabby shellfish, and a final farewell to a sweet Aries friend. Want to learn about the upcoming eclipses? Sign up for my f...
Apr 18, 2022•28 min
April walks you through a busy astrological week, featuring the April 12 conjunction of Jupiter and Neptune. This comparatively rare conjunction occurs about once every 13 years. Jupiter and Neptune are both connected with voyages, transformation, and realizing dreams, but with these big changes can come a sense of loss and a need to let go of the past to make room for the future. April helps you to decrypt the Sabian symbol for this conjunction, “An Inhabited Isle,” and shares a personal story ...
Apr 11, 2022•32 min
This week, April explores a conjunction between Mars and Saturn, which lands on the Sabian symbol, A bear sitting down, waving all his paws. Mars is the planet of action, but like a bear on its hindquarters, it's tempered by Saturn's restraining influence. In other news, Venus enters Pisces, where the planet of love does some of its best work, and April looks at Mercury's busy week as it transitions from Aries and into Taurus. Plus, a review of the Sabian symbols - what they mean, how to use the...
Apr 04, 2022•32 min
The Aries New Moon is the liveliest feature in a relatively slow astronews week, and it's the perfect time to launch innovative projects and business ventures. Aries has a pioneer spirit and is happiest moving at its own pace; it's not drawn to leadership, it just doesn't want to follow anyone else! Also: How to make the most of the 14-hour void-of-course moon period on March 28th; Venus makes it official with Saturn and triggers the lunar nodes; and April deploys a festive metaphor to answer li...
Mar 28, 2022•26 min
A square aspect between Mars and Uranus gets the week off to an invigorating start! But take caution, especially when driving or in situations that could lead to conflict. This week's void-of-course Moon periods, and a Capricorn Last Quarter Moon that's connected to the Christmas 2019 Solar Eclipse. Mercury and Neptune unite, with artistic yet muddled results, before Mercury leaps into straightforward Aries. And April answers listener Patel's question about the difference between sun sign and ri...
Mar 21, 2022•27 min
