TRANSCRIPT Ep. 332 | Saturn enters Aries: Is This the Life That You Wanted?

Transcript Ep 332 | Saturn enters Aries: Is This the Life That You Wanted? (2.9.26)

Hello Invisible Friend, April here, and the date today is February 9th, 2026. Welcome to Episode 332 of the Big Sky Astrology Podcast.

This week, a potent Scorpio Last Quarter Moon; Venus leaves Aquarius for the exalted air of Pisces; Saturn returns to energetic, if domineering, Aries; the Sun and Uranus agree that change is in order, but squabble over the particulars. And I answer a listener question about upcoming eclipses that repeat an earlier and difficult one at the same point in your chart.

Scorpio Last Quarter Moon (Feb. 9, 2026, 4:43 am PST)

We begin this week with the Moon Report, and as always, the week’s major lunation. This week, that’s the Last Quarter Moon in Scorpio, on Monday, February 9th at 4:43 AM Pacific Time, at 20 degrees, 46 minutes Scorpio and Aquarius. Last Quarter Moons are action points, a moment to make adjustments, corrections, or tough decisions, so we complete whatever it was that we started at the New Moon.

This lunation is tied back to the Capricorn New Moon of January 18th. That was at 28 degrees, 43 minutes Capricorn. So, think about where that falls in your chart, and think about the goals that you set then. What still needs effort, or an honest assessment, to bring those goals across the finish line?

When the Moon moves through Scorpio, the emotional tone gets intense. Scorpio describes where we slay dragons, face what we’ve avoided, and deal with emotions that live below the surface. The Moon is in its fall in Scorpio, which doesn’t make things easy, but it does make them real.

This Moon is ruled by Mars in traditional astrology, and that creates a sense of urgency. There’s a lot of power available at this Last Quarter Moon, but it needs to be used consciously. On a personal level, this Moon asks us to dig beneath the surface, and especially when it comes to our relationships. We might see old resentments and hurts coming to the surface now, especially if you’re trying to make meaningful changes in your life, because nothing reveals problems in a relationship more clearly than when one person decides they want something more.

But if we confront what is causing the essential problem, it can also lead to greater intimacy and emotional honesty. We just have to be willing to do the work.

The Moon’s Sabian symbol, 21 degrees Scorpio, is A soldier derelict in his duty, and it speaks to conscientious objection. Those moments when we have to follow our inner truth, our conscience, even if we have to deal with consequences for that. I always think of this symbol as being about being faithful to ourselves, not just the expectations of others. The Sun’s Sabian symbol, 21 degrees Aquarius, is A woman disappointed and disillusioned. It reminds us that life brings difficulties, but maturity means we meet them with grace. Things go wrong, we let ourselves feel that, and then we carry on.

The Scorpio Last Quarter Moon is not about comfort. It’s about integrity, courage, and emotional completion. What you’re willing to face now can determine how fully you’re able to step into the next chapter.

Lunar Phase Family Cycle

This is the Last Quarter in a lunar phase family cycle that began with a New Moon on November 13th, 2023, at 20 degrees 43 minutes Scorpio.

Where does that point fall in your birth chart? That house would have described the areas of life where you were making a new start. Nine months later, there was a First Quarter Moon on August 12th, 2024, at 20 degrees 24 minutes Scorpio. That was a moment to initiate action in this 30-month cycle.

The Full Moon in this cycle was on May 12th, 2025, at 22 degrees 12 minutes Scorpio. Full Moons in a cycle are the point of illumination where we see exactly where we have gotten to since the New Moon and what we might need to do in order to get to the end of the cycle, completing what we want to complete. Now, this is the Last Quarter Moon here, on February 9th, 2026. As we talked about before, this is the part of this cycle that is the final action point where we might have a little bit of what Dane Rudhar used to call a crisis of confidence, that we’re not completely sure we can accomplish what we set out to do, but we’re going to take some kind of action to give it our best shot.

Void-of-Course Moon periods

Let’s look at the void-of-course Moon periods for this week. On Monday, February 9th, the Moon in Scorpio squares Venus in Aquarius at 11:01 p.m. Pacific time. It’s void-of-course for 21 minutes, then enters Sagittarius at 11:22 p.m.

The Moon in Scorpio needs honesty above everything else, and this very brief void-of-course Moon period can be a good time to take an honest look at your finances and your relationships – because Venus is the planet that’s being aspected – and see what you might be able to do to create more financial and emotional security for the future.

On Thursday, February 12th, the Moon in Sagittarius squares Saturn in Pisces at 11:29 a.m. Pacific time. It’s void-of-course for just 15 minutes, then enters Capricorn at 11:44 a.m. Now, nothing makes a Sagittarius Moon happier than freedom and independence. When the Moon in Sagittarius squares Saturn in Pisces, it could throw a monkey wrench into your ability to travel, to move freely.

This void-of-course Moon period is happening in mutable signs, so don’t be afraid to change course. Use this void-of-course Moon period to cultivate a habit of going with the flow, especially when you run into obstacles.

And on Saturday, February 14th, the Moon in Capricorn trines Uranus in Taurus at 5:31 p.m. Pacific time. It’s void-of-course for four hours, 46 minutes, then enters Aquarius at 10:17 p.m. A trine from the Moon to another planet, as it goes void-of-course, says that there is a gift or a reward that might be coming our way. And the reward here is a Happy Valentine’s Day!

This aspect is happening between two Earth signs, Capricorn and Taurus. Capricorn enjoys high-end experiences and Taurus likes luxury, so you might decide to do the conventional thing and go out for Valentine’s Day. But you actually might have just as good a time in the comfort of your own home. Break out the candles and the special china, fix a lovely meal, pick out an old movie to watch. Use this Void-of-Course Moon to get in the habit of thinking how can you create luxury for you and those you love without overspending.

Venus enters Pisces (Feb. 10, 2:19 am PST)

Venus enters Pisces on Tuesday, February 10th at 2:19 a.m. Pacific Time, and she will be in this sign until March 6th, 2026.

Venus is exalted in Pisces, which means it’s one of her very strongest signs. She is uplifted, exalted in this sign. So, this is one of her most expressive and generous placements.

The Sabian symbol for Venus’ ingress degree into Pisces is 1 Pisces, A public market. This is an image that is about how we exchange our goods and ideas, our affection and our values. It’s an image of shared abundance, when we participate consciously and generously in exchanging what we have with others.

Venus in Pisces is romantic, compassionate, and deeply sensitive to beauty and music, to beauty, music, art. It’s also easily enchanted by what is new and shiny.

Pisces is ruled by Jupiter, and that is a symbol of abundance. So enjoy, but over the next few weeks, while Venus is in this sign, be mindful of overspending, especially on trendy things or treats or must-have pleasures, and focus on enjoying the present moment instead of thinking about what you hope you’ll get later on. It’s a lovely time to tell the people in your life how much they mean to you, to give generously, whether that’s through donations or giving of your time with acts of kindness.

Spend time in nature and make music, create art, or reconnect with old friends. Venus in Pisces reminds us that the best things in life truly are often free – compassion and beauty, shared moments, emotional connection.

When we exchange love, creativity, and care with mindfulness, we grow material, spiritual, and emotional abundance. It really is a beautiful transit, one of the best for the year in terms of softening your heart, increasing your empathy, and reconnecting you with the things and people who truly nourish you.

Saturn enters Aries (Feb. 13, 2026, 4:12 pm PST)

On Friday, February 13th at 4:12 p.m. Pacific Time, Saturn enters Aries, and he’ll be there until April 12, 2028.So, this is a major shift in tone and responsibility, which is ruled by Saturn, and it’s one we’ve already had a little preview of. We first tasted Saturn in Aries last year, when Saturn briefly went into Aries on May 24th, then it turned retrograde and returned to Pisces on September 1st, 2025. That time period showed us where we were being asked to step up and take initiative, take authority over our lives, and stop asking for permission.

Saturn in Aries draws a line between two ways of moving through life. Some people blame others or circumstances for their failures or their misfortunes… and then there are those who succeed, and this transit favors that second group. When Saturn is in Aries, we’re charged with total personal responsibility for our lives. Saturn’s not interested in our excuses or complaints, will not let us assign blame to others. What matters is action, accountability, and follow-through. This is a self-made path, Saturn in Aries, and it only comes around about every 29 years, so we need to really make the best of it.

Think of this transit as a reminder that you are the author of your life. Write the story the way you want it to go, and then turn that book into the movie you actually want to be living in. Saturn in Aries demands courage, initiative, and leadership, not over others, but over yourself.

The long-anticipated conjunction between Saturn and Neptune is only days away. It will be exact next week, on February 20th, 2026, and that conjunction marks the birth of a new 36-year cycle between these two planets, and this is where dreams must be given form and ideals must be lived, not just imagined. We’ll talk a lot more about that conjunction in next week’s episode.

Overall, Saturn in Aries asks a simple but powerful question: Is this the life you wanted, and what are you going to do with it?

Sun square Uranus (Feb. 15, 2026, 9:02 pm PST)

On Sunday, February 15th, at 9:02 p.m. Pacific time, the Sun squares Uranus at 27 degrees and 31 minutes of Aquarius and Taurus. This is a very high voltage aspect that only comes around twice a year, and it can feel liberating but a little bit unsettling too. The Sun represents your core identity and healthy ego, while Uranus is the planet of reinvention and awakening and surprise, shaking things up.

When these two come together in a contentious aspect, like a square, we’re often pushed to question exactly who we are, and whether the version of ourselves that we have been living still fits. This transit can open the door to exciting new ways of being, but it can be disorienting. You know, there’s a tension between staying true to yourself, which is what the Sun wants, and becoming so fixed in your identity that you miss opportunities you didn’t even think to look for.

If you find yourself feeling out of place, like you don’t quite fit in anywhere, take this as a feature, not a bug. Honor what makes you different, rather than trying to smooth out the edges. The Sun’s square Uranus asks for flexibility and curiosity.

Let go of your self-definitions, just enough to make room for growth, but don’t give up who you truly are. This is an aspect that calls for reinvention, but doing that wisely, not just rebelling blindly. The more you respect what it is that makes you unique, the easier it becomes to recognize new opportunities that are meant just for you.

Listener Question: Nervous about eclipse repeating

In this week’s listener question, listener Holly writes, “Dear April, I’ve heard you talk about eclipses and how it’s a good idea to go back and look at times when other eclipses were in that part of your chart, and what happened then, to get a sense of what an upcoming eclipse will mean for you. The eclipse that’s coming up on February 17th at 28 degrees Aquarius is very close to one that happened in February 2018, and that was a really difficult time for me. So now I’m feeling anxious about this upcoming eclipse. Should I be thinking of this differently?”

Boy, Holly, that is a wonderful question, and it’s a very understandable reaction. So, I’m really glad you asked this, because it’s not just about eclipses. All planets have cycles, and astrologers will often encourage you to look at previous moments in those cycles for insight.

If you’re having an opposition, say, between transiting Uranus and natal Uranus, when you’re about 42 years old, usually, we will take you back to your first Uranus square to natal Uranus in your early 20s for some ideas about how this played out for you before, and how it might show up for you in the present.

So, you’re absolutely right that looking back at earlier eclipses in the same part of your chart can be incredibly informative. Eclipses often activate similar themes when they return to the same degree and house.

But I like to share this quote from Mark Twain, “History doesn’t repeat itself, but it rhymes.” In other words, an eclipse doesn’t necessarily repeat an experience; it revisits a topic that’s related to that house and sign. That February 2018 eclipse may have coincided with a really difficult time in your life, but that doesn’t mean that the February 17th eclipse is going to recreate that difficult time.

It does suggest that something related to the same area of life is coming back into focus, often to be completed, clarified, or approached with more awareness than before. We might think of eclipses less like reruns of past ones and more like sequels. We have familiar characters, but you are not exactly the same person you were eight years ago.

You’ve lived through whatever that earlier eclipse set in motion, and that experience, as well as eight years of life, has changed you. You have more information now, more skills, more perspective, and that matters a lot in how an eclipse will play out.

Also, eclipses don’t usually create something out of nowhere, unless you’re very young. They tend to uncover what’s been developing beneath the surface. They tell us you have gone as far as you can in a certain direction, and now it is time to change direction. If the 2018 eclipse cracked something open in you and in your life, this one may be about understanding what that opening led to, or deciding what no longer needs to continue in your life.

So instead of asking, “Is this going to be as hard as last time,” which is a very natural question, a better question might be, what have I learned since then, and how can I respond differently now? That shift from trying to predict what’s going to happen, to participating with the eclipse, is one of the healthiest ways to work with eclipses. They’re not punishment, and they’re not exactly predictions either. They’re moments of awareness, and what we do with that awareness makes all the difference.

Well, thank you so much, Holly, for that question. I wish you the best with this upcoming eclipse. If you have a burning question about astrology that you would like me to answer on a future episode of the podcast, leave a voicemail of one minute or less at speakpipe.com / bigskyastrologypodcast, or just send me an email at april (at) bigskyastrology.com, and be sure to put “Podcast Question” in the subject line.

Donor Thanks

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That is it for this episode. Join me again bright and early next Monday, and until then, keep your feet on the ground and your eyes on the stars!