TRANSCRIPT Ep. 300 (07.21.25)
Leo New Moon: Razzle-Dazzle!
Hello, Invisible Friend. April here, and the date today is July 21st, 2025. Welcome to Episode 300 of the Big Sky Astrology Podcast.
This week, the summer transits are heating up with the help of the Sun and Venus. Venus squares the Lunar Nodes and makes a square as well to her cosmic lover, Mars. The Sun enters its happy place of Leo and aspects nearly everything – Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto. The week ends on a very dynamic and powerful Leo New Moon, complete with the Sun in opposition to Pluto.
But before we get started with this week’s forecast, indulge me for a moment and celebrate with me the 300th episode of the Big Sky Astrology Podcast!
I launched the podcast on November 26th, 2019, with my co-host and producer, Jen Braun. Back then, Saturn and Pluto were coming together in Capricorn. Neptune was halfway through Pisces, and Uranus was in its first degrees of Taurus. It was a very different sky than the one we’re living with today!
The show moved to a single-host format, just me, on January 31st, 2022. And since then, I’ve produced 192 episodes, answered around 155 listener questions, offered 26 mini-lessons, and shared 11 astrologer interviews. Our all-time downloads are at almost 700,000, and since 2020, listeners have supported the show in five Podathons, with another coming up this September.
So I just wanted to take a moment to shout out a few people who have been vital to the podcast over its history and those who support me today in putting it out into the world each week.
Jen Braun, of course, who made those first 107 episodes so much fun. My current editor, Angela, who is @voiceoverangela at Fiverr.com, whose lovely voice you also hear in the intro and outro each week, and the fabulous Stephanie Esman, who helps me so much in virtually all aspects of my business, but also helps with the show sheets and show notes for each episode of the podcast.
So, thanks very much to these wonderful ladies and, of course, to all of you for listening week after week and supporting the show. Thank you!
Venus square the Lunar Nodes (July 21, 2025, 6:21 pm PDT)
Venus squares the Lunar Nodes on Monday, July 21st at 6:21 PM Pacific Time at 19º32’ Gemini, Pisces, and Virgo. Venus square the Lunar Nodes invites a gentle but meaningful course correction, especially in the realm of relationship. The South Node in Virgo can pull us into perfectionism and criticism, trying to fix everything, manage everything, get everything just right. But Venus in Gemini is challenging us to move toward the North Node in Pisces, which has a little bit gentler, dreamier, more intuitive approach to things. It’s about reaching out for a vision that once might have felt just out of reach.
Venus is on the Sabian symbol 20 Gemini, A cafeteria, reminding us not to indulge in too many options. Gemini does love variety. It’s not greedy exactly, but it wants a little taste of everything. This sort of restless curiosity has a lot in common with the South Node Sabian symbol, An automobile caravan, always on the move, always gathering information and new experiences.
But the North Node in Pisces is really a call to slow down to receive what life is offering. It’s on the Sabian symbol 20 Pisces, A table set for an evening meal, and that’s kind of about harvesting the fruits of our efforts and finding our nourishment in simplicity, and living with gratitude. The South Node symbol also kind of speaks to cooperation – 20 Virgo, An automobile caravan, working with kindred spirits towards something bigger than ourselves. Maybe the message here is, choose the meal, not the buffet. Share it with others. Savor it.
Sun enters Leo (July 22, 2025, 6:29 am PDT)
On Tuesday, July 22nd, at 6:29 AM Pacific Time, the Sun enters Leo. It will light up this radiant sign through August 22nd. The Sun rules Leo. It’s right at home in this sign, and Leo brings a very particular flavor to this season. It’s a flavor of recreation and restoration of creativity and play, love affairs, unabashed self-expression.
The tarot card that’s associated with Leo is Strength, and the keyword for that card isn’t power or domination – it’s compassion. Strength speaks of quiet courage, grace under pressure, and a kind of nobility. In medical astrology, Leo rules the spine and the heart. Fitting for a sign that is so associated with dignity, courage, and vitality. It also governs the thoracic vertebrae and the cardiovascular system, and this reminds us that Leo season is a good time to tend whatever it is that keeps us strong and centered.
Leo can definitely be fierce if you push them too hard, or in the wrong way, but more often it carries itself actually with a lot of dignity, like royalty. It does not care much for people being overly familiar before they get to know them. And think of lions in the wild. They’re either on the hunt or they are lounging around in the Sun, restoring their energy. And that really is the essence of Leo’s season. Take your opportunity in the Sun to shine, but also make plenty of time to rest and to restore your energy and your spark.
Sun sextile Uranus (July 22, 2025, 10:32 pm PDT)
On Tuesday, July 22nd at 10:32 PM Pacific Time, the Sun sextiles Uranus at 00º38’ Leo and Gemini. This marks the first major planetary aspect a planet has made to Uranus since it entered Gemini earlier this month, on July 7th. So, this will give us an early glimpse into what the next seven years of Uranus in Gemini might look like.
The Sun, which represents ego, vitality, and awareness, is now spotlighting the themes of change, innovation and reinvention. Uranus transits shake things up. They ask us to step outside what’s familiar and to become a more authentic version of ourselves, and that can feel exciting and liberating, but it can be a bit disorienting as well.
I do like this aspect, a sextile, which is a helpful aspect from the Sun in Leo. So, there’s this opportunity to feel really energized and renewed by something new or unusual. It’s a great time to explore a different way of doing things or to embrace your independence in some way. You might find yourself drawn as well to people or groups who share your interests and who make you feel truly seen. You might find yourself joining a new group or community or network.
Venus square Mars (July 23, 2025, 1:23 am PDT)
Venus squares Mars on Wednesday, July 23rd, at 1:23 AM Pacific Time at 21º Gemini and Virgo. These are both Mercury-ruled signs, so they’re kind of looking to Mercury, which is currently retrograde in Leo, for cues about how to proceed. And as you might expect, communication at this aspect could be a little bit wonky, but also pretty bold and vibrant.
Venus and Mars are both symbols of relationship and in your personal life, this aspect might have you feeling a sudden spark. Maybe with somebody you’ve clashed with in the past. You might reconnect with an ex or feel a powerful urge to pursue what and who you want. Just remember the pursuit itself matters. The way you go after what you desire shapes how satisfying it will be when you get it.
Sun trine Saturn (July 24, 2025, 4:23 am PDT)
The Sun trines Saturn on Thursday, July 24th at 4:23 AM Pacific Time at 01º49’ Leo and Aries. This is a steady and grounding aspect, a moment that will support real progress. It’s a productive transit. It’s one where your efforts and your leadership and your maturity, all these good Saturn qualities, begin to get some recognition – even if that recognition only comes from you.
So, take a moment, give yourself a gold star, and think about the obstacles that you have overcome your quiet perseverance, all the behind-the-scenes work that you’ve done that nobody else even knows about. That’s the kind of Saturn strength and character that this transit highlights and rewards, the kind that lasts because you have earned it honestly, through consistency and through determination and grit. This is a good moment for acknowledging how you have built endurance. Whether that’s physical, creative, or emotional, you have discovered that the key to this is to show up. Just put yourself in the seat, keep your head down and keep doing the work.
The Sun Sabian symbol is 2 Leo, An epidemic of mumps, which might sound kind of odd, but it’s really about how small things can ripple out and affect everything. Saturn’s symbol is 2 Aries, A comedian entertaining a group. It speaks to how we adjust to feedback. We learn to see ourselves through somebody else’s eyes. Do they have the response to what we’re saying that we hope that they will?
So together these symbols say, slow and steady really does win the race, and your quiet work really does matter. At this time, you should be getting some feedback that reassures you of that.
Sun trine Neptune (July 24, 2025, 10:31 am PDT)
Also, on July 24th at 10:31 AM Pacific Time, the Sun trines Neptune at 02º04’ Leo and Aries. This is just a few hours after its trine to Saturn. And this is a lovely trine from the Sun to Neptune. If you are a creative or spiritual person, this can be one of those rare, beautiful days when you feel touched by the divine, by some benevolent presence that is guiding your hand or your heart.
It’s only a single day, but it’s a powerful one. It’s an ideal time to create something beautiful, to share inspiration, to open yourself to a feeling of awe. You might find yourself deeply moved by a message or a creative gift from someone else, but this transit also reminds us, no one has all the answers.
No one else can lead you to your dream life. That part is up to you. So, however you might be impressed or moved by somebody else during this transit, it really is about becoming your own hero and crafting your own vision of what’s possible.
The Sun Sabian symbol is 3 Leo, A woman having her hair bobbed. It speaks to doing things in your own way, breaking outdated rules, expressing yourself freely. Neptune’s symbol, A cameo profile of a man, in the outline of his country, asks us to see ourselves not just as individual heroes, but as part of something greater. So let this transit and this day inspire you to dream and create and to lead yourself forward.
Leo New Moon (July 24, 2025, 12:11 pm PDT)
And now it is time for the Moon Report! And we begin, as always, with the week’s major lunation, and this week, that is the Leo New Moon on Thursday, July 24th at 12:11 PM Pacific Time, it’s at 02º08’. Leo on that Sabian symbol 3 Leo, A woman having her hair bobbed. This is such a vibrant New Moon, and it is the beginning of a fresh lunar cycle.
New Moons are always a time and beginnings and in Leo, it is a call to step into the spotlight. This is our moment to shine, to express ourselves boldly and maybe to kick off something creative or romantic. Leo loves an audience – dramatic flair, fiery colors, good fun. So, in whatever you do, don’t be afraid to go big.
But there’s more happening in the sky and in particular, Pluto in Aquarius is in opposition to this New Moon, and that’s kind of a push-pull between individual expression-Leo-and these power structures that try to contain it – Pluto in Aquarius. Meanwhile, Saturn and Neptune, both in Aries, are forming a supportive trine to the New Moon. They’re moving toward a conjunction early next year. And they are symbolizing the breakdown of old boundaries or possibly the creation of new ones that are better aligned with who we have become and are becoming.
Then we have Uranus in the mix, making a sextile to the New Moon, bringing flashes of insight, surprise opportunities, innovation. This is a great New Moon to solidify routines that you want to stick with and dedicate yourself to something joyful. You know, Leo wants passion. It wants creativity. It wants a bit of showmanship and razzle-dazzle. And the Sabian symbol for this New Moon reminds us that not all rules deserve to be followed, and sometimes claiming your freedom to be your entire self means refusing to conform and doing your own thing in your own way.
Lunar Phase Family Cycle
This New Moon begins a lunar phase family cycle that will continue over the next few years and give us plenty of time to realize our Leo New Moon ambitions. Take care as you are preparing your intentions or wishes for this New Moon in Leo, because it’s a New Moon with a lot of power. It’s in a nearly exact opposition to Pluto. It is gaining strength from Saturn and Neptune, very new in the sign of Aries. It’s even getting that creative kick from Uranus.
So don’t be afraid to dream big and really look at the Leo area of your chart, the house where 2º Leo falls, and think, what can I do in this area of life over the next few years that will really have a major impact on my life?
The First Quarter in this phase family is on April 23rd, 2026. That will be a moment to take some kind of instinctive, hopeful action towards these Leo goals. The Full Moon nine months later, on January 22nd, 2027, is a moment to reflect back on where you started with these goals, with these Leo ambitions, and evaluate where you have gotten and what more you would like to do as you’re finishing out the rest of this cycle. And then nine months later, a Last Quarter Moon on October 22nd, 2027. It’s actually at 29º, 05’ Cancer, but it’s very close to this Leo degree. That’s the phase when you decide how much more you can do to achieve the Leo goals that you began at this New Moon. Write down these dates, I would say, in a little journal, and track as we go along your progress with any kind of creative goals, or any intentions related to self-expression at this New Moon.
Void-of-Course Moon periods
Let’s look at the Void-of-Course Moon periods for this week. On Monday, July 21st, the Moon in Gemini squares Mars in Virgo at 12:52 PM Pacific Time. It’s then Void-of-Course for 16 hours and 34 minutes before it enters Cancer on Tuesday, July 22nd at 5:26 AM. The Moon and Mars here are both ruled by Mercury, and Mercury in Leo is retrograde. So we could see at this Void-of-Course time, communications from the past that could come to the forefront, perhaps a reemergence or a healing of hurt feelings or anger. You don’t always have to forget, but forgiveness is usually a pretty good way to go. They always say, and I agree, it’s a gift you give yourself, not the other person.
I would say try to use this Void-of-Course Moon period to forgive and to move on and to try to get a little more in the habit of leaving the past in the past.
On Wednesday, July 23rd, the Moon sextiles Mars at 5:42 PM Pacific time. It’s Void-of-Course for 14 hours and 46 minutes, and enters Leo on Thursday, July 24th at 8:28 AM. When the Moon begins its Void-of-Course period in a sextile to another planet, there is an opportunity or an invitation that comes our way. We just have to keep an eye out for it. This can be a good day to get some work done around the house, because the Moon is in Cancer, and Mars is in that very organized sign of Virgo. So use this influx of energy to organize things, a pantry, a tool shed, your desk drawers, make editing or organizing the tiny parts of your home that aren’t always on display a little more of a habit.
On Saturday, July 26th, the Moon in Leo sextiles Venus in Gemini at 4:02 AM Pacific Time. It’s Void-of-Course for nine hours and 53 minutes before it enters Virgo at 1:55 PM Pacific Time. This is a good spa day. Honestly, the Moon in Leo loves that kind of pampering and since Mercury is retrograde and it rules Venus and Gemini, maybe don’t try any new treatments or practitioners, or suddenly getting a radical hairstyle. Services that you’ve used before would be a fine way to enjoy this Void-of-Course Moon period. Use this Void-of-Course Moon to embrace the pampering side of life every once in a while.
The Sun opposes Pluto (July 24, 2025, 11:33 pm PDT)
And on Thursday, July 24th at 11:33 PM Pacific Time, the Sun opposes Pluto at 2º 35’ Leo and Aquarius. This powerful alignment comes only once a year and it invites a kind of personal reckoning. It’s the moment to consciously make an effort to burn off the dead weight, the outgrown parts of who we are. Think of it as kind of an energetic cleanse, letting go of what no longer serves you can. It can be really empowering, and having nothing to hide is even more so.
This is a good time to place yourself near people who hold power or influence. You might find that they are surprisingly receptive to you, especially if you’re coming from an authentic and unapologetic place. The Sabian symbols here offer another layer of meaning. The Sun’s symbol is 3 Leo, A woman having her hair bobbed, and as we’ve said earlier, it suggests breaking with convention. It’s about refusing to conform to rules or societal expectations. It’s about carving out the freedom to do what you want. And meanwhile, Pluto’s symbol is 3 Aquarius, A deserter from the navy and it reinforces this theme. It can be interpreted as being about walking away from structures that you disagree with or that are simply wrong for you, systems or authorities that don’t reflect your values.
Together, this opposition says, let go, stand firm in your truth, and don’t be afraid to challenge the rules that don’t fit.
Donor Thanks
Well, that is everything I have on my show sheet, so I’m gonna wrap this one up. I apologize that we have no listener question this week. It was a very full sky and a lot to cover! But we’ll be back to listener questions next week. So if you have a question you’d like me to answer, leave a message of one minute or less at Speakpipe.com / bigskyastrologypodcast, or just email me, April(at)Bigskyastrology.com, and be sure to put “Podcast Question” in the subject line.
Thank you for listening to the big 300th episode of the Big Sky Astrology Podcast. If you like what you’re hearing, be sure to subscribe or follow the show in your app of choice. Leave a rating or review, and I hope that you’ll help spread the word by telling an astrology-loving friend about the podcast.
You can read show notes and full transcripts and leave your comments about each episode at BigSkyAstropod.com.
Thank you so much to everyone who has supported the podcast over the years and during my September Podathon. On each episode, I’m thanking some of these financial donors by name. This week, let’s give a Big Sky Astrology Podcast shout-out to Elena Damyanova and Ann Kirn!
Ann and Elena, thank you so much for listening to the podcast and for supporting the show with your donations.
If you’d like to support the show and receive access to my bonus video episodes for donors only, please go to BigSkyAstropod.com and make a contribution of $10 or more. You can make a one-time donation in any amount or become an ongoing monthly contributor.
That’s 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!
Writing and images © 2017-25 by April Elliott Kent
For more on this week’s planetary news, read my column!
