TRANSCRIPT Ep. 316 | Venus in Libra and a Prima Donna Moon!

TRANSCRIPT Ep. 316 | Venus in Libra and a Prima Donna Moon! (10.13.25)

Hello Invisible Friend, April here, and the date today is October 13th, 2025. Welcome to Episode 316 of the Big Sky Astrology Podcast.

This week, a nostalgic Cancer Last Quarter Moon is a time to reflect on what we’ve accomplished in our recent New Moon goals. Venus, the goddess of love and beauty, glides into her elegant home sign of Libra, and promptly meets up with idealistic Neptune, unpredictable Uranus, and probing Pluto. Power issues rise to the surface as Pluto stations direct. The Sun and Jupiter bring a fresh start, but might bring up conflicts in all types of relationships. Words can get a little hurtful as Mercury and Mars come together in Scorpio. And I answer a listener question about houses in the horoscope that are ruled by the same planet. How are they connected?

Cancer Last Quarter Moon (Oct. 13, 2025, 11:13 am PDT)

We begin this week with the Moon Report, and with the major lunation for the week, which is the Cancer Last Quarter Moon on Monday, October 13th at 11:13 am Pacific Time, at 20º39’ Cancer and Libra. The Last Quarter Moon is the moment in each lunar cycle when we take a final action toward anything that we set in motion at the previous New Moon, and in this case, that was that Solar Eclipse Virgo New Moon on September 21st.

So, this phase is always kind of like a review session in the lunar cycle, when we look back and take stock of how far we’ve come, and decide what we need to do to finish up the cycle properly. And honestly, it’s easy at this point to focus on all the things that we haven’t done, or where we think that we’ve fallen short. That’s a bit of the nature of the Last Quarter Moon. And Cancer, which is the sign of this Last Quarter Moon, has a particular talent for holding on to these kinds of feelings.

This Moon is on the Sabian symbol, 21 Cancer, A prima donna singing. And it calls to mind literally somebody who is the lead female voice in an opera company, for example. But it also brings to mind somebody who is a little bit self-important and calls a lot of attention to themselves. And the Sun is on 21 Libra, A crowd upon the beach, and that emphasizes the many – being part of the crowd, blending into the ensemble. So, this Last Quarter Moon, I think, is challenging us to find a balance, to honor our individual light and self-expression without losing sight of the collective, the chorus that we’re all a part of.

Lunar Phase Family Cycle

This is the Last Quarter in a lunar phase family cycle that began with a New Moon way back on July 17th, 2023, at 24º56’ Cancer. That was a very high-tension New Moon – the Sun and Moon were opposed Pluto and Capricorn – and we have been carrying forward that message ever since in this lunar phase family cycle. An opposition from the Sun and Moon to Pluto brings up issues of power and control, and especially in relationship, because it was an opposition aspect.

Nine months after that New Moon, there was a First Quarter Moon on April 15th, 2024, which was our cue to take some kind of action toward resolving some of those power and control issues. Nine months later, the Full Moon of January 13th, 2025, was directly related to those issues as well.

So now, at the last major lunation in this lunar phase family cycle, it’s the opportunity to regroup a little bit and to think about how far we’ve come with what we started back in July 2023. If you don’t remember off the top of your head, it’s a good time to go back, look at your appointment calendars, your diaries, emails that you sent, anything that might clarify for you what you were initiating at that time, what was important to you, so that you can have that in mind as you’re planning at this Last Quarter, how to move forward over the last nine months of this cycle.

Void-of-Course Moon periods

Let’s look at the Void-of-Course Moon periods for this week. On Monday, October 13th, the Moon in Cancer trines Saturn in Pisces at 10:05 pm Pacific Time. It’s Void-of-Course for five hours and 42 minutes and then enters Leo on Tuesday, October 14th at 3:47 am.

So, the Moon’s transit here with Saturn blends an emotional connection with having healthy boundaries. On the U.S. West Coast, this Void-of-Course Moon falls just as we’re winding down for the night, so it’s perfect for a soothing routine that supports rest. Think calming tea, a good book.

Void-of-Course Moons open the door to new habits. And when the Moon’s final aspect in its sign is a trine to another planet, it’s a kind of a gift or a reward. So, think about instituting a routine like this as a little gift to yourself each evening before bed.

On Wednesday, October 15th, the Moon in Leo sextiles the Sun in Libra at 10:06 pm Pacific Time. It’s Void-of-Course for 12 hours 59 minutes and enters Virgo on Thursday, October 16th at 11:05 am.

There’s usually an opportunity when we see the Moon sextiling another planet as it goes Void-of-Course. Both Leo and Libra are fairly sociable and creative signs. This Void-of-Course Moon period promotes communication. Use this Void-of-Course Moon to express yourself and your feelings creatively, whether that’s through the visual arts, music, or the written or spoken word.

And on Saturday, October 18th, the Moon in Virgo opposes Saturn at 2:10 pm Pacific Time. It’s Void-of-Course for 6 hours 51 minutes, then enters Libra at 9:01 pm. When the Moon in Virgo opposes Saturn in Pisces, there is a conflict that can lead to awareness – that’s what the opposition aspect tells us. And it’s a conflict around emotions versus reality and between practicality and compassion. Virgo wants order, efficiency, tangible results. And Saturn in Pisces is at peace with the fact, celebrates the fact, that life can be imprecise and messy. It can feel frustrating not to be able to fix everything if you’re the Moon in Virgo. But you know what? Saturn teaches us that we have to know our limits. So do what you can and then let go.

Venus enters Libra (Oct. 13, 2025, 2:19 pm PDT)

On Monday, October 13th at 2:19 pm Pacific Time, Venus enters Libra and will be in this graceful sign until November 6th. If there is anything that is elegant, melodious, delectable, or graceful, Venus in Libra is all in.

This is a Venus that values balance, beauty, and fairness. And she is drawn to anything that reflects refinement, art, and music – fine crystal in China, beautiful decor for your home, a well-curated wardrobe. She delights in good taste and harmonious surroundings and has zero patience for selfishness, for rude language, or for boorish behavior. Venus in Libra wants the world and our relationships and our homes to feel as polished and graceful as a perfectly composed piece of music.

Venus opposes Neptune (Oct. 13, 2025, 6:16 pm PDT)

Just a few hours after Venus enters Libra on Monday, October 13th, she opposes Neptune in Aries at 6.16 pm Pacific Time. This happens at 0º12’ Libra and Aries.

When Venus connects with Neptune, there’s a little bit of haze, longing, and imagination that can be moving and very beautiful, or it can be very confusing. This is a transit that tends to heighten creativity and artistry.

So, if you are an artist, lean into your art, and if you’re not, indulge in music or film or art that moves you deeply. And since Venus and Libra both rule relationships, there can be this element of great love and really believing the very best about another person, or a job, or something we really want to work out well for us. And sometimes it does, but we can also see negative illusions or disappointments when we see hard aspects like this to Neptune from Venus.

It can be something like having very strong feelings for somebody who, in truth, is a little bit of a mess. Venus is also aspecting Uranus and Pluto this week. So some of these truths may come to light throughout the week, suddenly revealing who or what is truly worth your affection and your energy.

Pluto stations direct (Oct. 13, 2025, 7:52 pm PDT)

Pluto stations direct on Monday, October 13th at 7:52 pm Pacific Time at 1°22′ Aquarius on the Sabian symbol 2 Aquarius, An unexpected thunderstorm. Pluto has been retrograde since May 4th. It’s retrograde for a long time, and while it’s retrograde, I tend to think that is the nearly half of each year that we look inward to get in touch with our own power.

As this Pluto turns direct, it has a little bit of a relational kick to it because it is in a trine aspect with Venus, ruler of relationships, and with Uranus, which rules unexpected developments. The Sabian symbol here is 2 Aquarius, An unexpected thunderstorm, which describes the fact that life is ever changeable. Change is the one thing we can always rely on. So as Pluto is moving direct here, we kind of awaken from a little bit of a long, deep sleep of the Pluto retrograde. And now it is time to pay attention to what’s going on around us and to be prepared for the unexpected and the disruptive influences that the world likes to throw our way.

Venus trine Uranus (Oct. 14, 2025, 7:09 am PDT)

Venus trines Uranus on Tuesday, October 14th at 7:09 a.m. Pacific Time at 0º52’ Libra and Gemini. This is an aspect that usually brings some kind of surprise, whether it’s in love or money or creativity. And it’s a fairly pleasant surprise, usually.

Sudden financial changes or unexpected developments in our relationships can bring us in touch with a stronger desire to have more freedom and more authenticity. You might find yourself in a little spike of popularity as you’re connecting with people who truly get you. And artistic breakthroughs are likely. If you’ve been sitting on some kind of artistic project and you’re very stalled, this is exactly the aspect you want to break through.

Venus is on the Sabian symbol 1 Libra, A butterfly made perfect by a dart through it, which I never really love. It’s a symbol that speaks of an ideal; you get these butterflies and put them on a card and put a dart through them, and they’re the perfect example of a beautiful butterfly. But they don’t have that lovely, lively quality to them.

And Uranus is on 1 Gemini, A glass-bottomed boat in still water. Every single time I read this symbol, it makes me think of when I was a kid and we used to go to Disneyland, and they had the submarine ride. You would go in this submarine, and there was a glass bottom to it, as I recall. And you could see the clear water underneath. Think of it every time!

What it’s telling us as a symbol, I think, is that Uranus here will reveal what’s going on underneath the surface, hidden depths, new dimensions of awareness. And this is especially true with Venus and Uranus, both connecting with Pluto.

Venus trines Pluto (Oct. 14, 2025, 4:45 pm PDT)

On the afternoon of Tuesday, October 14th, at 4:45 p.m. Pacific Time, Venus trines Pluto at 1º22’ Libra and Aquarius. And this happens just after Pluto has stationed direct and gives extra power to this already powerful transit. Whatever surprises Uranus stirred up earlier in the day, around usually relationships or money, Pluto steps in now to make those changes really have staying power, as much as they will have – this is a very quick transit. It only lasts for one day, but it can trigger bigger patterns and issues that have been building up.

This aspect, Venus trine Pluto, can awaken intense feelings. And most of all, it reminds us that nothing lasts forever. It asks of us to love deeply, to feel our losses, and still remain open to life’s fundamental beauty.

Financial shifts that happen now can be lasting ones, too. And this is especially true, I think, with Pluto on the Sabian symbol 2 Aquarius, An unexpected thunderstorm where things kind of come out of nowhere. And they can be good changes as well as difficult ones. We have to remember that, especially when there is a trine involved.

Sun square Jupiter (Oct. 16, 2025, 10:43 pm PDT)

On Thursday, October 16th at 10:43 p.m. Pacific Time, the Sun squares Jupiter at 24º06’ Libra and Cancer. And this is an aspect that brings together opportunity, Jupiter, with challenge and really forcing ourselves to expand our horizons and to grow. Jupiter can give us that confidence and luck where we need it most.

But in areas where you’re already strong, it can tempt you to overdo it a little bit. But Libra’s natural sense of balance is a good guide here. And it makes it a good time for self-promotion if you need to be doing that for your business, or to get a promotion at work, creative projects, or just enjoying time with family and friends.

Because Libra rules relationships of all kind, and Cancer really emphasizes family ties, domestic connections, the people that we live with day to day.

The Sun Sabian symbol for this degree is a lovely one. It’s 24 Libra, All of information in the symbol of one leaf. And it’s especially nice as we’ve gone into autumn now, of course. And even here in Southern California, we’re starting to see a few leaves changing color, a little bit of a crisp nip in the air.

Together, the Sun square Jupiter, really invites a playful but mindful approach to things, to really explore your desires, to make sure you connect with others, especially if you haven’t been terribly sociable in a while. And remember that growth comes through finding that balance between being strongly individualistic versus being part of something bigger, a community, and especially the people who are close to us, that are important as well.

Mercury conjoins Mars (Oct. 19, 2025, 11:51 pm PDT)

Mercury makes a conjunction with Mars on Sunday, October 19th at 11:51 p.m. Pacific Time at 19º11’ Scorpio, on the Sabian symbol, 20 Scorpio, A woman drawing two dark curtains aside. Mars feels right at home in Scorpio. And when Mercury comes together with it here, Mars can really sharpen our words, our ideas, and can make us really cut to the heart of the matter. We really need to watch out a little bit for arguments or for comments that we can’t take back.

In our communications, our travel, our commerce, all of which are ruled by Mercury, we can see disruptions because Mars is a disruptive planet. But we can also see powerful focus in these areas because of Scorpio’s influence.

It’s great energy to channel into research, into writing, problem-solving, anything that requires real depth. We might see some difficult financial news as well because Mercury rules the stock markets. The Sabian symbol for this combination, the woman drawing two dark curtains aside, reminds us that even as things are uncertain or unsettling or disruptive, they are unfolding as they should.

Listener Question: Houses that Share a Ruler

In this week’s listener question, Listener Michelle writes, “When a planet rules more than one house on a chart, how do you interpret the way it connects those areas of life, or does it? For example, Mars is in Taurus in the third house in my chart, and it is the ruler of my second house, which has Aries on the cusp, and my ninth house with Scorpio on the cusp. Are all three of these houses connected in some way because of Mars?”

Michelle, that is such a great question. And yes, these houses and these areas of life are absolutely connected because of that shared planetary ruler.

What we do here is we begin with the basic symbolism of the planet, in this case Mars, which tells us that motivation, drive, determination, competition, all play an important role in these areas of your life. Mars is in Taurus, which is a fixed earthy sign, and that gives it great stamina and a little bit more discipline than we often see with Mars. You won’t quit until you’ve reached your goal.

Mars is in his detriment in this sign, and the more aggressive side of Mars is usually toned down a little bit. Mars in Taurus has a pretty long fuse, but I’ll tell you, when it gets angry, it really blows. Mars in the third house gives the ability to express yourself forcefully without hesitation because the third house is a house of communication. Though again, it’s in Taurus, so you probably think things through a little bit before speaking. Mars in the third house can be somebody who thinks quickly, drives quickly, expresses themselves really quickly. But again, in Taurus, it’s a little slower.

Mars also can suggest conflict with neighbors or siblings, both of which are ruled by the third house. But it might also mean that you work together with these people, maybe in a business or in family matters.

From the third house, this Mars calls the shots in the areas of money and security, which is the second house, and education, belief systems, or travel, ninth house. Mars can relate to your job, so it can be that you earn your money – represented by the second house – in a ninth house setting, academic, which would relate to both the third and the ninth houses, and especially with writing or research, or teaching. Or in a job that has to do with transportation, which also relates to both of these houses, or writing for publication, perhaps.

But I would also mention that Mars in Taurus tends to like to be physically active. So, this could have an interest in sports as an instructor or coach, or an athlete who is traveling for their work. I mean, we would need to see a lot more information that supports that, but it is a possibility. And because Mars is in Taurus, it can also be connected with work in music, or dance, or art.

Here’s just one small example I found of how this worked out in the life of jazz saxophonist John Coltrane, whose chart had exactly this setup, Mars in Taurus in the third house, ruling the second and ninth.

After he was discharged from the Navy after World War II, Coltrane used the GI Bill, which is connected to the second house and to the military, ruled by Mars, to enroll at the Granoff School of Music, ninth house, and continued studying saxophone there for several years until the GI Bill funds ran out. So, there he was, eventually working in music, Mars in Taurus, and had that money available to him, which he was able to use to study his saxophone and his music.

So anyway, those are just a couple of ideas of how this could work out in the chart. But the point is, it is a really interesting way to look at various houses of the chart and parts of your life, and how they connect together.

Michelle, I hope you found that helpful, and thank you very much for the question. You had already almost answered this one for yourself!

If you have a question you’d like me to answer on a future episode of the podcast, please leave a voicemail of one minute or less at speakpipe.com / bigskyastrologypodcast. I really hope someone out there will, it’s been quite a while since we had a listener question come in as a voicemail, and I love to have your voices on the podcast. Or of course, you can email me with your question, april (at) bigskyastrology (dot) com, and be sure to put “Podcast Question” in the subject line.

Donor Thanks

Well, that is everything I have on my show sheet, so I’m going to wrap this one up. Thank you very much for listening to the Big Sky Astrology Podcast. And if you like what you’re hearing, I hope that you’ll subscribe or follow the show in your app of choice. It can make a big difference in getting the show brought to the attention of new listeners. You can also leave a rating or review. And I hope 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.

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This week, let’s give a Big Sky Astrology Podcast shout-out to Donna Mitchell and Nancy Beard!

Nancy and Donna, thank you so much for listening to the podcast.

If you like the show and you would like to support it and receive access to my bonus video episodes, which are 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. We have another one of these episodes coming up for the October New Moon, which I think is around October 21st. It’ll probably be that weekend, probably the 19th of this month.

Well, 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!