TRANSCRIPT Ep. 333 | Aquarius New Moon Solar Eclipse: Emerging from the Chrysalis!

TRANSCRIPT Ep. 333 | Aquarius New Moon Solar Eclipse: Emerging from the Chrysalis! (2.16.26)

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Hello, Invisible Friend, April here, and the date today is February 16th, 2026. Welcome to Episode 333 of the Big Sky Astrology Podcast.

This is one of the biggest astrological weeks of the year. Mercury trines Jupiter, and it’s a good time to open up your mind and let everything spill out. An Aquarius New Moon Solar Eclipse is the first one in that sign since 2018, and it is time for a change. Venus and Jupiter bring a peaceful moment in a busy week. And the Sun enters peaceful Pisces just a couple of days before the transit that astrologers have been talking about for ages, the Saturn-Neptune conjunction at zero degrees Aries. It’s another busy week in the Big Sky, so we will have to wait and answer a listener question next week.

Mercury trine Jupiter (Feb. 16, 2026, 1:31 pm PST)

On Monday, February 16th, at 1:31 p.m. Pacific time, Mercury forms a beautiful trine aspect to Jupiter at 15 degrees 53 minutes Pisces in Cancer, and this is one of those transits that can feel magical. Mercury in Pisces is tuned in to inspiration, intuition, and subtle impressions, and Jupiter in Cancer brings emotional depth and a desire to really understand ourselves. The Sabian symbol for Mercury’s degree is 16 Pisces, The flow of inspiration, and you may notice that ideas come fast and from all directions – thoughts, memories, images, even feelings that don’t quite have words yet.

The combination of Mercury and Jupiter can feel a bit like an inverted funnel. Jupiter is trying to cram so much into your brain and out that tiny aperture of your conscious mind and your mouth. This is a great time to grab a pen and just start writing without worrying about being perfect or having very much structure. Just let everything spill out.

Changing your scenery can help too, especially if you can get nearer the water. One small caution with Mercury trine Jupiter is that it can be so easy to only hear the information that confirms what you already believe. So, make a conscious effort to stay curious and open.

Mercury’s deeper lesson here is about finding grace in stillness, connecting right here and right now with something timeless. And Jupiter’s Sabian symbol, 16 Cancer, A man before a square with a manuscript roll before him, reminds us that this kind of inspiration isn’t just poetic. It’s about real self-understanding, about learning to embrace all of the different parts of who you are.

Aquarius New Moon/Solar Eclipse (Feb. 17, 2026, 4:01 am PST)

And now it’s time for the Moon Report, and we begin as always with the week’s major lunation. This week, there is a major lunation indeed, the Aquarius New Moon Solar Eclipse on Tuesday morning, February 17th at 4:01 a.m. Pacific time. It’s at 28 degrees and 49 minutes Aquarius.

The Sabian symbol for this eclipse is 29 Aquarius, A butterfly emerging from a chrysalis, which immediately tells us we’re dealing with deep transformation. Not just change for its own sake, but a real shift in form, and probably one that, if we’re honest, has been coming for a long time.

Eclipses in general can bring major changes, and that’s especially true with this one. The New Moon point is square Uranus in Taurus, and this is our first eclipse in Aquarius since February 2018. When an eclipse returns to a sign after many years, it’s like turning over soil in a part of the garden that has not been disturbed in a long time.

Even if this particular eclipse isn’t making tight aspects to your natal planets, you’ll probably still feel that disruption pretty deeply. Eclipses tend to show us where we can no longer continue to move forward in the same direction, and Aquarius is a very future-oriented sign. So, part of what this eclipse is supporting is innovation, disruption, and reimagining what’s going to come next in our lives.

With Uranus involved, these are changes that can feel sudden or abrupt, sometimes seeming to come out of nowhere. The Sun and Moon are also close to the North Node, which is another big clue that whatever arises now is meant to move us forward, not set us back. This is about walking toward the future, even if we’re not entirely sure yet what that’s going to look like.

While the Moon’s in Aquarius, it’s a good time to ask yourself how you want to influence the world. Is it by shaking up the status quo, or persuading the world to be better and braver and more compassionate than it thinks it can be?

Aquarius thrives on community, so gather with people who share your views and interests and goals. This is a Moon that really wants connection, a feeling of belonging, a friendship, of having a place to fit in, along with exciting and unexpected experiences and that unmistakable sense that what you’re doing matters beyond just the present moment.

At a deeper level, this New Moon speaks to a shift in our spiritual level. Most of the time, growth happens in small steps, but every once in a while, there is a leap in awareness that moves us into a new level of consciousness. This eclipse can invite that kind of shift.

It’s asking us to emerge from the chrysalis, stretch our wings, and choose a future that’s better not just for ourselves, but for everyone.

Today also marks the Chinese New Year, and we’re entering the year of the Fire Horse. In Chinese astrology, the horse is associated with movement, independence, and forward momentum. And then when you bring in the fire element, that energy becomes especially bold and passionate, very hard to contain. Fire Horse years are known for pushing things forward quickly, sometimes restlessly, and with a strong desire for freedom and authenticity. Chinese New Year is traditionally a time of renewal, cleaning out the old, gathering with loved ones, and setting intentions not just for yourself, but for your wider community.

And that’s the theme that comes together really well with that Aquarius New Moon eclipse. Both are reminding us that we’re standing at the threshold of something new, and that courage, clarity, and the willingness to move forward will be our essential guides in the year ahead.

Lunar Phase Family Cycle

This is the New Moon in a lunar phase family cycle that will unfold over the coming three years, with important lunations every nine months near this same degree.

So at this New Moon, keep track of what it is you are intending for the coming three years. Take a look at where 28 degrees 49 minutes Aquarius falls in your birth chart. That gives you a strong clue as to what needs changing, and what is requiring you to go in a new direction.

Nine months from now, the First Quarter Moon on November 17, 2026, is near the same degree, 25 degrees 8 minutes Aquarius. That will be a good time to take important action on the plans and objectives that you are envisioning now.

Nine months after that, there’s a Full Moon Lunar Eclipse on August 17, 2027, at 24 degrees 11 minutes Aquarius, and that Lunar Eclipse answers the call of this New Moon Solar Eclipse. It shows us in no uncertain terms how far we have come with those Aquarius New Moon objectives and plans, and what remains to be done in order to achieve them.

And nine months later, at the Last Quarter Moon of May 16, 2028, at 26 degrees 5 minutes Aquarius, we are asked once more to take action – informed by the previous months in this cycle – and decide what is it exactly that remains to be done in order to achieve our Aquarius New Moon goals.

Void-of-Course Moon periods

Let’s take a look at the Void-of-Course Moon periods for this week.

On Tuesday, February 17, the Moon in Aquarius makes its New Moon conjunction with the Sun at 4:01 a.m. Pacific time. Then it’s Void-of-Course for 2 hours 8 minutes, and enters Pisces at 6:09 a.m. This is a lunation that has many indicators that emphasize the need for change and the hope of making the future better for everyone. Use the peacefulness of this early morning Void-of-Course Moon period to meditate on how you can contribute to the betterment of all, and then outline your plan for acting on that.

On Thursday, February 19, the Moon in Pisces sextiles Uranus in Taurus at 7:23 a.m. Pacific time. It’s Void-of-Course for 4 hours 16 minutes, and then enters Aries at 11:39 a.m. Here is an opportunity to express your individuality, Moon in aspect to Uranus, and unique creative ideas could come up. Since this Void-of-Course Moon period is happening during business hours, this opportunity could be work-related.

Use this Void-of-Course Moon to gather enough courage to speak your mind or to bring innovative ideas to the table. There’s a good chance that if you do, what you say or do will be well received.

And on Saturday, February 21, the Moon in Aries sextiles Mars at 3:11 a.m. Pacific time. It’s Void-of-Course for 12 hours and 20 minutes, then enters Taurus at 3:31 p.m. The Aries Moon can sometimes look aggressive, but since it’s making an advantageous aspect, a sextile, to Mars, which is its ruling planet, this could be a Void-of-Course Moon period that turns out to be very positive and productive. In any event, people will be raring to go. It’s a good idea to harness this very exuberant energy by committing to a physical goal that you’ve always wanted to accomplish.

So, if you’ve been wanting to take a hike on some particular challenging trail, this is a good Void-of-Course period for that. Take that challenging hot yoga class. Use this Void-of-Course Moon period to sweat out your frustrations, and try to make that at least a weekly habit.

Sun enters Pisces (Feb. 18, 2026, 7:52 am PST)

The Sun enters Pisces on Wednesday, February 18th at 7:52 a.m. Pacific time. This is the final sign of the zodiac, and it begins to shift us into a very different kind of season. Pisces is a mutable water sign, which means that it’s flexible, it is emotionally attuned, and it’s able to connect with others in a very subtle way.

When the Sun moves into Pisces, it joins a good-sized stellium of planets that are already gathering there – the Moon’s North Node, Venus, the Moon, and Mercury. So, this is not a particularly quiet transit. This is shaping up to be a pretty active Pisces season.

The Sabian symbol for the Sun’s ingress degree into Pisces is 1 Pisces, A public market. And this is an image that speaks to a healthy exchange of ideas, resources, and emotions.

We often think of Pisces as a very private or inward-facing sign, but this symbol reminds us that society thrives on exchange, and that abundance grows when we circulate what we have and what we value, rather than hoarding it. During this season, we’re invited to exchange compassion, creativity, and understanding, just as consciously as we exchange goods and services.

The Sun will stay in Pisces until March 20th, 2026, when it ingresses into Aries. And interestingly, Mercury will station direct on that same day. Between now and then, we’re navigating the middle of an eclipse season, with a Solar Eclipse in Aquarius just behind us, and a total Lunar Eclipse in Virgo on March 3rd. Mercury will also have its retrograde period in Pisces, so reflection and revision are very much a part of this story.

Pisces season tends to heighten imagination, empathy, intuition, and spiritual awareness, and it often brings a stronger pull toward music, art, and ritual. It’s no coincidence that so many meaningful holidays fall during Pisces season—St. Patrick’s Day, Ash Wednesday, Purim, and Holi.

All of these emphasize reflection and faith, release, renewal. With so much Pisces energy in the sky, the invitation is to stay open but grounded, to participate in the world with sensitivity and intention, and to engage in the flow of life, exchanging ideas and creativity and care in ways that nourish ourselves and others.

Saturn conjunct Neptune (Feb. 20, 2026, 8:54 am PST)

Saturn makes a conjunction with Neptune on Friday, February 20th at 8:54 a.m. Pacific Time. They come together at 0 degrees 45 minutes Aries, and this is the transit that astrologers have been circling on our calendar for more than a year, as Saturn and Neptune have danced close to each other, but not yet in an exact conjunction.

When Saturn makes a conjunction with Neptune, it’s often described as heavy and sobering and unsettling, and in some ways that’s fair, but this is also a moment when we finally get to stop speculating and start seeing how this conjunction will actually play out.

This conjunction takes place on a world point, so its effects tend to show up not just personally, but collectively. Saturn and Neptune come together about every 36 years, and when they do, we see the dissolution of borders and structures, we see leaks and scandals, major spiritual or creative shifts. One of the clearest recent historical examples was the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. That’s a moment when something that had seemed very solid suddenly was not, and what makes this conjunction different is that it’s happening at the very first degree of Aries, the sign of beginnings, courage, and forward motion.

The Sabian symbol for this degree, 1 Aries, is A woman rises out of the water, a seal rises and embraces her, and it’s a really beautiful image for what this transit is asking of us. We’re coming out of the oceanic, dreamlike experience of Saturn and Neptune in Pisces and stepping onto new ground. This isn’t about staying in Pisces nap time anymore; it’s about committing to a vision that feels brave and meaningful.

Saturn asks us to align our actions with our values, to take responsibility for our dreams, and to build real-world structures out of what used to live only in our imagination. We may not have a clear map yet of exactly where we’re headed, and that’s part of the point. This conjunction asks us to move forward, even when the path isn’t visible, trusting that our inspired effort will matter.

The Sabian symbol speaks to recognition of potential, the moment when something shifts from possibility into reality. The most important work under Saturn conjunct Neptune is simply to begin consciously, compassionately, and with faith that what we commit to now will shape an entirely new reality.

Venus trine Jupiter (Feb. 22, 2026, 12:02 pm PST)

And on Sunday, February 22nd, at 12:02 p.m. Pacific time, Venus forms a flowing trine to Jupiter at 15 degrees, 31 minutes, Pisces and Cancer.

And honestly, this is just a lovely-looking transit. We’re talking about a trine, which is a smooth and positive aspect, between two of our most fortunate planets, both in the signs of their exaltation, which sounds like a cosmic green light for pleasure, satisfaction, and good feelings. Part of me does sometimes wonder if exalted planets are reserved for the A-listers of the world, but even for the rest of us, this is a genuinely sweet and supportive influence.

This transit can awaken a desire to experience something new, sometimes in the form of an appealing person, a social invitation, or maybe a piece of art that really moves you. Venus represents what we enjoy, while Jupiter says, “Yes – MORE.” And that’s where the caution comes in, because too much of a good thing, obviously, is very much on the table here, and overspending or overindulging in rich food or drink, or just saying yes to everything just because it feels good in the moment. These are all classic dangers of Venus together with Jupiter. The deeper invitation is to notice what actually makes you feel happy and nourished, not just happy in the moment. Usually, that sweet spot is a balance, enjoying some of what you want without sacrificing too much to get it.

Venus’ Sabian symbol is 16 Pisces, The flow of inspiration, and it speaks to finding grace in stillness and reminding us that inner peace is a part of what we truly enjoy. Jupiter’s Sabian symbol is 16 Cancer, A man before a square with a manuscript roll before him, and it points to recognizing and embracing all the different parts of who we are. When these two come together, the real gift of this transit isn’t excess, but contentment, the kind that comes from really knowing yourself and choosing pleasure with intention.

No Listener Question this week

This is a very full week, so sadly, we’ll have to hold off on a listener question until next week. But if you have a burning question about astrology that you’d like me to answer in a future episode, leave a voicemail of one minute or less at speakpipe.com / bigskyastrologypodcast or just send me an email at april (at) bigskyastrology (dot) com and be sure to put “Podcast Question” in the subject line.

Donor Thanks

Well, that is everything on my show sheet, so I’m going to wrap this one up.

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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!