TRANSCRIPT Ep. 345 | The Sun enters Gemini: The Season of the Butterfly!

TRANSCRIPT Episode 345 | The Sun enters Gemini: The Season of the Butterfly! (5.18.26)

Hello Invisible Friend, April here, and the date today is May 18th, 2026. Welcome to Episode 345 of the Big Sky Astrology Podcast.

This week, Mars leaves fast-moving Aries for the more leisurely pastures of Taurus. Venus enters nurturing Cancer and makes a romantic sextile to Mars. The Sun enters the curious sign of Gemini and is awakened by a conjunction with Uranus, and autonomy and creativity are highlighted as the Sun sextiles Neptune. And let’s try to loosen our grip on perfectionism at the Virgo First Quarter Moon. This is another busy week, so we’ll have to wait until next week’s episode to answer a listener question.

Mars enters Taurus (May 18, 2026, 3:25 pm PDT)

Mars enters Taurus on Monday, May 18th at 3:25 pm Pacific time, and it will be in this sign until June 28th.

Mars is in the sign of its detriment in Taurus, and this means that it’s in a sign opposite one that it rules, in this case, Scorpio. A planet in its detriment can find it challenging to accomplish its work. In this case, it’s because Taurus, which is ruled by Venus, is by nature more easygoing and patient than a sign that is ruled by war-like Mars.

So, we have to use Taurus methods to do Mars’s work. For example, Mars would prefer to move directly and quickly, but this is a slow and steady wins the race sign for Mars. It’s really good for tackling projects that need patience and stamina to bring them to completion.

So, if there’s something that you got excited about, say, while Mars was in its previous sign, Aries, but you didn’t quite have the patience to finish it or even really properly get it going, well, here is your chance to tackle it again, probably with more success. You will probably find that people, including you, may tend to be a little more stubborn and a lot slower to act than while Mars was in Aries. And if you find yourself getting impatient with someone who is showing these qualities, just remember they are the flip side of the positive traits of patience and perseverance.

Mars receives a nice aspect from Venus later on today, but it will only make two major aspects itself while it’s in Taurus. And the first one comes next week, a square to Pluto. We often picture Taurus as a placid cow, but when it makes an aspect to Pluto, we see that furious, bullish side, and that can be a little bit terrifying. We’ll talk about that aspect in depth in our next episode.

The other aspect Mars will make is a nice sextile to Jupiter at the end of the month on June 27th, and that should give a pleasant ending to this Mars journey through Taurus.

Venus enters Cancer (May 18, 2026, 6:05 pm PDT)

Venus enters Cancer on Monday, May 18th at 6:05 pm Pacific Time, and it will be in this sign until June 13th.

It’s one of the very best times of year to buy items for your home. I have Venus and Cancer in my own birth chart, and I generally really dislike shopping. The exception is if I’m going to buy things for my home.

Venus is also associated with nourishment and what we eat, so you might feel yourself wanting to experiment with some new, maybe fancier recipes. Entertain at home. Keep the guest list confined to just the people who are closest to you and who don’t stress you out.

Venus is lovely in Cancer. It’s gentle, it’s kind, and it really wants to take care of people. But it does have a little bit of a difficult side as well.

The sensitivity of Cancer can make Venus and Cancer a little bit oversensitive in relationships, say, where one can get a little bit jealous, a little bit possessive, and to take things very much to heart. If you’re having a little argument with somebody and it gets a little bit personal, you will really take it to heart, and you might not say anything at the time. But as you sit with it, then it will start to really bother you when you get very disgruntled.

And often that will show itself by just getting very quiet and sitting with your arms crossed and not being willing to discuss the situation. Venus can also get a little bit clingy when it’s in Cancer, so be careful you’re not overwhelming the people close to you with a little too much attention. But otherwise, this is a lovely sign for Venus.

And focus on spending quality time with the people closest to you and letting them know how much you care for them and how much you would like to help make their life easier and more pleasant.

Venus sextile Mars (May 18, 2026, 10:37 pm PDT)

Later in the day, on May 18th at 1037 pm Pacific Time, Venus makes a sextile to Mars. They’re both new in their signs; Venus at 0 degrees 13 minutes Cancer, and Mars at 0 degrees 13 Taurus.

What often happens when Venus connects with Mars is that something enters our environment that excites us. Maybe we get really attracted to someone romantically, or our competitive urges could be ignited.

It is a very sexy aspect, and all things being equal, that part of your life might be a little more lively this week. But mostly what it says is you are willing to go after the things that you want with no apology and not a lot of hesitation. Now Mars is in Taurus, which isn’t one of the more aggressive signs for it, but it can get attracted to something or somebody and will not stop until it gets what it wants.

Venus, of course, is also connected with money, and this week you could be very motivated to work harder by the desire for more money. Maybe for some specific thing that you want to purchase or a trip that you want to take. The energy is definitely there this week to pursue the things we want, but we really need to play nice.

Cancer and Taurus are, generally speaking, pretty nice signs, so we should be able to accomplish this. But again, sometimes when we set our sights on something we really want, Mars will stop at nothing to get it. And sometimes that can mean getting a little bit out of hand with how we pursue things.

Sun enters Gemini (May 20, 2026, 5:37 pm PDT)

On Wednesday, May 20th, at 5:37 pm Pacific Time, the Sun enters Gemini, and it will be in this sign until June 21st. This is the season of the butterfly, where we’re curious, interested in everything, but not necessarily for very long.

One of Gemini’s jobs is to be a connector, a facilitator, connecting people with each other and with ideas and resources. I think I wrote in one of my books, the Gemini always has a guy. If you want to get your car fixed, you need a gardener or whatever it may be, ask a Gemini and they will have a guy who does it.

Gemini’s month is perfect for short road trips. Here in the United States, of course, it’s summertime and this is about the time that the kids are starting to get out of school and people are looking at taking some vacation time and short road trips are perfect for Gemini. It can also be a wonderful season for catching up on your reading. A lot of us don’t read as much as we used to, but Gemini is a huge fan of books and of reading.

Also, we will love going to new places and trying new things. Now, the downside of Gemini can be insincerity or even flat-out lying. I would not accuse every Gemini of this by any means, but we do have to be honest about a sign’s potential weaknesses.

Gemini is a storyteller and it doesn’t always commit fully to every story that it tells. Commitment in general isn’t a characteristic that we associate with Gemini because its very job description requires it to keep moving and to experience variety. But that does not mean that Gemini cannot commit, and don’t accept that as an excuse.

During this Gemini season, in fact, there are two planets in Cancer and Mars is in Taurus, and those can definitely pull us down to Earth.

Venus square Neptune (May 21, 2026, 11:32 pm PDT)

Venus squares Neptune on Thursday, May 21st at 11:32 pm Pacific Time at 3 degrees 51 minutes Cancer and Aries. Venus is on the Sabian symbol 4 Cancer, A cat arguing with a mouse, and it can be interpreted as an attempt to justify yourself.

A cat certainly doesn’t need to argue with a mouse about anything. It’s bigger and it’s more dominant, but the major point here is to recognize moments when you’re creating unnecessary drama, or you’re just trying to justify your actions when it’s not necessary to do that.

So, Venus is square to Neptune on the symbol 4 Aries, Two lovers strolling through a secluded walk. These potential negative qualities of Venus trying to justify itself could be getting in the way of lovely and peaceful relationships with others.

Now, Venus in aspect to Neptune also warns us to beware of falling in love or just enchantment with completely inappropriate people. We all deserve better than a hopeless relationship with someone who is a hot mess.

So relationships can really struggle under this transit. One person in a relationship might have a lot of illusions about what’s needed or even what’s actually going on in the relationship, and relationships can dissolve because one or both partners suddenly come to the realization that they’ve changed irrevocably and the relationship just doesn’t fit them anymore.

Financial matters are also ruled by Venus, and you might realize a mistake that you’ve made with your money or come face to face with your unrealistic expectations about what you should be earning or how much you should be able to spend on things, even if you really can’t afford them.

Sun conjunct Uranus (May 22, 2026, 7:26 am PDT)

The Sun makes a conjunction to Uranus on Friday, May 22nd at 7:26 am Pacific Time at one degree 30 minutes Gemini. The Sun symbolizes a strong and healthy ego, our sense of who we are in the world, and when it comes together with the Sun, Uranus usually demands that we reinvent ourselves to some degree. And this can be liberating because we open ourselves up to new ways of being, but it can also be disorienting.

You could feel revitalized by this aspect and like you’re suddenly able to function well in environments that previously would have made you uncomfortable. Going to parties even if it’s not your thing might be something you suddenly enjoy with the Sun conjunct Uranus. Maybe you will connect with people who make you feel like part of a group or a network.

There’s a sweetness to the Sabian symbol for this conjunction, 2 Gemini, Santa Claus filling stockings furtively, and maybe by letting ourselves open up to new things and new ways of being, unexpected blessings and prosperity might come our way.

For the past eight years or so, this aspect has happened in the sign of Taurus, where we might have found it especially difficult to open up and to change, but Gemini is a lot more flexible than that and now maybe we will be too.

Virgo First Quarter Moon (May 23, 2026, 4:11 am PDT)

Now it’s time for the Moon Report, and we begin as always with the week’s major lunation. This week, that’s the Virgo First Quarter Moon on Saturday, May 23rd at 4:11 am Pacific Time at 2 degrees 20 minutes Virgo and Gemini.

The First Quarter is the first action point in the most recent New Moon cycle, and in this case, that was the Taurus New Moon on May 16th at 25 degrees 57 minutes Taurus. This is the moment in the 29-day lunar cycle when we’re asked to step up and take action on something that we were considering or planning at the Taurus New Moon, because, as I’m fond of saying at the New Moon, it’s dark and it’s not always clear exactly what we’re up to.

A week later, at the First Quarter Moon, however, we have some sense of what it is we want to accomplish and we should take the first course of action toward making it a reality. It’s not that we will know exactly what the finished product is going to look like, but we need to take some kind of action. The Moon at this First Quarter is in a conjunction with the South Node, and it’s important as we are taking action at this First Quarter to release Virgo’s tendency for hyper-perfection and for overt criticism.

So, what should the action look like at the Virgo First Quarter Moon? The New Moon was in Taurus, which is a pretty relaxed sign, but you might have been putting into action some ideas about increasing your prosperity, for instance, or for making your life more stable and more comfortable. When the Moon is in Virgo, we are willing to step up and physically put plans into action. So, this might be looking for something to fix, a job to do, a problem to solve.

Lunar Phase Family Cycle

This is the First Quarter Moon in a Lunar Phase Family Cycle that began with the New Moon on August 22nd, 2025, at 0 degrees 23 minutes Virgo. Think back not only to what you were envisioning at the most recent Taurus New Moon but also, if you can, back to that New Moon in August 2025. What things of the nature of Virgo were you hoping to accomplish?

This might have been something about education. It could have been about analyzing different qualities of your life in a new way, maybe your financial picture or what you want to do for work. Virgo generally is about wanting to be of service and to help people in our world and in our lives.

Nine months from now, there’s a Full Moon on February 20th, 2027, at 2 degrees 5 minutes Virgo, and that is the moment where everything is revealed, and we begin to see fully what it was that we initiated at that New Moon and tried to put into action at the First Quarter.

Nine months after the Full Moon there will be a Last Quarter Moon on November 20th 2027 at 28 degrees 27 minutes Leo within a degree and a half of being in Virgo. And the Last Quarter is the final action point in the cycle and it says you started out to do this, and you took this action to try to make it a reality, then you could see exactly what you had begun and what you needed to do to bring it to fruition. And now at the Last Quarter, you realize what it is you need to finish the cycle.

Void-of-Course Moon periods

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

On Sunday, May 17th, the Moon in Gemini sextiles Saturn in Aries at 12:35 pm Pacific Time. It’s Void-of-Course for a full day, six hours, and 11 minutes, so it’s one of these long Void-of-Course Moon periods we’ve been getting. Then the Moon enters Cancer on Monday, May 18th at 6:46 pm. There’s usually an opportunity that comes when the Moon sextiles a planet as it’s going Void-of-Course, and this one could be about the ability to balance your personal needs with your responsibilities and obligations to others, especially in your local neighborhood, which is associated with the Moon in Gemini and your extended family.

Communication is the key. Again, the Moon is in Gemini and the sextile is kind of a communication-oriented aspect, so use this Void-of-Course Moon time to establish a routine or a habit of consciously using communication to establish good boundaries, Saturn, and to prevent getting overwhelmed.

On Wednesday, May 20th, the Moon in Cancer makes a conjunction to Jupiter at 6:27 am Pacific Time, and then it’s Void-of-Course for 13 hours and 21 minutes and then enters Leo at 7:48 pm. The Moon rules Cancer, and Jupiter is exalted in Cancer, so this is a warm and powerful Void-of-Course period, and what we begin now could end up being a very strong new routine or habit.

Jupiter offers expansion and generosity. The Moon in Cancer brings a desire to nurture and care for those we love. This would be a lovely time to have a little midweek get-together at home with people from your inner circle, but Jupiter introduces a little bit of an international theme too, so maybe use this Void-of-Course Moon period to establish the habit of learning about creature comforts from other cultures, and who knows, maybe a recipe or tradition is enjoyable, and it could become a new family tradition.

On Thursday, May 21st, the Moon in Leo trines Saturn in Aries at 3:05 pm Pacific Time. It’s Void-of-Course for a full day plus 8 hours and 52 minutes, then enters Virgo on Friday, May 22nd at 11:57 pm. The Moon trine a planet as it goes Void-of-Course offers a gift, and this is a transit between the passionate, creative, and ambitious signs of Leo and Aries. You can have all the creativity in the world, but if you don’t have structure and integrity, your results will tend to be less than effective. So use this Void-of-Course Moon period, as the Moon is trining Saturn, to establish some structure, maybe a timeline with your creative projects, so they can actually come to fruition and be enjoyed for years to come.

And on Sunday, May 24th, the Moon in Virgo sextiles Jupiter at 5:54 pm Pacific Time. It’s Void-of-Course for 13 hours and 40 minutes, then enters Libra on Monday, May 25th at 7:34 am. This Void-of-Course Moon comes on the heels of the Virgo First Quarter Moon, and that emphasizes being of service, organizing things, and being helpful to others. And with Jupiter in Cancer, there’s also a nurturing quality that encourages acts of care and support.

This energy is perfect for improving the spaces around you and whether that’s organizing a closet, refreshing a room, or even helping a friend bring order to their environment, these small acts of service can feel deeply meaningful now. Use this Void-of-Course Moon to practice leaving people and places better than you found them.

Sun sextiles Neptune (May 24, 2026, 7:22 pm PDT)

The Sun sextiles Neptune on Sunday, May 24th at 7:22 pm Pacific Time at 3 degrees 55 minutes Gemini and Aries. This harmonious connection between the Sun and Neptune can bring inspiration, imagination, emotional sensitivity. It’s a really nice transit for people who are creative or spiritual seekers, romantics, anyone who longs to reconnect with a sense of wonder.

You might feel more open to signs, dreams, music, art, or moments that are just magical. Now, there’s nothing wrong with admiring people who inspire you or looking up to people whose gifts are uplifting. But this transit is also a reminder that your own vision matters too.

And instead of placing all of the magic outside yourself, consider what dreams and talents and spiritual insights are emerging through you. If you are artistic or spiritually inclined, this could feel like a moment of divine inspiration.

Pay attention to your intuition. Let yourself create without overthinking. Write something, paint something, dance, pray, daydream. This transit supports turning inspiration into something meaningful and heartfelt.

Listener Question: No question this week

Well, as I said, this is a very busy week, and there was a lot to cover, and I even left some things out. And we really just didn’t have room this week to include a listener question, even though I have one that I’m really looking forward to answering. But it looks like that we’ll have to wait for next week when we have a much lighter schedule going on in the sky.

But please keep contributing your questions. You can leave a message of one minute or less at speakpipe.com / bigskyastrologypodcast or just send it to me in 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. Thank you for listening to the Big Sky Astrology Podcast.

If you like what you’re hearing, please be sure to subscribe or follow the show in your app of choice. Leave a rating or a review and please 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 very much to everyone who has continued to show support for the podcast and especially during last September’s Podathon.

On each episode, I’m thanking some of my financial donors by name. This week, let’s give a Big Sky Astrology Podcast shout-out to Christopher Williams and Beth Terrence! Beth and Christopher, thank you so much for listening to the podcast and for supporting the show with your donations.

If you would 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 to get access to these episodes as they drop. 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!