TRANSCRIPT Ep. 346 | Sagittarius Full Moon + A One-Two Pluto Punch!

TRANSCRIPT Ep. 346 | Sagittarius Full Moon + A One-Two Pluto Punch! (5.25.26)

Hello, Invisible Friend, April here, and the date today is May 25th, 2026. Welcome to Episode 346 of the Big Sky Astrology Podcast.

This week, a one-two punch of power struggles as Mars squares and the Sun trines Pluto. A prickly aspect between Venus and Saturn can bring up feelings of loneliness or abandonment, and a feeling of financial frustration. But the Sagittarius Full Moon brings a mixture of big picture thinking and emotional stability that ends the week and the month on a positive note. And I answer a listener question about horary astrology, the art of finding answers to questions using astrology.

Mars square Pluto (May 25, 2026, 9:02 pm PDT)

Mars squares Pluto on Monday, May 25th at 9:02 pm Pacific Time at 5 degrees 25 minutes Taurus and Aquarius. This is the opening square in a Mars-Pluto cycle that began with a conjunction on January 27th at 3 degrees 34 minutes Aquarius, just two weeks before a solar eclipse on February 17th and one month before the beginning of the war in Iran. This conjunction was a volatile note in that solar eclipse chart.

The next major aspect in this cycle was a sextile on April 16th at 5 degrees 25 minutes Aries and Aquarius. At the time of the sextile, a ceasefire in that Iranian conflict was being negotiated. And now a square, which is an aspect that tends to increase conflict. So, expect some critical developments in this conflict around the time of May 25th.

There’s no eclipse this time around, but it’s a pretty formidable aspect by itself, one where the irresistible force of Mars meets the immovable object that is Pluto. Anybody who is engaged in any kind of conflict will be reluctant to back down. Now, personally, you may feel the need to fight with someone or for something and be unwilling to back down, but your opponent isn’t going to back down either.

It’s a better time to fight for a larger cause or principle rather than something that’s just really important to you personally. Otherwise, this is an aspect that can indicate struggles over power and control, the refusal to compromise, suppressed anger coming out, concerns about survival, emotional rigidity, battles over resources, financial upheaval, and possibly civil unrest.

Sun trine Pluto (May 26, 2026, 8:53 am PDT)

The next day on Tuesday, May 26th, at 8:53 a.m. Pacific Time, the Sun trines Pluto at 5 degrees, 25 minutes, Gemini and Aquarius.

We often think of a trine as an easygoing aspect, but in the case of a trine involving Pluto, and for that matter, the Sun, which is pretty strong-willed itself, a trine can sometimes mean that nothing is getting in the way of ongoing power struggles. There’s no intermediary, especially anything that’s been stirred up by the previous day’s Mars-Pluto square. The energy is flowing easily between the Sun and Pluto, but what’s flowing could still be pretty intense and compelling, and hard to ignore.

Now that said, let’s try to frame this in a more constructive way. The Sun in Gemini is on the Sabian symbol 6 Gemini Drilling for oil, which talks about being willing to dig beneath the surface to uncover what’s really important. And Pluto in Aquarius adds a collective dimension, sort of like I pointed out with the Mars-Pluto square. This isn’t just about personal power, but about how your actions are supporting a larger story.

Pluto’s on the Sabian symbol 6 Aquarius, A performer of a mystery play, and that’s a symbol that reminds us that transformation often happens through symbolism, ritual, and meaning rather than brute force. If you’ve pledged yourself to a worthwhile cause that’s bigger than you are, this is a moment when you can step into your role with confidence. You’re not going to control the entire outcome by yourself, but you can fully embody your own part and your own power in it.

Venus square Saturn (May 28, 2026, 8:03 pm PDT)

On Thursday, May 28th at 8:03 p.m. Pacific Time, Venus squares Saturn at 11 degrees 59 minutes Cancer and Aries. Venus squares Saturn can always stir up some pretty strong feelings – feelings of being unloved, unsupported, or worried that there will never be quite enough money or time or attention to go around. Saturn has this reputation for being cold or withholding, but really, I think Saturn just wants us to find solid footing and to respect ourselves. Saturn asks us to build something that’s going to last, and that begins with how we value ourselves.

Squares ask for action, so this is a good moment to get back in the driver’s seat, especially when it comes to your finances and your other priorities, especially related to work. So, make a realistic plan and make an effort to manage what you already have a lot more wisely. Under this aspect, there is the possibility of getting clear about the difference between what we truly need and what we merely want, and that can be a really empowering distinction.

Now, in the realm of relationship, of course, which is also ruled by Venus, this can be a time where you’re trying to make important decisions about the future of a relationship, or that a relationship might be getting a little serious. It can also mean if you’re in a long-term relationship that it’s time that the two of you need to renegotiate some of the terms of your partnership.

Sagittarius Full Moon (May 31, 2026, 1:45 am PDT)

And now it’s time for the Moon Report, and we begin, as always, with the week’s major lunation.

This week, that’s the Sagittarius Full Moon on Sunday, May 31st, at 1:45 a.m. Pacific Time, at 9 degrees, 55 minutes, Sagittarius and Gemini. This Full Moon in Sagittarius takes a look at our New Moon plans and asks, what is the big picture? Remember why you set your goals and what they mean in the overall scheme of things. This Full Moon is in an opposition to Uranus, which is also in a conjunction with the Sun.

So, this is a Full Moon that is going to shake us up, especially if we got a little too complacent at the Taurus New Moon. It’s a time of optimism, of big ideas, and possibly coming up with a new adventure. Each month, the Full Moon reveals what is working in our lives and what is not.

It’s an important phase for relationships, because it’s a time when we see things very clearly. Everything is revealed. And the Sun and the Moon, two important symbols of relationship, are in opposition to each other, which means there’s nothing to obstruct their realistic view of each other.

Sagittarius is a sign that just asks us, are you living your beliefs? What is your idea of the next adventure you want for yourself? Taking a fresh look at New Moon plans and intentions from the recent Taurus New Moon on May 16th, and to ask ourselves, how can I boldly embrace my optimism, my big ideas, my opportunities for adventure and imagination to move forward in the rest of this lunar cycle?

The Sun and Moon at this Full Moon are square the Lunar Nodes in Virgo and Pisces. So, this is a Full Moon to consciously move away from what feels comfortable and familiar, and in the direction of what’s new and challenging. The Moon opposed tells us to expect disruptions, and the Moon’s trine to Saturn asks us to practice emotional self-reliance.

The Moon is trine Neptune, and this Full Moon’s an opportunity to imagine new adventures for ourselves. So, everything about this Full Moon is especially in effect through the Gemini New Moon on June 14th.

Lunar Phase Family Cycle

This is the Full Moon in a lunar phase family cycle that began with the New Moon on November 30th, 2024, at 9 degrees 32 minutes Sagittarius.

The First Quarter in this cycle was on August 30th, 2025, at 8 degrees 7 minutes Sagittarius, and now we have the Full Moon, and 9 months from now is the Last Quarter Moon in this phase family on February 27th, 2027, at 9 degrees 22 Sagittarius.

So, we know by now how these lunar phase family cycles work. It expands the influence of each New Moon over a three-year period, with important lunations at the same degree or pretty close to it every nine months. So, what’s important now is to look not only at the most recent New Moon on May 16th, but this New Moon back in November 2024, because that is when we were setting some very specific intentions and goals that are related to the sign of Sagittarius. Maybe a big trip that you were hoping to take, maybe some really big ambition or dream that you’ve had for a long time and really wanted to make something of. So, with Sagittarius, it’s always big dreams, big trips, big ideas, and ambitions.

So, nine months after that at the First Quarter in August 2025, was an opportunity to take a first step or a very important step in any event that was related to those big Sagittarius dreams. And now we’re at the Full Moon, where it’s much clearer where we started out at that New Moon. We don’t always know at a New Moon. We give it our best guess. We say, well, the New Moon’s in this sign and that means these things. And I’m going to initiate a goal or an intention at this time, hoping that if I move in the right direction, this will come to something big.

And that is what we’re seeing now at this Full Moon. How is that working out? Nine months from now is the Last Quarter in this lunar phase family. And what a Last Quarter does is give us the opportunity to really get perspective on the cycle so far and have a really deep understanding of what we’ve been up to and also to see what maybe we could have done differently up to now and how we might be able to change course a little bit as we continue to pursue those big Sagittarius goals and dreams.

Void-of-Course Moon Periods

Let’s look at the Void-of-Course Moon periods for this week. On Wednesday, May 27th, the Moon in Libra squares Jupiter in Cancer at 4:32 a.m. Pacific Time. It’s Void-of-Course for 13 hours and 20 minutes, then enters Scorpio at 5:52 p.m. There’s usually a conflict we’re presented with at a Void-of-Course Moon that begins with the Moon square another planet.

In this case, the Libra Moon really wants balance. And this is especially in the realm of relationships. Jupiter in Cancer mostly would prefer to stay home and just cozy up with their partner or their inner circle.

And that’s a kind of an insular way of life that can lack some of the mental stimulation that the Moon in Libra prefers. So maybe think about how you can use this Void-of-Course Moon period to open up your home or your inner circle to something or someone new. There’s a good chance that a little domestic adventure could open up your worldview.

On Friday, May 29th, the Moon in Scorpio trines Jupiter at 5:05 p.m. Pacific Time. It’s Void-of-Course for 12 hours and 40 minutes, then enters Sagittarius on Saturday, May 30th at 5:45 a.m. This Void-of-Course Moon is beginning on a trine between planets in two water signs. So, the emotional element and the need for authentic connection will be really strong.

This Void-of-Course Moon can be a very nice time to connect with the most important people in your life. Intuition will be strong, so there’s a good chance that you’ll know just the right thing to do or say to make others feel comfortable and well cared for. You might like a really emotional movie and some delicious takeout that is enjoyed at home.

Use this Void-of-Course Moon period to get in the habit of being truly present with the people you love and enjoying time with them, because we all know that nothing lasts forever.

On Sunday, May 31st, the Moon in Sagittarius trines Saturn in Aries at 6:21 a.m. Pacific Time. This is a pretty long Void-of-Course period for one full day plus 11 hours and 58 minutes and then the Moon enters Capricorn on Monday, June 1st at 6:19 p.m.

It’s a pretty nice Void-of-Course Moon beginning on a trine aspect between the Moon and another planet, even if the planet is Saturn. The trine between the Moon and another planet, as it goes Void-of-Course, suggests a gift or a reward. The Moon in Sagittarius wants an adventure, some activity, and just really a kind of a jolly good time.

Saturn in Aries may have a little bit of a stern exterior, but it can help provide structure to a Sagittarius Moon. Maybe you’ve been thinking about how you can achieve a physical goal, like doing a headstand or doing the splits in your yoga class. Maybe you’ve been itching to take a motorcycle ride on a beautiful section of road.

If you’re a little more mellow, maybe you’ve just been wanting to walk around a nearby neighborhood that’s known for its beautiful architecture. Whatever it is, use this Void-of-Course Moon period to come up with a plan to achieve these adventures.

Listener Question: Horary Astrology

I’m very happy this week to return to our listener question segment.

And the question this week comes from listener Bethany, who writes, “Try though I have, I do not understand the logic of horary astrology. Why does it matter when the astrologer understands a question? Isn’t the native’s chart all that matters? I’m confused about how horary was invented or why it is relevant to a question. Thank you for your always very fun podcast, April.”

Well, thank you for that, Bethany, and thank you for the question. And although I am by no means an expert in this area, I’ll try to give you an answer that makes some sense.

First of all, for anyone who’s not familiar with the term, horary is a branch of astrology in which a question is answered based on the chart for the moment that the astrologer receives it and understands it.

The word “horary” is from the Latin for “hour.” Literally, it’s the astrology of the hour. And if you need a simple answer to a burning question, this is a really great technique.

You pose the question to a horary astrologer who will take a look at their watch, cast a chart for the moment, and deliver an answer. Horary is a practical way to handle simple, clear-cut questions that can be answered yes or no, or questions about the outcome of a particular situation, or how to recover a lost object.

Horary became popular in the medieval and Renaissance eras between about the 8th and 17th centuries. It really had a peak during the 17th century, especially in England, when astrologers like William Lilly, the author of Christian Astrology, practiced horary for their living. It was revived in the 20th century by astrologers like Olivia Barclay and the late Dr. Lee Lehman, who was a prominent modern practitioner and teacher about horary. To understand horary astrology, know that it’s a method of divination, sort of like tarot, which assumes that the moment of a question contains all of the information to answer that question.

In all of astrology, our guiding principle is that anything that happens at a moment in time has the qualities of that moment in time. When we’re reading a birth chart for somebody, that’s what we’re assuming. We’re assuming this chart will tell us something about the character and even the destiny of this person because of the quality of the moment in time in which they were born.

So, this idea includes, in the case of horary, a question that we assume that a question is asked at a moment that will answer the question. Astrologer Chris Brennan has proposed that horary might have developed out of consultation charts, which are also divinatory, and we calculate them for the moment of a consultation and that shows what that consultation will be about. I still do this for every consultation. I take a look at that chart because I think it’s going to tell me whatever the client has already told me on their questionnaire or in an email. The chart will say, “Start here. This is the thing that really is top of mind for this person.”

The idea that the moment an astrologer understands the question is an important one because it speaks to the role of the astrologer in judging the question. This is present in other horary rules as well, such as if you see Saturn in the seventh house of the horary chart, that could mean the astrologer is going to make a poor judgment, so the chart shouldn’t be read. For that reason, the astrologer needs to receive and understand the question before interpreting the chart because they play an important role in this divinatory process.

Traditional horary has a ton of rules and considerations, and it’s pretty much a specialized branch of astrology at this point, although at the peak of its popularity, most astrologers were expected to have some proficiency in it. In modern times, we tend to speak to people about questions of an emotional or psychological nature, but especially when horary was at its very peak of popularity, you didn’t necessarily have a good natal chart for somebody. Their birth time, maybe even their birth date, wasn’t necessarily recorded, but you could go according to a chart for a moment the question is asked, and have a very good chart to work from.

But these days, because of the complexity of the rules and the process, it is a little more of an astrological specialty. However, one of the most effective horary readers I knew was my late teacher, who had a much more intuitive way of reading these charts, and she got uncanny results. On the other hand, a friend reported having a consultation with a horary specialist whose interpretation ended up being completely wrong compared to the outcome of the situation.

So, I don’t know. I am no good with horary, really, myself. My mind just doesn’t seem to work that way.

And as a tool of divination, I personally believe that it’s best when it’s used by someone who has a good, strong grounding in basic astrology, but also a strong intuitive sense.

Bethany, thank you so much for your question. In our show notes, we will refer you to a really good episode about horary from Chris Brennan’s Astrology Podcast, as well as a couple of books that you might find helpful if you decide you would like to learn more.

And if you have a 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 send me an email at april (at) bigskyastrology (dot) com, and be sure to put “Podcast Question” in the subject line.

Donor Thanks

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