Big Sky Astrology Podcast Ep 349 (6.15.26)
Venus: Equality, Rose-Colored Glasses, and a Trip to the Underworld!
Hello Invisible Friend, April here, and the date today is June 15th, 2026. Welcome to Episode 349 of the Big Sky Astrology Podcast.
This week, Venus, the goddess of love and money, is having a busy week. Her sextile aspect to Uranus offers an opportunity for radical change, and her trine to idealistic Neptune lends a pair of rose-colored glasses, at least until she opposes Pluto for a short but potent trip to the depths and back. Embrace the Cancer Solstice, a moment to stop and appreciate where you’re at and what lies ahead. And the Libra First Quarter Moon instigates action in relationships, money, and generally getting life in balance. And I answer a listener question about a jangly natal Sun and how it impacts the annual Solar Return.
Venus sextile Uranus (June 15, 2026, 3:53 pm PDT)
Venus sextiles Uranus on Monday, June 15th at 3:53 p.m. Pacific Time at 2 degrees 54 minutes Leo and Gemini.
When Venus connects with Uranus, new ideas may suddenly appear that are related to money, values, or relationships. And these new ideas could shift your perspective in an instant. This is also a time when new people can enter the picture to shake us out of our routines in an exciting way.
It’s a time of opportunity, but that means we need to be prepared to take advantage of those opportunities. My teacher always said about sextiles that they would give you the blessings of a trine, but only if you were willing to do the work of a square.
Venus’s Sabian symbol at this sextile is 3 Leo, A woman having her hair bobbed. And it’s the very picture of feminine independence, and that symbolizes Venus sextile Uranus very well indeed. I always think that back in the 1920s when the Sabian symbols were channeled by psychic Elsie Wheeler, that certain things had a different resonance than they do for us now. And I think a woman having her hair bobbed is just such a symbol. Today we wouldn’t think anything of it. But back in Elsie Wheeler’s time, it would have been pretty radical for a woman to get a very short haircut.
So this speaks of feminine independence and also independence in our relationships, a little bit of breathing room. And even if it’s a romantic relationship, one that has kind of a basis in friendship, where both people have their own lives, their own interests, their own friends, and they do bring them together with those of their partner. But generally, this means the more equal two people are, the more united they can ultimately be.
Venus trine Neptune (June 16, 2026, 8:41 pm PDT)
On Tuesday, June 16th, Venus trines Neptune at 8:41 p.m. Pacific Time at 4 degrees, 18 minutes Leo and Aries. When Venus comes together with Neptune, we’re invited to see the beauty in others, and to really love them exactly as they are, flaws and all. The job is to look at the world with a little more tenderness and optimism. I mean, we don’t want to lose touch with reality completely, but there is truly a gift in choosing to focus on the good in those that we love.
Neptune also elevates Venus’s creativity with extra inspiration and even a touch of what we might call spirituality. If you are a writer, an artist, a musician, or just somebody who loves to create, this aspect gives a beautiful window to let your imagination flow freely. This aspect reminds us that love, beauty, and creativity are at their richest when they open doors to both inspiration and connection.
Venus opposes Pluto (June 17, 2026, 1:38 pm PDT)
On Wednesday, June 17th, Venus opposes Pluto at 1:38 p.m. Pacific time at 5 degrees, 7 minutes Leo and Aquarius.
Venus symbolizes our enjoyment of life, its pleasures and beauty, our connections with other people. But Pluto is very different. It’s the planet of endings, transformation, and letting go. When these two planets stand opposite each other, the challenge is to love what and who we love – the beautiful trine the previous day to Neptune really brings us in touch with that – but at the same time, knowing that nothing lasts forever.
Pluto can be a teacher that shows us how to love even in the face of disappointment or ultimately loss. It’s an aspect that may bring some financial stress too and a feeling of maybe not really having control over your financial fate to the extent that you would like. We might even see a big upset in the financial markets that can bring on some of these feelings of being out of control of what we have.
Pluto tells us to find value in what can’t be taken away from us. Things like elements of character, our talents, and what we offer the world. It’s a pretty short transit, only a day or two, but especially if it connects with planets in your chart in early Leo or Aquarius, it can trigger an almost obsessive interest in people or in past times of all kinds.
Sun enters Cancer/Cancer Solstice (June 21, 2026, 1:24 am PDT)
The Sun enters Cancer on Sunday, June 21st at 1:24 a.m. Pacific Time and it will remain in the sign until July 22nd.
This is the Cancer Solstice. Happy summer in the Northern Hemisphere and winter in the Southern Hemisphere, depending on where you are!
Cancer is a cardinal sign. It’s one of the four signs that initiates a new season of the year. Solstices mark the Sun’s most northerly or southerly point relative to the celestial equator, so it’s at its most extreme points on these days and these are the longest and shortest days of the year.
Cancer is the archetypal mother of the zodiac. It symbolizes extreme protectiveness of those that we feel are part of our clan, our family, community, country. This is the season for gestating ideas and plans. So during the Gemini season, maybe you came up with a lot of ideas and now is when you would take a couple of them into the nest with you and sit on them for a while.
It’s a quiet time of year. The Sun appears to stand still in its journey across the sky and the height that it reaches at midday. It’s a popular time for vacations, to take a little time off and do as little as possible.
Cancer’s symbol is the crab, an animal with a hard exterior to protect its very vulnerable interior. This vulnerability causes Cancer to withdraw into their shells and their homes if they feel threatened. Generally, it’s a lovely season of the year to spend a little more time close to home with your family, with your loved ones and your pets and to just sort of let yourself be for a while.
Libra First Quarter Moon (June 21, 2026, 2:55 pm 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 Libra First Quarter Moon on Sunday June 21st at 2:55 p.m. Pacific time at zero degrees 32 minutes Libra and Cancer.
The First Quarter Moon is the first action point in the monthly lunar cycle and this is when it’s time to act on the dictates of last week’s New Moon in Gemini. Like Gemini, Libra is sociable, but it’s somewhat more collaborative. It moves things forward with dimples and social connections. Libra has a sweet way about it but make no mistake, it’s a cardinal sign and it really instigates things. Astrologers used to like to say that Libra is just an Aries who’s been to charm school! – and there is some truth to that.
Libra has a way of persuading others to do what it wants while making them believe it was all their idea. It feels good to do things for somebody who is smiling and sweet and flattering you and making you feel smart and good looking. As a Leo myself I highly recommend marrying a Libra. It was the best thing I ever did for my ego.
The Sun in Cancer and Moon in Libra at this lunation are in a t-square configuration with Neptune in Aries. A t-square configuration is when two different planets are making hard aspects to a third.
In this case, it is the Sun in Cancer square Neptune in Aries and the Moon in Libra in opposition to Neptune in Aries. And this repeats in some ways that Venus-Neptune trine earlier in the week but with more conflict or tension. This is the point at which the rose-colored glasses from that aspect start to slip a little bit, and suddenly there’s more awareness about what’s really going on with the people in our lives and the things that we value.
With the Sun in home-loving Cancer and the Moon in graceful Libra, this is a nice week to focus on beautifying your home and bringing it into balance. Fill your home with art and music. Paint a picture. Give your home a little feng shui. In the show notes I’ll put links to my friend Simone Butler’s Astro Feng Shui work, which I just love, to help you bring your home into lunar alignment with your particular chart each month.
Include others in your First Quarter Moon efforts because that’s what the Moon in Libra wants: collaboration, companionship, and balance.
Lunar Phase Family Cycle
This is the First Quarter in a lunar phase family cycle that began with the New Moon Solar Eclipse on September 21, 2025 at 29 degrees 5 minutes Virgo. At that time the solar eclipse point was opposed Saturn at 28 Pisces and Neptune at zero Aries, and was trine Uranus.
Now the Neptune part of that eclipse I think is being revisited a little bit. We’re really taking a close look at what we have believed specifically about relationships.
The Full Moon in this phase family cycle is on March 22, 2027 at 1 degree 35 minutes Libra, and that is the awareness point when we really see what has been going on. And the Last Quarter in this phase family cycle is on December 20, 2027 at 28 degrees 14 minutes Virgo, and that’s when we make one last hard push toward the goals that we set at that long ago New Moon Solar Eclipse. This one is even very close to the degree and sign of that New Moon and it’s in industrious Virgo which tries to put the finishing touches on that will make things as perfect as we can make them.
Void-of-Course Moon Periods
Let’s look at the Void-of-Course Moon periods for this week. The first Void-of-Course Moon period of the week actually began last Sunday, June 14th when the Moon in Gemini made its conjunction with the Sun for the Gemini New Moon.
That was at 7:54 p.m. Pacific Time, and then it was Void-of-Course for nine hours 20 minutes. And by the time it enters Cancer, it’s Monday June 15th at 5:14 a.m. pacific time. If you are looking for a refresher on this Void-of-Course Moon period in general do take a look at last week’s episode, Episode 348 during the Void-of-Course Moon section, and we’ll give you a lot of details on that.
On Wednesday June 17, the Moon in Cancer makes a conjunction with Jupiter at 12:41 a.m. Pacific time. It’s Void-of-Course for four hours and 24 minutes and then enters Leo at 5:05 a.m. If you live where I live on the West Coast of the United States, you’ll probably be asleep during this Void-of-Course Moon period. But there is a chance that this transit could wake you up because when the Cancerian Moon joins forces with Jupiter, powerful feelings to protect and nurture could come bubbling up. For example, you could have a vivid dream that wakes you up and fills you with an insatiable need to protect your home and everything and everyone in it.
If you find yourself awake and full of thoughts about home security during this Void-of-Course Moon lean into it a little bit. Use this Void-of-Course Moon period to research how to reasonably make your home safe and secure.
On Friday June 19th the Moon in Leo sextiles the Sun at 4:30 a.m. Pacific time. It’s Void-of-Course for three hours and seven minutes and then enters Virgo at 7:37 a.m. A sextile from the Moon to another planet as it goes Void-of-Course brings us an opportunity, and the Moon in Leo desires self-expression which the Gemini Sun will generally support.
This is a lovely Void-of-Course Moon period that can leave you with renewed zeal and love for life. Use this Void-of-Course Moon period to appreciate the gift of today and the simple joy of your beating heart.
On Sunday June 21, the Moon in Virgo sextiles Jupiter at 10:33 a.m. Pacific time.
It’s Void-of-Course for three hours and 22 minutes and then enters Libra at 1:55 p.m. The Moon in Virgo wants something to fix and if there is something in your home – Jupiter in Cancer – which needs to be repaired, cleaned, or organized this is the day to get that done. Use this Void-of-Course Moon period to get in a habit of staying on top of the household chores and fixes and repairs that make your home feel truly comfortable and efficient.
Listener Question: Preparing for a Difficult Solar Return
In this week’s listener question listener June writes, “I’m going to ask a question I already know the answer to (I think) but I’ll ask anyway because I adore your podcast.” Well thank you, June! “My natal Sun is opposed Uranus, also in a square to my natal First Quarter Moon. I was born within a week of an eclipse with a spooky eighth house sun that may not be helping the duress in question.
“Since learning about astrology, one of my great comforts has been realizing there’s a cosmic reason why the weeks before my birthdays are always downright explosive. People have dropped dead, plumbing explodes, key relationships suddenly go kaboom, all heck breaks loose every single year without fail and my birthdays are always stressful, fraught, and frankly unpleasant. In learning about astrology over the years, I’ve come to expect this and I try to keep the coast clear. But no matter how low I attempt to lie around my birthday, the jangly chaos gets activated the nanosecond the transiting Sun opposes that natal Uranus.
“Here’s my problem and my question: I want sweet, quiet, happy, pleasant birthdays, not this reliably unbridled, generally cantankerous mayhem. Is there any way to achieve situational peace around my Solar Return or must I always be prepped with a poncho and fire extinguisher to blow out my candles? Warning friends: first three rows will get wet.”
Well June, thank you for this very colorful question and thank you for helping me look at the Solar Return chart in a way I honestly haven’t before.
I never considered the natal Sun carrying its baggage into the Solar Return each year, but it makes sense when I think about, say, how the progressed lunar return which makes its return every 27 years sits us down face to face with our natal emotional wiring, which is based on its natal house position and aspects to other planets. And I suppose it makes sense to think of the Solar Return Sun doing a similar thing each year.
That is a heavy 8th house natal Sun! Is there a way to make it sweeter quieter a little more joyful? Well, what comes to mind for me is, some astrologers practice what’s called remediation. It’s not an area of specialization for me; frankly I don’t know a whole lot about it, but I will refer you to Andrea Gehrz’s book, Remediation: A guide for the modern astrologer which seems to be a solid beginner’s text on the subject.
But a few of the things that are often recommended are for instance, planetary charity, where you donate money or time to a cause that symbolizes the afflicted planet – in this case the Sun in the natal 8th house. So you might try to think of a charity or cause an organization that helps those who are disenfranchised or who lack a voice, maybe something like the ACLU or Amnesty International.
Talismans and gemstones are also used, and you would use a gemstone associated with the Sun and consecrated under a strong solar alignment to channel those energies in a positive direction. Rubies are related to the Sun, for example, if you happen to have one lying around the house, and you would also want a gemstone that is specific to grounding, such as hematite which has a good resonance with Uranus and might help tame some of that jangliness.
You would then look for a day when the Sun is in good aspect, maybe after it goes into Leo on July 22nd when it’s in its strongest sign, and will be starting to connect with Jupiter in Leo as well.
Symbolic substitution is another way to bring the planet’s energies into your life and that would be through using decorations, specific colors, even elements in your diet. So, for the Sun colors may be like orange, yellow, maybe red, building a fire in your fireplace and eating some spicy food.
Mantras and rituals are also useful.
So again. this is not my area of expertise though I’m pretty interested in it. So check out these ideas on your own. Part of the deal is that honoring the Sun in your life, such as celebrating your birthday, also invites Uranus energy because of their close opposition in your chart. So, by strengthening the energy of the Sun you might create more balance. And if your natal Sun makes positive aspects to other planets in your chart, consider giving them some magical strengthening as well.
Well, June this is the best I can offer you. And what I have said to clients in the past is that when you have tried everything else, it’s never a bad idea to turn to magic. To quote Caroline Casey, the universe wants to help us but it’s polite to use ritual to ask for that help.
Thank you for your question, and happy birthday and many happy returns!
If you have a burning question about astrology that you’d like me to answer on a future episode of the podcast, please leave a message 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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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 © 2017-26 by April Elliott Kent
For more on this week’s planetary news, read my column!
