Transcript Ep 354 (8.10.26)
Leo Solar Eclipse: Crisis in the Henhouse!
Hello Invisible Friend, April here, and the date today is August 10th, 2026. Welcome to Episode 354 of the Big Sky Astrology Podcast.
This week: The eclipses are here, the eclipses are here! The week leading up to this total Leo Solar eclipse has been very telling. But first: Venus, the goddess of love and money, aspects Pluto, Neptune, and Uranus. Mars enters Cancer, where it will stay through September 27th. Mercury gets a change of perception as it connects with Pluto, Neptune, Uranus, and Jupiter. And I answer a listener question about money in the horoscope. We have a lot of transits to unpack, so let’s get this show on the road.
Venus trine Pluto (Aug. 10, 2026, 11:08 am PDT)
Venus opposed Neptune (Aug. 10, 2026, 3:02 pm PDT)
Venus trine Uranus (Aug. 11, 2026, 8:46 pm PDT)
Venus trines Pluto on Monday, August 10th at 11:08 AM Pacific Time. It opposes Neptune shortly after at 3:02 PM Pacific Time. And on Tuesday, August 11th, Venus trines Uranus at 8:46 PM.
Ignore the trine parts. A connection between Venus and Pluto has a dark shadow. It sees things and people the way they truly are. The trine to Uranus is an encouragement to wake up to reality. And the opposition to Neptune, on symbol 5 Libra, A man teaching the true inner knowledge, brings the true knowledge of what we value and who we are.
The question is, with the combination of aspects to Neptune, Pluto, and Uranus, can we love someone once we know who they are? Or will we feel the need to make a break with them? And how do we feel about the ways we’re earning our money? Maybe we’re working for a company that we wouldn’t support with our spending dollars. Maybe that’s something we want to take a closer look at.
None of these aspects say we shouldn’t love who we love. That’s for us to say. But it’s an important couple of days for looking closely at what the people we love and the way we make or spend our money says about us. Having seen the truth of a situation, it’s time to decide what to do about it.
Mars enters Cancer (Aug. 11, 2026, 1:30 am PDT)
On Tuesday, August 11th, Mars enters Cancer at 1:30 a.m. Pacific Time, and it will stay in this sign until September 27th.
Mars is in its fall, we say, in the sign of Cancer. Mars in Cancer is like a harried mother piloting her SUV full of demanding children through rush-hour traffic. That’s a pretty insightful way to look at it!
Mars in Cancer often isn’t really straightforward about its motives, but its great strength is in protecting home, hearth, and loved ones. These are some of the few areas where Mars in Cancer handles things in a very straightforward way. Generally, people who have this placement in their charts tend to contain their anger, sometimes to the extent of being a little bit passive-aggressive, but attack their spouse, their kids, their dog, and you’re going to see some wrath.
If there’s something in your home life that calls for courage and decisive action, Mars in Cancer can take care of it. It’s a great placement, too, for getting things done around your home that you’ve been putting off because they just felt too difficult, especially things that require stamina and physical strength. While it’s in this sign through September 27th, Mars will square Neptune on August 17th and Saturn on September 1st, both in Aries. These are dates to mark on your calendar if you want to watch Mars in Cancer really do its stuff. These are days when we will be pushed to act on behalf of the things and people closest to our hearts. And if there are things that you’ve been putting off, these are some good days to tackle them.
Mercury opposed Pluto (Aug. 11, 2026, 6:20 pm PDT)
Mercury trine Neptune (Aug. 11, 2026, 8:39 pm PDT)
Mercury sextile Uranus (Aug. 12, 2026, 1:48 pm PDT)
Mercury opposes Pluto on Tuesday, August 11th at 6:20 PM Pacific Time. It trines Neptune the same day at 8:39 PM Pacific Time and sextiles Uranus on Wednesday, August 12th at 1:48 PM Pacific Time. If Venus’ aspects to these same planets on the 10th and 11th pointed to acknowledging the reality of our values, these are aspects that point straight to our perceptions and our communication.
As it opposes Pluto, Mercury is on the Sabian symbol 4 Leo, A man formally dressed and a deer with its horns folded. I very much like Judith De Haan’s essay about the quiet power of this symbol. I’ll link to it in the show notes.
Its symbol as it trines Neptune is 5 Leo, Rock formations at the edge of a precipice. And that’s just the kind of strong boundary Mercury needs as it connects with Neptune. And its symbol at the sextile Uranus is 6 Leo, An old-fashioned woman and an up-to-date girl. Which are you going to favor at this aspect?
These are powerful aspects for telling your truth, using the healing power of your words, and channeling brilliant insights.
Leo New Moon / Solar Eclipse (Aug. 12, 2026, 10:37 am PDT)
And now it’s time for the Moon Report, and we begin, as always, with the week’s major lunation. This week, it’s the Leo New Moon Solar Eclipse on Wednesday, August 12th at 10:37 AM Pacific Time at 20°01′ Leo on the Sabian symbol 21 Leo, Chickens intoxicated.
The last time we had eclipses near this degree were on August 11th, 2018, with a solar eclipse at 18°42′ Leo; on February 11th, 2017, a lunar eclipse at 22°28′ Leo; and on February 9th, 2009, a lunar eclipse at 21 Leo. This is the first eclipse in Leo since January 21st, 2019, and the first since February 9th, 2009, that happened at the same time the lunar south node was also in Leo.
It’s been a tough week in the astrology community. I am preparing this podcast on August 4th, and one of our best-known astrologers used a racial slur on a podcast and caused an enormous uproar. As I record this, the big UAC conference next month is even debating about whether to cancel his scheduled appearances. It is a stunning reversal for someone who’s been one of our field’s most regarded authors, speakers, and teachers for decades. And it’s exactly the kind of downfall we might expect at a solar eclipse in Leo, the sign of prominent leaders and celebrities.
Now, this astrologer is not a celebrity himself among most of the population, but many of his clients are. There aren’t many astrology leaders of his stature, so this total eclipse in Leo seems appropriate. It’s a total solar eclipse in the Sun’s own sign, Leo, and it’s on the Sabian symbol 21 Leo, Chickens intoxicated.
Eclipses are known for bringing crises and turning points, and eclipses, especially the first one that falls in a sign after seven and a half years, can really rattle our cages and make us a bit like chickens with our heads cut off!
Look to the Leo house of your chart for particulars on where you can expect this eclipse to be impacting you and unsettling your life.
Lunar Phase Family Cycle
This is the New Moon in a lunar phase family cycle that will unfold over the coming three years.
Nine months from now, there will be a First Quarter Moon at 22 degrees, 13 minutes, Leo, on May 12th, 2027. And at that First Quarter, we can expect to see some kind of action or directed intention toward the matters related to this new Moon.
Nine months after the First Quarter is a Full Moon on February 10th, 2028, at 21 degrees, 23 minutes Leo. That is when we will see an even fuller picture of what is being planted at this New Moon. And nine months after that is a Last Quarter Moon at 18 degrees Leo, on November 9th, 2028. And that is generally a moment of taking some final action or just really gaining perspective on the entire cycle that began at this New Moon.
Void-of-Course Moon Periods
Let’s look at the Void-of-Course Moon periods for this week. On Monday, August 10th, the Moon in Cancer squares Saturn in Aries at 12:30 a.m. Pacific time. It’s Void-of-Course for one day, one hour, and eight minutes, and then enters Leo on Tuesday, August 11th at 1:38 a.m.
So when we see a square between the Moon and another planet as it is going Void-of-Course, we know there’s some kind of conflict that we’re trying to resolve. Saturn in Aries could represent an authority figure who insists that we toughen up. The Moon in Cancer stresses the need for protection. The lesson here, I think, is to create healthier boundaries in relationships and to structure our lives in a way that allows us to grow while still feeling safe. Use this Void-of-Course Moon period to develop a new habit of establishing stronger boundaries without bringing emotional meltdowns to the table.
On Wednesday, August 12th, the Moon in Leo makes a conjunction with the Sun and that is that New Moon at 10:37 a.m. Pacific time. It will then be Void-of-Course for 16 hours and 41 minutes, and then enters Virgo on Thursday, August 13th at 3:18 a.m. The need for attention could be very strong at this lunation – that is one of the defining characteristics of Leo.
Achieving this need by being loud or arrogant or pompous is a sure way to gain notoriety, though. So use this Void-of-Course Moon period to get in the habit of showcasing your talents and skills while being sure to share the spotlight with others. Give credit where credit is due.
And on Thursday, August 13th, the Moon in Virgo squares Uranus at 12:24 p.m. Pacific time. It’s Void-of-Course for one day, 18 hours, and 56 minutes and then enters Libra on Saturday, August 15th at 7:20 a.m. So, the conflict here is that the Moon and Uranus are ruled by Mercury, and Mercury is in a conjunction with Jupiter in Leo. It’s close; it’s not exact yet.
But communication, travel and movement, financial markets could all be kind of loud and erratic at this time. Nerves could be frazzled due to overstimulation. Use this Void-of-Course Moon period to free yourself from mental stressors by developing inner security that’s independent of external circumstances.
Mercury conjunct Jupiter (Aug. 15, 2026, 4:23 am PDT)
And on Saturday, August 15th at 4:23 a.m. Pacific time, Mercury makes a conjunction with Jupiter at 10 degrees, 9 minutes Leo, on the Sabian symbol, 11 Leo, Children on a swing in a huge oak tree. This is an aspect that can lead to information overload. Jupiter almost always inclines toward excess and when Mercury is conjunct Jupiter, there’s an excess of information that is coming our way. This is an important aspect for organizing our thoughts and not just letting our minds be blown. It can be a really good aspect for inspiration, for exposing ourselves to something new that can open up our mind and really get it firing on all cylinders.
It can be a fun and playful and creative aspect; it could just be a little overwhelming. So here is a time to articulate your beliefs and dreams for the future, and one of the best ways to do that is grab a pen and start writing this stuff down. Having lists of information can make it all seem a lot more manageable. So give that a try during this aspect.
Listener Question: Money Houses in the Chart
In this week’s listener question, listener Tommy writes, “I’d like to please ask about a common topic, specific money houses.
The second house is our own money. That is seemingly straightforward. I learned the eighth house is the money of close others, insurance payments, and debt that we lend and receive.
But then, confusing things, an astrology speaker I heard said that the 11th house is money earned from a career or calling – derivative house technique, my favorite astrology tool since your class. Using an example, would the eighth house be money received from lawsuits because it is your open enemy’s money? Or would the eighth be the house of your lawyer’s money? And the 10th is the money received through a lawsuit -ninth house is legal matters. Wouldn’t the seventh then be money earned from a day job in the sixth house? If this is correct, then what money actually falls in the second? This is the only problem with derivative houses; I get all tangled up. Thank you, April!”
Well, thank you for the question, Tommy. This is, in fact, one of my favorite topics!
So yes, the second house is your money and possessions generally.
It is where the money that comes from all of these other sources ends up. And the second house from another house represents the money that comes from that house.
This is why the 11th house is money earned from a career or calling: it’s the second house from the 10th. The eighth house is the money not just of close others, although I would understand why you would think that, because when we talk about the seventh house, we’re always talking about spouses, good friends, close partners, but actually it is money from all others. The seventh house also just rules others generally. So the eighth house, which is the second from the seventh, is the house of collective pots of money.
I would consider the ninth house to be the house of lawsuits, while the seventh house is specifically the one who’s suing you. So, the second house from the ninth would represent money from lawsuits.
Money from an open enemy is a little different from a lawsuit. You can get money from any kind of interaction with an open enemy, although it probably won’t be easy. So that is a little distinct from whether or not they’re suing you.
The seventh house. The seventh house would in fact be money earned from a day job, because it’s the second house from the sixth, and that’s the house that symbolizes your day job. It could also be money you earn specifically from health-related pursuits, and this could be something like selling vitamin supplements in your spare time, or being a coach of some sort. It could even be if you are donating plasma, or you are donating eggs for reproduction, because those specifically come from your physical health.
Now, as for other houses that we haven’t mentioned here, the fourth house would be money specifically from your siblings, or from third house professions, because it’s the second house from the third. If you had a valuable automobile that you sold, the money from that would be a fourth house concern.
The fifth house would represent proceeds from the sale of property, because it’s the second house from the fourth. The sixth house is also money from gaming, and if you had a child who was a TV star, that child’s money would also fall in your sixth house. The tenth house would be money from ninth house things, so for example, publishing, the travel industry, importing, and exporting. The twelfth house would be money from eleventh house pursuits, such as long-term investments.
So, the idea is the money that comes in from these particular sources ultimately ends up in your second house as part of your little stash there. What we would be looking for in your chart to see where the money comes from would be an aspect from the planetary ruler of one of these other houses to the ruler of your second house.
For example, my chart has an opposition aspect from Mercury, ruler of my tenth, which is money from the ninth house – to Jupiter, which is the ruler of the second. And I make my money through publishing, astrology, which is thought by many to be a ninth house profession, teaching, and speaking.
Tommy, I hope that helps. I know derivative houses can get a little bit confusing. And if anyone is planning on attending the upcoming UAC conference in Chicago next month, I will be speaking on derivative houses on Tuesday, September 8th, at 9 a.m. So please join me!
Well, that is everything that I have 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, be sure to subscribe or follow the show in your app of choice. Leave a rating or a 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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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!
