Astrology 2023 – mark your diaries for the main conjunctions, eclipses, and retrogrades

There are lots of opportunities in 2023's astrology to create some new beginnings, enhance existing projects, and get rid of situations that no longer serve you. Pay attention to the dates, and brace yourself for some of the big zodiacal whirlwinds.

Preparation is key, in all aspects of life – and when setting out our moves for the year ahead, astrology can be our secret weapon. Sure, you keep an eye on our Moon Calendar 2023 but have you considered the rest of astrology 2023?

Perhaps it's about time that you take note of the most important retrogrades, eclipses, and conjunctions and let them help you decide when to make big changes in love, career, and home.

The more you know about your personal astrology birth chart, the better prepared you are for your 2023 horoscope. At the very least, it’s great to know your sun sign (which is often referred to as the star sign), your moon sign, and your ascendant.

There are plenty of planetary changes that touch everyone here on Earth, and it’s worth exploring those important dates and events, to be ready for the possible global shifts and changes that occur as a result of the transitions and retrogrades ahead.

It’s an interesting year for Aquarians and Taureans in particular. If your sun sign, moon sign, or ascendant is one of those, pay special attention to the following events.

Eclipses

Not all eclipses in astrology are dramatic and total, and most eclipses aren’t visible in different parts of the world. This means that our general feeling as a society is that eclipses are epic but kind of rare. Therefore, as we don't see them, they don’t influence us as much as other celestial events, right?

Nope, this is absolutely NOT the case. Whether we can see them or not, eclipses provide the high drama, the curve balls, and the changes we can’t quite plan for. During eclipses, we may meet someone who’ll change our lives forever, or learn something that will knock us on the right path, or out of harm’s way.

Solar eclipses will impact the sign of Leo more than anyone, because the Sun is the ruler of Leo. And similarly, lunar eclipses will influence the sign of Cancer more than other signs, because the Moon is the ruler of Cancer.

ECLIPSES IN 2023

• Solar Eclipse in Aries: April 20, 2023.
• Lunar Eclipse in Scorpio: May 5-6, 2023.
• Solar Eclipse in Libra: October 14, 2023.
• Lunar Eclipse in Taurus: October 28-29, 2023. 

Solar Eclipse in Aries: April 20, 2023

The total eclipse of the Sun in the first astrological sign, Aries, is all about beginnings. Fresh starts, new avenues, and introductions to people who would influence the next chapter in our lives. This could bring career opportunities in the shape of a new job offer, or a new partner, and even a possible birth.

Keep in mind that new beginnings go hand in hand with endings, so if you’ve got some plans in your wardrobe that never quite got off the ground, this is your sign to let go of them.

Naturally Aries will benefit from such a huge event in their sign, especially as Aries enjoy change. Signs that dislike change, like Taurus and Cancer, might find this eclipse to be more of a struggle.

Lunar Eclipse in Scorpio: May 5-6, 2023

This subtle eclipse, known as a penumbral lunar eclipse, brings endings, but they may be subtle, hardly perceptible. A relationship that’s been slowly dying will properly finish. A secret that’s hardly been hidden will come to light. This eclipse is in Scorpio, which is a sign of passion and secrets, so take stock of what desires you’re keeping under wraps.

Solar Eclipse in Libra: October 14, 2023

A ‘ring of fire’ solar eclipse, or in astrology speak – an ‘annular’ eclipse will occur in Libra on October 14, 2023 and will bring something new and unexpected into your life. The Libra eclipse might tell of new legal paperwork ahead, or a decision that needs to be taken about a contract. This will impact you, especially if you’re a Libra or have Libra rising. Those new things aren’t always what you want, but they are always what you need. Embrace them, whether or not they seem to be good for you when they happen.

Lunar Eclipse in Taurus: October 28-29, 2023

Even a partial lunar eclipse, like we have here, is still an eclipse and it is asking us to let go. Since it is in Taurus, a sign that enjoys comforts and security, we may find ourselves facing a period of discomfort or insecurity. Brave the challenges and rise through the Moon’s trials.

Retrogrades

During a retrograde, a planet appears to be going backwards in the sky. Some planets do this often and quickly, and some take their time. A retrograde will impact the signs that it goes through, and will also have a strong effect on the signs ruled by the retrograding planet.

Just when you thought the only dates you needed to consider are when Mercury retrograde 2023 hits, there are also Venus retrograde and Saturn retrograde to look out for.

NOTABLE RETROGRADES IN 2023

• Mercury retrograde in Capricorn: December 29, 2022 - January 18, 2023.
• Mercury retrograde in Taurus: April 21, 2023 - May 15, 2023.
• Saturn retrograde in Pisces: June 17 - November 4, 2023.
• Venus retrograde in Leo: July 22 - September 23, 2023.
• Mercury retrograde in Virgo: August 23, 2023 - September 15, 2023.
• Mercury retrograde in Capricorn and Sagittarius: December 13, 2023 - January 1, 2024.

Mercury retrograde in Capricorn: December 29, 2022 - January 18, 2023

Business investments will struggle, contracts already signed may be found legally void, new bosses will turn out to be less than what they promised. In general, the careers arena will suffer from uncertainty and chaos, because Capricorn is all about business.

Mercury retrograde in Taurus: April 21, 2023 - May 15, 2023

Communication around the home and relationships will suffer. Declarations of love will be misconstrued, and exes could be creeping back out into the light, looking for one last crumb of attention, since the sign of Taurus cares about love and the home.

Saturn retrograde in Pisces: June 17 - November 4, 2023

Saturn, planet of karma and slow changes, enters dreamy Pisces on March 7, 2023, and will stay there for over two years. During this time, figures of authority and establishments will become more receptive to creative ideas, and more accepting of a wide rainbow of changes.

During the retrograde, however, there could be a backwards move, towards excluding some communities based on outdated views. A temporary shutdown of LGBTQ+ rights, and a reversal of acceptance for more inclusive language.

For each person individually, this is the perfect time for shadow work and dream work. Keep a dream journal by the bed and analyze your own dreams each morning to see what messages might be there, and where you personally can do better.

This retrograde will impact Pisceans of course, and will also have a strong effect on Aquarius and Capricorn since they are ruled by the planet Saturn.

Venus retrograde in Leo: July 22 - September 23 2023

Unlucky Leo has a lonely Leo season in 2023.

For a while before, and a while after the period that the Sun is in Leo, other planets are popping in and out of the fiery sign. The Sun rules Leo, so the time of the Leo’s birthday is exceptionally auspicious and brings the Leo lots of luck and joy. The Venus retrograde in Leo however, speaks of romantic challenges, struggling to keep a partner, and finding relationships complicated.

This could be the irony of the Leo – they’re truly happy when they’re the main character in their own story, but this means that a partner can only be secondary, and who would accept that deal?

August 23, 2023 - September 15, 2023

Mercury is the ruling planet of Virgo, so Virgos are going to feel this retrograde quite strongly. The immediate effects would be a total communications meltdown – a phone breaking, social media hacked…it will be hard.

Mercury retrograde in Capricorn and Sagittarius: December 13, 2023 - January 1, 2024

So far, all the 2023 Mercury retrogrades were in Earth signs. Throwing fiery Sagittarius in the mix means that travel plans could be muddled up, and a desire to be free, such as leaving a job or walking away from a relationship, won’t go quite according to plan.

Notable transits and conjunctions in 2023

• Saturn in Pisces: March 7, 2023.
• Pluto in Aquarius: March 23 - June 11, 2023.
• Jupiter conjunct North Node in Taurus: June 1, 2023.

Saturn in Pisces: March 7, 2023

Saturn, planet of karma, has been in enigmatic Aquarius since 2020. Anyone remember 2020? Did anything special happen? Eek.

A drive towards free-thinking, new ideas for society as a whole, and a renewed focus on the environment were enhanced thanks to that placement. But this now gives way to Saturn in Pisces, which starts on 7 March 2023, and will remain there till May 2025.

The effects of Saturn in Pisces would be sensitive, intuitive and emotional. The focus of the world stage will shift towards those more needy in our societies, and dismantling power structures, taking from the rich and giving to the poor. 

The last time that Saturn was in Pisces was from January 1994 to April 1996. What went on in your life during those years? Think back and apply those lessons to 2023.

Pluto in Aquarius: March 23 - June 11, 2023

Pluto, planet of destruction and renewal, has been in business-like sign Capricorn since 2008. During this time we’ve seen global financial disasters, from the collapse of investment bank Lehman Brothers in 2008, to the housing market collapse, the oil prices nosedive and then the war between Russia and Ukraine and the international financial effects of it.

So it’s no exaggeration to suggest that we’d love to see Pluto getting out of Capricorn, just to give us a break and give us a chance to fill our piggy-banks.

Pluto will be bobbing in and out between Aquarius and Capricorn for a couple of years, readying the sky for its presence in Aquarius for the next 20 years.

Aquarius is a sign of charity and humanitarianism, so Pluto’s effects would suggest a change of approach, a transformation of focus towards supporting and advancing humanitarian causes.

Jupiter conjunct North Node in Taurus: June 1, 2023

Jupiter is a planet of luck and expansion, it’s a jolly planet that enhances everything it touches, and is linked with generosity and growth. As it joins the North Node, which is a karmic point we must cross in order to achieve personal growth, this is a combination that benefits everyone.

This is a conjunction that will facilitate abundant expansion, business increasing, financial growth and an upwards pull in the luxury markets.

Taureans will benefit from this conjunction which happens in their own sign, as well as Sagittarians for whom Jupiter is a ruler, and Pisceans for whom Jupiter was a traditional ruler.