How were the past 12 months for you? Did 2023 fly by in a joyful haze, or are you ready to run screaming into 2024? In any case, a brand-new year means we have an opportunity to reflect, refresh, and reset. Time to make some highfalutin resolutions … and what better way to do it than through astrology? I mean, why else are you reading this?
Anticipating the major astrological happenings of 2024, along with the major themes each zodiac sign should expect, will help you plan and prepare. Don’t you want 2024 to be the best year yet, filled with love, abundance, and exciting opportunities popping out of thin air?! At the very least, you’ll want to mark your calendar for Mercury retrograde so you can scapegoat accordingly.
Without further ado, your 2024 astrological preview.
Pluto in Aquarius
From March 23 through June 11, 2023, we had a brief taste of Pluto — the planet of large-scale transformation — in Aquarius. The last air sign of the zodiac, Aquarius is associated with equity, humanity, and collective care as well as technology, revolution, and rebellion. Interestingly, because Pluto moves so incredibly slowly (it takes a whopping 248 years for it to complete an orbit), until March 23, 2023, this distant celestial body hadn’t cruised through Aquarius’s domain since the late 1700s, which means astrologers can only imagine what the full extent of Pluto’s journey through Aquarius will yield. Will we see radical shifts in government that genuinely support the masses as opposed to the Über-wealthy this year? Or will we experience an AI takeover that deems humans irrelevant? Only time will tell! But this year, from January 20 through September 1, and then again starting on November 19, Pluto will begin to reveal what’s soon to come. This is a great opportunity for you to think about the systems in your life that you’re transforming and revolutionizing. Perhaps your relationship with money and success is going through a metamorphosis? Or maybe the way you see and relate to others is changing? Or perhaps it’s less about external variables and more about yourself — you’re relating to the world differently than you have before. Either way, this is a great time to start taking inventory of how Pluto is illuminating both personal and collective growth.
Jupiter-Uranus Conjunction
One of the most talked about astrological events of 2024 is the Jupiter-Uranus conjunction. During a conjunction, two planets meet at the exact same point in the sky, fusing their archetypes and generating a powerful burst of energy. On April 20, Jupiter (the planet of expansion) and Uranus (the planet of innovation) join forces at 21º of Taurus. The first earth sign of the zodiac, Taurus is associated with the material world, including food, finance, and the environment. Since 2018, rebellious Uranus has been shaking up Taurus’s domain, generating massive economic fluctuations and serious climactic disruptions. It’s not every day that Jupiter and Uranus meet up; in fact, these planets haven’t formed a conjunction since 2011 (and haven’t met in Taurus since May 1941 — 83 years ago). Since Jupiter amplifies whatever it touches, astrologers (present company included) are expecting massive shifts in global finance and climate activism to correspond with this rare and important happening. To prepare for the Jupiter-Uranus conjunction, locate where 21º Taurus sits in your birth chart (to do this, use a birth-chart calculator like the TimePassages app or Astro.com), specifically identifying the house it illuminates. That will reveal the area of your life in which this powerful transit is occurring. For example, if it’s in your Third House of Communication, it may shake things up on an interpersonal level. Or if it’s in your 12th House of Psyche, you may receive powerful psychic messages during this time. No matter where it lands, it’s guaranteed to be impactful!
Jupiter in Gemini
Shortly after Jupiter links up with Uranus, it begins a 12-month journey through a brand-new astrological sign. Whichever zodiac sign Jupiter occupies is guaranteed to be infused with luck and fortune in the year ahead … and beginning on May 20, 2024, these blessings will be received by Gemini — the sign associated with curiosity, communication, networks, and connections. Gemini is the social butterfly of the zodiac, which means we can all expect to feel a little more outgoing, optimistic, and playful in the year ahead. This transit does come with a caveat, however: Jupiter is considered to be in its detriment in Gemini, which means the planet of expansion will be operating a bit suboptimally. While Jupiter is all about large-scale philosophy and global visioning, Gemini tends to focus on nuance and detail. In other words, be careful that shiny distractions don’t shift your focus from the bigger picture. Keep your eyes on the prize!
The Eclipses (Aries-Libra and Virgo-Pisces)
As I’m sure you’re well aware, eclipses are a big deal because they activate the north and south nodes, which are linked to destiny. In 2023, we began to unpack a new eclipse series across the Aries-Libra axis (to jog your memory, those took place on April 20 and October 14). In 2024, that story continues with three eclipses in Aries-Libra (mark your calendars for March 25, April 8, and October 2, 2024). The Aries-Libra series is all about autonomy and partnership, so expect major shifts to occur in those areas of life.
In addition, on September 18, 2024, we’ll experience the first eclipse of a brand-new series across Virgo-Pisces. Virgo and Pisces are all about routine and structure as well as healing and spirituality. These signs remind us that wellness is more than face masks and bubble baths — true healing is a deep, soul-led pursuit. The last time we experienced eclipses on the Virgo-Pisces axis was 2015 through 2017, so consider what was happening in your life during that two-year period: It’s possible certain themes, story lines, or narratives may resurface … especially those left unresolved.
Mars Retrograde
Approximately every two years, we experience one of the thorniest, most irritating and prickly retrogrades around — no, not Mercury retrograde (those happen all the time, sweetie). I’m talking about Mars retrograde. Mars is associated with action, determination, libido, and aggression; it’s motivation, vitality, and our spirited willpower. At the end of the year (starting on December 6 and continuing into 2025), Mars will move backward in Leo, the zodiac sign associated with passion, visibility, and larger-than-life theatricality. Because this retrograde is speaking to tenacity, expect major slowdowns to occur at the end of 2024. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing — in fact, this may be just what we need. After all, if we keep moving forward without reviewing, reflecting, or reevaluating, how do we know we’re still going in the right direction? So if there’s a certain goal you’ve been chasing — whether professional, romantic, or something else entirely — don’t be surprised if you receive illuminated insight during Mars retrograde.
Mercury Retrogrades
We’re no stranger to Mercury retrogrades — they’re quarterly occurrences, after all! And in 2024, we’ll be navigating four of these cosmic slowdowns: from December 13, 2023, through January 1, 2024; April 1 through April 25; August 5 through August 28; and November 25 through December 15. As always, when the speedy messenger planet starts moving in reverse, we should anticipate communication meltdowns, transportation delays, technology disruptions, and all sorts of social-media snafus. Note that 2024’s Mercury retrogrades all occur in the fire signs (Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius), which means these particular celestial events will compromise our passion, pleasure, and play. While this may seem incredibly frustrating (ahem, it will be), it’s also an opportunity to get organized, establish structure, and figure out what you actually need to achieve your goals. It’s time to move your intentions from fantasy to reality … and that’s going to require some Mercury-retrograde elbow grease!
And finally, the biggest themes influencing the lives of each zodiac sign in 2024:
- Aries: Autonomy, communication, structure
- Taurus: Values, intuition, pleasure
- Gemini: Community, independence, responsibilities
- Cancer: Career, healing, collaboration
- Leo: Expansion, networking, resources
- Virgo: Intimacy, reputation, individuality
- Libra: Partnership, creativity, depth
- Scorpio: Stability, transformation, connection
- Sagittarius: Romance, relationships, legacy
- Capricorn: Family, routine, discovery
- Aquarius: Innovation, passion, wellness
- Pisces: Breakthroughs, alliances, contracts
More astrology news and guides
- A Guided Tour of the 12 Astrological Houses
- How Astrologers Track Planets to Explain Pretty Much Anything
- Welp, the Last Mercury Retrograde of 2024 Is Here