Here it is! 2020 Showdown:

Happy New Years’ Eve, and Happy New Decade! If you’ve been following astrology since about 2014-2015, you’ve been hearing it everywhere. 2020 is going to be a big year. We have some big conjunctions coming up as well as eclipses and the “bad retrogrades” complicating matters. Plus, a whole lot of eclipses! Here’s a breakdown:

1. The Grand Conjunction

Mark your calendars for Sunday, January 12, 2020. At 4:59 EST, Saturn and Pluto will be conjunct exactly, and the sun and Mercury will be on them within a degree. factoring in asteroids, Ceres will be in the mix and the whole thing will square Eris in Aries! In fact, with the Sun a degree before and Mercury a degree after, they will be surrounding this monumental aspect in such a tight degree, that anyone with planets from 18 through 26 degrees of a Cardinal or an Earth sign will be the most affected. At this time, Cancer will be rising, so the bulk of the planets, including the Conjunction, will be in the transiting 7H. What’s this mean? On the world stage, we could see the transformation and obliteration of one-on-one partnerships and alliances in the first month of the year. Business partnerships may be affected, and this is the best-of-times, worst-of-times for mergers (meaning it could be a game changer that goes spectacularly well if it’s well-aspected or it could go horribly wrong. And with Mercury in the mix affecting communication, be very careful with your words around this time. Check the aspects in your or your business’s chart before doing mergers this month).

1. Venusian and Martian retrograde in the same year

If you think Mercury retrogrades are bad, they’re usually not. They’re nothing-burgers at best and annoyances and nuisances at worst. Some retrograde seasons can be harder than others (see 4), but usually, they’re not terrible.

Venusian and Martian retrogrades, on the other hand, are the most difficult retrogrades. Unlike outer planet retrogrades, they don’t happen every year nor do they happen a few weeks every few months like Mercury retrograde. These happen every 1 ½- 2 years and they have to do with relationships and conflict.

The Venusian retrograde will start at 28 Tropical Gemini and go through nearly the entire sign through June into early July. She will square Neptune during this time, adding to the duplicitous nature of Gemini itself. Be on the lookout for deceptive people in June, and guard your finances!

Mars will be in exaltation in February through March in Capricorn, boosting the outer planets in these signs for a month and a half and lending them more energy. However, for the entire second half of the year, he will be in rulership in Aries, going retrograde this fall. Not only that, he will be squaring Jupiter, Saturn, and Pluto 3 times in the second half of the year. Expect explosive energy, especially around the new Moon in October, where Mars and the Sun/Moon conjunction will form a T-square to Pluto. Be on the lookout for conflicts, both personal and on the world stage.

1. Eclipses

There will be not four, not five, but six-seven eclipses in 2020, including a total eclipse in December. Starting us off, on January 10, there will be a partial lunar eclipse during the full moon in Cancer. The Grand Conjunction won’t be exactly opposite this moon, but it will be in the orb, so it will be considered an opposition. Jupiter will be in the South Node during this moon, so opposite the moon.

Jupiter opposite a luminary is an indicator for overdoing things. Any hard aspect to Jupiter gives propensity to excess.

There will also be an interesting aspect in the sky: Jupiter will trine Uranus in Taurus and the moon will trine Neptune in Pisces, creating a cradle. Stay tuned for an article about this powerful aspect. Also stay tuned for articles detailing each eclipse as they come.

1. The Mercury Retrogrades…

… Are in the same signs as they were in 2019. I hate being the bearer of bad news. Mercury hates being in water signs. Mercury throws tantrums in retrograde. And last year, Mercury was taking massive dumps on people’s charts during retrogrades. I hate to be the one to say this, but next year will be Crappy Mercury Retrogrades: The Sequel.

If you were a fortunate soul who didn’t suffer through retrogrades last year, lucky you! It’s going to be like that next year, excepting the one or two that dip back into air signs (the one in February and the one in October are going back into Aquarius and Libra respectively). As I mentioned in previous blogs, pay attention to the house mercury is transitioning in your chart to see where retrograde shenanigans will be hitting you and pay attention to aspects to natal and transiting planets to see how. We’ll go over those as they emerge.

1. Blue Moon Halloween

A full moon on Halloween gives an extra bit of power to this magical night. Plus, the full moon will be in Taurus, where the moon is exalted. However, the moon will be conjunct Uranus in its fall, so expect the unexpected around this time (especially since Mercury and Mars will be retrograde at this time).

Like I said, this is going to be a big, big, year astrologically, so buckle up, and I’ll see you next decade!