Winter Weather
get cozy
Sagittarius’ archetype has a destination, travelling far and wide, arriving no matter what it takes. The Sun transits Sagittarius at the end of the Northern hemisphere’s fall season- Sagittarius’ destination, seasonally speaking, is the dead of winter, and Sag season takes us through the last days of decreasing light to get there. The first universal sign in the zodiac, Sagittarius departs from the relational archetypes of the four previous signs (Leo, Virgo, Libra and Scorpio) and begins dealing in meeting and creating the world. In Sagittarius- mutable, Jupiter ruled- planets seek to gather knowledge and experience, to learn about and join something larger than the personal life. The universal signs (Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces) are all ruled by Saturn and Jupiter. In this final part of the zodiac, we meet hard realities and our own perceptions of what is possible. We begin to imagine the meaning of our lives and creations in the larger world, beyond ourselves. November 21st begins the Sun’s transit through Saturn and Jupiter’s territory, a distinct time of year that includes holidays, a new calendar year, the days outside of time, and the coldest days and nights of the year.
Entering this season, it is valuable to reflect on what these months mean for you every year. Saturn and Jupiter, the greater malefic and greater benefic, work together to create our realities. Jupiter represents what we believe to be possible and what we have to work with; Saturn represents the physical laws of the universe, cause and effect, and ultimately must give his blessing to all that manifests. In Saturn and Jupiter’s time, we are living in essential but abstract spaces; what they provide is incredibly important and shapes the core of our realities, but what it is it may not be explicit, not immediately. Winter is a time of retreat and hibernation; to rest, return to our roots, and lay foundations for the unknown that is to come in the next cycle of seasons. During winter, the light grows each day; new stories are coming to life, something is growing. It is an important time, although the results may remain intangible until springtime bloom or maybe the March eclipses.
Currently, we find Saturn and Jupiter locked in a trine aspect that tightened throughout October and stayed very tight throughout November. As Saturn now moves direct, Jupiter now moves retrograde; both stationed at 25 degrees and 9 arc minutes, never perfecting their trine although they got very close. This time of collaboration between Jupiter and Saturn is really quite magical; these planets together create worlds. I often think of Saturn as representative of the space time continuum, the mystical yet immovable force that makes things real, that lets reality come out of wherever it comes from and find us all here. In Pisces, Saturn draws a line between actual existence and the ether. And Jupiter, jubilant, nourishing, providing the support we didn’t even realize we needed, making the dredge work of years past come into happy fruition with ease that was absent pre-September. A trine between Saturn in Pisces and Jupiter in Cancer is incredibly encouraging, well resourced, and generative.
Note my gratitude for this symbiotic relationship as it begins to separate and I begin to lament it’s consequence; the grand water trines. As the Sun, Venus, and Mars moved through Scorpio, each took a turn forming a grand water trine with Saturn and Jupiter, meaning since October at least one planet has been holding this grand water trine in place. Grand trines create feedback loops that lack outlet; in water signs, we are all circling something emotionally activating. And it has been going for so long; it’s like you put something in the washing machine in early October, and it’s been stuck in a spin cycle ever since. For earth risings, think about your relationships with other people and what’s been on your mind the last two some months; water risings should think about what has been stirring and growing within themselves; fire risings are experiencing this energy in their psyches and private lives; air risings in financial or work related, practical manners. I have found it so exhausting; juicy at first, now lacking purpose and direction, but churning still. Mercury is the last planet remaining in Scorpio. They enter Sagittarius and pulling the plug on December 12. The Saturn- Jupiter trine holds, separating, for the rest of the year until the trine reaches a 5 degree separating orb and these planets get back to their own business.
Grand water trine broken, the energy in the background focuses again on the outer planet shifts. In September, Saturn re-entered Pisces after his initial summer ingress into Aries; similarly, Neptune re-entered Pisces October 25th, and Uranus re-entered Taurus on November 9th. Almost without noticing, we are dancing to an old, familiar tune, the one that played last spring, last year, and the year before that. But don’t forget what happened this last summer. These outer planets have already broken new ground, and are only finishing up their time in their old domains, packing up their things. They’re checking out of a stay, glancing under the bed and on the shower shelves to make sure they haven’t left anything behind (while Pluto, permanently in Aquarius, pulls up the car). So while we’re on familiar ground right now, that’s fleeting and it’s wise to keep that in the back of your mind.
Summer’s memory feels distant to me, the difference between then and now almost eerie. Summer brought new paradigms and revelations that have faded into the background as I returned to the routine of daily life. These changes are with us, though easy to forget; this is not really last winter, and come February, Saturn and Neptune will make their final ingress into Aries (Uranus transitions last, in April) and we will be navigating the new terrain for years to come. Look around and notice what has changed- something closing in your Capricorn, Pisces, Taurus houses, and something opening up in your Aquarius, Aries and Gemini houses. The feeling will come that something is different, that there is no going back really, and therefore we must keep going forward. These months are valuable, however; make that last hotel room sweep thorough and let the changes of the last three, seven, or fourteen years solidify, knowing that this winter is a transitional period to remember.
Now, the smaller scale transits. Before spring comes, we will see another Mercury retrograde with Mars in their path, the official Saturn-Neptune conjunction, and a series of lunations that build up to eclipse season. Mercury and Mars have already started their dance, with Mercury conjoining Mars during their November retrograde station. Mercury retrogrades happen like clockwork, they are a part of our rhythm, a time when the whirr of our minds and conversations get dragged out of the stratosphere and crash tested. Famous for miscommunications and frustrations, Mercury retrograde really checks where wires have gotten crossed and stalls until we’re untangled and everything is back in the light. When Mercury and Mars meet, Mars tends to have Mercury at his disposition and things get sneakier; Mars, who I sometimes picture as a war general, loves to have a slippery messenger planet in his corner. The Mercury retrograde miscommunications that occur with Mars involved can be more personal, more intentional, more impactful. I have this combination in my birth chart, so trust me when I say that things will not be what they seem at first glance.
Mercury crossed over Mars in Sagittarius and stationed retrograde in early November, is now direct, and will catch up to Mars in Capricorn on January 18th. On February 26th, Mercury stations retrograde in Pisces, passing back over Mars on March 15th, stationing direct 5 days later, and then making a final conjunction with Mars in Aries on April 20th. So they’re entangled this winter, which brings a sensitivity and weight to Mercury’s business and a Mercurial ????is this for real??? to Mars’ business. Expect more scheming than usual; question your own perception more than usual; direct, clear communication can be the answer, and it might be interesting to keep track of events that occur around the above dates (if you do, let me know).
On the subject of questioning your perceptions, the Saturn Neptune conjunction looms and will perfect at 0 degrees of Aries on February 20th. We know the Saturn-Neptune vibe by now as they’ve been very close together for the better part of 2025. Saturn, planet of reality and all things firm, collaborating with Neptune, planet of all reality’s perversions, has created wacky, pinch-yourself moments in both miraculous and horrifying iterations. Their union at last will bring some popped bubbles and maybe an order to accept something that has seemed quite unbelievable yet.
The conjunction is a time to reflect on how beliefs, illusion, and reality co-create each other. What structures in your world might go away if you just stopped believing in them, and what does that mean? Neptune represents a kind of collective unconscious- how does what we collectively accept as truth, be it true or not, shape reality? Critically consume news and media, and consider these forces in your own world. We’ve been in Saturn-Neptune times for a long time and will remain beyond February 20th, and I’m interested to see what more the true conjunction has in store. I am expecting strong Arian themes to make themselves known. I have a little article on Neptune in Aries here.
In this current moment (December 7th 2025), we are coming down from a Gemini full moon at the bending of the nodes. This was our halfway signal between last summer’s eclipses and the eclipses that await us at spring’s gate. Between here and there, there will be new moons at 28 degrees Sagittarius and Capricorn and full moons at 13 degrees of Cancer and Leo. December 20th’s Sagittarius new moon echoes the energies of the Saturn and Jupiter trine and may have some Saturn-Neptune moments about it as it squares the conjunction. This new moon punctuates Mars’ ingress into Capricorn where he is exalted. There’s potential for powerful new beginnings in the Sagittarius house of everyone’s chart, but unexpected twists await; move forward expecting the landscapes to change.
January 3rd brings a full moon in Cancer. January overall emphasizes the Capricorn-Cancer axis, with exalted Mars in Capricorn opposing exalted Jupiter in Cancer. This full moon is of course emotional, it’s a comedown after the holidays, and asking us what meaning we’ve made of our feelings and what we’re going to do with it. The Cancer-Capricorn axis is about security and protection. Expert strategy, knowing the rules and the workarounds, and a goal oriented cunning provides one kind of safety; a nurturing, supportive, close knit and well resourced “family” provides another. The Mars-Jupiter opposition builds and exacts on January 10th, between the months lunations. The Mars-Mercury dance is present here, and there will be interpersonal tensions at play for some. The Capricorn new moon on January 18th looks like a decisive turn in one direction- Mars and Mercury are conjunct, Venus is applying a conjunction to Pluto, and the new moon trines Uranus and sextiles Saturn. This is a clear change that will be really felt in relationship dynamics for some. Look for a new strategy, new approach to the Capricorn house in your chart.
The Sun, Mercury, Mars and Venus all quickly move into an Aquarian pile up by February 1st’s full moon in Leo. This full moon looks kind of refreshing to me; it’s about self expression, finding outlets, checking in with your spirit amidst the movement of the world. A needed breath of fresh air during this stacked Aquarius season; there’s so much Saturnian energy in the sky and remnant from Capricorn season. It’s a needed opportunity to spend some time in your own light.
And just like that, it’s eclipse season again. Here is my article on last summer’s eclipses; I think they had so much to do with processing the outer planet shifts and the massive changes they represent, getting ready to engage with new landscapes, grieving the old ones. This eclipse looks forward. February 17th brings an Aquarius solar eclipse at 28 degrees, our first eclipse in Aquarius and a preview of 2027-2028’s eclipse cycles. Our attention will quickly snap out of winter’s nostalgia and comfort, and onto the changes that 2026 has in store. The eclipse is ruled by Saturn, who is arc minutes away from his exact conjunction with Neptune; the clash and mesh of reality and illusion will be present in everybody’s eclipse story. There’s a dreamy touch from Venus, Mercury and the North Node in Pisces, that brings needed hope and a drive towards connection and the idealistic.
On March 3rd, there is a lunar eclipse at 12 degrees of Virgo, the second to last eclipse on the Pisces-Virgo axis. This eclipse is complicated. A south node, lunar eclipse, there is a release and separation from the old in Virgo’s realm. The Moon is ruled by Mercury retrograde; the Sun (plus Mercury, Venus and Mars) are ruled by Jupiter, retrograde and nearing his station. The energy is watery and slow; it looks like emotional and psychological changes, adjusting and reorienting ourselves to new surroundings, there is a lot of work to be done in this respect. Cleaning, updating our relationships and realities to match the changes that the Pisces-Virgo nodal transit has brought, the results of which are taking shape now.
Thank you for reading! I hope you have a wonderful winter season, and I hope you got something useful from this article to take with you through it. If you are interested in navigating transits with me, grounded to your natal chart, I have transit readings available via DM on Substack, Instagram @28degreesastro, and email bianca28degrees@proton.me. I would love to hear your thoughts, observations, comments, feedback in the comments.