Summary
Retrograde Venus Returns to Virgo November 5
New Moon in Libra/Vishaka November 9
Mars Enters Leo November 12
Mercury Direct in Libra November 13
Venus Direct in Virgo November 13
Sun Transits Scorpio November 16 – December 15
Venus Transits Libra November 22 – January 1
Full Moon in Taurus/Krittika November 24
TRUE NODES Shift November 25
December 2026 Headlines

Summary

For an in-depth analysis of specific planetary placements, please continue with the full planetary forecast.

Retrograde Venus Returns to Virgo November 5

Venus completes her retrograde period by returning to Virgo on November 5th, resuming direct motion at 29 degrees Virgo on November 13th, and then regaining her own sign of Libra on November 22nd. This looks like a busy month for the planet that guides our connections, social status, creative juices, and business ventures.

Retrograde motion for any planet can bring reversals, echoes from the past, or unpredictability. Similar to the natural motion of the nodal axis, which is ever-retrograde, that planet can charge harder on the same track as usual, totally lose power or desire for what is usual or normal, or act in a completely opposite manner than predicted. This wildcard energy comes through the effects of the nodes on the regular, and when other planets assume retrograde motion, they get a little of that wild magic, as well.

Venus’ retrograde began on October 2nd in the middle degrees of her own sign of Libra. With the compound aspect of Mars from Cancer and Rahu from Aquarius beaming into Libra, along with enthusiastic Mercury joining his bestie Venus, October became a busy month full of unexpected relationship factors emerging, reflected in the unsettled politics of the time, with diplomatic reversals generously peppering the headlines.

November will see Venus’ retrograde finish with a flourish, as several factors stack up to cause the dervishes to whirl. Rahu is currently finishing his Aquarius transit, which puts him in the early degrees of his own co-ruled air sign, in the nakshatra of Dhanistha, which he will ride all the way back into Capricorn at the end of November, beginning of December. That means his direct aspect is beaming toward the early degrees of Gemini, Leo, and Libra as his Aquarius transit ripens. This could manifest as sudden and unexpected events or effects when it comes to the matters of planets traveling through his aspect.

This tight Rahu aspect to Venus will be running for all of November. On November 5th, Venus crosses back into Virgo, her sign of debilitation, but our interpretation of what’s next is layered.

• Retrograde, debilitated planets gain “neechabhanga” status, helping them bounce from struggling to achieving.
• From November 5 – 22, Venus will be in Virgo, retrograde and then direct as of November 13th, which puts Venus and Mercury into an exchange of signs. This is “parivartana yoga” a combination that arises when two planets occupy one another’s sign, putting them both into a state of strength beyond normal.
• During Venus’ retrograde finish in Virgo, from November 5 – 13, Mercury also finishes a retrograde cycle in Libra. Mercury is also combust during this time, following Venus’ October lead. This is a complicated exchange between two planets that rule communication, transactions, networking, relationships, and business. Expect turnabouts and changes of course!

As Venus moves forward out of Virgo, there is an interesting opposition to the waxing Moon as it joins Saturn in Pisces on November 20 – 21, with both planets shifting nearly simultaneously out of Saturn’s influence as Moon moves to Aries and Venus returns to Libra. Out of many notable dates to watch in November, this is one of them.

Venus’s return to Virgo asks for refinement and recalibration rather than immediate resolution. The parivartana with Mercury offers a way to work through complicated situations by revisiting the relationship between what we want and what is possible. This is great energy for editing, refining, and reviewing. November may not be the month to launch, but it would be great for seeing what sticks.

New Moon in Libra/Vishaka November 9

The Sun and Moon join at 23 degrees Libra on November 9th for the new Moon in Vishaka nakshatra. Mars from the late degrees of Cancer is a notable influence via his aspect, inviting us to pause and tread water for a moment in the midst of deep changes that we may not see a way to navigate in the moment.

Nearby the Sun and Moon, retrograde Mercury at 13 degrees Libra is stirred by his own turning, but also by the Rahu aspect coming at the early degrees of Libra. In October, Mars and Rahu’s compound aspect was amplified strength; by November, that compound effect lightens, with Mars finding the late degrees of Cancer and Rahu retreating further away from the bulk of Aquarius and toward Capricorn.

With so much pending in the other planets’ departments, carve out time for slowing down, resting, and gaining a new perspective as the Moon slides into the arms of the Sun on November 8th and 9th. On those days, we also see Jupiter, newly entered into Leo, coming directly through Ketu’s zone, which could bring some resolution to situations that have been asking us for trust and blind faith. The answers will come, but may not be as expected, meaning the news could be better or worse than predicted outcomes.

Whether you have the time and space to do so, make an effort to carve out pause potential around this new Moon. The days that follow are offering a plethora of planetary clues that lead toward an intense traverse through the middle of November.

Just after the new Moon, it waxes and shifts into Scorpio on November 9th, putting Moon into an exchange of signs with Mars as he approaches the gandanta zone between Cancer and Leo, demanding a moment of surrender and vulnerability as we collectively close a chapter and prepare for the months ahead that will see Mars, Jupiter, and Ketu moving together in tight formation between the signs of Leo and Cancer, indicating foundational shifts that may not be wanted but could be needed.

We are moving out of weighing options, negotiations, and resource allocation toward decisive action that will have impactive consequences.

Mars Enters Leo November 12

Mars approaches that invisible valve between the signs of Cancer and Leo, finally pushing through to the Leo side on November 12th, barging into the conjunction of Jupiter and Ketu in Magha nakshatra. This kicks off a notable week ahead, with many shifts to track.

First the conjunction and interplay of fiery Mars, expansive Jupiter, and liberating Ketu begins, heralding the beginning of a slate of shifts and changes that will continue through March 2027. Rahu, on the other side of the axis from Ketu, brings a trigger happy energy that could cause sudden events through mid-November.

• On November 13th, both Mercury and Venus resume direct motion
• On November 15th , Mars, Jupiter, and Ketu (true node) conjoin in Leo
• On November 16th, the Sun enters Scorpio, which establishes another powerful parivartana, this time between Sun and Mars. There is an amazing power potential with this exchange that continues through mid-December.

The combination of Jupiter’s wisdom and abundance, Mars’s force and courage, and Ketu’s subtractive or disruptive influence creates a powerful but potentially volatile transition involving resources, authority, and power. This likely doesn’t happen all on one day or even in one week, but the pieces are now in place for real change.

With Rahu’s involvement in this power play involving Mars, there is a potential for chaos and/or aggression that runs through the upcoming shifts. Bring all the wisdom and compassion in your medicine bag as we move through this energy.

In the longer view, Mars will be traveling through Leo for awhile, first going in direct motion until January 17, 2027, when Mars begins a retrograde cycle that takes him into Cancer on March 9, 2027, where he rejoins Jupiter and Ketu, reprising the meeting that starts in November in the early degrees of Leo. By April 1, Mars resumes direct motion and makes it back to Leo by April 25. That’s the long term itinerary for Mars.

While in Leo, Mars throws his gaze at Scorpio, Aquarius, and Pisces. A few weeks after Mars settles into Leo, Aquarius will release Rahu, eliminating that possibly volatile opposition. Scorpio will see the inner planets Sun, Mercury and Venus, move through during November, December and January, which could result in some activation of plans and projects.

The transformative 8th aspect of Mars that lands in Pisces should be noted, as Saturn occupies the final sign of the zodiac at this time. This could feel like consolidating power, and committing to plans that allow us to find the courage to push through legacy situations that need to move through final phases.

Mercury Direct in Libra November 13

Mercury joined the retrograde party on October 24th, making all of the planets on Team Saturn complicit in stirring things up. Saturn’s retrograde in Pisces continues until December 12th, but with both Mercury and Venus retrograde and getting fanned by Rahu, we see the team of planets concerned with social responsibility, markets, business, politics, and human conduct all in a position to turn things around 180 degrees.

By the time the Mercury is ready to resume direct motion at 11 degrees Libra on November 13th, he will have already moved through the bright orb of the Sun’s combustion while also enjoying the exchange of signs with Venus. He’s also on the beat with the new Moon in Libra on November 9th. By mid-November, if you’re not tired of talking, repeating your message, or rewiring your entire business plan, you could be in the minority.

The general advice for retrograde planets is to remain vigilant for clues as to how that planet is going to behave. Slowing down, letting go of what’s not clicking, and double checking details are always good choices for retrograde cycles. Specifically for Mercury, we are checking our schedules, watching our words, and rebalancing transactions and budgets.

Give the direct turn of Mercury and Venus a few days to settle in before making decisive moves when it comes to communication, writing, relationship decisions, or significant transactions. Clarity will return as Mercury turns and moves direct through Libra, moving into Scorpio on December 2nd.

By November 22nd, Venus joins Mercury in Libra. By that juncture, the edits and redos should yield to actions that begin to bring balance and wholeness back to situations that may have suffered from diminished resources. Resist the urge to hurry forward the moment you get a chance, there could be lingering challenges to clarity that require slow, deliberate discernment to gain the desired effects.

Venus Direct in Virgo November 13

After Mercury’s direct station, Venus notices that the coast is clear, also resuming direct motion on November 13th. At 29 degrees Virgo, Mercury’s earth sign, Venus gathers herself together and prepares to re-enter her own sign of Libra. Let’s remember that underneath both of these planets completing a retrograde and finding direct motion together, they are still involved in that exchange of signs, which is supportive to both planets.

Venus in Virgo is complicated. While Mercury is a friend to Venus, it is odd that while in Virgo, Mercury’s earth element sign, that Venus is considered debilitated. Debilitation status means that the planet struggles to do its normal job in that sign, but not that it is impossible to get good results. While retrograde and debilitated in Virgo, Venus enjoyed a reversal of that status, which could have made things loosen up or turn around; this is the November 5 – 13 date range.

On November 13th, both Venus and Mercury resume direct motion, while still maintaining the helpful parivartana status through November 22nd when Venus re-enters Libra, joining Mercury for the final week of November. In effect, this marks the second half of November as a time of recovery and reorganization after a very frenzied late October and first half of November. Attempting to control final outcomes during early November could be both frustrating and futile. Rather, allow the churning that is beyond your control to push out what needs to be ejected while observing and attending to the steering wheel that is actually in your hands.

The very poignant reality of the nodal axis reaching the end of the current Rahu in Aquarius and Ketu in Leo transit comes into play strongly. Rahu’s aspect is beaming directly into the early degrees of Libra, where Venus’ station and re-entry to Libra occurs during the second half of November. Expect literal or figurative high winds that temporarily disallow any kind of calm or peace to prevail as we collectively encounter messages and news that reveal imperfections and impurities that are causing a healing crisis.

Put your effort toward understanding details and maintaining or resuming connections that create a social and economic safety net as we navigate some upcoming turbulence.

These attempts at retrieving dropped threads, which reflects in both Mercury and Venus regaining direct motion at once, is coinciding with the other developing story in November, the conjunction of Mars, Ketu, and Jupiter in the early degrees of Leo. Because the nodes are involved, we are observing both True and Mean Node calculations. Not surprisingly, those two calculations at this notable conjunction are only six minutes of one degree apart, really putting a target on November 15th as the day that these three powerful entities join.

To recap, in the days following November’s new Moon in Libra/Vishaka on the 9th, which in itself is heralding a shocking entrance into a new paradigm, we will experience perhaps one of the most astrologically notable weeks of 2026.

Mars emerges from debility, locked and loaded, after a month of being told to keep it cool. Mars moves from Cancer to Leo late on Thursday, November 12th, officially setting up the energy of forceful, deep changes that are designed to remove obstacles to growth and empowerment.

Nearly simultaneously, both of the active inner planets, Mercury and Venus, station in direct motion on November 13th. This signals a significant turning point in matters related to both planets. On an individual level, think communication, transactions, budget, creative work, relationships. On a collective level, think world markets, politics, social networks, and resource allocation.

On November 15th, the actual conjunction of Mars, Jupiter, and Ketu could trigger foreseen changes that are needed, but not necessarily comfortable.

Finally, on November 16th the Sun emerges from debility in Libra, entering into Scorpio, which immediately puts Sun and Mars into an exchange of signs, enabling both of the fiery powerful planets to boost strength, strategy, and individual agendas. Layering two notable exchanges for a very active late November: Sun in Scorpio exchanges with Mars in Leo, while Mercury in Libra continues to exchange with Venus in Virgo.

Sun Transits Scorpio November 16 – December 15

The Sun’s annual trip through Libra this year was overlaid with extreme chatter from both retrograde Venus, who rules Libra, and from retrograde Mercury, currently occupying Libra. The debilitated Sun also watched both retrograde planets slip to his other side, changing the established order of the planets that was set in early 2026.

There are two themes with this observation. First, frenzied negotiation, triage, and recovery transitions to decisive action and determined advancement. Second, the Sun’s move into a friendly sign that has a reputation for exploring the deeper channels could force us into a state of reckoning that demands a temporary instability as we transition toward a more balanced state.

Scorpio is a complicated sign. In the order of the signs, it is number eight, corresponding with the themes of the 8th house, which is where we dive deep and explore subjects that aren’t always obvious or clear. It is the sign of mystery, poetry, and the liminal portal between life and death. Each sign is a sector of the space around us and has been assigned a planetary ruler. Scorpio has two co-rulers, which is part of the complication. Mars and Ketu are those rulers, and when the Sun enters Scorpio, with both of its rulers in occupation of Leo, we suddenly have a double exchange of signs, compounding the power of all three planets.

Looking back, the last time Mars and Ketu joined was in June and July of 2025. Some of the fallout of that particular time may filter to the surface in November. Prior to that, the prior meeting of Mars and Ketu in Leo was in July of 1989. 1989 was historically interesting due to tension building between Iran and the UK, revolutions causing the fall of communism in Eastern Europe, the heavy Iron Curtain beginning to lift, and the cold war ending, leading to the eventual fall of the Berlin wall. In neither of those cases was the Sun in Scorpio.

The last Ketu transit through Leo in 2007-2008 didn’t see Mars join, but Saturn was there, helping to set up the conditions for a financial crisis that erupted in September 2008.

We find ourselves swimming in similar waters, with perhaps a stronger undertow and substantial wind on the surface. The combined energy of Mars and Ketu carries the intensity of the sign of Scorpio, reminding us that the best laid plans of humans are ever subject to the wild forces of nature, including human nature.

With Mars and Ketu in Leo, the Sun’s royal sign, we may find ourselves at the root of changes around leadership, sovereignty, and lineage. Jupiter’s presence in this current planetary framework could be the element that brings positive results based in wisdom, despite the possibility that uprooting something could be the cost.

As a final stroke of observation, we notice that in addition to the compound exchange, Mars in Leo will also be aspecting his own sign, as well as the Sun, indicating that for these changes to initiate, we may have to find strength, courage, and well applied force to make the first step or cut effective.

Venus Transits Libra November 22 – January 1

Toward the end of November, we may see some settling after a very dramatic and intense wave of planetary interactions that initiated in early October with Venus’ retrograde cycle. On November 22nd, Venus in direct motion, re-enters her own air sign of Libra, this time in her “morning star” costume. As Venus emerges from the halo of the Sun in early November she begins to be visible in the eastern sky before sunrise; watch for Venus’ peak brilliancy by November 29th.

We recall that the overarching major planetary change of Autumn 2026 is the shifting of the nodal axis, which stretches through the end of November into the beginning of December. One of Rahu’s magnetic glances is currently landing in the early degrees of Libra, which Venus glides right into during the final week of November.

This could look like entering into that new phase you’ve been designing, but with major gaps in the details. See this as an opportunity to create with the materials available, even if they are broken pieces of a previous version you tried. Be open to newly emerging details and connections that could surprise you.

Venus’ re-entry to Libra coincides with the waxing Moon reaching its full point for November, which occurs in Venus’ other sign, Taurus. With Rahu’s aspect on Venus as she gains strength and momentum during the burgeoning full Moon, the final week of November could be a good time to reconnect socially and creatively. Be ready to handle building momentum!

Full Moon in Taurus/Krittika November 24

At this point, we may as well admit that the star of the November show is Venus. After the new Moon on November 9th in Libra, hosted by Venus, we saw Mars enter Leo on November 12th, both Mercury and Venus take direct motion on November 13th, the conjunction of Mars+Jupiter+Ketu on November 15th, the Sun exit Libra on November 16th, and finally Venus re-entering Libra on November 22nd. What a fortnight of Venus and Mars action!

This culminates with the full Moon at 9 degrees Taurus, opposite the Sun at 9 degrees Scorpio, on November 24th. Taurus is Venus’ territory, while Scorpio is Mars’. The Venus action of the month has been well outlined, and Mars’ power will have increased threefold by exiting debilitation, joining Jupiter, and also aspecting his own sign that is currently hosting the Sun. And here we are, back to feeling the passionate, powerful, and very human dance of graceful Venus and strong Mars exercising their agendas.

The Moon peaks in fullness at the end of Krittika nakshatra, which is the place of exaltation for the Moon, and conveniently spans between Aries and Taurus, yet another thread in the Mars – Venus rope. The Sun and Moon can be seen as perhaps higher formats of the masculine and feminine energy that we also see displayed with Mars and Venus, respectively.

Mars and Sun are in their exchange of signs, with Venus and Moon both tied into Venus’ signs, and this feels like a moment of bright passion that brings together multiple layers of connective energy with powerful potential.

With such an active month of planetary energy culminating here, we may not require obvious prompts in order to see more clearly what comes next. This feels as if we’ve built up to a frenzy, and with what comes next in the fortnight of the waning Moon, having to do with the shifting of the nodal axis into new signs, the final outer planet sign change of 2026.

Aside from the Sun and Moon in opposition which is the definition of a full Moon, the only other aspect to the Moon at this time is from retrograde Saturn in Pisces. With Mars from Leo pushing Saturn, loosening the jar, we could feel a referred pressure that slides from Saturn to the Moon via Saturn’s 3rd aspect, giving us the motivation and skill to loosen up and let go. This could start as a feeling of panic or pressure, so be ready to recognize that and look for the relief valve.

TRUE NODES Shift November 25

The nodal axis, known as Rahu and Ketu in jyotish, will be changing signs, setting up the background scene for the next 1.5 years as we finish out calendar year 2026. Rahu, depicted as a fierce, bodiless head, corresponds with the north node of the Moon, and Ketu, the body without a head, corresponds with the south node of the Moon. Rahu and Ketu are major players when it comes to analyzing current transits and understanding individual charts.

The desire for earthly experience is concentrated with Rahu, leading us toward what we want, both good and bad. Rahu’s effect has a reputation for turbulence, chaos, and instability but can result in amplification and innovation. Ketu draws us upward and inward, steering us toward uplifting spiritual experience but potentially blocking and obstructing on a material level.

When the wobbly nodal axis lines up just right with the dance of the Sun and Moon, we’ll experience eclipses. Getting to know the nodes means understanding that we can measure their movement via True node or Mean node calculations; True node shows every wobble and Mean node smooths out that wobble.

That means we don’t have just one day when the axis shifts; we’re initiating with the True nodes changing signs on November 25th, just after the full Moon, and we’ll see them click into place after December 5th, when the Mean nodes shift. As the Moon wanes, the nodes continue to slide, and after the first week in December, we’ll begin to understand what the new nodes could begin to look like.

The nodes travel in reverse motion from the visible planets, moving Rahu from Aquarius to Capricorn and Ketu from Leo to Cancer. It’s always interesting to examine life and historical events from the last time we had these transits, which can give us ideas and clues about how to prepare for the upcoming transits. It takes about eighteen years for the nodal axis to visit all twelve zodiac signs.

Grab a cup of coffee or tea, a notebook and pen, and sit down with this table, recalling events from those periods and noting them down. It could help you to understand what is ahead, with the understanding that the other planets’ positions make a difference, as well as where your own chart has progressed, and you, as a person, have grown. Note that the table is combining the True and Mean node transits for the sake of simplicity.

Nodal Axis Signs	Start	End	Other Notes
Rahu Aquarius Ketu Leo	March 1988	October 1989	Saturn Sagittarius Jupiter Aries, Taurus, Gemini
Rahu Capricorn Ketu Cancer	October 1989	April 1991	Saturn Sagittarius Jupiter Gemini, Cancer
Rahu Aquarius Ketu Leo	November 2006	May 2008	Saturn + Ketu in Leo Jupiter Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius
Rahu Capricorn Ketu Cancer	May 2008	October 2009	Saturn Leo, Virgo Jupiter Sagittarius, Capricorn
Rahu Aquarius Ketu Leo	May 2025	November 2026	Saturn Pisces Jupiter in Gemini, Cancer
Rahu Capricorn Ketu Cancer	November 2026	May 2028	Saturn in Pisces, Aries Jupiter in Cancer, Leo, Virgo

Looking at Rahu in Capricorn and Ketu in Cancer on a global level, in November 1989, the Berlin Wall fell, a major turning point which became the beginning of the end of the Cold War. The next period, between May 2008 and October 2009 can be seen as the Great Recession, after a catastrophic economic collapse that led to a worldwide shift in politics and consumer behavior.

For the upcoming round, Saturn finishes his Pisces transit and moves to Aries, indicating a larger arc of a significant end to an era and the beginning of a new Saturn cycle, which lasts from 28 – 30 years. Simultaneously, Jupiter who promotes growth, wisdom, and expansion will be moving through friendly, creative signs that have us looking ahead at new directions while trying to salvage resources.

The final days of November could bring deep changes, unexpected openings, and sudden opportunities. Do your best to bring clarity to what you want going forward and make peace with what has finished. On the final day of November, the Moon joins Jupiter, Mars, and Mean Node Ketu, for a powerful combination that could allow us to find the right groove and lock in for the ride.

December 2026 Headlines

Mercury Transits Scorpio December 2 – 21
MEAN NODES Shift December 5: Rahu in Capricorn, Ketu in Cancer
New Moon Scorpio/Jyestha December 8
Saturn Stations Direct in Pisces December 10
Jupiter Retrograde December 13 – April 12
Sun Transits Sagittarius December 15 – January 14
Mercury Transits Sagittarius December 21 – January 9
Full Moon in Gemini/Ardra December 23