Aquarius Full Moon - Leo Season 2026

The Waterbearer’s Cup Runneth Over

A look at the astrology leading up to and following the Full Moon in Aquarius

The Sun entered Leo on Wednesday, July 23rd, 2026, at 12:13 PM PT, and we arrived in high summer, the season of the lion. Collectively moving us out of the watery ocean currents of Cancer and into the fiery blaze of dazzling Leo. With Jupiter already here, it definitely feels bigger and brighter than usual, so get ready to be admired, even if it's just you gazing at your own reflection. 

On Thursday, July 23rd, Mercury stationed direct in the sign of Cancer, and if it felt like you were taken off course at the end of June, you’ll soon find your way forward again after a brief pause. 

I’ve heard from a lot of people that they found this Mercury Rx season more challenging than usual, and I think that’s for a couple of reasons.

First, Jupiter was recently here and expanded our emotional capacity everywhere IMO, but especially in the Cancer part of our charts, and with that, our ability to experience and feel emotions of all kinds. Second, two of our relational planets, Venus and Mars, were both in Mercury-ruled signs during this time, looking to Mercury for direction, and our messenger was OOO on an underworld adventure. The post-retrograde shadow period will last until August 6th, so a few more bumps and opportunities for integration remain. 

Later on Thursday, after the Moon entered Sagittarius, she completed the ‘sky basket’ by becoming the handle to all of the exciting configurations happening in Aries, Gemini, Leo, and Aquarius. 

In the early hours of Friday, July 24th, the waxing Moon in Sagittarius came into delightful contact with Jupiter in Leo after aspecting Neptune, Pluto, and Uranus, which puts the cherry on top to this cosmic sundae in the sky. Moon-Jupiter aspects are lovely, and this one has extra sprinkles given Jupiter’s rulership of Sagittarius and its ability to observe it perfectly from its Leonine perch. 

Next, Venus in Virgo caught up to Mercury in Cancer via sextile, and we have a brief but helpful exchange between these two as Mercury comes up for air after its deep dive into its review of what nourishes us emotionally, and Venus receives the support she requires to help us refine how we connect to and care for our resrouces as she continues her sojourn through Virgo’s exacting details. Venus (and Mars) definitely benefit from having Mercury returning to the office this month. Also late in the evening, Pluto in Aquarius and Neptune in Aries (both retrograde) come together to offer each other an assist by adding some fuel to the fire and burning away any less-than-fresh ideas on where to point the warrior's sails. 

Saturday, July 25th may feel a little less peaceful, as the Moon in Sagittarius squares up to Venus in Virgo before she opposes Mars in Gemini. The three passionate planets of the night sect, all in hard aspect as Venus is fast on Mars’ heels, make emotions run high. With Mercury stationing, we may see more events play out on the world's stage. If you thought July’s Mars-Uranus conjunction in Gemini was a little ho-hum, just wait. I think it’s all about to kick off in a much larger way. 

Sunday, the 26th, the Moon enters Capricorn as she grows bigger and brighter in the night sky. Speaking of our dear old goat, Saturn stations retrograde in Aries just in time for the full moon next week. What we’ve been learning in Aries about our passionate commitments and contracts takes a pause as it is time for another review. Have you found yourself biting off more than you can chew, responsibility-wise? You’ll have until December 10th to take care of business, right-size, or adjust before Saturn is direct once more. Better late than never. 

Later on Sunday, the Lunar Nodes change signs, and we’ll begin to have eclipses happening on the Leo-Aquarius axis as soon as August 12th. And just before midnight, the Sun in its royal domicile of Leo opposes underworld Pluto in Aquarius, highlighting the tension between the leaders in power and those who collectively hold more than they realize. It’s a standoff between might vs right, and who’s who might surprise you.

Monday, July 27th, the grand Leo Sun graces retrograde Neptune in Aries with a pleasing ray, shining its light on what’s fantastically true about our daydreams. We’ve been exploring Neptune in DA&T recently, and what I’ve loved remembering is that almost anything that’s never happened before seems delusional at first. One of my fave quotes from Caroline W. Casey is, “Imagination lays the tracks for the reality train to follow.” IOW, everything that exists today was first imagined in the mind. In Genesis 1:27, the Bible says Man was created in the image of God, and it feels quite literal here, yes? That is how we were created—through the imagination of the Divine. It's not an accident that you are here earthside, friend. You are loved, and the dream in your heart is just as precious. Treat it so. 

Those outer planets move so slowly, so our ‘sky basket’ is going to be around in some form for quite some time as the fast-moving planets and our luminaries traverse the zodiac, activating it along the way. So with the Sun in Leo casting a helpful ray to Uranus in Gemini, illuminating all that we already know in this part of our lives. If you’ve had a hard time finding exactly what you need to move forward in your life, the Sun shines its spotlight on it, giving it a boost. It’s been in your pocket the whole time, and you only needed this reminder and a nudge to keep going. 

On Tuesday, July 28th, the Moon enters Aquarius at 6:46 PM PT, and we ready ourselves for the main event. A lot of the lunation happens in the small hours on Wednesday AM PT, so we’ll be feeling it late Tuesday as the aspects perfect. 

Wednesday, July 29th arrives, and it is time for the full moon, with a guest appearance from Jupiter on elevating it all, sharing the stage in the heart of the Sun, and two become one if only for a moment. But first, Venus in Virgo creates some heat with Mars in Gemini, as new information comes to light, and a new path appears. Decisions need to be made and a direction chosen.

Then, the Moon conjoins Pluto, the Lord of the Underworld, in the sign of Aquarius, further activating this big alignment in the sky. She then syncs up with Neptune in Aries and Uranus in Gemini before opposing the Sun-Jupiter Cazimi at 7:35 AM PT, creating a MEGA MOON at 6° 30’ of Aquarius. That isn’t an official astrological term; it's just how it feels to me. BIG.

If you’re up 2- 3 hours earlier, you’ll catch a glimpse of her magnificence setting in the western sky. I think it's worth setting an alarm. Whatever we got a tiny taste of on Friday the 24th grows stronger and more luminous. We find we are exactly where we’re meant to be as more puzzle pieces fall into place.

Aquarius, the fixed air sign of the water bearer, is syncretized with one of my favorite tarot cards, THE STAR. Water, and its healing properties, takes whatever shape the vessel it’s in, so today, what shape are you? What dreams dwell in your mind’s eye for both yourself and the collective? And how might we translate that out of the realm of the mind and into the world we live in? 

Let your cup runneth over and share your magick with those you’re meant to serve, and everyone benefits.

My partner recently bought me a tarot deck from a local artist, Adrienne Vita, called the Jupiter’s Eye Tarot. How fitting for tis lunation.

Let’s rewind a bit and talk about how Jupiter and the Sun came together in perfect union at 5:17 AM PT earlier on Wednesday. When a planet passes through the Sun, the metaphor used to describe it is one of rebirth. As the magnanimous light and fire of the Sun burn so white hot, they have a purifying effect on whatever is in their path, sterilizing it in a way, freeing it from any pathogens. Jupiter is the planet of spiritual and sometimes material growth and expansion, but in its shadow expression can foster excess, greed, and unnecessary ballooning. A lot of hot gas gets burned up and alchemized, freeing it up and making it accessible in a new form. 

So in this moment, Jupiter is reborn in all that is truly righteous and holy once more. So the light of the Sun is not the only ray shining on the Moon, but the clarified rays of our greater benefic, and its ability to help is amplified. Jupiter has an affinity for Fire signs because of its triplicity, and with all the Day Sect planets (Sun, Jupiter, and retrograde Saturn) in Fire signs, and simultaneously all part of this larger configuration in the sky, it further catalyzes what’s already in motion. Like adding high-grade and clean-burning fuel to the fire 

This blessed event was still in effect at the time of the full moon. I wonder if we’ll see any real-life combustion.

Later in the evening Wednesday, the full moon will gently remind retrograde Saturn about its roots, in the event he’s having too much fun in Aries.
Early Thursday, July 30th, the Moon makes a harmonious trine to Mars in Gemini, helping us to reconcile any differences and recover something we thought we lost as we traverse new terrain. 

Then, Friday, July 31st, the Moon joins the North Node newly in Aquarius for the first time this year, signaling more change ahead before entering Pisces at 5:13 AM PT.  And that’s a wrap on this lunation; follow along for more. 🪐

Are you local to Portland and looking for a casual get-together to chat about the upcoming eclipse season? Join us on August 5th at 5 PM PT.