The year might begin with Capricorn season and its pragmatic focus on the concrete realities of life and initiating major goals. But by the time it's fully sunken in that a whole new year is in full swing, it's time to welcome a new, future-minded, change-bringing season: Aquarius season.
Aquarius season is helmed by the fixed air sign and ruled by Uranus, the planet of rebellion, electricity, and innovation. As the sun moves through the sign of the Water Bearer, our perspective becomes more humanitarian, community-oriented, and possibly a bit eccentric and contrarian. You're more apt to shake off the requirements and "should-dos" of the past month — heck, even the past year — and to strike out on your own. The fixed air sign's season is made for celebrating your individuality, contributing and collaborating, and paving your own quirky path.
Here's what you need to know about Aquarius season, in general, and particularly in 2023.
When Is Aquarius Season?
The sun's time in the sign of the Water Bearer happens annually from approximately Jan. 19-20 to Feb. 18-19. This year (at least in U.S. time zones), Aquarius season is from Jan. 20 to Feb. 18.
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The Overall Mood and Vibe of Aquarius Season
For an idea of how Aquarius functions in astrology and influences the weeks that fall between mid-January and mid-February, consider the sign's ruler: Uranus, the planet of rebellion, innovation, sudden change, and revolution. Nicknamed the "awakener" planet, Uranus urges you to break free of patterns, limitations, and boundaries to be your genuine self and think creatively. It's the wild child of the solar system, completely disinterested in conformity and adhering to anything remotely linear, mundane, predictable, or traditional. As readily as Uranus can fuel inspiration and innovation, it can deliver an unexpected turn of events. Because of that, Aquarius may very well be the most eccentric, convention-loathing, and individualistic sign.
Innately rejecting rules, regulations, and anything mainstream or garden variety, Aquarius takes pride in blazing a new, different, maybe even out-there route to doing just about everything. Intensely science-minded, they're often incredibly skeptical of anything that can't be proven or peer-reviewed and can even be iconoclastic. People with prominent Aquarius placements (meaning their sun or one of their big three or even big six is in the sign) usually value uniqueness over fitting in. They'll go to great lengths to opt out of life choices they see as prescribed by society, like getting married, having kids, or even practicing monogamy. And associated with the eleventh house of networking and groups, Aquarians are humanitarians passionate about giving back to their community, collaborating with others, and nurturing their platonic bonds.
That said, while the sun moves through Aquarius, we're all a bit more interested in tending to our friendships, questioning the status quo, and embracing inventive thinking.
Important Takeaways for Aquarius Season 2023
Although the sun moves through Aquarius every year, the moon and other planets each have their own unique patterns through the sky, making for a unique astrological picture that differs from one year to the next. Here's what's going on astrologically during Aquarius season 2023.
A new moon in Aquarius invites you to kick off an ingenious new chapter.
With Mars and Mercury retrogrades both over by the time Aquarius season kicks off, you could feel like mid-January actually is the actual start of the year. Serving to emphasize that point: an Aquarius new moon falls on January 21, just a day after the sun shifts into the sign of the Water Bearer. It happens just a day before Venus, the planet of relationships, pairs up with Saturn, the planet of commitment, in the fixed air sign, offering extra harmonious and hardworking energy to any forward-thinking, progressive game plan you come up with and intend to follow through on.
Uranus goes direct.
Uranus retrograde happens every year for about five months, and it's been moving backward through the fixed earth sign Taurus, symbolized by the Bull, since Aug. 24. On January 22, it'll finally move forward, making it possible to apply any internal changes you've made to concrete aspects of your everyday life. And once again, it'll spur surprises — for better or worse — and encourage innovation. This energy was turned inward during its retrograde, making this sort of change very self-reflective; now, you can expect it to show up in an external, IRL way.
Venus moves through Pisces.
Not too long into Aquarius season, on January 26, Venus moves ahead into the sign of the Fish, offering a sneak preview of the next sun sign season. Venus is considered exalted (meaning it's happy and its effects are optimized) in the mutable water sign because the harmony-seeking planet's purpose is beautifully aligned with Pisces' deeply compassionate, unconditionally loving, and empathic nature. In turn, relationships get a bit more rose-colored, dreamier, and magical until February 20.
A full moon in Leo highlights self-expression and a chance to strengthen your sense of self.
On February 5, the moon in Leo opposes the sun in Aquarius, setting the stage for a fiery full moon that highlights the push-pull between self and community. What's best for you versus what's best for your friends, neighbors, and colleagues? How can you stay true and stand strong in your sense of self while also bearing in mind what's required for the greater good? And though they may be opposites, Leo and Aquarius are both big fans of self-expression and owning their voices, so this could be a moment in which it's particularly empowering to speak up.
Zodiac Signs Who Might Be Affected Most During Aquarius Season 2023
We think of each sun sign season as the moment in which those celebrating birthdays get to soak up the spotlight — and that is certainly the case! However, people born with their sun in Aquarius aren't the only ones who will be affected by the electrifying, quirky, rebellious vibes of this season. Anyone born with their sun or major planetary placements in any of the fixed signs — Taurus (fixed earth), Leo (fixed fire), and Scorpio (fixed water) — could come away from Aquarius season feeling especially fired up to let go of the past in order to more fully embrace a brilliant new vision of the future.
