October 2026 Astrology: With Key Dates, Transits, Ingresses, Retrogrades, New and Full Moons

October is about the Venus and Mercury retrogrades. There is no doubt that relationships, scandals, and secrets will get exposed this month. Taboo subjects come to the surface. Strange bedfellows are discovered. This is the hype you will hear the most.

Now this isn’t to say that for some of you, your personal life won’t have a past flame entering the picture, or you could discover that your partner isn’t on the up and up. Even in solid, mutually respectful relationships, there could be a need to revisit past discussions or issues, especially if the root causes were never addressed.

But, I think what is being missed is the darker side of Scorpio. Yes, Venus is about love, harmony, balance and relationships but Scorpio energy is intense. It is deep and penetrating. Unfortunately, it is also possessive, so much so, that it can lead to nefarious actions.

This is a month of intensity and reflection. It is a month about understanding our relationships, both past and present. But it's also a month about finding our own internal power and standing up for what we believe in. With that said, here is a list of the key dates for ingresses, retrogrades, and the New and Full Moon.

Key Dates - Ingresses, Retrogrades and the New and Full Moons

• Venus goes retrograde in the sign of Scorpio on October 3, 2026 @ 2:15:54 am CDT
• New Moon occurs on October 10, 2026 @ 10:50:05 am CDT at 17°21’
• Pluto stations direct on October 15, 2026 @ 9:40:15 pm CDT at 3°04’
• Sun moves into the sign of Scorpio on October 23, 2026 @ 4:37:57 am CDT
• Mercury goes retrograde in the sign of Scorpio on October 24, 2026 @ 2:12:43 am CDT
• Venus retrograde moves back into the sign of Libra on October 25, 2026 @ 4:09:47 am CDT
• Full Moon occurs on October 25, 2026 @ 11:11:48 pm CDT at 2°45’

October 1st through 3rd

I thought about combining these 3 days with the following week, but since we start off the month with Mars in opposition to Pluto, I decided to give these days their own space.

Though Venus retrograde is the big overall story, the tension this week is intense due to Mars in Leo applying an opposition to Pluto in Aquarius, which perfects on the 3rd. On a personal level, this can be a time when you make impactful changes to your own life, especially if you can tap into your creativity and be willing to stop whatever isn’t working and embrace your bold, inner spirit.

However, this is not a fun transit by any means and it stokes the flames of power struggles, tension and control. Any area that has current conflict, personal or mundane, could escalate. I recommend that you stay away from dangerous activities or locations, especially if you have a Mars-Pluto opposition in your own chart.

In regards to Trump, Mars has been in his 12th house the past couple of months and is now in his 1st house, where both Mars and Pluto reside in his natal chart. Mars is applying a conjunction to his natal Pluto in Leo. Whatever actions he has been contemplating behind the scenes will be taken this week. Does this mean engaging in violence and warfare? Possibility. But it could be some other power play, where his will is exerted onto others, especially if it has something to do with his own perceived safety.

Most likely though, it has to do with a foreign nation, due to Mars being in the 9th house of the US Sibly chart. This is the third Mars-Pluto opposition in the Leo-Aquarius polarity. The other two were on January 3rd and April 26th of 2025 (due to retrograde activity.) With that said, most of the action taken will be an escalation of what is already occurring, especially since Venus will also go into retrograde on October 3rd.

Within this tension is Mercury applying a conjunction to Venus. Though the conjunction doesn’t perfect until the 6th, Mercury-Venus conjunctions are about discussing relationships in an intellectual manner. Personally, you may be engaging in discussions to get to the root cause of issues. In romantic relationships, discussion could revolve around what you share, financial matters, and of course, intimacy.

However, with Mars square to Venus, bruised egos can get in the way of getting to the core of what is causing issues, especially when it comes to sex. For instance, one partner could take things personally when the other doesn’t want to engage in something physical.

The key this week may not be resolution but instead to figure out how to balance your own needs with your responsibilities to others, be it at home or at work with the Sun in Libra’s opposition to Saturn in Aries. Intimacy isn’t an action, it is a feeling of safety and security, which is something that is often overlooked.

October 4th through 10th

We start the week off with the Sun in opposition to Saturn on October 4th. This opposition happens every year (approximately a 54-week cycle.)

When one of the superior planets is in opposition to the Sun (Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune or Pluto) then it will be in retrograde, due to Earth’s faster orbit making these planets appear to move backwards.

The Sun has been applying its energy to Saturn for about a week. Since the Sun is an expression, shining its vitality and brightness, when it opposes Saturn, it loses its bravado and is constrained by Saturn. Typically, the opposition highlights the restrictions we are facing, rules (or the lack thereof) that cause difficulties in expressing ourselves. It is a reflective time to figure out what your own needs are without shirking your commitments or responsibilities.

Mercury has been applying a conjunction to Venus since September 30th and with Venus now in retrograde, they are both applying their energy to each other in the sign of Scorpio. This is a time period where we may notice patterns, especially those from the past. Women’s issues may come to the surface, and there is a desire to fix the crux of problems.

One example of this is the discussion around secret societies, fraternities and the “boys’ club” mentality that fosters an environment that allows and supports horrific behavior towards women. The benefit of the Mercury-Venus conjunction, which perfects on October 6th, is that the emotions surrounding events can be conveyed intellectually, making it much harder to dismiss.

Mars, the planet of action in the dramatic sign of Leo, is applying a sextile to Uranus which perfects on October 7th. Energetically, you may feel restless and it could be difficult to stick with your routine. However, this sextile does open us up to various viewpoints.

Venus and Mars have been applying a square to each other, which perfects on October 10th. Tension could happen in many relationships during this time period, especially if we are discussing current events, such as the physical sexual assaults that occurred on college campuses, or just the overall political dynamics.

However, if you and your partner are on the same page, the energy here is conducive to finding mutually fulfilling physical intimacy. Venus and Mars squares, even when Venus is in retrograde, can be good for reviewing the past and being inspired to find solutions or create dynamic artistic statements.

The week ends on a New Moon in the sign of Libra. New Moons offer a fresh start, but that start is related to what ended. For instance, let's say your desire is to end the secrecy and be open and forthcoming within your relationship. The fresh start could include the Libra archetype of fairness, balance, and harmony. This is where we can learn to cooperate with others and form new relationships that have a social impact that is mutually beneficial.

There's a good chance with the New Moon being sextile to Jupiter in Leo that social movements are formed or reenergized.

October 11th through 17th

This week, the big news is that Pluto goes direct on October 15th in the sign of Aquarius. One of the big lessons this week is to look at the past and understand the patterns that we hold on to.

With Venus in retrograde in the sign of Scorpio, we may have glossed over some difficult situations in our lives. Though the sign of Scorpio is really good at understanding the psychology of others, sometimes we can miss our own lessons or takeaways from painful events.

It is important to note that Venus is applying a square to Pluto. This is why relationships can transform this month. The square perfects next week on the 20th.

But here is the cool thing this week. With Pluto going direct, instead of just looking at the past and blaming ourselves or being jealous of other people's lives, we can feel empowered. Pluto is about change, and sometimes it takes more than just ourselves to create change that really matters.

There are others who have had similar experiences to you. Take this week as an opportunity to find the groups that want to change society in a way that creates accountability for everyone, and not just for a select few who hide behind the guise of secrecy and perverse ownership.

Pluto in Aquarius teaches us that there's power in numbers, especially when we don't conform to the current status quo. This is why associating with groups can create your own independence.

But even if you personally do not want to align with others to make change, this is a week where you can dig deep into those taboo subjects where you may not have felt comfortable. Whether you have a discussion with a therapist, a good friend, or your own thoughts, this time period is where you can shift your perspective and go from feeling shame and guilt to understanding the power dynamics. You may come to realize that the situation was deeper and systemic.

Note too that the Pluto-Mars opposition dissipates on the 15th. As Mars moves away from Pluto, we may feel less of a sense of agitation or anger, and now have clarity to actually implement particular changes in our lives.

We move from feeling and reaction to creating a plan as Mars makes a trine to Saturn in Aries. We now have the focus to take actions with long-term effects.

With Saturn in Aries in retrograde, it's like we can rewrite the script and focus on our own responsibilities and duties, and on the promises we make to ourselves. It's less about what society has dictated and more about creating the society that takes into account our own autonomy.

October 18th through 24th

This week continues with the Venus-Pluto square. Venus in retrograde is known for exes coming back into your life, or you reaching out to an ex.

Now I'm not telling you not to engage in that activity. However, with Venus square to Pluto, it can be really hard to let go of someone else out of insecurity. So before you say yes to meeting someone for dinner or texting an "I miss you" message, you may want to ask yourself, do you really want to be with them? Or are you just not sure how to be by yourself?

But let's say you do slip up and you actually hook up with them. You may gain a realization of why you broke up in the first place.

Keep in mind, not everyone is going to be obsessed with an ex. It all depends on your own birth chart and what has gone on in your past. Honestly, only a few people you know will have this experience.

Sometimes we forget how often certain planets go into retrograde. Venus goes into retrograde approximately every 18 months. However, each time it is not hitting the same part of your chart. But it does retrograde in a similar area of your chart every eight years.

This is why we don't reach out to an ex every time Venus goes into retrograde, or vice versa. However, unfinished relationships or lingering issues that you may not have personally resolved could come to the forefront of your mind. Venus retrograde gives us an opportunity to decide what we really want from our relationships and what we prefer not to engage in in the future.

On the 23rd, the Sun moves into the sign of Scorpio. For all those Scorpios out there, I want to wish you a very happy birthday.

The Sun is our vitality and gives us our sense of purpose. With the Sun in Scorpio, our purpose is to get deep and introspective. As the Sun moves into the sign of Scorpio, it conjuncts with Venus in retrograde. Through introspection, we may be more inclined to express ourselves in a creative manner.

But with Mercury going into retrograde on the 24th, we may be taking actions on things that we've left open or unresolved.

Mercury in Scorpio is applying a square to Mars in Leo. Though we have the Sun conjunct Venus, which can bring on warm feelings, with Mercury square Mars, we may be quite sensitive to the things that people say to us, or others could be sensitive to the subjects that we broach with them.

It's like we're all walking on eggshells, trying not to hurt other people's feelings while at the same time feeling like we need to defend our own ideas and beliefs. This is tricky energy, but it gets even trickier with two planets being in retrograde: Venus and Mercury.

In the sign of Scorpio, there's this desire to uncover the truth. Yet, in the process, it can get quite emotional and gut-wrenching. We may get frustrated or angry if people don't want to travel into the deep wounds or address issues that have been swept under the rug.

Also, keep in mind, many of the discussions could be around politics with the upcoming election, which adds fuel to the fire and can create discord within families, neighbors, and those at work.

October 25th through 31st

On October 25th, Venus moves back into the sign of Libra. The Moon has been in Aries for the past couple of days and is in its last degrees, creating an opposition to Venus. Emotions will run high on this day.

Your relationships can go in one direction or the other. Either everything is smooth and welcoming and you find yourselves on the same page, or instead it is intense and challenging and you may be at odds with some of the people that you care about. Regardless of how the relationships are going, there's this desire to be around other people and to have an emotional connection.

Venus is associated with money and finances. Generally speaking, Venus brings money to us; it is an attractor. With Venus in the sign of Libra, you would think that money would be good.

However, on the 25th, which falls on a Sunday, there's a propensity for overspending. If you're in a good mood, it could just be spending time with the people that you care about, indulging in delicious food or potent drinks. However, you may be doing some retail therapy if you're not in a good mood. So be careful and keep an eye on your wallet and budget.

Depending on where you live, the Full Moon will occur either in the early morning of the 26th or the later hours of the 25th. Most of us will probably be asleep when the Full Moon is exact. But when we wake the next day, the Sun and the Moon will be in a T-square with Pluto.

When the Full Moon is in the sign of Taurus, it illuminates the area of our life where we crave security and comfort. However, with the T-square to Pluto, we may give in to impulses that are based on our senses and not something that is stable. With the Moon being ruled by Venus, and Venus in retrograde in the sign of Libra, this is most likely the time period where people will be reaching out to an ex or diving into a relationship that feels safe on the surface.

I'm not going to say that this is a difficult Full Moon, but it does have its flaws. Be aware that some people may attempt to gain power over you by being the emotional perpetrator. It's quite easy for someone to say, "Remember the past when things were like this?" while discounting anything that happened afterwards. Just be careful not to do the same thing to others, since this energy works both ways.

With the Sun squared to Pluto, it's really about undoing your prior conditioning. So if you have that toxic relationship that comes and goes, and you just can't get over that person, remember that this T-square is trying to teach you how to take accountability for your own actions. We can't control the games that other people play. What we can control is whether or not we want to join in their games or go our own path and leave the game behind.

In addition, around the Full Moon, there is a chance of having issues with authority figures such as a boss or a parent. It may feel like they are testing you, putting you through some sort of examination that you didn't ask for. Just remember, Pluto also empowers, and you can rise above the nonsense by being centered, direct, self-assertive, patient, and practical. The key here is to be aware of manipulation tactics and not buy into anything that tries to rattle your emotional equilibrium.

Last but not least, it is Halloween on the 31st. You may be wondering if you should show up to a party, especially with the energy of the past few weeks.

Mars is conjunct to Jupiter in the sign of Leo, which encourages us to engage in physical activity. This is where we can get our release, especially if we are feeling exuberant and confident. The Mars-Jupiter conjunction can have us craving a good time.

However, there is a chance of being so confident that you wind up getting into an accident or some sort of mishap. With that said, if you decide to dress up in a costume, you want to make sure you have good visibility and stability.

On the evening of Halloween, the Moon will move from the sign of Cancer, its domicile, into the sign of Leo. It will also oppose Pluto. This configuration can stir up feelings of jealousy or possessiveness.

I could actually see a few Halloween costume contests going awry with this configuration. If fights or disagreements break out this evening, especially over a contest or some sort of competition, it would not surprise me.

Should you go to a party or a Halloween event? Yes. Astrology shouldn't prevent you from doing anything fun, and fun is what we need, especially when the energy is tense.

However, with the energy of the evening, be aware of your own emotions and those of others. And most of all, have a very happy Halloween.

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