Author: Alison Price   –   Published: September 2024

The Libra Equinox

Every day the Sun transits about 1° through the Zodiac. It always moves forward and never retrogrades. Every year the Sun enters each the cardinal sign in turn. These cardinal ingresses are the four special days that mark the seasonal changes.

This week, as the Sun enters the cardinal air sign of Libra, it is the beginning of autumn in the northern hemisphere and spring in the southern hemisphere.

When working with these charts you can get a general view of what’s coming up globally for everyone. You can cast solar season charts at the two solstices and the pair of equinoxes.

Business Quarters

In the business world, people talk about Q1, Q2, Q3 and Q4. Business quarters divide the whole calendar year into four. The first quarter is January, February and March, the second quarter is April, May and June, the third quarter is July, August and September, and the fourth quarter is October, November and December. Each quarter slightly under 100 days each and it’s good chunk of time for measuring trends.

Solar Quarters

Solar Ingress

The solar quarters all start as the Sun enters one of the four cardinal signs, which are Aries, Cancer, Libra or Capricorn.

These special days signal the beginning of the four seasons of spring, summer, autumn and winter. And yes, I’m talking Northern hemisphere-centric here.

I spent most of my life living in the southern hemisphere, so I do understand that the seasons are swapped over. But because I now live in the northern hemisphere, I’m going to be talking mainly northern hemisphere-centric in this edition.

Libra Solar Quarter

In 2024, the Libra solar quarter is starts on September the 22nd. This is when the Sun enters Libra.

It depends where you live on the world, but it could be on the 19th, 20th, 21st or the 22nd. But this year, it’s firmly on the 22nd of September here in Vancouver.

In astrology, if you want to do forecasting for a solar quarter moving forward, (Q4 if you will), you can get an idea of the trends and energies at play globally, as background noise by casting the actual start chart for the quarter.

Solar Quarter Start Chart

Sun Enters Libra

So as the Sun enters Libra at the Libra ingress, the exact point that is the time you set the chart for.

The example chart I have here is also set on the house system called Zero Aries because we are going to be talking globally here.

If you can just get your head round that, even though I’m in Vancouver, the actual chart will be the same for everyone if you put it on the Zero Aries.

Zero Aries

When a chart is set on Zero Aries, you do dismiss the Ascendant and the house cusps.

What we focus on are the planetary positions in the signs and the aspects between them.

You are looking for general trends and themes for the quarter.

Let’s have a closer look at this chart.

In an equinox ingress chart, the Sun will always be at 0° of the cardinal sign and in this case, it’s 0° Libra.

Neptune Kites

And we can see straight away that the planets form some kites to Neptune.

Neptune Kite 1

The first kite with Neptune has the Sun opposition Neptune and the Sun is trining the Moon and trining Pluto.

Neptune is also sextile Pluto and the Moon.

This forms the kite major aspect pattern which is basically a grand trine and a mini grand trine on top of it.

In all four kite patterns, the focal planet here is Neptune in Pisces.

Neptune Kite 2

The second Neptune kite involves. Mercury. Uranus, Neptune and Pluto.

Neptune Kite 3

The third Neptune kite is between the Sun, the Moon, Pluto and Neptune.

Neptune Kite 4

The 4th Neptune kite is between Mercury, Uranus, Pluto and Neptune.

Kites Interpretation

Neptune Focal Planet

This means that all the energy from these four kites will flow towards Neptune in Pisces, which is technically in its rulership anyway, although Neptune is retrograde.

Although strictly there are four kites and if you were doing an astrology exam you would have to extract each one separately, in general, I would interpret these altogether because the main energy flow is towards Neptune.

Interpretation

Neptune has to do with intuition, the unseen, art and music in general and sometimes people in the shadows who are not there.

Because this is a global chart we’re doing and not a person’s natal chart, I would interpret this as being that there is something going on in the background, in the shadows, that we haven’t quite seen.

Although it may have been there all along, we haven’t been paying attention to it.

Whatever this situation is, it’s going to come forward.

It’s also possible there is something which people did not want to talk about (Mercury) and again, it could be a situation where emotions run deep because the Moon and Pluto are involved.

But with the presence of Pluto and Uranus, it’s likely to be some kind of taboo subject or something that is slightly distasteful, which is going to be brought to our attention, whether we like it or not.

T-squares

Mercury and the Sun are pretty close together and form two T-squares with Jupiter in Gemini and Neptune in Pisces.

Jupiter T-square 1

We would refer to the first one as the Jupiter T-square with Jupiter, Mercury and Neptune and the second is also a Jupiter T-square with Jupiter, the Sun and Neptune.

We have a disassociate T square because the Sun is in a cardinal sign and both Jupiter and Neptune are in mutable signs.

So that is a dissociate T square.

But the second one, which includes Mercury is a mutable T-square full blown because Jupiter is in Gemini and Mercury is in Gemini and Neptune is in Pisces which are all mutable signs.

However, both of these T-squares are pointing at Jupiter.

Within a T-square when interpreting it, most of the energy flows towards the focal planet, which is the one at the at the short point and in this case it’s Jupiter.

Jupiter in Gemini is the highlighted planet for this quarter.

Pluto Cardinal T-square

There is third T-square in this chart which includes Venus in Libra, Chiron in Aries and Pluto in Capricorn.

This would be referred to as a “Pluto T-square” because Pluto is at the apex of the T square.

Now in this case, Chiron and Pluto will have been squaring each other for a while and will continue to do so, but Venus just happens to have moved into position.

This is a cardinal T square as all the planets are in cardinal signs Aries, Libra and Capricorn.

Again, this provides a focus to Pluto in Capricorn, so let’s just take a closer look at that Pluto.

Pluto

Pluto is in Capricorn.

For those of you who’ve been doing astrology for a while, you will know that Pluto has been in Capricorn for over 20 years.

This is the final gasp in this season.

Pluto has popped in Aquarius already, then it retrograded back into Capricorn and as you can see it is still retrograde in our Equinox chart.

It will continue to remain retrograde, until the 11th of October when it stations direct.

Then the dwarf planet will creep through the very last degrees of Capricorn to enter Aquarius for the final time on January 21st, 2025.

So, for the whole of this quarter, Pluto is lingering (or loitering with intent) right at the end of Capricorn and for a lot of the time in the anorectic 29th degree.

It will then leave Capricorn early in the New Year.

Pluto is highly engaged in this chart and is part of the four kites and this T square.

This planetary position, in five major aspects patterns, highlights this dwarf planet and gives it prominence even though it is retrograde.

Interpretation.

This is an indication that the powers that be are going to go back on their word.

Typically, Capricorn is to do with government, rules, regulations and politics in general.

So, this will be a focus for the quarter and, as I say, Pluto’s has lingered in Capricorn for years.

This isn’t a kind of a new energy, but it’s just the final gasp before our quarter ends.

Venus Yod

Venus Focal Planet

Another major aspect pattern within this Libra Equinox chart is the Venus yod.

This pattern is comprised of three planets, Venus in Libra the Moon in Gemini and Neptune in Pisces.

In this major aspect pattern the focal planet, in this case Venus, is quincunx to the other two planets (the base) are the Moon and Neptune where the Moon is sextile Neptune.

This is an interesting pattern because it taps into the 12th harmonic, from which the quincunxes (five twelfths) are created.

Finger of God

It’s also known as the Finger of God or the Finger of Fate.

And because Venus is the planet at the pointy end of this triangle you would refer to it as a Venus yod.

Yods are often spiritual and almost ethereal major aspect patterns where there is a pointer actually in the chart indicating one of the planets saying, “Hey look at me!”

In this case, the planet in question is Venus.

This elevates Venus and gives us a clue that we do need to pay attention to her energy.

Interpretation

Briefly, I just want to say that for this quarter, Venus themes will be a focus.

But they’re not going to be on the headlines they’re going to be on page 3.

Venus themes broadly have to do with love, money and women.

We can anticipate that some women will come forward who perhaps are intuitive, artistic or musical in some way.

It is almost as though the Venus yod is the symbol of a goddess.

Let’s be clear here, we’re not talking about an old grumpy Aunt Agatha in sweat pants washing dirty dishes at the kitchen sink type of woman.

We are suggesting a woman who is going to be an inspiration for others.

It is likely that somebody in this silhouette will form and come to our attention during this solar quarter.

Dispositor Trees

I would like to give a look at it at the dispositor tree because, well I love them, and it is always a brilliant way to get an idea of the backstory within a chart.

The dispositor tree for the Libra equinox has two “Planet in Rulership” trees, one is Mercury in Virgo, the other is Venus in Libra.

Mercury in Rulership Tree

Mercury in Virgo

The Mercury tree is the larger and therefore is the more prominent of the trees because it has more planets within it.

Mercury is in dignity in Virgo.

Gateway Planet: Jupiter

Jupiter is below Mercury in Gemini and Jupiter is a gateway planet to Mercury.

A gateway planet has one planet above and three or more planets below it in the tree.

Gateway Interpretation

Jupiter has a lot to say about what’s happening now.

This position for Jupiter in Gemini, which is in detriment, suggests that there will be a lot of buzz, news and information flowing.

Perhaps even more than usual and not all of it can be trusted.

People with agendas will be able to get their voices heard.

Don’t get me wrong, the truth is out there, but first you do have to filter, filter, filter it out.

Continuing

Below Jupiter is the Moon in Gemini, Saturn in Pisces and Neptune in Pisces.

Beneath the Moon is Mars in Cancer and below Mars is Chiron in Aries,

Underneath Saturn is Pluto in Capricorn.

Venus in Rulership Tree

Venus in Libra

Venus is in her own sign of Libra and is the second planet in rulership tree.

What I’m saying is there are two separate trees in this dispositor tree drawing.

I don’t necessarily think it is a forest.

I like to say if there are three or more trees, we have a forest.

Below Venus is the Sun in Libra and Uranus in Taurus.

However, we have a strong pair of trees.

We’ve got the Mercury tree, and we’ve got the Venus tree so let’s have a look at them.

Interpretation

Venus is in Libra, and as this is the Libra equinox chart it’s quite a high-profiled planet because it brings a focus to the seventh sign itself, along with the Sun which is spotlighting the sign of the scales already.

Usually, I’d be quite happy with Venus and Libra, but it’s in that pesky anaretic 29th degree at the very tail end of the sign.

Although it will still have strong influence because it is a top line planet in the dispositor tree, it is I want to say, almost on its last gasp.

This is coupled with the fact that Venus is part of the Pluto T-square, so it will be supporting Pluto.

Additionally, Venus is the yod planet as well.

Overarching View

Turns and Balances

Remember, when you look at the annual equinoxes (and solstices) charts, they are snapshots of the transits at one of the four cardinal ingresses.

These types of charts can be informative for general trends for three months in a year, and in this case, for the last season of the year.

Forecasting Astrologer

If you are a forecasting astrologer, it is always good to see what the wide-ranging trends are at these turning and balance points for the Sun.

I think it’s always interesting to take into consideration each season’s start chart.

In this case, we looked at the Autumn/Spring chart to see what’s likely to be unfolding in overall background themes for everyone.

I hope you have a wonderful season wherever you are.

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Solar Cycles

Below are a few more podcast eisodes featuring discussions around the solar cycles and solstices and equinoxes.

Author Bio

Alison Price: Professional Astrologer

Alison helps you uncover your individual creativity and lead a fulfilling life using your own astrology. She shares her wisdom from the heart with a touch of humor. She offers Consultations for everyone and Coaching for Aspiring Astrologers.

If you’d like to get in touch with Alison, you can reach out to her via email at starzology@gmail.com.

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