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Desire on Trial & Dreams Under Review: A Pisces New Moon, Venus Retrograde, & Jupiter’s Restless Gaze! Collective Horoscope (February 24th-March 2nd)
Dear NightFall Astrology readers,
This week carries an unmistakable sense of pause and recalibration. The usual pace of events, both personal and global, does not stall entirely, but it certainly demands reassessment, redirection, and a more measured approach. Impulses that once seemed urgent begin to feel less pressing, more questionable, as if the rush to act has been replaced by an unavoidable moment of contemplation. Some doors that seemed wide open just days ago now appear hesitant to swing further, while others, previously unnoticed, might start revealing themselves in unexpected ways.
This is not a week for charging ahead without forethought. Nor is it one for dramatic resolutions. Instead, it signals a turning point—one that favours reflection over reaction, endurance over impulse, and clarity over illusion. Whether in matters of personal ambition, relationships, or global affairs, the themes unfolding now will not be resolved in an instant. They demand patience, careful navigation, and—above all—a willingness to sit with uncertainty before deciding which path to take.
If this sounds frustrating, it is only because we have been conditioned to view momentum as progress, forgetting that sometimes the most significant shifts occur in stillness, in silence, in the space between decisions. The events of this week are not isolated—they extend their reach into the months ahead, shaping narratives that will take time to fully reveal themselves.
Delve into the details of this week’s transits to see what the stars have in store for you!
I. New Moon in Pisces:
The Pisces New Moon marks a significant spiritual and emotional new beginning for the year ahead. While it does not technically qualify as an eclipse, its proximity to the North Node in Pisces signals a preview of the upcoming eighteen-month eclipse cycle in Pisces and Virgo. This New Moon occurs with the Sun and Moon conjunct at 9° Pisces, placing it in the first decan of the sign. It takes place on 27th–28th February 2025, depending on location, and will be exact at 1:45 AM CET in Europe.
The first decan of Pisces is governed by two distinct yet complementary planetary influences: Jupiter, the ruler of Pisces, and Saturn, the ruler of this decan. This combination creates a dynamic interplay between expansion and restriction, faith and discipline, optimism and reality.
Jupiter, the planet of growth, wisdom, and higher understanding, embodies the boundless, idealistic nature of Pisces. It encourages spiritual exploration, emotional depth, and visionary thinking, making this New Moon a powerful moment for setting intentions that transcend the mundane. However, Jupiter’s influence is not merely about expansion—it also represents the pursuit of truth and meaning, prompting individuals to move beyond superficial success and search for something more fulfilling, profound, and aligned with their higher purpose.
At the same time, Saturn’s rulership over this decan introduces a sobering counterbalance. As the planet of structure, responsibility, and discipline, Saturn brings introspection, maturity, and the need for inner work. Unlike Jupiter’s natural inclination to seek external opportunities and broader horizons, Saturn in this decan redirects the focus inward, urging a more serious, reflective, and even solitary approach to personal and spiritual growth. This influence encourages a step back from external achievements to assess what truly holds value, ensuring that future expansion is built on solid foundations rather than fleeting desires.
Although this is generally a constructive and spiritually significant New Moon, it carries a distinct introspective quality. The interplay between Jupiter’s vision and Saturn’s restraint may create a temporary sense of withdrawal, reassessment, or even uncertainty, yet this serves a higher purpose. It is an opportunity to pause, realign with one’s deeper aspirations, and commit to a path that is not just expansive but also meaningful and sustainable. Whether in the realm of spirituality, emotional well-being, or personal ambition, this lunation invites a recalibration—one that prioritises substance over illusion and long-term fulfilment over short-term gratification.
This New Moon aligns with the North Node in Pisces, a placement that signals growth, progress, and forced evolution. Though the North Node is not tightly conjunct this lunation—it sits approximately 20° away—its presence foreshadows the overarching themes that will dominate the next eighteen months.
This lunation is also closely conjunct Neptune, and the North Node amplifies whatever celestial body it interacts with. Neptune governs spirituality, transcendence, dreams, nightmares, and escapism—anything that exists beyond the tangible world. Neptune itself is neither inherently positive nor negative; it depends entirely on activation. It can manifest as higher vision and inspiration or delusion and deception. With the North Node conjunct Neptune, there will be a powerful drive towards a spiritual or idealistic goal, with an almost obsessive momentum towards faith, philanthropy, or artistic vision.
Whatever unfolds under this New Moon, even if it takes place in a practical or materially significant area of your chart, will ultimately be motivated by a deeper spiritual or emotional purpose.
This New Moon in Pisces is also in close proximity to Mercury and Saturn, which are conjunct within approximately 4°. This alignment adds intellectual weight, structure, and depth to the emotional and intuitive themes of the lunation, reinforcing a serious and reflective atmosphere.
Mercury, the planet of communication, intellect, and reasoning, is in Pisces, a sign where it is in its fall. In this position, Mercury struggles with direct, linear expression, favouring intuition, imagination, and symbolic or poetic thinking over rigid logic. This makes communication at this time dreamlike, abstract, and emotionally nuanced rather than straightforward. Rather than dealing in precise facts, Mercury in Pisces excels in storytelling, artistic expression, and nonverbal forms of understanding, making it ideal for creative writing, music, and spiritual insight.
Saturn, the planet of discipline, structure, and responsibility, brings stability and longevity to whatever it influences. While Pisces is often seen as fluid, intuitive, and boundless, Saturn’s presence here anchors ideas, commitments, and visions into tangible form. It demands realistic application and sustained effort, ensuring that dreams are not just imagined but built with careful attention to detail.
Together, Mercury and Saturn indicate a disciplined approach to thinking, communication, and long-term commitments. Even if the ideas emerging at this time are spiritual, visionary, or creative, they are taken seriously and given structure. This combination encourages thoughtful reflection, deep contemplation, and commitment to a higher goal, making it a powerful aspect for setting long-term plans related to learning, writing, or spiritual development.
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Adding another layer of significance, both Mercury and Saturn in Pisces are in a sextile with Uranus in Taurus during this New Moon. This aspect introduces an element of unexpected insight, creative breakthroughs, and the ability to blend tradition with innovation.
- Mercury sextile Uranus fosters unconventional ideas, flashes of inspiration, and the ability to communicate in unique and inventive ways. Since Mercury in Pisces already leans towards imaginative, intuitive thinking, the sextile to Uranus further enhances outside-the-box perspectives, innovation, and the ability to receive insights from unexpected sources. This is a time when spiritual, artistic, and intellectual breakthroughs can emerge in ways that may seem sudden or unconventional.
- Saturn sextile Uranus offers a rare balance between stability and progress, structure and change. While Saturn in Pisces urges careful, disciplined efforts towards long-term goals, Uranus in Taurus encourages necessary evolution and creative adaptation. This suggests that even the most serious commitments or structured plans made under this New Moon will still allow for flexibility, originality, and future-oriented thinking.
The presence of Uranus in this configuration prevents rigidity, ensuring that while Saturn provides discipline and structure, there is still room for innovation and forward movement. This makes it an excellent time for implementing new strategies, embracing modern approaches, or taking a calculated risk that could yield long-term benefits.
Overall, this alignment between the New Moon, Mercury, Saturn, and Uranus suggests that while this lunation carries a serious and introspective tone, it also provides opportunities for inspired breakthroughs, transformative learning, and the ability to bring unconventional ideas into reality. Whether in personal, creative, or professional spheres, this is a time when commitment to a long-term vision can be strengthened with fresh, forward-thinking insights.
With these planets so close to the North Node and Neptune, the New Moon signals a serious commitment to something beyond the self—whether that is a spiritual practice, a creative pursuit, or a humanitarian mission. Even for those focused on business or financial ventures, there is a strong undercurrent of idealism and purpose.
This lunation demands dedication to something larger than oneself. For many, this could manifest as a commitment to charitable work, spiritual growth, or a deeply personal artistic endeavour.
This New Moon forms a trine to Mars in Cancer, a supportive aspect that facilitates alignment between intention and action. Trines create ease and flow, ensuring that the energy of this lunation is not only deeply felt but also acted upon with conviction.
However, Mars is in its fall in Cancer, a placement where the planet of drive, ambition, and assertiveness operates in a less direct and forceful manner. Mars traditionally thrives in signs that allow for unrestricted, decisive, and strategic action, such as Aries or Capricorn, yet in Cancer, its energy becomes highly emotional, protective, and reactive. Rather than expressing itself through calculated aggression or competitive ambition, Mars in Cancer tends to act from a place of intuition, sentiment, and personal security. This can make decision-making more emotionally charged, as actions are driven not by pure logic or external strategy but by deep-seated feelings, memories, and subconscious motivations.
Despite this challenging placement, the trine aspect smooths out some of Mars’s usual struggles in Cancer. The alignment between the New Moon and Mars suggests that actions are instinctively attuned to inner desires and emotional needs. There is a fluidity in how intentions are translated into action, reinforcing the idea that what is set in motion under this lunation is not only deeply personal but also actively nurtured and pursued.
Moreover, with Mars having recently stationed direct after retrograde, its energy is still in a phase of reorientation and recalibration. Forward momentum is building, but emotional undercurrents may still dictate the pace and direction of action. This reinforces the idea that decisions made at this time, while deeply motivated and sincere, may stem more from intuition and emotional necessity rather than external pressures or rational calculations.
Ultimately, this trine between the New Moon and Mars supports action that is emotionally informed, protective, and guided by personal convictions. While Mars in Cancer may not be the most assertive or dominant force, it excels in tenacity, emotional resilience, and the ability to protect and nurture what truly matters. Under this New Moon, actions taken will not be impulsive but rather rooted in deep emotional truth, ensuring that the pursuit of new goals is both meaningful and sustainable.
Although this New Moon in Pisces forms a square to Jupiter in Gemini, this aspect is not inherently problematic. While squares often indicate tension or friction, Jupiter—being a benefic planet—tends to maintain a largely constructive influence, even when in a difficult aspect. In this case, Jupiter overcomes the New Moon (as it’s in the earlier zodiacal order), meaning that Jupiter dictates the terms of the relationship. This makes the square more influential and directive, steering the energy of the New Moon in a Jupiterian direction.
Despite its detriment in Gemini, where it struggles to operate in its most optimal form, Jupiter is still expansive, optimistic, and forward-looking. This square fuels enthusiasm, ambition, and a strong desire for growth, though it may also lead to exaggeration, overestimation, or scattered focus. There is a push towards broadening one’s horizons, but in a way that may feel restless, mentally overstimulated, or unfocused.
The benefit of Jupiter overcoming the New Moon is that it ensures an underlying sense of hope, confidence, and future-oriented thinking. Even if challenges arise from this aspect—such as difficulty committing to a single path, fluctuating emotional states, or an overflow of ideas—it ultimately propels forward movement. This Jupiterian push helps break inertia, expand perspectives, and encourage taking risks, even if those risks need refinement over time.
The primary challenge with Jupiter in Gemini squaring the New Moon in Pisces is an imbalance between faith and logic, emotional depth and intellectual curiosity. While the Moon and Sun in Pisces long for intuitive, emotional, and transcendent experiences, Jupiter in Gemini disperses energy into multiple ideas, details, and distractions, making it harder to fully ground oneself in a singular emotional truth. There is an urge to know everything, experience everything, and explore every possibility, but this can lead to overextension, lack of focus, or decisions based more on enthusiasm than careful planning.
Ultimately, however, Jupiter’s dominance over the New Moon ensures that this square is more of a challenge of direction than an outright obstacle. The potential for personal growth, expansive thinking, and creative breakthroughs is immense, as long as one can harness the enthusiasm without becoming scattered or overcommitted. This is an aspect that promotes movement, encourages learning, and instils a strong sense of possibility, making this New Moon a time for bold steps forward—so long as they are taken with mindful awareness.
Crucially, this New Moon does not form any significantly difficult aspects, reinforcing its positive yet deeply introspective nature.
The only potential difficulty comes from Saturn, which can present challenges for those with night charts (individuals born after sunset and before sunrise).
- If the Sun is above the Ascendant-Descendant axis, its influence is less restrictive.
- If it is below, those with night charts may find this lunation more intense, serious, or even burdensome.
However, the conjunction to Saturn is relatively loose, meaning that it is not oppressive but rather disciplined and structured.
There is an element of cold, hard reality present—a moment of truth, a necessary decision, or a long-term commitment. However, it is not negative or restrictive in the traditional sense. Instead, it demands responsibility and dedication, ensuring that whatever is undertaken during this time is built to last.
Despite this, Pisces is still a sign of dreams, imagination, and higher ideals. With Neptune closely involved, this lunation carries a strong sense of purpose, calling, and vision.
This Pisces New Moon is not just another lunar event—it is a powerful moment of reflection, withdrawal, and redirection. It signals a pivotal shift towards a more meaningful, spiritually aligned, and purpose-driven path. While there is deep introspection, this lunation also brings optimism, inspiration, and motivation. Whether the focus is spiritual, creative, or humanitarian, there is an unmistakable drive towards something beyond the self.
Commitments made at this time—whether personal, professional, or ideological—will not be superficial. They will require dedication, perseverance, and responsibility, yet they hold the potential to be deeply fulfilling and transformative. This is a New Moon that demands action with purpose—a blending of spiritual vision and worldly commitment.
This new moon will be felt most intensely by Pisces, Gemini, Sagittarius, and Virgo placements, particularly if you have planets and/or important chart points around 9 degrees of these signs (give or take 1-5 degrees).
II. Venus stations retrograde:
On March 1st/2nd, depending on location, Venus stations retrograde at 10° Aries. For those in Europe, this takes place at 1:36 AM CET on March 2nd. The station marks the beginning of a six-week period of review and reassessment, stretching back over themes that have been unfolding since January 27th, when Venus first crossed the degree where it will later station direct (24° Pisces). The shadow period extends beyond the retrograde itself, meaning that what is set in motion now will not fully settle until May 16th, when Venus crosses 10° Aries again.
Venus is no stranger to a reversal of fortune, but in Aries, it does so in exile—a sign where it does not conform to its natural preferences. Venus in Aries signals passion without diplomacy, desire without hesitation, and attraction fuelled by challenge rather than harmony. It does not ask permission. It does not wait for reciprocation. If there is a pursuit of beauty, affection, or indulgence here, it is done with the energy of conquest rather than gentle persuasion. Yet, with Venus halting at 10° Aries, this momentum stumbles. The breakneck speed of desire pauses, forcing reflection: is this truly worth chasing? Or has the chase itself become the prize?
The bound in which Venus stations, ruled by Venus itself (6–11° Aries), carries descriptions from Valens that suggest charm, cleverness, and a radiant nature—qualities that, under normal circumstances, might serve well in matters of diplomacy and allure. Yet, here, these attributes are put under revision. How much of charm is natural, and how much is a performance? Venus in Aries does not negotiate, yet now, it must. The same charisma that attracts must now justify itself. The same confidence that fuels attraction must withstand scrutiny.
As Venus retraces its path, it will re-enter Pisces on March 27th, a stark contrast to its position in Aries. Here, Venus is exalted, suggesting a return to softer, more yielding expressions of love, pleasure, and connection. If Aries is the impassioned chase, Pisces is the dissolution of ego within desire. Aries seizes, Pisces surrenders—not out of defeat, but in recognition that some things cannot be forced.
By the time Venus reaches 24° Pisces, the point where it stations direct on April 12th/13th, it will be within a Mars-ruled bound (19–27° Pisces). Valens describes this bound with imagery of warriors, mystics, and those who plunder only to later restore. If the Aries portion of this retrograde signals impulse without reflection, this phase suggests a reckoning with consequences, wisdom gained through turbulence, and an eventual return to higher aspirations.
It is a poetic shift: from Venus in exile, asserting itself through force and challenge, to Venus exalted, realigning itself with grace, devotion, and a recognition of something greater than personal gratification. It suggests a process where passion is tempered, desire is tested, and what remains at the end is that which withstands the pull of ego, conflict, and selfishness.
From a mundane perspective, Venus in Aries signals contentious diplomacy, aggressive displays of power in relationships between nations, and a lack of willingness to yield in negotiations. When retrograde, it suggests that agreements are revisited, alliances are tested, and terms that once seemed settled may be undone through force rather than persuasion. Expect delays, breakdowns, and public figures making bold yet ultimately unsustainable declarations—particularly in areas where ego plays a greater role than reason.
The shift back into Pisces on March 27th signals a change in tone—if not necessarily in outcome. Where Aries pushes forward with sheer willpower, Pisces allows narratives to be rewritten through subtler means. Manipulation replaces brute force. Emotional appeals take the place of direct confrontation. An enemy does not need to be vanquished if they can be convinced to surrender first.
This applies to international diplomacy, economic negotiations, and cultural debates. What is fought over in March may be rebranded as a moral obligation or spiritual cause by April. This is not to say that all resolutions found during this period will be deceitful, but rather that the tactics used to achieve them will shift from external assertion to internal persuasion.
On a personal level, this retrograde suggests a reassessment of values, relationships, and pursuits of pleasure. Venus in Aries favours conquest, immediate gratification, and desire pursued for the thrill rather than the reward. Venus in Pisces, however, dissolves the self into something greater—whether love, art, or faith. This shift suggests a confrontation with motivations.
- What have you been chasing, and why?
- Has desire been mistaken for fulfilment?
- What happens when passion is no longer enough?
The period between March 1st and April 13th signals a reckoning with what truly holds value. For those entangled in rushed commitments, impulsive decisions, or relationships based on thrill rather than substance, this retrograde period tests whether these bonds can withstand the slowing down of momentum. Some pursuits will crumble under the weight of introspection. Others will reveal depth beyond initial attraction.
This applies not only to personal relationships but to creative endeavours, financial decisions, and personal ambitions. What was once pursued with fervour may now demand a deeper sense of devotion, patience, or sacrifice. By the time Venus stations direct in April, it will be clear whether these pursuits were fleeting passions or enduring commitments.
Venus retrograde is notoriously reflective, and this particular journey—from the fire of Aries to the waters of Pisces—signals a shift from individual desire to something beyond the self. What begins as an assertion of “I want this, and I will have it” gradually transforms into “Is this worth my devotion?”
What was once impulse is tested for endurance. What was once pursued recklessly must now justify its existence. By the time Venus re-enters Aries in May and finally moves into Taurus in June, the illusion of passion will have been separated from the truth of what holds real value.
Until then, expect impulses to stall, desires to be questioned, and pursuits of pleasure to reveal whether they are built on substance or fleeting infatuation. Some will resist the process, unwilling to relinquish what was once so easily grasped. Others will find that what remains after the fire has died down is worth far more than the thrill of the chase.
This Venus retrograde will be most supercharged for Aries, Pisces, Taurus, and Libra placements.
Thank you for reading. Let me know your thoughts about this week’s astrological weather in the comments down below!
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