Shifting Tides & Strategic Moves: Mercury Rises, Saturn Disappears, & Mars Staggers Forward! Collective Horoscope (Feb 17th-23rd)

Dear NightFall Astrology readers,

This week signals a shift—one that’s subtle yet undeniable. The atmosphere is thick with transition as if the celestial stagehands are rearranging the set behind closed curtains. Words slip between logic and sentiment, action hesitates before finding its footing, and the structures we rely on seem to momentarily fade into the background. It’s a week that suggests patience rather than resolution, adaptation rather than certainty.

Whether you find yourself navigating the fog of indecision or strategising behind the scenes, trust that movement is happening—even if it’s not immediately visible. Now, let’s delve into the details of what the stars have in store for you!

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I. Mercury’s Evening Rise, Sun in Pisces, and the Alignments with Jupiter & Mars:

As the Sun enters Pisces on February 18th, the final stretch of winter is underway. The Sun in a mutable water sign signals a period of transition, not just in season but in focus. This is the liminal space between the cold rigidity of Aquarius and the raw momentum of Aries. The dreamlike quality of Pisces is often mistaken for aimlessness, but there is a method to this drift—it is the quiet before renewal, the dissolution before reform. The Sun will remain here until March 20th, when it crosses into Aries, the sign of its exaltation, marking the vernal equinox and the undeniable start of action.

February 19th marks an interesting shift: Mercury, having spent time in the underworld, emerges as an evening star at 8 degrees of Pisces. In symbolic terms, this moment corresponds to the birth of Hermes, the swift messenger of the gods, though here he returns in a sign where his usual precision is notably diminished. Pisces is Mercury’s sign of fall, where clarity often dissolves into ambiguity, and linear thinking gives way to poetic reasoning, not always to great effect. Yet, it emerges within the bounds ruled by Venus (0-11 degrees of Pisces), which ancient astrologer Valens described as “cheery, fecund, downward-trending, luxurious, living graciously, with a friendly greeting, celebrating, loving, making progress without effort, dear to the gods.” There is something fitting about Mercury’s reappearance in this section of the zodiac—communication that meanders, yet is welcomed; logic that may be weak, but sentiment that is strong.

Mercury’s new role as an evening star lasts until March 13th, which means its Piscean tendencies will remain visible—both literally in the sky and figuratively in daily life. Expect rhetoric to become more fluid, narratives to bend in ways that are less about precision and more about emotional appeal. This is not a period for airtight arguments; rather, it favours storytelling, diplomacy through suggestion, and agreements formed more on sentiment than on rigid terms.

Between February 19th and 22nd (with peak tension on the 20th), Mercury squares Jupiter in Gemini. Normally, a square between these two would signal friction between expansion and communication, between the breadth of ideas and their execution. However, this square comes with some unique conditions: Mercury and Jupiter are in mutual reception, each in the other’s sign of rulership, and Jupiter is in the superior position, overcoming Mercury from an earlier sign. This suggests that while miscommunication or exaggeration is likely, there is also an inherent correction mechanism at play. Ideas may be grand, but they will have a way of sorting themselves out. The usual pitfalls of Mercury in Pisces—vagueness, overpromising, selective memory—may be tempered by Jupiter in Gemini’s intellectual agility. This is a square that signals excessive verbosity, enthusiastic but unfocused debates, and statements that might be generous in intention but lacking in coherence.

For those prone to believing their own narratives a little too much, this transit signals an opportunity for reality checks, though how well those checks are received is another matter. Mutual reception between the two planets suggests that even if one stumbles into confusion, there remains an avenue for course correction. Legal matters, educational discussions, and travel-related decisions may all be entangled in this period’s dynamic, with enthusiasm outweighing practicality.

From February 22nd to 25th (exact on the 23rd), Mercury in Pisces forms a trine with Mars in Cancer, which is both stationary direct and then beginning to move forward. Mars stationing direct is an important moment—it signals that whatever had been sluggish, obstructed, or caught in cycles of delay is now on the verge of movement. With Mercury lending a hand through a trine, this suggests that the tendency for passive or indirect communication may start to align with decisive (if somewhat emotionally driven) action.

Mercury in Pisces is not a natural strategist, but with Mars regaining its footing, there is an indication that instinct and feeling take precedence over rigid logic. The trine suggests ease—words and actions align in a way that is fluid, even if not conventionally rational. Mars in Cancer is not known for its aggression, but it is tenacious. Sentiments expressed now may carry weight, even if they are delivered in an indirect or non-linear way. Given that Mars is just waking up from its long period of retrograde motion, the energy may feel sluggish at first, but movement is movement nonetheless.

For those hoping for progress—especially in matters that have felt stagnant—this period suggests an opening, though one that is driven more by intuition than by structured planning. Miscommunication remains a possibility, especially given Mercury’s placement, but there is a strong indication that actions will eventually align with underlying intent. The risk, however, is that words take on a defensive tone, particularly with Mars in a sign that is protective and prone to emotional undercurrents.

Taken as a whole, this period signals a time of gradual movement and shifting perspectives. The Sun’s passage through Pisces signals the closing of one cycle before the start of another. Mercury’s evening star phase and interactions with Jupiter and Mars suggest that while clarity may be scarce, the mechanisms for adjustment are present. This is a time where messages may be murky, but they are not without purpose. The challenge, as always with Mercury in Pisces, is to balance feeling with fact, intuition with reason, and poetic vision with practical reality. If that proves too difficult, then at the very least, one might hope for eloquence in confusion.

II. Saturn becomes invisible & Mars stations direct:

Saturn, the celestial marker of discipline, endurance, and limitation, becomes invisible at 19 degrees of Pisces on February 18th, vanishing from the naked eye’s perception. When Saturn disappears, its visibility—both literal and figurative—shifts, suggesting a period where structure, governance, and authority operate behind the scenes rather than in plain sight. With this degree situated in the bounds of Mars, the themes associated with this retreat include strategic manoeuvring, an undercurrent of conflict, and the quiet determination of those who endure hardship without an audience.

Valens’ description of this bound speaks of bold guides, mystic knowledge, and a mix of plundering and restoration. This suggests that while some institutions and individuals step back from public scrutiny, they are not necessarily inactive. There is a sense of quiet repositioning, where what appears to be lost or dismantled may later resurface in another form. Those accustomed to seeking clarity from external authorities may find this period particularly frustrating—Saturn, after all, is not known for immediate gratification. Answers that were once readily available may seem elusive, requiring a more patient and strategic approach to long-term planning.

The timing of Saturn’s return to visibility on April 30th, again within the bounds of Mars, hints that the themes set in motion now will not be neatly resolved in the coming weeks. Instead, they simmer, with tension building beneath the surface until Saturn re-emerges with greater definition. Until then, some matters must be handled in the shadows—perhaps not with deception, but certainly with discretion.

If Saturn’s retreat suggests patience, Mars’ station direct at 17 degrees of Cancer, on February 23rd/24th (depending on your time zone) hints at the moment when hesitation gives way to action. Mars, however, is in its fall in Cancer, meaning it operates in an environment that is neither comfortable nor particularly effective at maintaining a straightforward course. A soldier forced to navigate a labyrinth rather than an open battlefield comes to mind—progress is possible, but not without setbacks, emotional entanglements, and the occasional need to double back.

The bound in which Mars stations direct belongs to Mercury, according to Valens, and signals themes of precision, leadership in public matters, and financial dealings. These descriptions suggest a moment when strategy becomes essential. One cannot charge ahead without a plan, nor can one afford to act impulsively without considering the long-term consequences. Mars in this degree signals figures stepping back into leadership roles, decisions that affect public finances and taxation, and the return of issues that require careful negotiation rather than brute force.

However, the shadow period remains in place until May 4th, meaning that while movement resumes, the full resolution of whatever Mars retraced during its retrograde will take time. From 17 degrees of Cancer to 6 degrees of Leo, the road forward still carries echoes of December’s unresolved tensions. Anyone expecting an immediate shift in momentum may find themselves sorely disappointed—Mars in Cancer is many things, but swift and decisive action without complication is not one of them.

Adding to the complexity, Mars will remain in Leo until June 17th, suggesting that matters stirred during its retrograde will continue to evolve well into mid-year. The forward motion of Mars does not erase what has already transpired; rather, it signals the necessity of dealing with what remains unfinished. There is no wiping the slate clean, only the obligation to address what lingers.

Thank you for reading. Let me know your thoughts about this week’s astrological weather in the comments down below!

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Your Astrologer – Theodora NightFall ~

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