Astrology

All the Astrological Events Happening In April

Eclipse season, retrogrades, and two powerful new moons.

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A man lifts a woman up in front of the moon. Here are all the astrological events happening in April...
Margaret Flatley/Bustle

Congrats, star babes: We’re officially a quarter of the way through 2022. Springtime is in full swing and there are no retrogrades happening (yet), so life is good. However, the astrology of April 2022 is going to seriously spice things up. It’s serving the first eclipse of the year, some once-in-a-lifetime planetary aspects, and a powerful Pluto retrograde that’ll put an end to our recent backspin-free streak. The astrological events happening in April are coming in hot and fast, making for a jam-packed cosmic calendar.

We’re kicking off the month under the beams of the new moon in Aries. With the fiery spark of Aries season on our side, April is a prime time for new beginnings. The Aries energy boosts our motivation levels and inspires us to conquer our goals — but we’ll still be feeling the dreamy and emotional haze of Pisces thanks to the Pisces stellium that’s taking place throughout this month, too. The special Jupiter-Neptune conjunction on April 12 will be a time of spiritual growth and heightened intuition, and the full moon in Libra a few days later will make things even more romantic. On April 19, Taurus season takes the wheel, bringing us some much-needed grounding ahead of the year’s first eclipse on April 30. Change is happening fast.

In addition to these big cosmic events, all the personal planets will be entering new signs this month, so expect some significant energy shifts. And speaking of ch-ch-changes, Pluto retrograde 2022 kicks off on April 29, marking the first planetary retrograde since February. We’re still in a retrograde-free zone until then, so take advantage of this forward-moving flow before the backspins begin.

Here’s your April 2022 astrology overview. Buckle up!

The Fiery Blaze Of Aries Season

Aries is the zodiac’s cardinal fire sign, and the take-charge energy of Aries season dominates the first few weeks of the month. Aries season inspires us to take action, get in touch with our passions, and fearlessly pursue our goals, so it’s a great time to make power moves and be a little bit bolder. We’ll feel this fire sign’s fury at full blast as we kick off the month, thanks to the new moon in Aries that takes place on April 1 ET/March 31 PT. As the first major lunation of the astrological year, this new moon is charged with the magic of a powerful fresh start. Set some zealous intentions for spring and don’t be afraid to speak your truth.

For the first third of the month, we’ll also have communication planet Mercury in Aries, which amplifies the spicy vibes of the season. Mercury in Aries bring a major motivation boost to mental matters, making us more opinionated, headstrong, and impulsive about speaking our minds. We may also feel more energized when it comes to making plans or pursuing new projects. Use this supercharged transit to take more initiative on things through April 10.

Powerful Pisces Stellium & Rare Jupiter-Neptune Conjunction

We may be feeling the heat of Aries season, but the dreamy and intuitive energy of Pisces is still very much influencing the current astro weather. We’ve got both lucky planet Jupiter and mystical planet Neptune in Pisces — which is super special, considering they are the traditional and modern planetary rulers of this sign. Love planet Venus enters Pisces on April 5, bringing lots of sensitivity and compassion to our love lives and giving us rose-colored glasses in relationships. On April 14, passionate planet Mars also enters Pisces, which might make intimacy feel like a spiritual experience, but also potentially make it more difficult to express our desires directly. At this point, we’ll have four major planets in this water sign’s realm at once, forming what’s known as a stellium in astrology.

The shining moment of this 2022 Pisces stellium comes during the once-in-a-lifetime union of expansive Jupiter and ethereal Neptune in Pisces, known as a Jupiter-Neptune conjunction. These two planets only link in their home sign of Pisces every 150 years or so, so revel in the dreamy and spiritual energy of this cosmic connection and use it to connect with your intuition. Just try not to get lost in its illusive haze.

Spring’s First Full Moon

The sensitive energy of the Pisces stellium is already making us feel like we’re floating in a sea of feelings — and on April 16, the full moon in Libra will bring our emotions to a cosmic crescendo. Traditionally known as the Pink Moon, April’s full moon will shift our focus onto partnerships, interpersonal issues, and clarity in communication. Aries season generally has us prioritizing our own wants and needs, but this diplomatic lunation helps us find harmony through our connections and better consider the needs of others. It’s a time to work on bringing balance to our lives and strengthening our commitments to the people and situations we care about.

Getting Grounded With Taurus Season

After a fast-paced and fire-powered trip through Aries season, we can look forward to some down-to-earth Taurus zodiac energy coming our way that’ll help us find some stability. Mental planet Mercury enters Taurus on April 10, making us more pragmatic about our plans and giving us a taste of the Taurus season magic that’s yet to come. Once the sun enters this cardinal earth sign’s territory on April 19, Taurus season will officially begin, and we’ll be able to settle down and get real about the plans we made during Aries season. This solar shift helps us to take things slowly, ground ourselves, and get focused on working toward our goals in a realistic manner. Taurus season is sensual and stable, so take your time and allow yourself to enjoy the pleasures of the present moment.

Retrograde Season Begins

The tail end of the month brings the start of retrograde season 2022, which kicks off with Pluto retrograde on April 29. When transformational Pluto takes a backspin, as it will from now through October 8, expect to deep dive into some serious self-reflection and review the power dynamics in your life — both personally and within the collective. However, there’s no need for any retrograde-related stress. Pluto moonwalks for about five months every year, so its effects are more subtle and less overtly disruptive than, ahem, some retrogrades.

Mercury will officially enter its pre-retrograde shadow period this month, which foreshadows the retrograde that’s coming up in May (womp, womp). However, Mercury enters its home sign of Gemini on April 29, which brings us stronger communication skills and masterful multi-tasking abilities. Take advantage of this opportunity to tie up loose ends and have clear conversations before May’s retrograde swoops in and muddies our mental waters.

The Year’s First Eclipse Is Here

Welcome to eclipse season, folks! April is bookended by two powerful new moons, the latter of which is a solar eclipse in Taurus on April 30. Eclipses are known for bringing fast-paced shifts and sudden twists of fate, so this lunation could totally change the things we value and want to work toward. Thankfully, Taurus’ grounding energy can help us stay calm through the chaos. While eclipses aren’t the best time for manifestations, you may find that the universe ends up bestowing you with all sorts of surprise gifts and sudden opportunities that you couldn’t have even dreamed of. Sit back and see what kind of eclipse magic unfolds for you.

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