Happy New Year! 2026 marks a fresh start — symbolically, but in many ways astrologically, too — and it’s all kicking off with the astrology of January. This may be one of the darkest periods of the year here in the Northern hemisphere, but there’s plenty of motivating energy swirling around the cosmos that’ll give your New Year’s intentions a cosmic boost.
It’s Capricorn season for the majority of January, and communication-oriented Mercury zooms into this cardinal earth sign on Jan. 1, kicking off the month with a serious blast of down-to-business discipline. Mercury joins the sun, lover Venus, and go-getter Mars — all of which are already in Capricorn as the month begins — amplifying the ambitious vibe of this Capricorn stellium and setting the perfect energetic tone for buckling down and making good on your New Year’s goals.
While Capricorn energy is pragmatic and grounded, the full moon rising across the zodiac in soft-hearted Cancer on Jan. 3 is all about the heart. Ride the ebb and flow of your emotions. Two weeks later, a new moon in Capricorn comes through to balance out the energy and give everyone’s material goals a power boost. Get ready to manifest your 2026 goals.
Aquarius zodiac energy starts taking over the cosmic scene on Jan. 17, which is when love planet Venus enters this mutable air sign’s realm. Aquarius season starts in earnest two days later, and in the days following, both Mercury and Mars will follow suit, forming an Aquarius stellium and sparking all sorts of unconventional new ideas. One of the most momentous of January’s astrological events comes during the final week of the month, as illusive planet Neptune enters fiery Aries on Jan. 26, changing the spiritual landscape of the collective.
Read on to get even deeper into January 2026’s astrology forecast.
Capricorn Vibes & A Motivating Stellium
Capricorn zodiac energy is at the helm for the first two and a half weeks of January, and this solar season provides the perfect brand of cosmic support for building a tangible foundation for your most practical goals. This cardinal earth sign is responsible and hardworking, encouraging everyone to infuse some discipline and determination into their New Year’s intentions.
The vibes of Capricorn season are especially Capricorn-y this month, as mental planet Mercury immediately joins the sun in this earth sign on Jan. 1, pushing you to think practically and be a bit more business-minded. Romantic Venus and red-hot Mars are in Capricorn for the first half of the month as well, bringing more patience to your pursuits and a more investment-oriented outlook on relationships. Having a cluster of planets together in one sign is known as a stellium in astrology, and this Capricorn stellium is fabulous for kicking off the year with a get-sh*t-done attitude.
Full Moon In Cancer On Jan. 3
The first days of the year bring a powerful and emotionally charged full moon in the watery and sensitive sign of Cancer. Rising on Jan. 3, this lunation brings emotions to a climax, but also helps you assess your current goals through a gentler and softer perspective. Compassion should shape the way you plan your next moves — or at least play a role in it — so let your heart take the wheel for a while instead of only using your head. This full moon is here to light your path and help you energetically realign as the new year begins.
New Moon In Capricorn On Jan. 18
The final full day of Capricorn season delivers a grounding and motivating new beginning, as the moon joins the sun, Mercury, and Mars to form a Capricorn new moon. This lunation carries on with the vibes of the Capricorn stellium and builds upon the energy of the full moon two weeks prior. Whatever goals you’ve settled on for the month, year, or decade ahead, now’s the time to push forward on these matters with a disciplined and down-to-business approach. Anything you put your mind to now can be made real, so long as your vision is practical and your focus is on long-term success.
Big Aquarius Energy & Another Major Stellium
On Jan. 17, love planet Venus leaves the traditional and pragmatic realm of Capricorn. She floats into futuristic and forward-thinking Aquarius, bringing about the first glimmers of the intense Aquarian energy that’ll quickly take over the cosmic scene. Venus in Aquarius inspires everyone to experiment with unconventional ways of conducting relationships and romance, so get outside of your comfort zone and make your own rules in love.
Be brave enough to do what feels authentic.
Two days later, Aquarius season officially arrives, as the sun ingresses into this mutable air sign on Jan. 19. Chit-chatty Mercury joins the Aquarius party the following day, opening everyone’s minds to innovative new ideas. Now’s a time to challenge the status quo and question social norms. However, freak flags will really fly come Jan. 23, as that’s when assertive and adrenaline-fueled Mars starts lighting up this Aquarius stellium with its red-hot energy. Be brave enough to do what feels authentic, even if it means going against the grain or standing out from the crowd.
Over the latter half of January, all of these planets will align with transformational planet Pluto in Aquarius, giving this stellium an intense and obsessive edge. Searching beneath the surface of things is a must, so dive straight into the deep end of whatever you’re feeling or thinking.
Neptune Enters Aries
The first long-term planetary ingress of 2026 comes during the last week of January, and that’s mystical planet Neptune’s shift into the fiery and trailblazing sign of Aries. This illusive blue planet dipped into Aries briefly in 2025 before retrograding back into Pisces, where it’s spent the majority of the past 15 years. But once it hits Aries territory on Jan. 26, it’ll be here for the long haul, transiting through this cardinal fire sign until 2039.
Neptune in Aries is likely to bring a much more headstrong approach to matters of spirituality, inspiring people to take charge of their relationship to the unknown and bravely explore life’s more ethereal and enigmatic elements. Aries is the first sign of the zodiac, so there’s an energy of new beginnings in the collective that’ll help everyone tap deeper into their intuition.
