Happy October, star babes! ‘Tis the season of autumn-maxxing and spooky season vibes — and with both Venus and Mercury retrogrades kicking off, you can bet there are some cosmic tricks coming right alongside the Halloween treats. Thankfully the harmony-loving energy of Libra season is carrying us along through most of the way, so you’ll want a heads up on the major October 2026 astrological events.
As always, the first few weeks of October comprise the bulk of Libra season, and this air sign’s social and diplomatic energy can help you lean into fall’s fun festivities as well as the pumpkin-spicy vibes of its seasonal accoutrements. However, the month also begins with Libra’s ruling planet Venus stationing retrograde on Oct. 3. As the planet that rules relationships, and romance, Venus’ retrograde is set to take everyone on a deep-dive review of their love lives and desires.
The moon joins the sun in Libra on Oct. 10, heralding this month’s new moon. This lunation will help you turn over a new leaf within an important partnership, clarify a meaningful commitment, or show you a harmonious path toward something new. This is a great moon for manifestation, especially given the auspicious and motivating alignments that’ll unfold between the planets throughout the days following. Pluto retrograde also comes to an end this week, on Oct. 15, wrapping up a subtle but deep period of internal processing.
Take things slow for this last stretch of the month.
Halloween vibes really start shining once Scorpio season begins on Oct. 23. The cosmic scorpion is intensely emotional, psychically perceptive, and deeply secretive — and it’s not afraid to use its poisonous stinger. As the sun plunges into Scorpio’s deep and mysterious waters, it’ll cross paths with Venus retrograde, forming a Venus cazimi and breakthrough moment in this backspin. And if you’re not prepared, the Mercury retrograde that starts in Scorpio on Oct. 24 could feel like an early Halloween jump-scare. Whenever the planet of communication and timing reverses course, logistical matters are more prone to mix-ups and breakdowns, so take things slow for this last stretch of the month — as it’ll be difficult to build up momentum toward anything new until mid-November.
The following night, at 9:12 p.m. PT on Oct. 25 (or just after midnight on Oct. 26 for anyone in eastern time), this month’s full Hunter’s Moon rises in the steady and reliable sign of Taurus. It’s making some tough aspects, as the moon will be facing off with Venus retrograde and squabbling with power-hungry Pluto. However, it’ll help you take aim toward whatever is bringing you the most stability.
Read on for your full October 2026 astrological forecast.
Get Real With Venus Retrograde
Get ready to explore all the messy inner-workings of your relationships, desires, and values, as Venus retrograde starts on Oct. 3 and lasts until Nov. 13. Venus is the governing planet of love, romance, beauty, connection, and more — and every year and half, it embarks on a slow backward journey through the zodiac.
Venus spends the first half of this retrograde in raw and emotional Scorpio, where you might dig up some uncomfortable truths, fears, or feelings that have been silently shaping the things you attract and the way you relate to others. The Scorpio portion of the retrograde culminates in a Venus cazimi on Oct. 23, during which Venus and the sun will meet at the super-charged first degree of this water sign. This is the halfway point of the backspin and is a good time to fully face the shadow side of your love life.
On Oct. 25, Venus crosses back over into Libra territory — one of this planet’s home-base zodiac signs — and this transition puts a major emphasis on the dynamics within your partnerships. You’ll likely feel a strong desire for justice and harmony, meaning anything imbalanced or unfair will need to be addressed.
A Restorative New Moon In Libra
One of Libra season’s peak moments is the new moon on Oct. 10, which brings the sun and moon together in this cardinal air sign. October’s new moon is a great time to manifest more beauty, partnership, and balance into your life. This lunation is being supported by lucky planet Jupiter, which charges your intentions with good fortune and great potential for growth.
This positive solar connection to Jupiter lasts through the whole week following, and another auspicious alignment between motivating Mars and responsible Saturn can help you commit to and make headway on your long-term goals. In other words, use this new moon as an opportunity to plant new seeds for the harvest.
Pluto Retrograde Comes To An End
Transformation-seeking Pluto has been backspinning since May, but Pluto retrograde 2026 finally comes to an end on Oct. 15. This five-month-long moonwalk took place in unconventional Aquarius, exposing the underbelly of some of the innovations and envelope-pushing changes that are reshaping the current timeline. On a personal level, you may become more aware of some of the slow-burning subterranean transformations that have been brewing within you. There’s a rebel inside of you, and it’s in the process of taking on a new form.
Go Deep With Scorpio Season
Farewell, Libra season! The sun plunges into Scorpio’s dark and stormy waters on Oct. 23, meaning Scorpio season has arrived. Scorpio does everything with intensity, precision, and lots of feeling. Emotions run deep during this solar season, and you may feel drawn toward the shadows, where the most mysterious truths hide.
Steady yourself.
The Venus cazimi that takes place on the first day of Scorpio season allows you to explore the vulnerable side of pleasure, relationships, and desire as the season begins. A few days later, on Oct. 26, the sun will square off with Pluto — Scorpio’s modern planetary ruler — prompting even more under-the-surface investigation. It’s time to face the skeletons in your closet.
Jump Scare: Mercury Retrograde Is Back
The spookiest of spooky season’s astrological events might very well be the Mercury retrograde in Scorpio that starts on Oct. 24. This much-maligned transit pulls the planet of logistics and communication into a course-reversal, which can notoriously cause schedules and social dynamics to go haywire. Mercury will be backspinning until Nov. 13, meaning it overlaps with the whole second half of Venus retrograde, too.
Because this Mercury retrograde is taking place in Scorpio — just like the first half of Venus retrograde does — you may find that you’re exploring a lot of the same themes that have already come up this month, except through a more analytical and objective lens. By reassessing and reviewing your current endeavors instead of trying to initiate new ones, you can likely find helpful solutions that’ll allow you move forward with more trust, clarity, and honesty once the retrograde ends.
A Revealing Full Moon In October
Scorpio season strips everything down to its most raw and honest form, but October’s full moon takes place across the zodiac in Taurus — an embodied earth sign that’s all about creating the stability necessary to hold all your vulnerable feelings. Rising on Oct. 25 PT / Oct. 26 ET, this lunation asks you to keep both feet on the ground as you explore the depths of this month’s scorpion retrogrades. Find tangible ways to steady yourself as you process whatever revelations have come to the surface. This lunation is also known as the annual Hunter’s Moon, so it’s a time to take control of your narrative and actively seek out the things that’ll sustain you instead of drain you.
Halloween Vibes & The Witches’ New Year
The astrology of Halloween may feel interpersonally intense, as Mercury retrograde will be squabbling with hot-headed Mars, while the moon will activate a touchy T-square with Venus retrograde and wounded-healer Chiron. Pace yourself, even if you have the urge to take action on something — as you could stumble into some serious Mercury retrograde mayhem by rushing or moving recklessly now. If Halloween plans get a little jumbled, do your best not to lose your temper and make sure you’re putting yourself in other people’s shoes when navigating social dynamics. Everyone’s a little extra emotional now.
You could stumble into some serious Mercury retrograde mayhem.
However, introspective work is helpful now, as the pagan holiday of Samhain begins on the night of Oct. 31. This is one of the potent cross-quarter days in the Celtic calendar, and is also known as the”Witches’ New Year” — as it’s believed that the "veil" between the world of the living and those who have passed on is thinned during this time, facilitating more communication with spirits and other realms. While earthly social situations may be tense today, you may want to try your luck at tapping into the more mystical side of Halloween this year.
