Autumn Equinox 2020 arrives on September 22 at 9:31a EDT, 6:31a PDT and 13:31 UTC

It is Spring Equinox for those in the Southern Hemisphere which is on September 22 at 11:31p AEDT

EarthSky has All you need to know about the Equinox and Mental Floss has Traditions associated with the Equinoxes (Article is from 2014 but info is good background)  China and Vietnam celebrate the Moon Festival which is on the full moon nearest to the equinox, and in the Pagan tradition this Equinox is called Mabon.

The September Equinox marks the beginning of this new season and the chart for the Equinox indicates astrological trends for the season. Here is the Equinox chart cast for Washington, DC.

This equinox marks the moment the Sun enters Libra each year and this year Venus, ruler of Libra, shines brightly in fire sign Leo – a regal queen at the top of the chart. (Note this is for the DC chart, in other parts of the world Venus will be in different house placements.) The Moon, which represents the public mood, is in fire sign Sagittarius vibrating nicely to Venus and to Chiron in Aries too. Messenger Mercury is well balanced in airy Libra and makes a perfect trine to the karmic North Node in Gemini. Jupiter, Pluto and Saturn remain congregated in Capricorn. Jupiter just turned direct  (on 9/12) while Pluto and Saturn are still retrograde. Mars, retro now in fierce Aries, forms a tense square to these important planets and an opposition to Mercury who in turn squares Saturn and Pluto. The outer planets of Uranus and Neptune are still retrograde (which adds up to 5 major planets moving backward as the season begins). Uranus in Taurus makes a loose square to Venus. Inconjuncts or quincunx are a major feature in the Equinox chart.  Neptune in Pisces has no major aspects to any planet, but does form an itchy quinqunx to Venus, so does Jupiter in Capricorn, and the Moon inconjuncts Uranus.

Major news here in the US lines up with these dynamic Equinox factors. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died on 9/18 right before the Equinox and on the eve of Rosh Hashana which in the Jewish tradition indicates a person of great righteousness.

Ginsburg  (RBG) was the second woman to be appointed to the Supreme Court where she sat for 27 years. RBG was loved and admired by all for her fierce spirit, even with several bouts of cancer she valiantly sat on the court through it all.  She is an inspiration especially to young women and girls who look up to her as a role model. Her wisdom and wry sense of humor will be sorely missed.

In the Equinox chart RBG can be seen as Venus in Leo and when you understand that a quincunx (weird word fitting a convoluted aspect) indicates the planets involved don’t understand each other (basically live in different realities entirely!) it is easy to see how this is manifesting. The divisive politics between Republicans and Democrats is bad enough and worse now leading up to the US election on 11/3, and with Ginsburg’s death leaving a vacancy on the Supreme Court the polarization has ratcheted up to another level.

It was reported that RBG’s last words were, “My most fervent wish is that I will not be replaced until a new president is installed.” The Democrats say honor Ginsburg’s dying wish to wait until after the election (only 43 days away) to appoint a new Justice, while the Republicans are saying full steam ahead – appoint one immediately! As many point out, a very hypocritical position since the Republicans fought and won against Obama appointing a new Justice 9 months before the election as this article Battle lines drawn on precedent in Supreme Court fight points out. Which reminds me of a quote by another significant wit, “P oliticians and diapers must be changed often and for the same reason.” ~ Mark Twain.

Two of inconjuncts in the Equinox chart involve Venus. Jupiter in Capricorn on the downside represents the fear based need of status quo power moguls (and your own inner control freak too) to expand harsh control, as the old structures are crumbling around them. Neptune ideally tunes into higher, refined vibrations but also represents delusion and confusion. The inconjunct with Neptune in Pisces represents confusion which leads to public willingness to turn over power to a stronger person who makes the choices for them. Jupiter is moving forward again in the Equinox chart, therefor more potent, while Neptune is still off in retrograde land, so his influence is weaker. Neptune turns direct on 11/28, after the US election, so time will tell if the public finally wakes up from their delusionary  dreams. Interesting to note that RBG has both Sun and Venus in Pisces, both near the degree where Neptune is now. See her chart at Astrothem e. To get an idea about Neptune, here is a fun and witty article by astrologer Matthew Currie, Neptune In Pisces And “Fake News”: Fact Check Yourself Before You Wreck Yourself

Mars in Aries is both motivational and formidable and even while retrograde shows up as a major player in the Equinox chart. On the Equinox Mars forms a tense 90 degree angle to Saturn and Pluto and pushes his testy self on Jupiter too. This challenging aspect repeats the same squares active since August – the major explosion in Beirut on 8/4 happened when Mars tightly squared Jupiter. At the same time Mercury in Libra is opposite Mars retro and also squares Saturn and Pluto forming a wobbly T-square.

Libra is the sign of fair play and equality for all whose symbol is the Balanced Scales of Justice. Mercury in Libra is ethical and high minded while Mars in Aries says, “Self First!” damn the consequences. Oppositions are not negative, they play off against each other and ideally come to a balance combination. However when a T-Square is involved it stresses things and is more challenging to resolve.  This again highlights the difficulty to find resolution between the entrenched polarization of our current time. Not just in politics but in the divided responses to covid restrictions, environmental concerns and the current  BLM protests and other uprisings throughout the world. Is a resolution possible soon? It looks difficult given the Equinox dynamics.

One last Equinox aspect to look at is another quincunx, this one is very tight from the Moon in Sagittarius to Uranus retro in Taurus. Moon indicates public emotions while Uranus is like a huge cell tower tuning into revolutionary change. The Moon in galloping centaur Sagittarius, indicates that people are in a rowdy mood, up for anything!  Taurus is a conservative sign, slow to embrace change, but when Uranus is in Taurus  (once every 84 year) he says, change is here, ready or not! Taurus rules nature and planet Earth and Uranus in Taurus was a big trigger for the pandemic. Uranus is retro (until 1/14/21) and his revolutionary power is more restrained now, so the Sagittarius Moon can trample right over Uranus’ green Taurus meadows without a thought. Like more rage parties in park lands over the Fall if covid restrictions continue, which considering the other aspects it looks like these constraints will maintain through the season.

At the personal level , the Equinox energies if not outright challenging, (unless you have a lot of Capricorn and Aries in your birth chart, if this is you get a reading already!) are certainly an itchy fit, like those annoying face masks we’re tired of wearing. When you feel frustrated and stuck in place look to Venus in Leo, the most creative sign going! She says don’t focus on the whacked up outer world, instead concentrate on making your own personal world more creative and joyful. Inspire yourself and the ones you share space and time with to have more fun and to be joyful. Communicator Mercury in Libra also encourages you to be more creative and to find beauty wherever you can to balance out the media noise and helps you remember to let go of judgement and have more empathy for your fellow humans. Do tap into the optimism of the Sagittarius Moon and find inspiring places to (respectfully!) roam and enjoy, and amidst Autumn beauty all of this is easier to do! Here is a quote to inspire you from Thich Nhat Hanh, born with Sun in Libra, The present moment is filled with joy and happiness. If you are attentive, you will see it. ~ Thich Nhat Hanh

And for more uplifting inspiration here is the latest painting from my sister Heni Sandoval painted for this year’s International Day of Peace on September 21st, called Soaring Dove of Peace.

May you and yours have an uplifting Autumn season filled with beauty and peace!