Previously we looked at the opening Jupiter-Saturn square — first quarter Jupiter — which portends the beginning of the second half of this decade. The second half of a decade is different than the first half, and in this case it will be strongly different. One of the reasons for this is an important aspect happening — or almost happening — a month after the third Jupiter-Saturn square which was discussed previously. It will happen exactly about seven months later. This aspect is a Saturn-Neptune conjunction at the Aries point. (Full disclosure: I have minor aspects between both Saturn and Neptune with the Ascendant and an aspect between Saturn and Neptune.)

The key phrase I use for Saturn and Neptune is “It seemed like a good idea at the time”. As one might guess with the two planets involved, the outlook is not especially upbeat. Saturn is called the “Greater Malefic” and we’ve discussed Neptune before; we’re seeing a lot of Neptune this decade — in the mundane sphere it seems to rule propaganda and deception. While a positive spin on these two planets would be “practical spiritual action” but we are talking about the world here so I don’t expect miracles and the seeing through of myths. But perhaps that is not entirely impossible. One possible positive manifestation would be the seeing through of the incredible propaganda that has saturated the world, especially in the last 10 years. Another possible manifestation, to be very optimistic, is that there will be a “spiritual” realization that we have to consciously change our ways of existing for the first time in history to save our collective butts. That’s a lot more difficult than simply stopping carbon emissions.

Conjunction of 1989

Lets look at previous conjunctions of these two planets which take place about every thirty six years. The most famous one was the previous conjunction in 1989. This saw the fall of the Berlin Wall (shortly after the second conjunction in a series of three) and in the next two years the fall of the Soviet Union and all the Soviet connected Eastern European countries. The Soviet Union broke into several countries, such as Russia and Ukraine. This was also the turn of the decade with a Jupiter Saturn. There were also the Tiananmen Square protests of April May 1989 and he Soviet Union withdrawal from Afghanistan in May 1988 through February 1989 after Geneva Accords signed April 14, 1988. Much happened under this Saturn Neptune conjunction.

But this dissolution of the Soviet block also caused many changes in the Western block. Since 1945 and the start of the Cold War, this conflict with the Soviet Union had served as sort of a raison d’etre for the West. While the West and especially the United States could believe that they had “won” the Cold War after this conjunction and so take victory laps (cf The End of History by Francis Fukuyama) there was also a lost to the West because one of their prime motivator and unifiers — fighting the good cold war fight — was no longer around — see again Francis Fukuyama. It was as if an employee who hates his boss with passion the question becomes what does he do when his boss dies.

Conjunction of 1953

The previous conjunction was in 1953. That year saw the death of Stalin (who had ruled the Soviet Union for one Saturn cycle) and the consequential exposure of Stalin’s crimes. In the Soviet Union Stalin was once considered a great leader by many people, and to this day some older Russians still honor him, but by his death many leaders considered him horrid and Khrushchev, the Soviet leader who followed Stalin’s death, made a famous speech to the Soviet Politburo denouncing Stalin’s crimes. This year also saw the end of the Korean War with an armistice but actually the war has never really been ended in the way most wars end. Joseph McCarthy, who had held the US government under his sway, was losing power and his final downfall would come the next year (Have you no sense of decency, sir?…) and his death by alcoholism followed three years after that. McCarthy seemed like a good idea at the time — the early fifties — but his communists-in-government shtick was getting a little long in the tooth by 1954.

In his last book, Planetary Cycles Mundane Astrology famous French astrologer Andre Barbault gives even more detail on aspects of Saturn and Neptune and the history of the Soviet Union than is considered here.

Conjunction of 1917

The conjunction before that was in 1917 which saw the beginning of the Soviet Revolution that overthrew the czar who ruled Russia. This revolution was partly as a result to Russian losses in World War I. In this case the idea no longer thought of as good was the Russian ruler ship by the czar. The end of World War I, which happened the next year, was followed shortly thereafter by the breakup of four empires: Russian, German, Astro-Hungarian, and Ottoman; the breakup of the latter lead to many new nations including what became Israel. The year 1917 also saw the entrance of the United States into the battles of World War I after a far reaching propaganda campaign. This entrance followed a jingoistic movement in the US, partly brought about by only the second Democratic president since Lincoln. Suggested reading: American Midnight by Adam Hochschild.

Saturn-Neptune close

In July of 2025 both planets come within a quarter degree of an exact conjunction at about 2 degrees Aries and then both go retrograde thus avoiding the exact conjunction. This occurs one month after the final Jupiter square Saturn. At this time not only is Jupiter square Saturn but also Jupiter is square Neptune. This is certainly a good start to the second half of the 2020’s, but one that promises a turn about to what has gone before.

Saturn-Neptune Exact

In February of 2026 there is the only exact conjunction at 45 minutes of Aries. Since the Aries point represents the World, this Saturn Neptune conjunction will effect and be felt by the whole world. Perhaps the “once what was thought a good idea” was having a giant 500 year long party. But it is important to realize how important this is — a conjunction of Saturn, Neptune, and the Aries Point. This is one to remember.

Saturn-Neptune Conjunction in Graphical Ephemeris

The graphical ephemeris (above) shows the first occasion where the two planets are almost conjunct but not quite since they both go retrograde at about the same time, which normally happens when the two outer planets are conjunct and go retrograde at the same time. In the same graphical ephemeris we see the only exact conjunct at the same time in early 2026.

These Saturn-Neptune conjunction of 2025 and 2026 occur at the first degree of Aries so, considering the nature of the Aries point as ruling the whole world (consider that actress Shirley Temple had Moon at zero Cancer, square the Aries point, and she was considered “America’s sweetheart” and almost everyone loved her during the dark days of the Great Depression) that the effects of this conjunction of the two planets should effect and be felt by the whole world.

Close-up of the Near Miss Conjunction

This image above is a magnified part of the close encounter of Saturn and Neptune in July of 2025. You can see how close this is to the Aries point — dark black horizontal line — and the MC of the United States — dashed grey line.

Close -up of Saturn-Neptune Conjunction

This magnification of the only Saturn Neptune conjunction in early 2026 shows that it occurs half-way between the Aries point and the Midheaven of the United States.

As has been indicated the triple conjunction of Saturn, Neptune, and the Cardinal Axis should have repercussions around the world. The previous conjunction saw the fall of the Soviet Union, changing the future development of both the United States and Russia. But this conjunction takes place at the Cardial Axis so the world should feel the change.

But that’s not all for those who live in or are affected by the United States, which means the whole world. The Midheaven of the United States is 1 degree Libra (and of course the IC is at 1 Aries) and so this conjunction is right on the US MC/IC axis and actually closer to that than to the cardinal axis. So we should expect that the effects of the Pluto Return of the United States — discussed previously — should be magnified/modified in ways that can’t be predicted. Perhaps a new political party will be formed when people realize that the Uniparty — a name that is becoming more and more common — that rules in Washington does not serve the interests of people but serves the interests of the corporations quite well. Perhaps we will see the breakup of the United states into several smaller counties so that the US will be like EU. Suggested reading American Nations by Colin Woodard and the Nine Nations of North America by Joel Garreau.

In the magnification you can see how the conjunction is between the Aries point and the US MC — and that both are close which is also an indication why the US has been so successful at controlling the world. The Aries point and the US Midheaven are only one degree apart and that conjunction is at 45 minutes of Aries so it is very tight in both cases, and even tighter to the midpoint of the Cardinal Axis and the US Midheaven. Fireworks of some type are promised, but with Neptune involved it will look like a damp squib.