In the northern hemisphere, the days start shorten toward the December solstice after the Autumn Equinox comes around September 22, bringing with it plenty of change in your 2026 fall horoscope.

Saturn and Jupiter are the two most powerful planets beyond the personal sphere, and when both are under hard aspect at an ingress, history tends to bear out a particular kind of disruption for those in positions of institutional authority – the landed, the powerful, often those who mistake their present station for something unchangeable or inevitable. The Sun and Moon together describe both centralized leadership and the public at large. With the Sun opposing Saturn and the Moon opposing Jupiter, we’re looking at a season in which leaders run into serious resistance (Saturn), and the public finds reason – and appetite – to hold con artists (Jupiter) to account. Direct challenges to the legitimacy of institutions are very much described here.

There’s a meteorological dimension too. Ancient mundane astrologers associated Saturn in the southern degrees of Aries with intensified rainfall, and Jupiter as an eastern star with the same. Both conditions are present at this equinox.

El Niño, Heat, and Wet Conditions

NOAA is already forecasting a significant El Niño pattern for the coming months, with potential for a strong or super event, historically most felt in late autumn and early spring. The astrology agrees. Mars, Jupiter, and the South Node converge in mid-Leo this November, a configuration that points toward heat and wet conditions, possibly extreme. Expect warmer-than-average temperatures this fall, wetter conditions, and elevated flood risk particularly across historically prone regions like the southern United States.

NOAA isn’t sure when to expect things to get more intense, but I think astrology suggests from mid-November onward.

One counterintuitive note: Atlantic hurricane activity may decrease this season, since El Niño conditions tend to disrupt the sustained wind direction that storm formation requires.

A Season of Reckoning

On a more personalized level, these two aspects tend to arrive as a kind of reckoning – situations that demand some maturation. That might mean accountability, discipline, or a harder look at how you’ve been managing your commitments or your faith in something. The Sun-Saturn opposition is a harder hit, all things considered, than the Moon-Jupiter opposition. Thus, cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn) feel the pressure most directly this season – Aries and Libra especially. Leo and Aquarius will find themselves interrupted by the Moon and Jupiter, but Jupiter’s nature means there’s an upside more readily available to those who pay attention rather than resist.

Mercury and Mars Draw Sharp Edges

This square is typically thorny: communication problems, mental restlessness, a tendency toward argument and impulsive reaction are all normal. People feel impatient, eager to prove a point, not always sure which point that is under such transits. In such conditions we tend to overreact to information overload while inflicting it ourselves upon others, and think to dig in when we should be listening. Slow down. Consider multiple angles before firing off.

The square becomes exact just as both planets change signs – Mars moves into Leo, Mercury into Scorpio. It’s still a square, but Mars has a special relationship with Scorpio (it’s one of the signs it rules), which means Mars cooperates with Mercury more readily than the buildup would suggest and the end of things isn’t so intolerable after all.

Coming into the season, Mars is 27° Cancer, conjunct the fixed star Procyon, which comes from the Greek meaning “The Preceding Dog,” or more precisely, “Before Sirius.” Procyon is the brightest star in the smaller of the two dog constellations, Canis Minor, and rises just ahead of Sirius, the great Dog-star and brightest star in Canis Major.

Procyon with Mars tends to bring intense activity, along with a risk of anger, arrogance, and pride. On a mundane level, it raises a warning about those who outfit hunters, or those who hunt things down – that should be a warning to keep an eye on states or institutions cozying up to tech companies because of their surveillance and intelligence-gathering capacity. AI has been the obvious flashpoint here, and I expect that pressure to sharpen as the year closes.

Forty Days with the Devil

Coming into the season, Venus is already at maximum elongation from the Sun (as far from it as she gets) and beginning to slow. It turns retrograde on October 3 and stays that way until November 14, a cycle of roughly forty days.

Forty days appears throughout ancient mythology in contexts of wandering, temptation, withdrawal, and trial. The origin of this 40-day period of trial is the count of days of Venus’s retrograde cycle.

Goddess of love and desire, Venus has long been associated with temptation; one of its Latin names was Lucifer, meaning light-bringer, given its brilliance as the brightest object in the night sky (outside the Moon). In Christian imagery, the devil as tempter carries traces of this older association, as in Christ’s 40 days in the wilderness, where he was tempted three times – toward appetite, power, and the testing of divine protection. Venus retrograde cycles tend to surface these same themes in personal life: a period that asks you to sit with something you would otherwise resolve quickly, to reconsider rather than decide, to resist acting on feelings still in flux.

Old relationships may resurface, sometimes an ex, sometimes just an old question about a current one. What you cherish and desire – in people, in commitments, in work and in friendship and everywhere else these ideas are relevant – comes under review. This is a period better suited to reassessment than to new beginnings.

A Mercury Retrograde (Again) From October to November

Mercury retrograde happens about three times a year, so most people have learned not to panic. That’s reasonable. But familiarity can produce complacency – and while a Mercury retrograde won’t cause catastrophe on its own, it has a reliable talent for taking a minor problem that was going to happen anyway and making it significantly harder to fix quickly. We’ll have Mercury retrograde this season from October 24 to November 13, stationing to its direct motion within hours of Venus.

Expect misunderstandings in communication, delays in travel and logistics, issues with devices and data, revised or scrapped plans, contracts returned with new language, incomplete information causing delays, etc. The most useful orientation is one of review rather than initiation – this isn’t a period to launch things that require clean, precise communication. Double-check what you’re sending before you send it. Back up your data. If something important has been left unclear in a relationship or professional context, this period will likely surface it.

I find it helpful to think about retrograde periods as a time of special focus and attention.

Your Fall 2026 Horoscope

Aries

If you’ve been stubborn about something lately, it’s fair to say that life is going to knock you upside the head a few times this season to shake things loose. It looks like it might even be a romantic partner who needs you to see something differently, or if you have children, it could be a bout of acting out. Don’t let insecurity get the better of you, and watch out for feeding into it. Great indications of good things coming from friends this season.

Discover your perfect menu and cocktail for the zodiac sign Taurus to find out more about your sign.

Taurus

Venus in Scorpio in the 7th house suggests this is one of those times where questions of a romantic nature – often touching on themes of commitment or fidelity – come into view. Might be that something triggers an old hurt, or an old flame enters your life, or some new reality enters your existing relationship – a new person, a new feeling, a new desire. Venus is your ruling planet, so if you remember to assert your needs clearly, you can stay in the driver’s seat here.

Discover your perfect menu and cocktail for the zodiac sign Taurus to find out more about your sign.

Gemini

Great period for personal productivity, especially the type that’s a bit edgy – maybe pushes you a little to your creative limits, gets you a chance to try something quite different without being overly attached to whether it works the way you expect. Also a good time to invest in your immediate environment or in ongoing education, if that’s been on your mind. The stars favor curiosity right now, and the things you start with that spirit are more likely to go somewhere surprising and worthwhile.

Discover your perfect menu and cocktail for the zodiac sign Gemini to find out more about your sign.

Cancer

Be mindful about overspending. This looks like a season where temptation runs a bit high and money you’d later prefer to have saved has a way of moving faster than you planned. There’s also the possibility of an old lover coming back in some way that captures your attention and interest. Best not to indulge, but if you do, the priority should be keeping some distance from old patterns with that person. The feeling and the right decision are probably not the same thing here.

Discover your perfect bar cart, menu, cocktail, and birthday gift guide for the zodiac sign Cancer to find out more about your sign.

Leo

Lots of drive and energy are coming your way, with real inner means to make the most of it. Mars entering your sign brings a certain ferocity that can occasionally risk alienating people – watch for that, especially in close relationships. Be prepared for a possible disruption to your medium-term plans come mid-November, when Mars and Jupiter join the South Node very near your house of finances. That’s a significant configuration, and planning now will go a long way toward softening whatever arrives then.

Discover your perfect bar cart, menu, cocktail, and birthday gift guide for the zodiac sign Leo to find out more about your sign.

Virgo

Of all the signs, the impending square between Mercury and Mars is likely to affect you most. Expect friction in the areas of money, friends, and communication – possibly travel and neighbors too, but the day-to-day things are the most likely targets. The good news is that no matter how aggravating the buildup feels, this square resolves better than its tension suggests it will. Sit with the discomfort a little rather than forcing a quick fix, and the outcome is likely to surprise you.

Discover your perfect bar cart, menu, and cocktail for the zodiac sign Virgo to find out more about your sign.

Libra

Hold off on significant financial decisions right now – Venus is about to turn retrograde in your second house, and that tends to produce a certain spin and confusion you’d rather avoid when money is on the table. The upside is that this promises to be a very social season for you, full of friends and activity. Some overextension on that front is worth watching, but a little of it is harmless. Let the social calendar fill, just not at the expense of your budget.

Discover your perfect bar cart, menu, and cocktail for the zodiac sign Libra to find out more about your sign.

Scorpio

Venus turning retrograde in your sign could easily point to a former lover entering the picture. Worth remembering that this forty-day retrograde cycle is often felt to have been a time of temptation – the invitation is to remain present with what’s in front of you while thinking about what kind of choice you want to be capable of making. If it helps to channel attention elsewhere, this is a strong period for professional development. Good time to build something with your name on it.

Discover your perfect bar cart, menu, and cocktail for the zodiac sign Scorpio to find out more about your sign.

Sagittarius

Start planning a trip. Seriously – this is a good season for you to get out and do something new, ideally with people you don’t see enough: siblings, old friends, or maybe someone who lives in another country you’ve been meaning to visit. Whatever you do, the season looks quite relaxed and enjoyable. Just keep an eye on mid-November, when a conjunction of Mars and the South Node may take you somewhere you’ll later wish you’d paused before committing to. Enjoy now, stay alert then.

Discover your perfect menu and cocktail for the zodiac sign Sagittarius to find out more about your sign.

Capricorn

Some personality clashes at work seem probable this fall – maybe with a supervisor, or someone recently promoted who isn’t bringing their best self. It’s worth thinking about whether some of that might also apply to you. Both the Sun and Saturn are in their signs of fall, approaching opposition, and this configuration often produces a kind of mutual insecurity – two people triggering each other without quite recognizing it. The balance comes from acknowledging what the other person is navigating, and what you are as well.

Discover your perfect menu and cocktail for the zodiac sign Capricorn to find out more about your sign.

Aquarius

You’re about to be busier than you’ve been in a while, and most of what the astrology shows looks pleasant – but these are long-term commitments or things requiring real, sustained attention, which means your plate is going to fill up quickly. The quick and rash decisions of others may disrupt your own carefully laid plans if you allow them to. Know where you’re headed and don’t be pulled sideways by someone else’s urgency. Your clearest path right now is steady, deliberate, and eyes-forward.

Discover your perfect menu and cocktail for the zodiac sign Aquarius to find out more about your sign.

Pisces

I get the sense that this was a very active summer for you, and it’s going to start feeling like time to turn inward sooner rather than later. The Moon and Jupiter placed in your 12th and 6th houses favor retreat, rest, and a quieter kind of attention over the coming weeks. This is a season more for consolidation than expansion. If the summer was expensive, there’s also some good news for your finances – the quieter pace that’s coming will likely help the wallet too.

Discover your perfect menu and cocktail for the zodiac sign Pisces to find out more about your sign.

About the Author

Wade Caves is a Brooklyn-based astrological consultant, educator, and published author who has practiced astrology professionally since 2014. He was certified with honors from the Mayo School of Astrology in London and the School of Traditional Astrology (STA), where he now serves as faculty and as principal of the Astronomy and Mundane Astrology programs.

Wade wrote the quarterly World Reflections column for The Mountain Astrologer and currently serves as editor of In Mundo, Skyscript’s world astrology journal. He is the editor and annotator of the 300th anniversary edition of William Lilly’s History of his Life and Times (Rubedo Press, 2015) and hosts the World Astrology Summit, a conference dedicated to advancing astrological technique for diverse audiences.

A sought-after speaker, Wade has presented at the United Astrology Conference (UAC), the Northwest Astrological Conference (NORWAC), the Astrological Association, and the International Society for Astrological Research (ISAR), among others. He has taught intensive courses across the US, Europe, Australia, and Canada.

Before practicing astrology full-time, Wade held an executive advisory role with a data consulting firm specializing in large-scale infrastructure, bringing an analytical and research-driven approach to his astrological work. He specializes in horary, electional, and classical technique with an emphasis on cross-era literacy – connecting ancient methods to modern practice.

At TABLE Magazine, Wade writes monthly horoscopes, seasonal forecasts, and original lifestyle content that connects astrology to food, cocktails, and entertaining – a unique editorial approach that bridges astrology and the culinary world.

Website: wadecaves.com • skyscript.co.uk/inmundo Email: hello@wadecaves.com

Photo Courtesy of Derek Thomson

Subscribe to TABLE Magazine’s print edition.