Capricorn New Moon 2026
The Capricorn New Moon of 2026 occurs on Sunday, January 18, at 1:52 pm CST. We’re still in the pattern of the Sun and Moon conjunct at the later degrees of the sign, and this time the new Moon occurs at 28°43’ Capricorn. The Sun and Moon are conjunct Mars and Mercury in Capricorn at 26°27’ and 26°53’ respectively, and are also out of sign conjunct Venus and Pluto in Aquarius at 01°37’ and 03°16’ respectively. If that wasn’t enough conversation amongst planets, the Sun and Moon are also tapping into the Outer Planet Small Talent Triangle aspect pattern, sextiling Saturn (the ruler of this Capricorn new Moon) and Neptune in Pisces at 27°26’ and 29°48’, and trining Uranus in Taurus at 27°34’. Remember the Outer Planet Small Talent Triangle aspect pattern? Let’s recap:
The outer planets, due to their slower motion through the zodiac, symbolize societal shifts and changes. All three outer planets are currently in dialog with one another, in an aspect pattern known as the Small Talent Triangle. But just as significantly, all three outer planets have been moving back and forth between signs (and therefore elements) over the past couple years.
Due to their slower motion through the zodiac, the change from one sign to another for any outer planet is never one and done, as the retrograde motion of the planets means that they move back and forth, peeking into a new sign and element, and then retrograding back into the previous sign and element. To have all three outer planets changing sign and elements at essentially the same time can have an unsettled energy to it. Has anybody else noticed that unsettled energy in society? I apologize, I’m being facetious.
Outer planet Pluto started moving out of the Earth sign of Capricorn in March 2023, and finally settled into the Air sign of Aquarius for the duration in November of 2024, peeking back and forth between the two signs and elements several times during those months between March 2023 and November 2024. Pluto will remain in Aquarius until 2043.
Outer planets Uranus and Neptune have been dipping back and forth from the Earth and Water signs of Taurus and Pisces into the Air and Fire signs of Gemini and Aries since July and March 2025 respectively, and will eventually settle into the Fire and Air signs for the duration in April and January of 2026. All of this movement symbolizes a societal shift from a more Water/Earth energy era into a more Air/Fire energy era.
Earth and Water signs are known as “feminine” signs, while Fire and Air signs are known as “masculine” signs. While these terms can be problematic and triggering for some, I do like to point out that they are simply descriptions, and feminine does not mean strictly female, and masculine does not mean strictly male, and there is a wide spectrum of fluid expression of these descriptive terms in society that can and do often change over time. Some biological females are decidedly masculine, some are decidedly feminine, and some are both or neither. Some biological males are decidedly masculine, some are decidedly feminine, and some are both or neither. An example of the fluidity of which I speak: a female friend of mine and I were talking recently about how our taste in literature has changed over the years, and how when we were younger we were both very masculine and didn’t resonate at all with the more sensitive or vulnerable authors. Some of the books we loved in our 20s don’t hold up for us today, and revisiting books that we couldn’t stomach in our 20s proves to be a fruitful endeavor.
Some more descriptive terms beyond the strictly binary for these signs and elements include slow, stable, emotional, realistic, solid, protective, and receptive for the “feminine” signs and fast, action-oriented, rational, intellectual, projective, and communicative for the “masculine” signs.
We’re all feeling these elemental shifts on a societal level, but if you have planets or points either at the beginning or end degrees of a sign, it is likely that you will be feeling this shift in a more personal or possibly unsettling way. Can you imagine into what that shift from a slower, more stable, emotional, realistic, solid, protective, receptive Earth and Water era in society into a faster, action-oriented, rational, intellectual, projective, communicative era might mean for us as a society, and as individuals? It’s not really that hard to imagine, as it seems to be happening in real time, n’est-ce pas?
We can take solace in the idea that we do have support from the outer planets, in that they are all in dialogue with one another in a flowing aspect, rather than a clashing aspect. Saturn, the ruler of this Capricorn new Moon, is also conjunct Neptune and will be joining Neptune in Aries on February 13, 2026, and will be exactly conjunct Neptune on February 20, 2026. The motivations and energies of these two planets could not be more different, yet here they are, traveling together throughout the Cosmos, even changing signs and elements together, practically arm in arm. Saturn’s significations include: mastering time, strategic planning, commitment, consistency and regular effort, boundaries and accountability. Neptune’s significations on the other hand include: erosion of boundaries, compassion, sensitivity, transcendence, collective longing, and universal yearning for oneness. Strange bedfellows! But what can we learn from their travel together? How can we learn to integrate these two very different significations, even allowing them to journey through these different eras together within ourselves and within society?
The aspect pattern of the Small Talent Triangle is described by the Hubers in their book Aspect Pattern Astrology as one of a “still developing talent”, with growth achieved by adapting, and a gradual development into a “distinctive and specialized talent” over time, with knowledge and skills gained by calmly absorbing experiences into our consciousness, and not necessarily through active striving. The outer planets will remain in this aspect pattern for several years, hopefully providing calming support for the social changes of this new Air and Fire era that we are slowly but surely entering. How can we as individuals calmly absorb experiences into our consciousness, with the aim of gaining knowledge and skills, while growing by remaining adaptable? This growth that we achieve by remaining adaptable may gradually develop into a distinctive or specialized talent over time. What does that look like to you?
There will be many years to ponder these ideas while this aspect pattern is in effect, however, this Capricorn new Moon seems to be handing us a wonderful opportunity to plant some seeds, to get some clarity, and to state some intentions around this idea of growth that we can achieve by adapting, gradually developing a distinctive and specialized talent, and gaining knowledge and skills by calmly absorbing experiences into our consciousness.
The Sun and Moon in Capricorn have essentially taken Pluto’s place in this Small Talent Triangle at the late degrees of Capricorn, sextiling Saturn and Neptune in Pisces and trining Uranus in Gemini. These five planets are having a very Earthy/Watery conversation. Pluto is no doubt still in the conversation, but since Pluto and Venus are in Aquarius, an Air sign, and the remaining planets are in Earth and Water signs, there seems to be a very direct mode of communication here among not just the Sun and Moon in Capricorn, but also Mars and Mercury in Capricorn to Saturn and Neptune in Pisces and Uranus in Taurus. So that’s seven planets total having this Earthy/Watery conversation. Think of it as our last opportunity to have this in-depth Earth/Water conversation before the final shift into Fire/Air that occurs beginning at the end of January when Neptune makes the final move into Aries, then Saturn makes the final move into Aries in February, through to April, when Uranus makes the final move into Gemini.
Remember that Capricorn is the sign of the Sea Goat, a feminine sign that, according to Arielle Guttmann and Kenneth Johnson in their book Mythic Astrology, is associated with seemingly very different mythic archetypes: Vesta and Saturn who present the more buttoned-up, rigid Capricorn of pop astrology, and Pan and Amalthea, satyrs who were part-human, part-goat, who present a much more earthy, lusty, primitive Capricorn archetype. (p. 336) Taking these different archetypes into consideration, let’s explore some ways to integrate those divergent ideas into our pondering at this new Moon.
With a new Moon in Capricorn conjunct Mars and Mercury, what sorts of ideas or passions can you get clear about, or take action toward in an organized and disciplined, yet ardent way that moves you forward towards stepping into your personal authority and self-mastery?
With Saturn and Neptune conjunct in Pisces in the conversation, how can you make the ideal real in a compassionate way that emphasizes wholeness and receptivity, enhancing your capacity to embrace, accept, and understand, while remaining sensitive to suffering, but not letting your sensitivity overwhelm you?
With Uranus in Taurus in the mix, how can you shake up the status quo and seek more freedom? Will living more in tune to and aligned with nature’s cycles give you a type of freedom within form? What would purging and organizing your possessions, or taking a radical approach to managing your resources, do to help you move toward a more stable, calm simplicity?
With Venus conjunct Pluto in Aquarius at this new Moon, in what ways can you value community? An example may be altering your consumption habits to purchase more locally. Yes, this may mean sacrificing convenience, but once you get your habits bending more toward local consumption, you’d be surprised how it has its own convenience. The convenience of having an actual person to communicate with about your purchase, potential purchase, or return, plus the added value of building community and being interconnected within the lives of those in your community. Another example might be how can you share your values with your community? Is there a cause that speaks to you, and are there volunteer opportunities associated with that cause? If not, can you create your own volunteer opportunity?
When you think back to the Capricorn full Moon of July 10, 2025, what was being illuminated for you at that time? What sorts of things were you releasing that no longer served you? The outer planets plus Saturn were in their Small Talent Triangle aspect pattern at that time, but back then they were all in Air and Fire signs. Can you follow the thread to connect what was being illuminated for you back in July to what you may be manifesting or moving toward at this Capricorn new Moon? What last order of business do you need to attend to before the final shift into the Air and Fire era that culminates starting at the end of January through April of 2026?
I have found that using the house placement in which the New Moon occurs so useful for setting intentions and manifesting ideas into form, as it not only helps to organize my thoughts, but if utilized throughout the year, touches on each area of life that the houses symbolically represent, helping us to become more well-rounded individuals. Also, it allows for Divine co-creation, as it often magically lines up with what is already wanting to come forth in that specific area of life (house) in which the New Moon occurs. If you aren’t sure which house this New Moon falls in your chart, feel free to reach out to me for that information.
Setting intentions or manifesting by house placement topics; if the New Moon falls in your:
1st house: The lens through which you perceive existence; your relationship to Initiation archetype
2nd house: Attitudes toward acquiring and using material resources; recognition of materiality
3rd house: Development of practical skills; short trips
4th house: Beginning to integrate your inner personality and the self you wish to build
5th house: The emotional expression of your creations
6th house: Attitude toward work; services willingly given; duty assumed or assigned
7th house: Shaping and honing efforts to convince others that your ideas or efforts are worthy
8th house: Intimacy; Commitment; Responsibility to other
9th house: Expanding your mind and consciousness - through education, travel, new directions; exploration of ideas or worlds - choices, alternatives, options
10th house: Ambitions to improve yourself; becoming more mature; learning about life
11th house: Define and resolve the many choices which you face in life
12th house: The mental mindset you create can limit you to narrow definitions of life; facing these barriers which you create for yourself in order to break through your own barriers.