December 2026 Astrology Calendar: Every Transit, Date and Time

December 2026 is about the slow planets changing direction. Saturn and Neptune turn direct within two days of each other, Jupiter turns retrograde right after them, and the personal planets keep moving forward, freed from the autumn retrogrades. All times below are UTC, calculated with the Swiss Ephemeris; the table above converts them to your local time.

The big picture for December 2026

When three outer planets station in the same week, the background mood shifts even if daily life looks the same. Saturn direct in Aries says structures and commitments you have been reworking since summer can move forward. Neptune direct in Aries clears some of the fog around ideals and long-term direction. Jupiter retrograde in Leo slows outward growth and turns the question inward: what is worth expanding, and what was only for show?

Mercury leaves Scorpio for Sagittarius on December 6 and Capricorn on December 25, so the month moves from long-range thinking to concrete planning. Venus returns to Scorpio on December 4 and finally clears the shadow of its autumn retrograde around December 15. Mars spends the whole month in Virgo, already in the shadow of the retrograde that starts on January 10, 2027.

Week by week

December 1–8: Venus back in Scorpio, Mercury in Sagittarius

December 4 brings three events: Mercury squares Jupiter, Venus re-enters Scorpio at 08:13 UTC, and Mars squares Uranus late in the day. Expect sudden changes of schedule and a temptation to overpromise. Mercury enters Sagittarius on December 6, then trines Neptune (December 7), opposes Uranus and sextiles Pluto (December 8). Ideas come fast this week; write them down before you commit to them.

December 9–15: New Moon and the outer-planet stations

The New Moon on December 9 at 00:52 UTC falls at 16°56′ Sagittarius. It suits intentions about study, travel, publishing, teaching and the beliefs you live by. The same day Mercury squares Mars and Venus squares Pluto, so discussions can turn sharp; keep the goal in view.

Saturn stations direct on December 10 at 23:31 UTC at 7°55′ Aries, and Mercury trines it on December 11, a strong day for decisions that need to last. Venus sextiles Mars on December 12. Neptune stations direct at 1°36′ Aries that evening, and Jupiter stations retrograde on December 13 at 00:57 UTC at 27°01′ Leo. Around December 15 Venus passes 8°29′ Scorpio and leaves its retrograde shadow, closing the relationship and money review that began in September.

December 16–22: Sun trine Jupiter and the solstice

The Sun trines retrograde Jupiter on December 18, one of the friendliest aspects of the month for generosity, celebrations and honest optimism. On December 21 at 20:50 UTC the Sun enters Capricorn: the December solstice and the start of Capricorn season, with its focus on structure, responsibility and long-term goals.

December 23–31: Full Moon in Cancer and the Saturn squares

The Sun squares Neptune on December 23, so holiday plans can blur; confirm details. Mercury trines Jupiter that evening. The Full Moon on December 24 at 01:28 UTC at 2°13′ Cancer falls right on the holidays and highlights home, family, belonging and emotional needs.

Mercury enters Capricorn on December 25 and squares Neptune on December 26. The year ends under pressure: the Sun squares Saturn on December 29 and Mercury squares Saturn on December 30. Both test plans against reality. The very last day of the year is easier: the Sun and Mercury both trine Mars in Virgo on December 31, good for practical planning for 2027.

Retrogrades in December 2026

• Saturn: retrograde until December 10, direct from 7°55′ Aries. See Saturn in Aries 2026.
• Neptune: retrograde until December 12, direct from 1°36′ Aries. See Neptune in Aries 2026.
• Jupiter: stations retrograde on December 13 at 27°01′ Leo and stays retrograde until April 13, 2027. See Jupiter in Leo 2026.
• Uranus: retrograde in Gemini all month, direct on February 8, 2027.
• Mars: still direct, but in the shadow of the retrograde that begins on January 10, 2027. See preparing for Mars retrograde.

What December 2026 means for each sign

The table uses whole-sign houses with your Sun sign (or, better, your rising sign) as the 1st house. It shows which area of life the New Moon, the Full Moon and Saturn’s direct station in Aries activate for you.

Sign	New Moon	Full Moon	Saturn turns direct
Aries	9th house: travel, study, beliefs	4th house: home, family, roots	1st house: self, body, fresh starts
Taurus	8th house: shared money, intimacy, debts	3rd house: communication, siblings, short trips	12th house: rest, solitude, hidden matters
Gemini	7th house: partnerships, contracts	2nd house: money, income, self-worth	11th house: friends, groups, plans
Cancer	6th house: work routine, health	1st house: self, body, fresh starts	10th house: career, status, reputation
Leo	5th house: romance, creativity, children	12th house: rest, solitude, hidden matters	9th house: travel, study, beliefs
Virgo	4th house: home, family, roots	11th house: friends, groups, plans	8th house: shared money, intimacy, debts
Libra	3rd house: communication, siblings, short trips	10th house: career, status, reputation	7th house: partnerships, contracts
Scorpio	2nd house: money, income, self-worth	9th house: travel, study, beliefs	6th house: work routine, health
Sagittarius	1st house: self, body, fresh starts	8th house: shared money, intimacy, debts	5th house: romance, creativity, children
Capricorn	12th house: rest, solitude, hidden matters	7th house: partnerships, contracts	4th house: home, family, roots
Aquarius	11th house: friends, groups, plans	6th house: work routine, health	3rd house: communication, siblings, short trips
Pisces	10th house: career, status, reputation	5th house: romance, creativity, children	2nd house: money, income, self-worth

For a reading of the month by sign, use the monthly horoscope; for exact contacts to your own planets, you need your natal chart with a birth time.

How to use the December calendar

1. Make lasting decisions around December 10–11, when Saturn turns direct and Mercury trines it.
2. Set study, travel or publishing intentions at the Sagittarius New Moon on December 9.
3. Treat Jupiter retrograde as a consolidation period. Through April 2027, improve and deepen what already works.
4. Double-check holiday logistics around December 23, when the Sun squares Neptune.
5. Use December 29–31 to test your 2027 plans: the Saturn squares show weak spots, and the Mars trines on the last day help fix them.

Related guides

• November 2026 astrology calendar and January 2027 astrology calendar
• Venus retrograde shadow 2026
• Retrograde planets 2026
• December 2026 New Moon and December 2026 Full Moon
• What is a transit chart?

Sources

Planetary positions, stations, lunations and aspect times are calculated with the Swiss Ephemeris (geocentric, tropical zodiac). The interpretations are astrological, not scientific predictions, and do not replace medical, legal or financial advice.