The Astrology of April 2024:
Unexpected Change + Revelation

by Juliana McCarthy

Abdul Mati Klarwein

April 1, 2024 — April is the most dramatic month of the year, offering a swell of shock, change, and truth. Mercury retrogrades on the first of the month, an Aries total solar eclipse arrives a week later, and the much-anticipated Jupiter-Uranus conjunction becomes exact on April 20. We’re ready for massive purgation, release, and surprise as we finally free ourselves from long-standing cycles of suffering. 

Mercury retrograde in Aries offers the chance to integrate all that’s been surfacing during this eclipse season, especially around conflict, anger, and relational turmoil. We can turn inward, reflecting on any challenging events that have transpired. We’re becoming more direct, addressing triggers and blocks to deeper intimacy, and hashing out disagreements in healthier ways.

The Aries total solar eclipse forms on April 8, heralding breakthrough and revelation in a catalyzing lunation. This is the last total solar eclipse across the United States until 2044, and we can expect major turns of events. We’ve already seen wild news since the lunar eclipse on March 25, and we can now anticipate more disruption, intensity, and the opening of a whole new energetic chapter. With Chiron exactly conjunct the Sun and Moon, we have the chance for healing and redemption as we integrate deep wounds and embody more of our true character. This isn’t the time to hide—we are facing ourselves head-on with bravery and grace.

The Jupiter-Uranus conjunction on April 20 promises rapid-fire change and liberation. Unexpected developments and ingenious vision and invention will help us dislodge from tired, repetitive patterns. Rebellion and protests are likely to ramp up while progress quickens. Prior to this transit, we may have felt overwhelmed with frustration, caught in painful personal cycles while witnessing the insanity of the world. The feeling now is, Enough is enough! In continuing the difficult process of rebirthing humanity, hope and optimism are rising. At last, we’re breaking down stubborn walls of resistance and catapulting into new versions of reality. More collective trauma is likely to ensue, but we are rising together with deep resolve, holding hands while turning the tides—matching our actions with the strength of our words to affect real change.

March 2024 TRANSITS

MERCURY RETROGRADE IN ARIES

Mercury retrograde begins in bold Aries on April 1, stationing direct in the same sign on April 25. We often speak of retrogrades as challenging—miscommunication is likely, as well as delays and hiccups around transit and technology. However, it also provides a beautiful opportunity. If we have unfinished business with old friends or loves, this is the time to return to them and talk things through. We may notice our dreams becoming more vivid, and exes or old friends may reach out. Falling in Aries, it’s important that we are direct—that we learn to clarify our true desires and rally the confidence to communicate them. 

VENUS + NEPTUNE CONJUNCT IN PISCES

Venus conjoins with Neptune in dreamy Pisces April 2–4, exact on April 3. This is a beautiful, dreamy transit, inspiring unconditional love, heart expansion, and forgiveness. This is a good time to create art or send psychic messages of love to people and the planet. We can meditate and remember that we are all interconnected and basically good. With Mercury retrograding during this transit, our telepathic abilities are especially strong. We can find ways to communicate with our hearts, without words.

ARIES TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE

The Aries total solar eclipse forms on April 8, with the path falling in part of Mexico and across the United States. This eclipse is on the north node conjunct Chiron, the Wounded Healer. Meanwhile, Mars, Aries’ ruler, is conjunct Saturn in Pisces. Karmic reckonings for leaders abound, and traditionally, the solar eclipse represents the falling of a king if there’s an imbalance of power. The archetype of the tender warrior is strong, and there’s a feeling of deep pain accompanied by standing up against injustices. In our personal lives, we are clarifying what we want, working through deep childhood traumas, unresolved anger, and ancestral wounds to fully stand in our strength and wholeness. A solar eclipse is an amplified New Moon, so fresh starts are imminent. As the Moon crosses the Sun, we are wiping our slates clean and experiencing powerful new beginnings. Grace, redemption, and fearlessness in meeting our pain are key—we are now ready to shed the next layer of the onion, personally and collectively emerging from the chrysalis.

MERCURY RETROGRADE CONJUNCT THE SUN

Mercury retrograde crosses the Sun on April 11, intensifying the retrograde energy and bringing clarity and insight. This transit could possibly magnetize misunderstandings, confusion, and conflict since it falls in confrontational Aries. However, we can pay attention to messages, themes, and epiphanies that emerge—they’re helping us recalibrate our minds and communication, extract truth, and sort through old, unresolved entanglements and challenges.

MERCURY RETROGRADE CONJUNCT VENUS

Mercury retrograde crosses Venus on April 19, falling between the north node and Chiron. This offers a significant moment of reflection and reevaluation around partnership, values, and personal growth. We may feel like the planets are exposing our relational patterns for stark viewing, either in general or with a specific person. We can trust that if we meet whatever emerges now with courage and honesty, it will help us evolve into higher potentials of ourselves and our relationships. Have we been too afraid to speak our truth or desires? To address tension? We can keep in mind that during Mercury retrograde, speaking from our hearts is far more effective than speaking from our minds. It’s time to embody love and speak the truth.

SUN IN TAURUS

The Sun moves into Taurus on April 19, marking an explosion of beauty—flowers and greenery in the northern hemisphere, colorful leaves in the southern. Taurus season reminds us to take pleasure in our senses, connecting to the Earth and our bodies. We can slow down and remember why we love the world and the simple splendors of being human.

JUPITER-URANUS CONJUNCTION

In the most anticipated transit of 2024, Jupiter conjoins with Uranus at 21º Taurus, exact on April 20, marking electrifying change and auspiciousness. We could experience hairpin turns and sudden transformation in all facets of our lives and the collective. Manifestation is powerful now, and if we’ve been beating our heads against the wall, caught in stubborn patterns that seem deeply entrenched and impossible to end, we have the opportunity for rapid-fire liberation. Revolts, windfalls, awakenings, and technological advancement are all likely to ignite. Our ideological, spiritual, and religious perspectives are up for revision, and we may witness explosions of truth, or answers to long-standing mysteries and quandaries. Since Taurus rules food, farming, real estate, money, and the environment, it’s possible that we’ll feel significant shifts in these domains. On the shadow side, we are likely to experience shocking external events, particularly relating to agriculture, disruptions of peace, or natural disasters. Unpredictable events are set to change the courses of our lives, for better or worse. Jupiter tends to have a benefic influence, so we can stay hopeful that whatever changes emerge will be positive—even if they begin with shock or crisis.

SCORPIO FULL MOON

An explosive Scorpio full Moon forms on April 23, squaring volcanic Pluto. We are ready for deep transformation, but not without discomfort and the potential for crisis. We are continuing this month’s theme of revealing painful truths for the sake of growth. What are we afraid of? What unconscious traumas are still ruling our reactions, relationships, and self-concept? We might take some time to meditate, face our shadows with love and acceptance, and use this as an opportunity to surrender to our suffering and the resulting metamorphosis available to us now. With this, we close a dramatic eclipse season with an intense punctuation mark.

MERCURY DIRECT IN ARIES

After a period of deep introspection, reflection, and recalibration, we are now stepping into clarity and assertiveness as Mercury stations direct on April 25 in Aries. Falling exactly on the north node and within 5º of Chiron, we are growing exponentially and healing our mental patterns and communication. We are standing up for what we want and learning to have healthy confrontation for the sake of evolution. We can pay attention to any conversations and messages we receive today—they hold great significance in our journeys of healing and becoming more of who we are.

MARS-NEPTUNE CONJUNCTION

With Mercury now direct, Mars conjoins Neptune in Pisces on April 29, fogging our potential clarity. We may feel that we lack direction or that we aren’t sure of where we’re going. Deception and faulty beliefs could escalate conflict, so we can work extra hard to ground, giving ourselves time for Mars to pass Neptune and for Mercury to regain speed. While our perceptions may feel murky, we will emerge from the fog with more lucidity than ever.

APRIL 2024 Aspiration

In the midst of massive change and breakthrough, may we rally the courage to embrace truth and become more of who we are. May we welcome miraculous shifts, feeling more and more that anything is possible.

My book, The Stars Within You: A Modern Guide to Astrology, is available for purchase. Check it out!

Sign up for a personal astrology reading here.

I post astrology videos, talks, and classes regularly to my Patreon page. Sign up here to join!

prev / next
Back to Astrology
IMG_905459E0A85A-1.jpeg
0
The Astrology of April 2025: Taking the Leap
8cf0f9e4bec34415c1c099bde6a131ab.jpg
0
Neptune in Aries: Awakening from Slumber | March 30, 2025
Tyler_Frailey_louisville.jpg
0
Aries Solar Eclipse: At the Threshold | March 29, 2025
Screenshot 2025-03-12 at 2.34.45 PM.png
0
Virgo Full Moon Total Lunar Eclipse: Releasing the Past | March 14, 2025
Screenshot 2025-02-28 at 9.46.04 AM.png
0
The Astrology of March 2025: A Time for Spiritual Warriorship
m-b-leroy-grannis-dive-makaha-1964.jpg
0
Pisces New Moon: Changing Tides | February 27, 2025
52533314401-1565.jpg
0
Mars Stations Direct: Regaining Traction | February 23, 2025
IMG_EA003D8AE76D-1.jpeg
0
Leo Full Moon: A Shock of Love + Sudden Change | February 12, 2025
tempImagebGwsIq.jpg
0
The Astrology of February 2025: Love, Illusions + the Coming Storm
IMG_1D7912D0719A-1.jpeg
0
Aquarius New Moon: Envisioning the Future | January 29, 2025
johannes-larsen--a-flock-of-eider-near-reef-sprogo.jpg
0
Cancer Full Moon: A Swell of Emotions | January 13, 2025
FW 2.jpg
0
The Shift of the Lunar Nodes: Remembering our Interconnection | January 11, 2025
Image-1.jpeg
0
The Astrology of January 2025: From Conflict to Compassion
IMG_3358.jpg
0
The Astrology of 2025: Reinventing Humanity
JPEG image.jpeg
0
Capricorn New Moon: Planting Seeds for 2025 | December 30, 2024
Harald_Oscar_Sohlberg_-_Moonlight_-_(MeisterDrucke-1322516).jpg
0
Gemini Full Moon: Surrender Brings Clarity | December 15, 2024
Screenshot 2024-12-05 at 5.06.24 PM.png
0
Mars Retrograde in Leo: Looking Back to Move Forward | December 6, 2024
Screenshot 2024-12-01 at 3.21.44 PM.png
0
The Astrology of December 2024: Passion + Patience
1701186112_Zoom_v2-1030x808.jpg
0
Sagittarius New Moon: Recalibrating our Minds | December 1, 2024
Screenshot 2024-11-18 at 1.52.39 PM.png
0
Pluto in Aquarius: The Future Begins | November 19, 2024
2260312_1_l.jpg
0
Taurus Full Moon: Wild Passion + Catharsis | November 15, 2024
_Buchenwald_bei_Essen_.jpg
0
The Astrology of November 2024: Laying Ourselves Bare
David Noonan.jpg
0
Scorpio New Moon: Confronting Truth with Courage | November 1, 2024
Trisha Baga.jpg
0
Aries Full Moon: A Great Release | October 17, 2024
tempImageCKPc3Z.jpg
0
Libra New Moon Solar Eclipse: Renegotiating Love + Peace | October 2, 2024
7525786.jpg
0
The Astrology of October 2024: Relational Friction Becomes Harmony
SaM_HR_Brauner_The_Philosophers_Stone.jpg
0
Pisces Full Moon Lunar Eclipse: Surrender + Remember Love | September 17, 2024
f3cb35484a6a6f28deff670b9c45f450.jpg
0
Virgo New Moon: Reeling It In | September 2, 2024
IMG_49465D412219-1.jpeg
0
The Astrology of September 2024: Drama as Eclipse Season Begins
IMG_9241.jpg
0
Aquarius Full Moon: Hard-Won Liberation | August 19, 2024
IMG_7875.jpg
0
Leo New Moon / Mercury Retrograde : Wild Pleasure + Good Health | August 4, 2024
Screenshot 2024-08-02 at 2.30.38 PM.png
0
The Astrology of August 2024: Finding Our Footing in the Midst of Great Change
Screenshot 2024-07-19 at 11.29.23 AM.png
0
Capricorn Full Moon: Finishing what we Started | July 21, 2024
FvxafN-WYAY6Cw9.jpeg
0
Cancer New Moon: Preparing for Changes in Love | July 5, 2024
Screenshot 2024-07-01 at 9.40.01 AM copy.jpg
0
The Astrology of July 2024: Bursts of Creative + Romantic Potentials
ddbed23c-e144-4203-a61a-47396f7f005b-Tom_and_Ruby.jpg
0
Capricorn Full Moon: Finding Home | June 21, 2024
Image-1 copy.jpg
0
Gemini New Moon: Resetting our Hearts and Minds | June 6, 2024
Jessica Dean Harrison.png
0
The Astrology of June 2024: Expanding our Horizons
Screenshot 2024-05-24 at 3.09.25 PM.png
0
Jupiter in Gemini: A Period of Curiosity, Intelligence, and Nuance | May 25, 2024
sun-and-life.jpg
0
Sagittarius Full Moon: Trusting the Change that's Underway | May 23, 2024
tumblr_o4gmzl0muO1s7f3fyo1_1280.jpg
0
Taurus New Moon: Love Sparks Radical Change | May 7, 2024
Thorn_blue_water-lily_1807_dar099072.jpg
0
The Astrology of May 2024: Possibilities for Love, Unity, + Peace
hengki-koentjoro_penetrates.jpg
0
Scorpio Full Moon: Emotions Bubble Over | April 23, 2024
75.jpg
0
Jupiter-Uranus Conjunction: Chaos, Hairpin Turns, + Breakthrough | April 20, 2024
default.jpg
0
Aries Total Solar Eclipse: A Karmic Reckoning | April 8, 2024
klarwein_abdul_mati_spotlight.jpg
0
The Astrology of April 2024: Unexpected Change + Revelation
Cristoforo de Predis 1.jpeg
0
Libra Full Moon Lunar Eclipse: Relational Purge + Recalibration | March 25, 2024
8a8a6951b89f354e5defeec61140187c.jpg
0
Pisces New Moon: A Deliberate + Loving Rebellion | March 10, 2024
5bb28fd625000036003875e1.jpg
0
The Astrology of March 2024: Twists + Turns as Eclipse Season Begins
e76ff2ff-962d-44c4-838e-50bcbe4556d2.jpg
0
Virgo Full Moon: Time to Heal | February 24, 2024
7198f33cde4bd99ff0599728bdc235fd.jpg
0
Aquarius New Moon: Radical Authenticity | February 9, 2024
Scott Kahn.jpg
0
The Astrology of February 2024: Metamorphosis + a Return to Love
IMG_1792.jpg
0
Leo Full Moon: The Pleasures + Sorrows of Being Human | January 25, 2024
JPEG+image.jpg
0
Pluto in Aquarius: An Age of Revolution | January 20, 2024
Mountain-goats-mountains-Olympic-National-Park-Washington.jpg
0
Capricorn New Moon: Truth, Integrity + Perseverance | January 11, 2024
Image-1.jpg
0
The Astrology of 2024: Innovation + Shocking Change
f6022009228be7f0feb11ca912987c3f.jpg
0
The Astrology of January 2024: Light, Faith + Clarity Return
4-Scott_Kahn_Berkshire_Nightscape_2005-1.jpg
0
Cancer Full Moon: Reflect, Recalibrate, Release | December 26, 2023
Frederic_Edwin_Church_-_Aurora_Borealis_-_Google_Art_Projects.jpg
0
Sagittarius New Moon: Pausing to Turn Inward | December 12, 2023
Gertrude Abercrombie.jpeg
0
The Astrology of December 2023: Uncertainty + Hope