The passionate vibes of Leo season are reigning supreme for most of August, making all zodiac signs feel a little extra bold, confident, and creative. As Leo icon Madonna says, express yourself so you can respect yourself! Unfortunately, Mercury retrograde is swooping in to meddle with everyone’s minds and schedules, so there’s some drama to navigate, too. You’ll want to mark your calendar for the major astrological events in August because the cosmic intensity is going strong all month long.
The first week of August brings lots of action, and it begins with a feel-good new moon in Leo on Aug. 4 — perfect for manifesting your heart’s desires. Soon after, love planet Venus shifts into the thoughtful and down-to-earth realm of Virgo, bringing a more grounded and laid-back energy to relationships. Later that same night, summer’s Mercury retrograde officially kicks off, so everyone will have to deal with some pesky miscommunications and timing trip-ups from now through Aug. 28. Double-check those texts and leave some wiggle room in your summer schedule!
A series of tough square aspects stir up some challenges mid-month, and a wild full moon in Aquarius on Aug. 19 brings out everyone’s inner rebel. It’s time to make a brand-new set of rules for yourself to live by, but you’ll have to be patient. Virgo season starts on Aug. 22, inspiring everyone to get their lives in order as summer slowly comes to an end. Finally, Venus shifts into its home sign of Libra on Aug. 29, giving relationships a sweet boost of harmony as the month wraps up.
There’s a lot going on in the skies this month, so here’s your August 2024 astrological forecast with the full scoop.
Leo Season & A Glitzy New Moon Aug. 4
The fierce and fun-loving vibes of Leo season dominate during the first few weeks of the month, giving all zodiac signs an added dose of charisma and creativity. Leo is the sun’s home base sign, so having it here throughout this solar season brings a joyful and gregarious energy to the dog days of summer. It’s a time to let your light shine and be bolder about your self-expression.
One of the highlights of Leo season comes on Aug. 4, when the new moon rises in the sign of the cosmic lion. This gorgeously glitzy lunation is forming a sweet sextile to both passionate Mars and optimistic Jupiter, so it’s a great time to get enthusiastic about new endeavors and go after them with the utmost confidence. If you believe in yourself, you can accomplish just about anything.
Getting Grounded In Love With Venus In Virgo
Just after the new moon peaks, the romantic planet Venus is entering the improvement-focused sign of Virgo, inspiring all zodiac signs to be a bit more thoughtful in the way they conduct relationships and more observant of their habits around love. With Venus in Virgo, selfless acts of service can be a real turn-on, but overly indulgent or sloppy behavior will have the opposite effect. Clean up any messes in your love life now, but try not to get too critical of yourself or others. Love is messy sometimes, and nothing is perfect!
Mercury Retrograde Is Back
The next Mercury retrograde period kicks off late-night on Aug. 4 PT or during the wee hours of Aug. 5 ET — meaning the planet of timing and communication will be mixing up logistical matters for the next few weeks. This retrograde kicks off in Virgo, throwing a wrench in people’s schedules and making it hard to get organized. It’ll backspin into Leo again on Aug. 14, so expect to revisit some of the themes that came up throughout mid-July.
A moment of retrograde clarity comes on Aug. 18, when Mercury meets the sun to form a Mercury cazimi. Whatever lessons the retrograde has been teaching you will make more sense under this transit, and you’ll have a better idea of how you want to move forward once the retrograde slow-downs let up toward the end of the month.
Mid-Month Planetary Clashes
The middle of the month is marked by a series of tense square aspects between a whole sky full of planets — which can bring about challenges, but also allow everyone to problem-solve and move past some difficult barriers. On Aug. 15, high-octane Mars clashes with stern planet Saturn, throwing some frustrating roadblocks in your path and forcing you to pump the breaks and take a longer route toward your goals.
A few days later, on August 19, go-big-or-go-home Jupiter will conflict with restrictive Saturn for the first time in more than eight years, requiring everyone to limit their indulgences and accept some delayed gratification. Value-oriented Venus will be thrown into this square-off too, prompting big decisions about relationships and what’s worth pouring time and energy into.
A Rule-Breaking Full Moon On Aug. 19
Amidst all these cosmic clashes, the full Sturgeon Moon is rising in the skies on Aug. 19, and it’s shining through the unconventional and rebellious sign of Aquarius. At the time of this lunation, the sun and moon are forming a perfect T-square with unpredictable planet Uranus, promising some unexpected twists and turns that could pave an entirely new path for us. Having your plans shaken up isn’t easy, but eventually, you’ll be grateful that you left your comfort zone to explore new parts of yourself.
Virgo Season Starts Aug. 22
The sun is leaving the cosmic lion’s den behind come Aug. 22, and it’s starting to shine its beams through the mutable earth sign Virgo instead. Virgo season 2024 marks the final month of summer, and it’s a fabulous time to embrace productivity, organization, and some mind-body-spirit wellness. This attentive and analytical zodiac energy is great for cleaning up messy parts of your life and refining your daily routine to be more functional and healthy.
Feeling Romantic With Venus In Libra
The month wraps up with love planet Venus slipping into a new part of the zodiac yet again, and this time it’s entering the balanced and romance-loving sign of Libra — one of Venus’ home-base signs. With Venus sparkling in one of her cosmic domiciles, it’ll be easier to create harmony in your relationships and have diplomatic conversations to clear up any Mercury retrograde drama that may have muddied up your love life over the past few weeks.
