Full Moons occur when the sun and moon are opposite each other in the sky. The Harvest Moon is the Full Moon closest to the autumnal equinox.
This year’s Harvest Moon takes place on September 17, 2024, as the sun moves through pragmatic Virgo and the moon in sentimental Pisces. It coincides with a partial lunar eclipse and another powerful astrological alignment: a Sun-Neptune opposition during Neptune’s retrograde, potentially leading to profound self-revelations and relationship insights.
Read your weekly horoscope to see how the 2024 Harvest Moon might affect your sign, then learn more below about this powerful lunar event and its astrological significance.
What Is a Harvest Moon?
The Harvest moon is the Full Moon closest to the autumn equinox, according to the Farmers’ Almanac. The name is self-explanatory: It’s a time for harvest! But what does this tell us symbolically? Full Moons are generally periods of culmination and release, and the Full Moon during this time of year can inspire us to consider the last few months and reflect on the past spring and summer as we head into fall and winter.
What Does the Full Moon in Pisces Represent?
Full Moons naturally put us more in touch with our emotional sides. Shadow selves are drawn to the light, sensitivities are heightened, and our willingness to entertain the loftiest ambitions of our imagination grows. With sentimental Pisces influencing this month’s Harvest Moon, feelings are bound to be stronger than ever—which can be a blessing and a curse.
As the Sun flies through Virgo, egos get a bit tender to the touch. Virgo’s affinity for problem-solving can manifest as hyper-criticism when not kept in check, and with our emotions at an all-time high, interpersonal conflict becomes more likely as we struggle to reconcile with our perceptions of the people around us versus who they really are. Additionally, Virgo’s near incessant pragmatism can make it more difficult to give ourselves grace as we navigate these emotional challenges.
However, the solar and lunar placements of this fall’s Harvest Moon aren’t all bad. Virgo’s Earth energy helps keep Pisces grounded, and conversely, Pisces helps Virgo remain flexible through change and conflict. Simply put, we can allow these two opposing forces to clash with one another, or we can use their differences to our advantage.
What’s Special About This Year’s Harvest Moon in Pisces?
This month’s Harvest Moon takes place in Pisces as the Sun directly opposes Neptune retrograde, Pisces’ ruling planet. Oppositions can be particularly challenging alignments, but they’re not inherently harmful. These celestial face-offs encourage us to recalibrate and find balance. The opposing forces of these alignments call us to search for the middle ground between two extremes. Oppositions defy black-and-white thinking by highlighting the positives and negatives of either side.
Neptune retrograde typically encourages us to tap into our innermost selves; whether our shadow selves or the corners of our imagination we usually write off as impractical or, worse yet, impossible. Neptune also influences deception—the way we deceive ourselves or allow others to deceive us. When in retrograde, this energy turns inward, focusing on the lies we’ve convinced ourselves of out of convenience, fear, or both. An opposition between this planet and the Sun suggests the revelations presented by Neptune retrograde will directly threaten our sense of self and others.
As frightening as this sounds at face value, this can be a good thing. After all, ignorance is rarely truly bliss. The discoveries we find through the solar-Neptune opposition might disturb our heightened sensitivities brought on by the Full Moon, but this discomfort can help us follow through with appropriately reacting to our new perspectives. Otherwise, we might be more likely to brush our feelings off or save the confrontations for another day. Alternatively, the opposition between the Sun and Neptune retrograde can validate our experiences and motivate us to find new ways to make our relationships and goals even stronger and more mindful.
While it’s possible for the opposition to swing in either direction, a harmonious trine between Mars and the Harvest Moon signals greater confidence and mental clarity. Whether we’re addressing issues or brainstorming ways to take our successes to the next level, Mars under Cancer helps us not only stay in touch with our emotions but then do something about them, too.
The Sun and Uranus retrograde’s trine offers another dose of celestial good fortune. Whatever mishaps or opportunities arise under the Full Moon’s glow, Uranus’ positive alignment with the ego-driven Sun indicates we’ll be able to handle the stress with little issue. All starry signs point to the importance of keeping our hearts and minds open to new possibilities, ways of thinking, and attitudes. Don’t underestimate the universe’s ability to surprise you; in that same breath, don’t discredit its potential to carry you through even the most unexpected times safely.
This post was originally written by Annabel Gat in 2022. Melanie A. Davis updated it with new information about the 2024 Harvest Moon.
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