Astrology Forecast: May 18-24, 2026
Photo: Van Dusen Gardens, Vancouver, Canada. Sharing my love of nature with you!
Spring is in full swing, and the skies are busy this week — three planets change signs, an Opportunity Period arrives, and a tense Mars-Pluto square is starting to build in the skies. Let's get into it.
Note: Dates and times in this forecast are given in Pacific Time (PDT). If you're in a different time zone, please adjust accordingly — an event listed for Monday evening PDT may fall on Tuesday morning for readers in Europe or Australia.
Unless I provide a specific timeframe, we'll feel the energies 24–72 hours before the date I mention (the date when the planetary alignment is exact).
They'll gain strength as they approach, and linger for 24–48 hours after, gradually fading with each passing hour.
💫 To Make the Most of This Week:
The Sun enters Gemini this week, on May 20! Happy birthday to my Gemini readers ♊🎁🎉
(BTW if you're searching for the perfect gift for your favourite Gemini, check out my astrology-inspired gift ideas).
Mars and Venus are also shifting this week.
Ambitious Mars moves into hardworking Taurus on Monday, ushering in a period that favours tasks, chores and heavy lifting. Sometimes you just need to get things done, and Mars in Taurus can help with that. You will be able to make huge progress through the end of June, if you put your mind to it.
Venus enters home-loving Cancer on Monday. Use the next month to spend quality time with family or to spruce up your living situation.
Here is what to prioritize - and sidestep - in the week ahead:
- Go for a hot date with your sweetie on Monday night
- If you need to launch something that you want to succeed, take advantage of the Opportunity Period on Tuesday May 19.
- Sit out two lengthy Moon-void-of-course periods (see dates/times below 👇🏼)
- Make one health-oriented change to your diet or routine on Saturday. You won't regret it!
- Be aware that a volatile Mars-Pluto square is starting to come in on the weekend. It can trigger angry behaviours. Arguments can turn heated and unproductive. If someone around you has anger management issues, lay low. You can have a boundary-setting conversation on a calmer day.
(As a side note, tense Mars-Pluto aspects tend to bring an escalation of tension somewhere in the world).
💫 Key Astro-Events:
Now let's take a look at the astro-events this week:
✨ May 18: Mars enters Taurus; Venus enters Cancer; Mercury sextile Neptune; Venus sextile Mars
Wow, it's a happening day in the skies!
Best For:
- A hot date 🔥❤️🔥
- Getting lost in a passion project - especially if it's creative writing
Note however that the Moon is void of course until 6:46 p.m. PDT. If it's a first date, save it until another day. If you're already hitched, go ahead and enjoy 💖
✨ May 19: Mercury trine Pluto, aaaand....Opportunity Period! May 19, 2:40 p.m. to May 20 8:27 a.m. PDT
If you're new to Opportunity Periods, they are the times when the Moon makes positive aspects only, before she leaves the sign she is in. Opportunity Periods are "electional astrology lite" - if you don't have the time or knowledge to build a full electional chart to launch something you want to succeed, do it during an Opportunity Period.
Best For:
- Cognitive therapy
- Investigative work or research
- Innovative projects
- During the Opportunity Period: starting anything you want to grow!
✨ May 20: Sun Enters Gemini
Happy Birthday, Gemini! ♊🎂🎉
Read this post for ideas on how to tap into Gemini Season energy — from working with turquoise to turning a hobby into a side hustle.
Note the Moon slips into a lengthy void of course today, from 6:27 a.m. to 7:48 p.m. PDT. Not the best window for new beginnings.
✨ May 20-21: Venus Square Neptune
This is the "rose-coloured glasses" energy - it can be difficult to see things clearly, especially around love and finances.
Avoid:
- First dates
- Big financial decisions
Note that the Moon slips into a lengthy void of course: May 21, 3:05 p.m. to May 22 11:57 p.m. PDT. If you're planning to launch something you want to grow and succeed, save it for another day. (I often advise my HR clients not to schedule any interviews when the Moon is void of course!)
✨ May 22: Sun Conjunct Uranus; Mercury Sextile Saturn; Moon Void-of-Course
Best For:
- Trying something new that breaks you out of the rut
Sadly, the Moon spends most of the day void of course, so today is better for catching up on chores - at home or at work - than starting anything you want to grow long-term. The void-of-course period ends at 11:57 p.m. PDT 🙁
✨ May 23: Waxing Moon in Virgo
Best For:
- Making health-oriented changes to your diet
- Starting health-oriented habits or fitness routines
✨ May 24: Sun Sextile Neptune
Best For:
- Creative, artistic and spiritual pursuits
🕰️ Moon Void of Course
And here is a quick summary of the void-of-course times this week. Avoid starting anything new you want to succeed during these periods:
- May 17, 12:36 p.m. to May 18, 6:46 p.m. PDT — it's a long one, so pay attention!
- May 20, 6:27 a.m. to 7:48 p.m. PDT
- May 21, 3:05 p.m. to May 22 11:57 p.m. PDT - another long one
- May 24, 5:54 p.m. to May 25 7:34 a.m. PDT
Taurus and Gemini, Have You Booked Your Solar Return Reading Yet?
"Oh gosh, I really hope they're not going through a marital breakdown," I thought as I reviewed a client's Solar Return chart. "This could also bring confrontations and decisions about property."
"I'm going through a divorce," was the first thing my client said. And sure enough, property was front and center — my client and their spouse couldn't agree on what to do about their house.
That's the power of a Solar Return: a precise, practical snapshot of your year ahead, mapped out before it unfolds.
If your birthday falls in Taurus or Gemini season, now is the time. Book your Solar Return reading before your birthday passes, or very soon after — it's most powerful when done close to the date.
Your Solar Return is your personal new year — a powerful map of the year ahead, unique to you.
Book Your Solar Return Reading
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