New Moon in Aries April 17, 2026
The New Moon in Aries occurred April 17 at 5:51 AM Mountain Time. This has been a highly anticipated and much discussed New Moon because of the sheer number of planets in the sign of Aries. The Sun and Moon aligned at 27 degrees of Aries, are joined in this sign by 5 other planets including Aries’ ruler, Mars. For the last several lunation periods we have seen a similar formation of a number of planets travelling as a group through the signs of Pisces and now Aries. This concentrates and heightens the energy of each sign with Pisces heralding the closing out of a number of important phases and cycles and Aries announcing new beginnings, a reset and an opening up of new horizons for us personally and collectively.
When we look around us in the physical world it may seem that that the old structures and institutions are still very much there despite being highly volatile. Although they are still living out the old patriarchal, colonial and industrial ideologies of the last few thousand years, yet underneath, there is a new day dawning and, as usual it is dawning first in our hearts, minds and lives. Culture and society originates within the consciousness of the collective first and then expresses outward.
Up until now, whoever had enough power to be in control could wrestle this outward expression toward their own interests and designs…but this too is changing as people become more and more aware of the mechanics of power and of their own capacity to choose and act independently on those choices. And this sense of newness and capacity to take authentic, empowered actions is exactly what Aries is all about.
Aries is the first sign of the zodiac, a cardinal sign signifying leadership and a fire sign which suggests combustibility, assertiveness, initiative and the capacity to transmute the past through inspired action. Aries likes to go first. It has a unique brand of innocent courage that charges forward, sometimes without looking where it leaps, just because it is so excited to start the adventure.
Think of Aries as the energy which propels – like rocket fuel. When the fire gets lit (and it doesn’t take much to light up an Aries), we go places – often places we haven’t been before and sometimes places where even angels fear to tread.
What are you being instinctively pulled toward now? Aries doesn’t think about it – it just moves. It is the very essence of the initiatory impulse. Don’t worry, as the planets begin their movement into Taurus beginning next week – there will be time to slow down and ask some practical questions: what does this that I feel compelled to initiate actually look like in the real world? What internal and external resources will it take to make it happen? Taurus helps us to slow down and ground all that firey inspiration into something tangible. For now, its time to to pull away from the past – there is no more time to circle around repetitive patterns of conditioning. Instead we are invited to take the dreams and intuitions that originated in Pisces season, and head toward new territory.
Aries is curious, drawn toward the new adventure. It is courageous with a touch of impulsivity. More than anything it wants to assert itself in all its originality. Aries can have the innocence of the first breath of a baby, but, like all of the energies in life it also has its shadow expression – anger, aggression, frustration, impulsivity, selfishness and impatience. Aries can be either the peaceful warrior or wage war as a bloodsport.
The planets in Aries have formed two groupings – one in the first few degrees of the sign, and one clustered around the last degrees of the sign. In the early degrees we have Neptune at 2 Aries for the first time since the American Civil War, then Mercury at 3 degrees, followed by Saturn at 7 Aries – last there in 1996 and between them we have Aries’ ruler Mars.
Mars plays an important role in our evolution and his energy is amplified by being in his home sign so I will start with him. Mars represents the energy of raw desire – desire without hesitation, desire which burns so brightly, it cannot be ignored. This powerful energy is present for us as sexuality and it is not a surprise that it also propels our evolution. Without the motivation of desire we simply would not evolve. Instead we would dig in, seduced by the comfort zone and there would be no growth. Mars concentrates this energy to help us to shake off inertia and go exploring – whether into new lands (Aries rules the pioneer) or into new aspects of ourselves (Aries rules our self identity).
A good use of this energy is to be really honest about what we actually want. What is your deepest desire at this time? If there were no holds on what you could have or experience or move beyond, what would that look like? As a Soul who has incarnated here to experience embodiment, to learn through the power of choice and to come know yourself as Divine, what do you have yet to experience, to know about yourself, to feel and to be? These desires are not frivolous dreams but the real impulse toward evolution and the energy is here now – asking you to make a bold step forward… knowing you have the Universe at your back.
With Mars close to Saturn, there is an element of inspiration to create new structure, to truly claim your own authority over your own life. With Mercury and Mars only degrees apart, stay alert for messages from beyond. Mercury is newly imbued with the magic of Neptune having recently conjoined with her on the path through Aries – watch your dreams for guidance.
The second stellium contains the Sun Moon and Chiron and this adds another dimension to the fire and passion of Aries. Chiron is the wounded healer and in Aries, there can be a wound around identity. This could emerge around this time as a sense of who am I to take a risk, to ask directly for what a want, to initiate a new phase in my life. After all, I’m too old, too broke, too busy, that’s just not me. Chiron asks us to engage – not in more healing but in a changed perspective. Who are you NOT to follow your desires, NOT to know yourself through exploring new facets of your nature, who are you NOT to totally commit to yourself and your own unique hero or heroine’s journey? Aries rushes forth, unphased by the unknown path ahead.