The New Year is another chance for us to get it right. Brad Paisley is an American country music singer, songwriter and guitarist. On one New Year's Eve he is reported to have stated, "Tomorrow is the first blank page of a 365 page book. Write a good one!"
'Makar Sankranti' is a significant astrological event in that occurs every January. It is the transition of the Sun through the sign of Capricorn or 'Makar'. It signifies the end of the winter solstice month and the beginning of longer daylight hours. The Sun's placement in this zodiac emphasises specific qualities associated with Capricorn's energy, such as ambition, determination and hard work. This is a time of new beginnings, fresh starts and is often considered an auspicious period for spiritual practices, rituals and setting intentions for the coming months.
This year, 'Makar Sankranti' starts from January 16 and continues into February.
Other noteworthy, although not entirely astrologically relevant dates this month include:
Earth's Rotation Day, January 8.
Make Your Dream Come True Day, January 13.
International Day of Education, January 24.
Forecast for Your Sign in January
This is a brief forecast each zodiac sign, based on the month's astrological influences. For your full predictions see our, 'Monthly Horoscopes'.
Aries ♈ (March 21 - April 19): A retrograde Jupiter is favourably placed in Aries. At the beginning of the month, Mars will remain combusted in Sagittarius. Your energy and motivation from last month will wane somewhat in the New Year. There will be a lack of progress in your immediate plans, however this will gradually improve. You will take up your plans with more purpose by the end of the month, as Mars gains strength. Greater success will provide the encouragement you need.
Taurus ♉ (April 20 - May 20): A relatively strong Venus aspects Taurus from a favourable position in Scorpio, at the start of the month. You are motivated and keen to take up new challenges and bring progress to your plans in January. You will be assisted by innovative thinking and this will bring about different forms of short-term success.
Gemini ♊ (May 21 - June 20): Mercury is adversely placed in the sign of Scorpio. But, the Sun and Mars favourably aspect your sign. These mixed planetary influences are not conducive for work related gains, although you are keen to begin the year on a strong positive note. You will be prone to adopting a domineering demeanour with your spouse/partner and this will have adverse results. There will be greater success in your short-term plans as the month progresses.
Cancer (June 21 - July 22): The beginning of January is favourable, as the Moon will occupy Leo, filling you with confidence and positivity. You will thus be in a relaxed mood as you enter January, as most of your short-term plans will proceed according to plan. This situation will however, change thereafter for a short period, till mid-January. Mixed planetary influences mean that your thoughts, emotions and actions will periodically change over the course of the month. There may be a few problems and worries by the end of January.
Leo ♌ (July 23 - August 22): During the beginning of the month, the Sun will be placed in Sagittarius and the Moon will be in Leo. Saturn will also aspect Sagittarius. You will be eager to implement new plans for the year ahead. Your enthusiasm will wane as January progresses and you will be in a comparitively sombre mood by the end of the month. There may be a few struggles relating to on-going plans, at that time.
Virgo ♍ (August 23 - September 22): The malefic 'Ketu' continues to occupy Virgo as you enter 2024. A retrograde Mercury will be weak and adversely aligned in Scorpio, hence you may be preoccupied with present worries. There will also be communication gaps between you and those around you and you will be inclined to keep to yourself. The Moon and 'Ketu' will be in conflict in your sign by the end of January. A lack of clarity about the immediate future will affect your confidence.
Libra ♎ (September 23 - October 22): The planetary influences on Libra will be comparitively favourable at the beginning of 2024. After a period of socialising and recreation, you will be motivated to bring about financial improvements to your life and progress to your career. You will strive for success in your immediate plans by the end of the month and this will bring rewards going forward.
Scorpio ♏ (October 23 - November 21): Venus and a retrograde Mercury will occupy Scorpio at the beginning of the month. This suggests that although you will be in a good mood, you may offend someone by saying something without thinking. Single Scorpios will be looking to enter into new relationhips and will find some success in this area. Prudent actions and exercising good sense will prove to be a winning formula for you, by the end of the month.
Sagittarius ♐ (November 22 - December 21): In 2024, Jupiter will be in-retrograde in Aries and the Sun and Mars will occupy this sign. You will enter the New Year in a positive, confident frame of mind. Venus, Mercury and Mars will all occupy Sagittarius as January winds down. These are mixed influences that will bring mixed fortunes.
Capricorn ♑ (December 22 - January 19): At the beginning of January, there are no significant planetary influences on this zodiac. Your ruling planet, Saturn does have a favourable, stabilising influence on your life and hence, life will proceed as usual and there will be no surprises. You will be occupied with your normal routine for most of the month. The Sun will renew your vigour and motivation after mid-Jan.
Aquarius ♒ (January 20 - February 18): Due to the continued presence of Saturn, you will be busy with mundane affairs. There will be struggles, but remaining persistent and dedicated to your objectives, will bring rewards in the long-term.
Pisces ♓ (February 19 - March 20): There is no radical change in the astrological inlfuences on Pisces, in January. There will thus continue to be a few struggles, worries and obstacles. You will overcome these problems if you remain positive and prudent, as this situation is transient.
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News Updates for January 2024
A round-up of breaking news and the most interesting stories from the world of astrology and esotericism.
The travel website, Skyscanner recently released a report about the effects of the stars on the preferences of Indian travellers. According to the Skyscanner report, 88 per cent of people in India follow astrology for purposes such as travel plans. Also:
93 per cent of Aquarians choose travel destinations based on the cuisine of that location.
82 per cent of Sagittarians are inclined towards experiencing unusual and adventurous food preferences.
55 per cent of Capricorns make bookings inspired by movies and TV programmes.
48 per cent of Scorpios experience anxiety while taking a flight.
Over 50 per cent of Ariens, Capricorns and Librans go on holiday in the hope of finding that special someone.
Many Leos, Capricorns and Scorpios love to drink while travelling.
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Jovana Illa is a professional tarot card reader who makes live readings alongside performing stand up comedians. This all takes place on the second Friday of each month, at 'The Crow' in Santa Monica, USA. Illa finds that commedic relief, "Dissipates the heaviness" of her readings.
The show started in July and according to Illa, "It has been well received and successful, according to attendees. The audience should expect real answers that are accurate and truthful yet compassionate, with peers cheering them on."
Ella Duggan, a journalist for a local US newspaper, 'The Berkeley Beacon' has written a piece suggesting that "Astrology should not be a means of explanation". Duggan makes this recommendation in reference to old articles that she came across in an astrology magazine. Duggan reported that, "If a writer looks at the night sky and uses it to predict that Russia will make a move on a certain town in Ukraine, are they not condemning that town to its demise? If they believe it to be true, are they not actively praying on destruction, on death? This is a self-fulfilling prophecy."
While Duggan is certainly entitled to her point of view, her observations would have been of greater value had they been based on an informed view. PowerFortunes did reach out to The Berkeley Beacon to discuss the matter further, but received no response.
Singer songwriter, Lana Del Rey is reported to be a fan of astrology. In a new interview with Harper's BAZAAR, Del Rey recalled thinking she was a Gemini for a significant amount of time before learning her astrological chart wasn't accurate and she's actually a Cancer. In response to this newly discovered information Del Ray says, "I threw out all of my 14-karat gold twin Gemini pendants and got lots of crabs in diamonds". However, we do not recommend that anyone go routing around in Del Rey's trash, in the hope of finding buried treasure!
When asked about her main three astrological placements, Del Rey sang the line, "My Cancer is Sun, and my Leo is Moon", from her 2021 song, "Chemtrails Over the Country Club".
In October 2023, Beck Lawrence, the owner of The Serpent's Key, a small tarot related shop in Hanover, Pennsylvania, USA was questioned by the local police Chief, Chad Martin and another officer. The charge was, "Reading tarot cards" and relates to an antiquated Pennsylvania law that outlaws fortune telling.
Lawrence then hired lawyer, Alexa Gervasi to look more closely at the the 1861 enacted law. In Gervasi's opinion, enforcing the rule would violate Beck's First Amendment right to free speech. Beck's shop has multiple signs saying their readings are for entertainment purposes only, but are also part of the business.
Karin McQuade a teacher at Wando High school in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, USA has introduced tarot readings to students in her class. These readings have become a fairly intriguing activity that helps the students find clarity in their lives, whether they believe it or not. According to McQuade, "Tarot has definitely influenced me by helping me better understand everything I go through, and it happens for a reason and just helping me better understand troubles or grievances. Anything that I go through, it helps me better understand why I went through it and how I can come out of it better."
One such student, Lydia Watts said of the experience, "I didn't know Ms. McQuaid until last year and she just was one of the coolest teachers ever. I really wanted to know about things that she believed in and this year, she brought in tarot cards, and I was so interested in it and she read everyone in the class. it was super cool and that really got me back into them." Another student, Tally Uribe uses tarot readings to ease her anxiety about the future and said, "A big misconception is people think that what the cards say is point blank, that's it. That's not the case at all. Truthfully, anything can happen and you could change the outcome of what those cards are saying."
Cosmopolitan published predictions for 2024, as made by three astrologers, in a somewhat long-winded article. The three astrologers are Jake Register, Monisha Holmes and the well known Lisa Stardust. Each astrologer presented their assessment for the year ahead, for all the star signs. These predictions relate to life in general, love and money.
Famous Birthdays this Month
Some famous personalities with birthdays in January are:
Mel Gibson, January 3, 1956
Isaac Newton, January 4, 1643
Nigella Lawson, January 6, 1960
Elvis Presley, January 8, 1935
Stephen Hawking, January 8, 1942
Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, January 9, 1982
Nina Dobrev, January 9, 1989
Jeff Bezos, January 11, 1964
Amanda Peet, January 11, 1972
Muhammad Ali, January 17, 1942
Michelle Obama, January 17, 1964
Zooey Deschanel, January 17, 1980
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, January 27, 1791
Rosamund Pike, January 27, 1979
Oprah Winfrey, January 29, 1954
Heather Graham, January 29, 1970
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Important Dates
These are the most favourable and unfavourable dates this month, according to the prevailing celestial alignments. The good dates are the best of those mentioned for our 'Monthly Lucky Dates' section. This selection is suitable for commencing or undertaking any type of important task, be this of a personal or professional nature. Doing so will multiply your returns and increases the chances of success. The opposite is true of the inauspicious dates.
The Most Auspicious Dates in January
January 2 to 3:
Indian Standard Time (IST) From: January 2, 17:11 to 06:00 (3) IST.
Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) From: January 2, 06:41 to 19:30 (2) EDT*.
This is a 'Tripushkar Yog' that occurs on the 7th day of the waning moon, during the 'Nakshatra' of 'Uttara Phalguni'.
The 'Uttara Phalguni Nakshatra', or constellation is considered to be auspicious.
January 22:
Indian Standard Time (IST) From: January 22, 03:52 to 06:00 (22) IST.
Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) From: January 21, 17:22 to 19:30 (21) EDT*.
A 'Dwipushkar Yog' will start on the 22nd, at the time mentioned and end on the same date.
This occurs on the 12th day of the waxing moon, during the 'Nakshatra' of 'Mrigashirsha'.
The 'Mrigashirsha Nakshatra', or constellation is considered to be auspicious.
The Most Inauspicious Dates in January
January 9 to 10:
Indian Standard Time (IST) From: January 9, 22:24 to 09:22 (10) IST.
Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) From: January 9, 11:54 to 22:52 (9) EDT*.
Two unfavourable periods, 'Gand Mool' and 'Bhadra' run concurrently from the 9th to the 10th days of the waning moon.
January 28 to 29:
Indian Standard Time (IST) From: January 28, 07:12 to 06:10 (29) IST.
Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) From: January 27, 20:42 to 19:40 (28) EDT*.
Two unfavourable periods, 'Gand Mool' and 'Bhadra' run consecutively from the 3rd to the 4th days of the waning moon.
* The times shown are in IST (Indian Standard Time). You may use an online time converter to get your local time.
Lunar Phases for January
The moon will follow the following alignments this month:
At the beginning of the month, the moon will be at day '5' of its waning phase, in Leo.☽ ♎
The new moon will be on, Thursday, January 11 and the moon will occupy the sign of Sagittarius.☽ ♐
The full moon will be on, Thursday, January 25 and the moon will be in its own sign of Cancer. The first full moon of the year is referred to as the, 'Wolf Moon' by some Native American tribes.☽ ♋
Planetary Trends for January
The horoscope charts will progress as follows during the course of the month. For an explanation of some of the terminology used, see our 'Astrology Glossary'.
At the beginning of January, a retrograde Jupiter will be the ascendant's lord.
Saturn will be the ascendant's lord by the end of the month.
By the end of January, Venus, Mars and Saturn will all occupy their own zodiac signs.
At the beginning of January, Rahu will be weak at about 26.51°, in the enemy sign of Pisces. ☊ ♒
By around mid-January it will have strengthened to about 25.26°, in Pisces. It has to be remembered that Rahu and Ketu are in permanent retrograde motion. ☊ ♓
Rahu will be in Pisces and strong at, 23°, by the end of January. ☊ ♓
At the beginning of
January, Saturn will occupy its own zodiac sign of Aquarius, at 9° and strengthening. ♄ ♒
It will continue to occupy Aquarius, as Saturn is a slow moving planet and will have marginally increased to about 10°. ♄ ♑
Saturn will remain in
Aquarius, placed at 12°, by the end of January. ♄ ♒
Stars Watch
The main celestial events for January are:
Mercury will end its retrograde motion in Scorpio between January 1 and 2. Mercury's orbit will take it to its farthest distance from the Sun. It is said to be in its 'Greatest Elongation' during this phase. This increase in separation from the Sun will allow this planet to have a stronger influence.
The earth will be at its closest point to the Sun on January 2. This is known as the 'Perihelion' and in the southern hemisphere, the Sun's rays will be incident to the earth's surface at a shallow angle.
The Quadrantid meteor shower will be visible from January 3 to 4. This will be visible in the northern hemisphere, towards the constellation of Bootes.
A lunar occultation of Neptune will occur around January 25. This means the Moon will pass in front of Neptune, obscuring its visibility. This will be observable in parts of the Pacific Ocean, eastern Asia and western North America.
The horoscope charts for New Year's Day is shown below:
Horoscope chart for New Year's Day.
What's Coming Up in February?
Some important events that occur during February of 2024 are:
The first Supermoon of the year.
The Chinese New Year.
February will be Aquarius and Pisces seasons. We'll be looking at what this means for these two signs.
Zodiac Signs of Billionaires Which zodiac sign makes the most money? The Sun Signs with the most and least number of billionaires and why this is so. The rags to riches story of the Stars Signs.
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