Starcodes for the week of July 17-23, 2026
Major transformative astrological patterns click into place this week, though they’ll be working on us for the next few years. The four outer planets, Pluto in Aquarius, Neptune in Aries, Uranus in Gemini, Jupiter in Leo, and joined by the Libra Moon on Sunday, all hit 4°, forming an interconnected pattern, a cradle or basket covering half the sky, a pattern named Barbault’s Basket after a French astrologer who first tracked it and predicted metamorphosis.
For most of us this week will be pleasant if laced with small snafus and strange opportunities, but change is upon our world, and we need to help direct it.
The individual patterns, Uranus trine Pluto both sextile Neptune, Jupiter trine Neptune and Uranus, etcetera have all happened at various times, and all contribute to times of action, seeding of change. This basket is woven out of more familiar trines and sextiles, soft or auspicious aspects which can activate us and open doors, but this whole pattern has no precedent in written history. The basket’s one opposition runs between Jupiter and Pluto, an opposition which occurs every thirteen years and correlates with political liberation and epidemics, opportunities to be freed, either on earth or from earth. Each element of this woven pattern offers an opportunity to evolve, to change, to grow. It peaks this week, but these transits resonate for the next couple of years.
All these planets are near 4 degrees of their sign, and the first 5° are often considered the purest type or intense expression of that sign. The asteroid Juno conjuncts Pluto and sparks off all the aspects in this basket, which suggests that partnerships of all types will need extra care this week.
Mercury, retrograde these last two weeks, turns direct on Thursday, which can let the dust settle and help us see more clearly soon. Until then, people can say the most outrageous things and make declarations they’ll walk back or regret later. Avoid sweeping statements. Go gently and stay aware of the surroundings to minimize snafus and maximize mutual understanding.
If we experience a communication glitch at home or feel unsupported by our partner, take a break and come back to it next week. Use the discomfort to trigger introspection; if we’re going to move forward together, we need to respect and support each other more and find a way to be flexible and empowering through the coming changes.
The Moon starts this weekend in industrious if edgy Virgo. We may need to deal with what’s uncomfortable and soften around our self-doubts and cranky edges. The Moon in warm-hearted Libra Saturday night through Monday reminds us it is important now to just be present with one another; keep expectations low and mutual appreciation strong. Respond to a call towards social justice, an opportunity to see beyond our own silo and connect across cultures.
On Wednesday and Thursday, the sharp-edged, focused Moon in Scorpio and stationary Mercury can bring out irritations, snafus, and revenge fantasies, we can we spin in place and life requires extra patience. The Sun enters Leo and the Moon enters restless Sagittarius late Thursday; we’ll be ready to go exploring in the weeks ahead but need patience in this moment, be safe and open-hearted. Our world is morphing, call it to a good transformation.
Friday, July 17: We’ll run major neurological voltage as Uranus trines Pluto and begins a nine-month aspect which stimulates change in our world. Strange quirks abound. Find kind humor in problems; it can be hard to forgive ourselves or others, we can be unusually critical and prone to stomach aches as the persnickety Virgo Moon conjuncts friendly Venus this morning, then squares difficult Mars this afternoon. Let’s keep expectations real but reasonable, cut everyone slack, and take care of our guts. Keep eyes on the prize and focus on how we can ease into a healthier future.
Moon square Uranus 1:44 AM EDT, Moon conjunct Venus 9:05 AM, Moon square Mars 5:22 PM, Uranus trine Pluto 10:45 PM.
Saturday, July 18: Continue the cleanup, make life more habitable through small fixes and reorganization as the Virgo Moon sextiles Mercury. We become painfully aware of verbal snafus, mistaken identities, and big political moves which could be historic missteps. Be kind to one another and encourage wisdom, but don’t harp on personal mistakes; most of us are aware of our foibles and doing our own homework. The day has room for grace notes in the afternoon as the Moon sextile Sun, and room for richer connection tonight as the Moon enters Libra.
Moon sextile Mercury 12:49 AM EDT, Moon sextile Sun 4:12 PM, Moon enters Libra 10:56 PM.
Sunday, July 19: Take a good look at this world. Ask what needs to come back into balance as the Libra Moon forms a grand trine with Pluto and Uranus, then sextiles Jupiter and opposes Neptune. Work we do now to repair and balance our lives, relationships, society, and ecosystem can take extra perspicacity but bear real fruit as Mars also sextile Saturn. Check in on young and old, work across the generations and towards a common goal to come to a new understanding.
Moon sextile Jupiter 6:38 AM MDT, Moon opposed Neptune 6:58 AM, Moon trine Pluto 7:08 AM, Moon trine Uranus 7:17 AM, Mars sextile Saturn 12:10 PM.
Monday, July 20: Creativity abounds, but ordinary things and individual health issues may develop glitches. Look for some big news around boundaries crossed by microorganisms or countries as Jupiter trines Neptune and opposes Pluto exactly; we need our individual autonomy respected and room to vision. This inspiring, creative, pattern asks us to imagine our world in the best possible ways and help move it in that direction. Small adjustments and big actions, make them symbolic and beautiful, good seeds for the future.
Jupiter trine Neptune 1:22 AM, Moon opposed Saturn 2:15 AM, Moon trine Mars 3:03 AM, Moon square Mercury 6:18 AM, Jupiter oppose Pluto 8:45 AM.
Tuesday, July 21: Take some time alone, enjoy solitude and do a solo project or wander down by the stream. Drop judgement about how others walk their path, no matter how tempting, just model your own personal values. Although metamorphosis is in progress behind the scenes as Jupiter sextiles Uranus, we’ll get frustrated if we want people to hurry up and change faster than they are. Communication can feel stalled as Mercury appears stationary. Partnerships get tested if we drag up past misunderstandings, minor mishaps, or some old wound that’s getting ready to be released (but not quite yet) while the focused Scorpio Moon squares Jupiter and Pluto. Stay calm, collected, and know when to be quiet.
Jupiter sextiles Uranus 5:10 AM, Moon enters Scorpio 7:34 AM, Moon square Pluto for 10:00 PM, Moon square Jupiter 4:49 PM.
Wednesday, July 22: Have patience around beloveds. We need to find people funny rather than irritating, appreciate their quirks, unique approaches, and need for a minute alone rather than get upset that they’re not doing it our way; it takes all types. The quality of our relationships needs this spacious acceptance and mutual encouragement as Uranus trines the relationship asteroid Juno. This can be challenging as the Scorpio Moon sharpens our spikes and can leave us rigid, the Sun enters Leo making it harder to walk in another’s shoes unless we consciously soften and include. Find it easier to laugh about it all tonight as that Moon trines Mercury.
Moon sextile Venus 11:36 AM MDT, Uranus trine Juno 11:44 AM, Sun enters Leo 1:12 PM, Moon trine Mercury 3:48 PM.
Thursday, July 23: Meditate. Think of the hanged man card in the tarot, a symbol of making great progress within while feeling stuck or disconnected without while Mercury appears stationary, ready to turn direct this afternoon. Work on what needs help at this moment, it will be counter-productive to push for great progress or long-term solutions. Feel the energy shift, the dam softens, and water and words pour forth, though there may be some turbulence as the flow changes direction when Mercury turns direct late afternoon while the Moon enters mobile, movement-oriented Sagittarius and trines the Sun tonight.
Moon enters Sagittarius 7:06 PM, Moon trine Sun 9:42 PM, Mercury turns direct 4:57 PM. Pluto conjuncts Juno 7:55 PM.
Provided by Heather Roan Robbins www.roanrobbins.com
