Neptune in Aries (January 26, 2026 - March 23, 2039)

January 26, 2026 - March 23, 2039

Last spring, on March 30, Neptune entered Aries for a brief window before returning to Pisces in the fall. As a reminder, the last time Neptune traveled through Aries was between 1861 and 1874.

I researched a number of seminal events that occurred during the previous Neptune in Aries cycle. What follows is the same write up I generated last spring for Neptune’s initial entry into Aries.

Neptune is one of the planets associated with creativity, imagination, and artistic vision, while Aries is the sign of war, battle, independence, and breaking free. It is no surprise, then, that the Impressionist movement emerged in 1872 during Neptune’s passage through Aries. These artists were independent thinkers and creators who broke away from the established and acceptable styles of the time.

An important and overlooked factor is that during the 1860s, particularly in France during the early part of Neptune’s time in Aries, the country was at war. Many of the men who would later become Impressionist artists were conscripted into military service, and that experience left an imprint on their work. Claude Monet, who was sent to North Africa as a soldier, said that the vivid colors of Algeria “contained the gem of my future research.” It would be Monet’s painting Impression of Sunset that gave the movement its name.

In the United States, Neptune’s transit through Aries altered the course of history. The last time Neptune was at zero degrees Aries was April 13, 1861. The day before, on April 12, the thirty four hour battle of Fort Sumter in South Carolina marked the beginning of the Civil War. While Neptune is intuitive, dreamy, and creative, it is also associated with confusion, illusion, and delusion. Fort Sumter itself was a man made island in a harbor, a Neptunian setting. It had been built in the 1830s to protect the city of Charleston.

Some historical context is helpful here. In November 1860, Abraham Lincoln won the presidential election. Lincoln opposed the expansion of slavery into the western territories. Southern politicians and power brokers recognized that if new states entered the Union without slavery, their influence in Congress would shrink, which could end their ability to own human beings. Imagine that.

The response to Lincoln’s election was swift. South Carolina seceded from the United States one month after his victory. Within six months, ten additional states joined the Confederacy. In response, Lincoln authorized Union troops to protect Fort Sumter.

On April 12, Confederate forces fired the first shots, and a two day skirmish followed. The Union lost the battle. Civilians watched from the shoreline as the fighting unfolded. If South Carolinians felt reassured by the Confederacy’s quick victory, that confidence did not last. If Lincoln and Union leaders believed the war would consist of a few brief clashes before victory, they were mistaken in part. The Union prevailed, but the war lasted four years and claimed 620,000 confirmed deaths, with another 400,000 missing. It was devastating.

Did Neptune know any of this when it entered Aries in 1861. Neptune remained in Aries until 1875, a period that included Reconstruction, industrialization, and westward expansion. While slavery was abolished, civil rights were not extended equally across races or genders. Laborers across industries endured harsh and abusive conditions, including child labor. At the same time, the United States emerged from the Civil War as a stronger international power.

As Neptune approaches this historical point of return, it is understandable to feel unease about what lies ahead. To be clear, Neptune’s entry into Aries does not mean another Civil War. The battles may take different forms. They could be cyber, financial, ideological, or related to the dissolution of borders and boundaries. It is difficult to say. However, given the events surrounding Lincoln’s election and Fort Sumter, it is reasonable to assume that whatever emerges on the horizon may not arrive without warning. It did not in 1861.

There are some write ups out there for how Neptune in Aries will impact your personal chart, one I found very thoughtful is Astrology by Lauren.   Give it a read.   

For a historical overview of Neptune in Aries reaching back to 464 BCE, I recommend astrologer Jessica Davidson’s work. From ancient Greece and Rome to the Peasant Revolt in Britain and the War of Spanish Succession, the same themes recur. Rebellions and uprisings appear alongside scientific and technological breakthroughs.