Horoscope For Today: Thursday, December 28, 2023

With the lingering effects of the full moon hanging around like discarded wrapping paper and strands of tinsel, today feels appropriately liminal, like the hazy week between Christmas and New Year’s is generally supposed to.

The moons remains in sensitive and sleepy Cancer for most of the day, providing a comfortably lazy environment within which to immerse ourselves after the busy holiday season. Take it as an opportunity to decompress if you’ve been feeling stressed out.

However, there will be an exact Mars-Mercury conjunction at 24° of Sagittarius at approximately 6:00 AM EST. You might receive some type of shocking revelation in your inbox, or an argument amongst your family might erupt. This transit might make a bigger impact globally than personally: important and potentially ground-breaking news surrounding themes of war, violence, and conflict is likely to be released. There is potential for hostile, threatening messages delivered in a way that cannot be ignored.

There is one more transit to watch out for today. By approximately 6:00 PM EST, the moon comes into an exact opposition with Pluto. The dwarf planet is currently sitting at 29° of Capricorn, a critical placement indicating major upheavals to existing leadership roles and power structures. This has been especially prominent in the natal chart of the United States, which is undergoing its Pluto return, a roughly 245-year cycle that determines the futures of nation-states and organizations.

Why is the moon’s opposition particularly important? It adds an emotional intensity to the chaos that will be unprecedented. Our cultural, ideological, and national identities will feel threatened, and we will be more reactionary than usual, absorbing nationalist and patriotic loyalties we didn’t even realize we held. This is a transit suggestive of a major turning point in the fight between the people and the power structures that oppress them.

By approximately 8:00 PM, the moon will be in the fiery and ego-driven sign of Leo. This evening might be intense. However, staying informed of the astro weather is the best way to survive it. It’s going to happen regardless. Here’s how you might experience today, based on your rising sign.

Aries

Today begins with the moon comfortably in your fourth house of home and family, making it a good day to stay home and unwind after the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. However, beware of disruptions: the Mars-Mercury conjunction in your ninth house might reflect an ideological or cultural conflict between you and your family that gets out of hand. Don’t let your fiery Aries aggression get away with you. Try not to be confrontational and add fuel to the fire today. Whatever emotions your private life are triggering will be made public by the time the moon in your fourth house opposes Pluto in your tenth house. You might think you’re speaking your truth, but will you regret your words once they’re out there publicly and you can’t take them back?

Taurus

The day starts off with the moon in your third house, enabling ease of communication with your local community and any extended family members who might still be hanging around a few days after Christmas. You’re likely to be in a good mood unless the Mars-Mercury conjunction in your eighth house delivers negative news about your shared resources with your partner, or a debt you’ve been ignoring. Everyone lives a little out of their means during the holidays, but you might not be able to ignore the inevitable for much longer. Do your best to handle the situation without complaint or self-pity. The moon-Pluto opposition falls in your third and ninth houses, respectively; this is reflective of potential heated arguments this evening about your siblings’ and neighbors’ values. If you’ve been keeping your opinions to yourself to keep the peace this Christmas, you might be dragged into a debate tonight.

Gemini

Your thoughts will be on your finances as you wake up to the moon in your second house, but it’s never too early to start budgeting for the new year. Get ahead of the curve and don’t let the Mars-Mercury conjunction shake you out of your comfort zone. It’s happening in your seventh house, so it might be your partner’s dilemma to sort out. But if you have to be there as a shock absorber, use your characteristic intellect and positivity to help them figure out how to handle their crisis. By this evening, the moon and Pluto will oppose each other on your money axis: the second and eighth house axis. Your partner’s money secrets might come spilling out, or you might learn some shocking information regarding inheritances or debts. Try not to get too overwhelmed.

Cancer

The moon spends most of the day in your first house, making you appear more endearing and approachable to others. When Mars and Mercury make their explosive conjunction early this morning in your sixth house, you can anticipate some potentially disruptive news surrounding your workplace, health, or daily routine. The news might unsettle you but try not to assume the worst: it’s the beginning of a new era, one that will potentially move you in a more positive direction. Whatever change occurs will inevitably reflect back onto your partner, too. Early this evening, the moon in your first house will form an exact opposition with Pluto in your seventh house. Expect the unexpected from your closest relationships, and remember that whatever happens is ultimately for the best.

Leo

You’ll spend most of the day in a dreamy haze, thanks to the moon’s position in your twelfth house. If you don’t have to rush around anywhere, don’t bother. The conjunction between Mars and Mercury in your fifth house will undoubtedly bring you surprising—but not necessarily unpleasant—news regarding children, creativity, and pleasure. If someone in your family has been trying to conceive, you might learn there’s a new baby arriving in 2024. A new situationship might decide it’s time to go exclusive. The moon-Pluto opposition tonight will shake up both your mental and physical worlds, placing you at the very center of a potentially life-changing experience. If you’ve been hoping to leave one job for the sake of your overall health, you just might be released from the responsibility through no effort of your own.

Virgo

You will spend most of the day feeling extra sociable and enjoying the company of your friends, with the moon in your eleventh house. However, this desire to get out and be among the people might be difficult to balance with the shocking familial news you receive under the influence of the Mars-Mercury conjunction in your fourth house. You will likely feel pulled between two worlds: your social circle and your place of origin, both of which require your attention and responsibility. Trust that your friends will be there for you when you need to leave to attend to family matters, and vice versa. By the time the moon in your eleventh house opposes Pluto in your fifth house, you will have a clearer understanding of how to creatively integrate both sides of yourself.

Libra

The moon spends most of the day in your tenth house, putting all the attention on you. Embrace it and allow yourself to be pampered a bit today. You’re never one to turn down a little luxury. The conjunction between Mars and Mercury in your third house brings potential for arguments between siblings, extended family, and neighbors, but for your part, you won’t be impacted—unless you choose to get involved. Try not to. This evening, the moon in your tenth house will form an exact opposition with Pluto in your fourth, meaning that if you’re at home with family, emotions will be running extremely high—and some plates might get smashed. You might want to sit this one out.

Scorpio

For most of the day the moon in your ninth house draws your attention outward and upward, causing you to reflect on your religious and cultural beliefs. If you’ve spent time at home with your family engaging in old traditions, it’s no surprise that these feelings will be lingering. However, if you feel threatened by your otherness, or you’ve been made to feel like the black sheep for leaving the fold, the Mars-Mercury conjunction in your second house of values and money might cause conflict between you and a beloved relative. If they don’t approve of your choices, they might finally make their feelings known. Remember that you don’t have to be what they want you to be. The moon in your ninth house will form an opposition with Pluto in your third around dinnertime, further enhancing the potential for clashes with family members who just don’t get you.

Sagittarius

The moon in your eighth house of intimacy and taboo will make you want to spend this day in solitary reflection. You might also be thinking about money matters, perhaps re-examining your 2024 budget. The conjunction between Mars and Mercury takes place early this morning in your first house, placing focus on your physical identity and sense of self. You might be feeling more assertive and willing to tell the truth today; if you’ve been dying to speak up about something, today’s the day. Just be aware that your words might come off more aggressive than you intend, and there are no take backs—especially not when Mercury is retrograde. Tonight, the moon-Pluto opposition on your financial axis will get you thinking even harder about how you intend to spend your resources moving forward. If you receive a shocking piece of information about your finances, try to breathe and remember that sometimes breakthroughs are painful.

Capricorn

The moon in your seventh house makes you especially affectionate to your partner today, and they are likely to be receptive. It’s a romantic day, and if you spend it together you will be able to weather whatever storm comes in the form of the Mercury-Mars conjunction. Your twelfth house of self-undoing and the subconscious might bring a shocking nightmare that rattles you awake, or a triggering experience that seems to set you six steps back on your mental health journey. Trust that your loved ones can be there for you during this setback. The moon in your seventh house will oppose Pluto in your first around dinnertime, at which point you might experience an emotional breakdown of some sorts. Let yourself cry. It’s not typically something you do, but stoicism can only get you so far.

Aquarius

With the moon hovering in your sixth house of routine for most of the day, you’ll be in the mood to clean up, organize, and set things right. If you’re the type to pack up the Christmas decorations before New Year’s, today is a good day to do it. However, the conjunction between Mars and Mercury in your eleventh house might mean that your group chat is buzzing with drama; expect to hear from your colleagues and friends this morning—and to be caught in the middle of their individual tales of holiday woe. Set boundaries for yourself if need be. The moon in your sixth house will oppose Pluto in your twelfth early tonight, bringing potentially emotional revelations surrounding your mental, physical, and psychological health. Have you been ignoring your body’s needs for too long? Some of you will find rest through sickness. Secretly, you’ll be grateful.

Pisces

The moon in your fifth house will keep your focus on the children in your family, along with creative projects you might have abandoned over the busy holiday season. You’ll be feeling inspired and in a fun-loving mood. Try not to let the destructive Mars-Mercury conjunction knock you off balance. It will take place early this morning in your tenth house, shaking up your public reputation and legacy. Have you been sacrificing your personal identity for your career? You might not be able to anymore. Some of you will have to own up to statements you made that are no longer representative of your views, and others will go unexpectedly viral. They do say that all publicity is good publicity, so don’t worry too much. Besides, the moon-Pluto opposition—in your fifth and eleventh houses—will put the dramatic focus on your larger social circle, allowing your colleagues and friends to take some of the heat. You won’t be going it alone.