Scorpio New Moon: Insight in Motion
The Scorpio New Moon on November 20 invites us to slow down and look beneath the surface. Scorpio is a water sign that deals with truth, depth, and transformation—it helps us release what’s no longer working and reconnect with what matters most. This New Moon is a time to notice what you’re holding onto and whether it’s time to let go. Because Scorpio is ruled by Mars, there’s determination here too—the strength to stay present and move through change with purpose. You can watch my full talk about this New Moon, including what it means for all twelve rising signs, in the video below. If you do not know your rising sign, check out my YouTube video on how to pull up your Birth Chart on astro.seek.com.
The New Moon chart also includes a striking pattern: Uranus sits almost directly opposite the New Moon, forming the top of what’s called a kite. Uranus is linked to breakthroughs and unexpected shifts, while the supporting planets in the other water signs—Pisces and Cancer—bring sensitivity and flow. Together they create movement and help insights rise to the surface. With Mercury sitting “in the heart of the Sun,” we might get flashes of understanding or clear messages that help us see something in a new way. It’s a powerful setup for awareness, even if it shows up suddenly.
If you take a little quiet time around this New Moon, you might notice what’s ready to change or what you want to grow next. The energy can be intense but also freeing, helping you reconnect with your inner strength. This New Moon may feel strongest for people with Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, or Aquarius placements near the end of those signs. You can read the full transcript or watch the video below for a deeper look, and if you’d like to explore how this cycle fits into your chart, I always love helping people make those connections in a reading.
Transcript (Revised and Expanded)
Hi, this is Cathy Gnatek. Today I’m going to be talking about the New Moon in Scorpio, which takes place on November 20. It’s one of the biggest lunations of the year—that is, one of the major New or Full Moons. This one carries a lot of strong energy and will probably have the greatest effect on people who have planets or chart points in the late degrees of the fixed signs, roughly between 25 and 30 degrees.
If you don’t know your rising sign, there’s a video below where I describe how to pull up your chart on astroseek.com. That can be helpful. Another reason this is a powerful New Moon is that Uranus, often associated with sudden events or breakthroughs, is almost exactly opposite the New Moon. There’s also a kite configuration, which gives the chart more movement and focus. There’s a lot to unpack here. I hope you’ll enjoy the video and stick around until the end when I’ll go through how this New Moon may affect you depending on your rising sign. I’ll cover all twelve signs.
The New Moon always happens when the Moon and Sun come together in the sky. The Sun can represent consciousness, awareness, or new ideas, and the Moon relates to our physical and emotional experience. It’s a moment where we connect insight with embodiment, and that understanding unfolds through the month ahead. Of course, there are longer lunar cycles too. This New Moon is part of a 27‑month Moon family that will develop over time. I’ll share details about that in a moment so you can note it down. I think it’s August 2027 when this particular New Moon in Scorpio reaches a culmination point in that longer cycle. One way to track these rhythms is to journal about what happens around this New Moon, then reread those notes in August 2027 and see what themes or outcomes have developed.
So what makes this such a strong New Moon? I mentioned that Mercury is cazimi. What does that mean? Mercury is the planet of communication, called Hermes in Greek mythology—the messenger to the gods. Mercury goes retrograde about three times a year, and during those periods we often notice mix‑ups, delays, or small disruptions. But Mercury retrograde can also bring reflection because when plans don’t go as expected, we reassess and realign ourselves. There’s a point in every retrograde when Mercury joins the Sun exactly. That’s called cazimi, which means “in the heart of the Sun.” It can bring sudden clarity about what the Mercury retrograde cycle is revealing for you.
I’ll share an example: when I found out I was pregnant with my first child on New Year’s Eve 1995, I later looked back at the chart and saw that Mercury was cazimi that day. It felt like an announcement, a moment of clear realization. So events or insights can show up when Mercury is cazimi, and that alone adds strength to this New Moon.
On top of that, there’s also a kite pattern in this New Moon chart, which adds a strong dynamic. In the chart, you can see the New Moon at the bottom and Uranus directly opposite it.
To the right and left are Saturn and Neptune in Pisces and Jupiter in Cancer. These create a water trine. Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces are all water signs, and we have planets in the later degrees of each. That forms a flowing connection between the New Moon and Jupiter, which is in Cancer, offering supportive energy, along with Saturn and Neptune adding structure and imagination. This creates a steady current of emotional and intuitive energy since water signs connect with feelings, imagination, and self‑awareness.
So we have the trine, but also the tension of Uranus in opposition. Uranus sits at the apex of the kite. If you picture that shape, the tail is the New Moon and the energy flows up toward Uranus—the planet linked with sudden understanding, new events, or changes. The planets at the sides add more support toward Uranus through sextiles, creating movement like a kite ready to rise.
We can think about how that may play out individually once we know our rising sign. I’ll cover that near the end of the video. You can already see this New Moon has a lot of energy moving through it. I want to slow down a bit now and talk about the sign where the New Moon occurs, because that gives us another layer of understanding.
The New Moon is in Scorpio, so the themes connected with Scorpio are emphasized. Scorpio is a water sign, as I mentioned, and all the water signs relate to emotion, sensitivity, and intuition. Scorpio in particular is deep and psychological, like the still water at the bottom of the ocean. It’s also a fixed sign, which means steadiness, persistence, and loyalty. People with strong Scorpio energy often commit deeply and stay with what matters to them.
They can be very determined and consistent, sometimes a bit stubborn. Scorpio is ruled by Mars, the planet associated with drive and assertion. A helpful way to understand Scorpio is by comparing it to Aries, another sign ruled by Mars. Aries is a fire sign, and fire signs are about inspiration and action. You can think of Mars in Aries as the prizefighter who wins with a first‑round knockout—quick and assertive. Scorpio’s version of Mars energy is different. It’s like the fighter who goes fifteen rounds, gets bruised, stays in the ring, and still wins in the end. Because Scorpio is a fixed sign, it stays with the problem and looks for resolution. Its nature is tied to survival and persistence.
People with strong Scorpio energy can also be protective. The symbol of the scorpion fits well—it has an outer shell and the ability to pierce and defend itself. That quality also shows up as psychological depth. Scorpio energy can see into others, notice what’s unspoken, and sense what might not be true. At the same time, Scorpio grapples with questions of desire. Mars expresses “what I want,” and in Scorpio there’s a lot of focus on emotional connection and intimacy—getting close to others and understanding them deeply.
This is the context for where the New Moon falls. A few days ago, I did a video on Scorpio III, which covers the last ten degrees of Scorpio. That’s the decan where this New Moon lands. It’s associated with the Seven of Cups card in tarot, which connects to the idea of choice, illusion, or grappling with desire—the card traditionally linked with the seven deadly sins. The energy of this New Moon might bring up some of those human questions around wanting, choosing, and responding when we don’t get what we want.
The 7 of Cups shows a person standing before a set of floating cups, each one holding something different. The scene looks like a dream—nothing solid, everything suspended in mist. In each cup is a kind of choice or temptation: a glittering jewel, a crown, a dragon, a castle, a beautiful figure, a serpent, and a strange, ghostly head. Some of these might bring reward, others danger. The person can’t tell which is which. That’s the main tension of this card—wanting everything at once but knowing that not everything offered is good for you.
7 of Cups, Rider-Waite Tarot
The image lines up naturally with the seven deadly sins. The jewels point to greed, the hunger for more than you need. The crown or wreath stands for pride, the urge to be seen as better or more important than others. The dragon hints at wrath, that raw anger that destroys more than it protects. The castle ties to sloth, comfort taken too far, becoming stuck in safety and complacency. The veiled or shining figure in one cup shows lust, attraction that distracts from what really matters. The strange or monstrous face could be envy, that toxic longing for what someone else has. And somewhere in this mix is gluttony, the overindulgence that turns pleasure into excess.
Taken together, the card is a picture of temptation in all its forms. Every cup promises something, and every cup can trap you if you don’t pause to think. The 7 of Cups reminds us that not all choices are good ones, and that clarity—not desire—should guide what we reach for next.
As we move into the discussion about rising signs later, it’s worth remembering that this New Moon might connect you to grapple with questions around your desires, illusions that may arise about what matters to you, and sudden insights on where you may need to let go of a desire that no longer serves you. There could be a shake‑up—maybe you move toward something, and then circumstances change, or it falls away, or you realize you have to let it go. That letting‑go process is central to Scorpio’s lessons. Scorpio tends to hold on, but one of its main tasks involves release—facing endings, transitions, and rebirth. That may be what comes up for many of us around this New Moon.
If you want to look at it over a longer time span, this New Moon isn’t only about the 28‑day cycle leading to the next lunar phase. It’s also part of a 27‑month Moon family cycle unfolding in your life. You could mark your calendar for May 20, 2027, and note what’s happening then to compare. It’s useful to take notes around this New Moon—journal a bit and set an intention for the Scorpio area of your chart.
For example, if you’re a Scorpio rising like me, that New Moon falls in your first house, which is connected to your sense of self. Around this time, I might sit at my altar, meditate, and reflect on my own growth—how I want to deepen and connect with myself. I might also think about how this New Moon could influence my one‑on‑one relationships, since Uranus will be in my seventh house. If something changes suddenly in that part of my life, I’d want to consider how to respond and what letting go might look like.
How am I going to deal with that? How would I like to deal with that? How would I like to respond if it’s a moment of release and letting go, which can happen?
This New Moon may play out differently for each rising sign. Feel free to jump ahead in the video to your sign, although sometimes listening to the first few helps ground the overall meaning.
Aries Rising
For Aries rising, this New Moon will be in your eighth house. On the chart to the left, you can see a simple diagram of the twelve houses in astrology. I’ll walk through them one by one as we go. The eighth house deals with shared resources and transformation. It also connects to endings or what people sometimes call ego death and karmic release.
When I say ego death, I mean the way we sometimes over‑identify with certain roles in our lives. Over time, those roles may need to shift. For example, when I first became a mother, I really thought that was my central identity. But eventually, as children grow and move out into the world, that identity changes. It’s healthy to let it evolve and not hold on too tightly. That’s part of what ego death can look like—recognizing a change in life stage and making room for something new.
So if you’re an Aries rising, you may be thinking about those questions. It could also connect more literally to resources because the eighth house relates to shared money, finances in partnership, or debts and inheritance. Since the second house describes personal income and the eighth house is the second house from your partner’s seventh house, this area links personal and shared assets.
The New Moon is happening in your eighth house of shared resources, while Uranus—the planet linked with sudden events and breakthroughs—is in your second house of your own earnings. For Aries rising, energy from the kite pattern flows toward Uranus in that second house. This could bring new information about money or shared finances, prompting you to adjust. The overall tone is supportive because the kite’s structure directs energy toward that house. Something may shift or free you up in how you handle income, value, or security. You might even mark your calendar for May 2027 and revisit what starts now to see how it unfolds over time.
Taurus Rising
For Taurus rising, the New Moon is in your seventh house of one‑on‑one relationships. It might bring new communication or realizations—especially since Mercury is cazimi—around a partnership or close connection. Uranus is in your first house of self, suggesting that the change or insight could occur within you. This New Moon highlights the relationship axis: self and other. Something could shift that helps you better understand who you are and how you engage with others.
Gemini Rising
For Gemini rising, the New Moon falls in your sixth house, while Uranus is in your twelfth house. This 6‑12 axis can bring up many themes. The sixth house relates to health, daily work, service, and routines—the parts of life where we might feel obligated or overextended. It can also show where we sometimes feel less control. The twelfth house connects to rest, reflection, and the unconscious. With Uranus there, there might be sudden realizations about deeper patterns or unacknowledged stress.
This New Moon could involve matters related to physical or mental health, your day‑to‑day work, or how you support others. Because these are considered less visible houses, the experience may feel subtle or internal. It might not be as intense for you as it will be for the fixed signs—Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, and Aquarius—but it can still bring useful awareness or direction about self‑care and balance.
So it’s kind of the house of the everyday worker. The New Moon might bring up things related to your job, the day‑to‑day work you do, or your health. Those are a few examples. Uranus will be in your twelfth house, which can also have to do with mental health or rest, since it’s often called the house of self‑undoing or the unconscious. This part of the chart can bring up experiences or realizations from beneath the surface—things you weren’t fully aware of that suddenly come into view.
Because the sixth and twelfth houses deal with subjects that can feel draining or hard to control, this New Moon might have a somewhat tense quality if it’s falling along that axis for you. Even so, it won’t likely be as intense or outwardly impactful compared to signs that are fixed. Gemini is a mutable sign, so for you this New Moon may highlight adjustments more than upheaval. The people most likely to feel this New Moon strongly are those with Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, or Aquarius placements, particularly if your rising degree or planets are in the later part of those signs.
Cancer Rising
If you’re a Cancer rising, the New Moon falls in your fifth house, with Uranus—the apex of the kite—sitting in your eleventh house of friendships and groups. The fifth house relates to creativity, children, play, and what brings joy. People with a lot of planets here often work with children, or they’re involved in artistic fields like writing, design, or performance. With the New Moon in your fifth house and Uranus in your eleventh, there could be sudden developments involving friends, projects, or creative collaborations. You might get new insight through group settings or receive attention for something you’ve been creating.
If the fifth house is where we explore creativity, the eleventh house is where we release it into the world. Artists sometimes have notable activity across this fifth‑eleventh axis around the time they share or publish major work—it represents that act of putting your creation out into a collective space. So if you’re a Cancer rising, think about where and how you express your talents, and where collaboration or friendship plays a role.
Leo Rising
If you’re a Leo rising, this New Moon is happening in your fourth house of home, family, and ancestry. Uranus, the apex planet of the kite, sits in your tenth house of career at the top of your chart. This New Moon may ask for attention or adjustment between those two parts of life—your private world and your public role. There could be changes or realizations related to home, family dynamics, or career direction. New possibilities or shifts could arise that affect both areas, calling for balance between where you come from and where you’re heading.
Virgo Rising
If you’re a Virgo rising, the New Moon happens in your third house. The third house is the house of communication, short trips, writing, learning, siblings, and community. It’s traditionally the place where the Moon is said to have her joy, emphasizing everyday exchanges, conversations, and understanding how we connect and learn through regular life. This energy often relates to the way we think, speak, and gather information, as well as how we stay connected to the people around us.The energy opposite your third house is in your ninth house. That’s where Uranus sits, the planet connected to surprises or breakthroughs. The ninth house relates to things that expand your view of the world—travel, philosophy, education, or belief systems. You could have an unexpected opportunity to study something new, take a trip, or re‑evaluate your broader worldview.
If you’re a Virgo rising, this New Moon emphasizes communication, daily routine, and learning, while Uranus in the ninth house introduces new perspectives or experiences that stretch your thinking. It might not be dramatic, but it could bring small realizations that shift how you see things. Overall, it’s a time to stay open to new information and how it connects to your daily life.
That energy is in the ninth house. You could have sudden events around international travel—maybe you decide to take a trip. The ninth house also connects to philosophy, religion, and anything that expands the mind, including higher education. If you’re a student or thinking about going back to school, you may have a clear idea or breakthrough about how to make that happen. Of course, it’s not possible to know exactly how the New Moon will affect you without considering your personal life, but reflecting on third‑ and ninth‑house themes can help you see how this energy might show up.
Libra Rising
If you’re a Libra rising, this New Moon falls in your second house of resources. We’re now moving into the last six signs, which form the mirror image of the first six. Libra is opposite Aries, so like Aries, this New Moon may deal with personal resources, shared finances, and your sense of value in relationships. It might bring something to light around how you manage money, share it with others, or how your sense of worth connects to partnership. The eighth house, on the other end of that axis, can reflect shared assets or emotional entanglements, as well as realizations about what needs to be released or redefined. The eighth house can be complex, touching on both material and emotional topics.
Scorpio Rising
For Scorpio rising, the New Moon falls in your first house, aligned with your rising sign. This placement focuses on self‑development, identity, and how you move through the world. A seed is being planted around your personal growth. Uranus, in your seventh house of partnerships, may bring sudden changes or understanding through one‑on‑one relationships. The self‑and‑other axis is activated, allowing for new awareness about how you connect with others and how that shapes your sense of self.
Sagittarius Rising
If you’re a Sagittarius rising, the New Moon is in your twelfth house, with Uranus in your sixth. The twelfth house can represent the unconscious, solitude, or what’s hidden from view. It can also be where we store what we’ve avoided or set aside. The New Moon here might bring a sudden insight or realization about something beneath the surface—some pattern or truth you haven’t wanted to face. Since Mercury is cazimi in this chart, it points to moments of understanding that come unexpectedly. This could lead to insight about what needs attention or release.
At the same time, Uranus in your sixth house can highlight issues connected to work, health, or daily routines. Something could shift suddenly in one of these areas, leading you to re‑evaluate your sense of balance or well‑being. Reflect on both ends of this axis—the sixth and twelfth houses—and how they relate in your chart.
Capricorn Rising
For Capricorn rising, the New Moon takes place in your eleventh house. This house connects to friends, community, and group work—what you share collectively with others. It can also represent the ways you collaborate or align with collective goals. The New Moon here might plant a seed or reveal new understanding about your place in a group, whether that’s in social circles, professional networks, or volunteer work.
Uranus in your fifth house could bring something fresh or unexpected in your creative life, through your children, or in projects that express your individuality. You might get new inspiration or momentum to move a creative idea forward, helped by this New Moon’s energy.
Aquarius Rising
If you’re an Aquarius rising, the New Moon falls in your tenth house of career and public life. It could bring new understanding about your work path, professional goals, or sense of purpose. Maybe a new opportunity or idea arises that helps you see your direction more clearly. Uranus, active in your fourth house, can bring change in home and family matters, and these two areas often influence each other.
A development in your home life could affect your career or vice versa. The fourth‑tenth house axis represents the balance between private and public life, so you might notice tension or adjustments in how you divide time and energy between the two.
Pisces Rising
For Pisces rising, this New Moon happens in your ninth house, which relates to travel, ideas, higher learning, and the way you make sense of the world. It’s the house of worldview and philosophy of life. This New Moon, with Mercury cazimi, might bring a sudden insight about your beliefs, your studies, or how you want to grow. For some, it could bring clarity about education or a long‑term learning goal—something that might take shape now as a seed for future growth.
The event or realization that prompts action may come from your third house, where Uranus sits. The third house represents your local community, communication, and sometimes siblings. Think about how the third‑ and ninth‑house themes might show up for you—local versus global, everyday thought versus big‑picture understanding.
Feel free to share in the comments if you know your rising sign and see these themes unfolding in your life, or come back later to note what happened. I always like hearing how these transits show up for different people.
That was a lot to cover, but I hope it was helpful. It’s the first time I’ve gone through each of the rising signs like this. Let me know what you think—what worked, what could be clearer. I’m a Virgo, and I have a lot of Virgo energy, so I’m always looking for ways to improve what I offer. I do this work because I enjoy it, but also because I want to help people use astrology as a tool for self‑reflection and understanding. I’ll be back in a couple of weeks with the Full Moon update. Take care.