New Moon in Aries: meaning and symbolic reading

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New Moon in Aries: what is it about?

A new Moon occurs when the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun: its lit face is turned towards the Sun, and the face turned towards us remains in shadow. So the Moon is not visible; the first thin crescent appears only a day or two later. For astrologers, this moment is a conjunction: the Sun and the Moon share the same longitude in the zodiac. A “new Moon in Aries” is therefore a new Moon that occurs while the Sun is passing through Aries. See also the page on the new moon.

The Sun moves through Aries from about March 20 to April 20, so this new Moon falls between late March and late April. The cycle lasts 29.53 days on average: a sign usually recurs once a year, sometimes twice (about one year in thirty-seven for Aries, according to my calculation for 1951–2099). This refers to the tropical zodiac, anchored to the seasons; sidereal astrology offsets it by about 24 degrees.

In the sky: what really happens

New Moons are the best nights for observing the stars, the Milky Way or galaxies: no moonlight veils the sky. In spring, the Sun and the Moon rise and set at roughly the same times. The Sun enters Aries at the March equinox, when day and night are nearly equal: in Western astrology, this marks the start of the zodiacal year.

When the new Moon occurs close to a lunar node, it can produce a solar eclipse. This is not the case for most new Moons: see solar eclipse: astronomy and symbolism. A fun detail: the “vernal point”, the origin of Aries, now lies in the constellation of Pisces, because of the precession of the equinoxes.

Aries, the first sign

Aries is a fire sign, cardinal, ruled by Mars (see the planet). Mythology sees in it the golden-fleeced ram, which saved Phrixus and Helle and whose fleece later became the object of Jason’s quest. It opens the zodiac: at 0 degrees Aries, the Sun is at the spring equinox. See Aries and, for the Moon in this sign, the Moon in Aries.

Keywords and symbolic mood

In modern interpretation, the new Moon is a moment of beginning: it is seen as a “starting point” of the lunar cycle. This image is contemporary, popularised by psychological astrology and by the practice of “intentions”; I know of no proven ancient source for it. Since the Sun and the Moon are in the same sign here, astrologers say that Aries is “doubly present”:

• initiative: taking the plunge, trying, saying “I am starting”;
• courage: acting despite a doubt;
• momentum: the energy of the start, sometimes scattered;
• impatience: the shadow side of the sign, wanting everything, right now.

These are keywords, not announced events: a new Moon guarantees no beginning.

Calendars and traditions

Several calendars start the month at the new Moon. The Hebrew month of Nisan begins at a new Moon in March–April, and Passover falls fifteen days later, at the full Moon. In the Hindu calendar, depending on the region and the system (the month sometimes begins at the new Moon, sometimes at the full Moon), the month of Chaitra opens the year around March–April, with the festivals of Gudi Padwa and Ugadi. In the Islamic calendar, the month begins with the sighting of the first visible crescent, one or two days after the astronomical new Moon. These calendars follow their own rules, not the zodiac.

New Moon in Aries and your birth sun sign

If your birth Sun is in	Relation to the new Moon (in Aries)	Time of the year
Aries	conjunction (same sign)	in the month of your birthday (same sign)
Taurus	semi-sextile (neighbouring sign)	about 1 month before your birthday
Gemini	sextile	about 2 months before your birthday
Cancer	square	about 3 months before your birthday
Leo	trine	about 4 months before your birthday
Virgo	quincunx	about 5 months before your birthday
Libra	opposition	about six months before or after your birthday
Scorpio	quincunx	about 5 months after your birthday
Sagittarius	trine	about 4 months after your birthday
Capricorn	square	about 3 months after your birthday
Aquarius	sextile	about 2 months after your birthday
Pisces	semi-sextile (neighbouring sign)	about 1 month after your birthday

Relations between whole signs are conventions: sextile and trine are considered fluid, square and opposition more tense but stimulating. People born under Aries experience this new Moon close to their birthday: it is sometimes called the “birth new Moon”. This is a figure of speech, not a measured fact. Astrologers mainly look at the house of your chart where it falls (birth time and place required): see Reading your birth chart step by step.

Gentle and safe practices

Nothing is obligatory. If the idea appeals to you:

• Choose a small, concrete intention (“walk twenty minutes three times a week”), write it down and check back after a month, without judging yourself.
• Watch the sky on a moonless night, far from lights, with a torch and in a safe place.
• Candle: a night light in a stable glass, away from curtains, out of reach of children and animals, never left unattended.
• Keep perspective: an important project is prepared with facts, not with the Moon.

Nuanced wording

To avoid	More nuanced
“This new Moon will make you succeed.”	“Aries evokes a departure; some use it as a marker to launch a small project.”
“Aries people are aggressive.”	“Momentum is a keyword of the sign; it does not sum up a person.”

Questions for reflection

1. What do I feel like starting, even on a small scale?
2. What holds me back: fear, lack of time, habit?
3. Where do I tend to go too fast?
4. Who could help me sustain this momentum over time?

What this reading does not say

Astrology is a symbolic tradition, with no scientific validation. These lines offer images for reflection, not a forecast, nor advice on health, money or a separation: do not make an important decision because of a phase of the Moon. If intense emotion or dark thoughts overwhelm you, speak to a health professional; in France, 3114 (suicide prevention) answers day and night, and in an emergency you can call 112 (emergency number across the European Union).

To go further: the full Moon in Aries, the new Moon in Taurus and Our commitments.

Frequently asked questions

Also read

The meanings mentioned belong to tradition and symbolism. They are neither promises of results nor medical advice. Back to In-depth astrology.