The Saturn-Uranus Opposition Series
Published: 28th January 2008
This article provides technical and thematic information about the series of Saturn-Uranus oppositions that are taking place this year and over the next few years. It gives you all the dates, Signs, degrees, and chart wheels, and interpretations too.
Quick Facts
Let's start with some quick facts about these oppositions, and then we'll have a look at the overall picture of the cycle itself, before discussing the charts for each individual occurrence of the exact aspect.
Exact: 5 times - 2008 (first time) to 2010 (last time)
Within 8 degrees orb: November 2007 (first time), on and off, until August 2011 (last time)
Within 6 degrees orb: September 2008 (first time), on and off, until September 2010 (last time)
Within 1 degree orb: October 2008 (first time), on and off, until August 2010 (last time)
Signs involved: Virgo-Pisces (first 4), and Libra-Aries (last 1)
Dates & degrees of exact aspects:
| Date | Saturn | Uranus |
| 4 Nov 2008 | 18 Vir 57 | 18 Pis 57 |
| 5 Feb 2009 | 20 Vir 40 | 20 Pis 40 |
| 15 Sep 2009 | 24 Vir 43 | 24 Pis 43 |
| 26 Apr 2010 | 28 Vir 46 | 28 Pis 46 |
| 26 July 2010 | 00 Lib 25 | 00 Ari 25 |
Click the dates to jump down the page to the chart wheels
for each conjunction
for each conjunction
Major themes: industry, technology, 'Western' 'capitalist' economic policies and system, autocracy versus democracy. Opposition suggests polarisation, extremes confronting one another, divergence, disagreement, tension, the need to reconcile differences and to start working towards reuniting and common ground, pulling in the same direction.
Saturn-Uranus cycle years:
This cyclic diagram shows that the 2008-2010 opposition echoes the previous opposition in the mid-60s, and resonates forwards to the next one in 2056-57. What was begun at the conjunction in 1988 will reach maximum expression for this cycle in the next two years, needing to be faced up to, confronted head-on, and adjusted.
In short, there will be a 'reality check' for the path we have followed with these themes, and there will be either a tense crisis and stand-off, forcing readjustment and compromise, or there will be a smooth transitional correction, flowing easily back towards equilibrium.
The path of least resistance so often leads to the less favourable experiences at times of planetary opposition, whereas the healthier choices require more maturity, more human ingenuity, increased creative application, and a sincere willingness to seek a shift to a wiser, less ego-based perspective.
Here are the charts for each opposition.
First Saturn Opposition Uranus
Date: 4th November 2008
Degree: 18º 58'
Quadruplicity: Mutable
In this chart all the planets are in half of the Zodiac, contained within the Saturn-Uranus opposition. Venus forms a T-square with the opposition between Saturn and Uranus, suggesting the mythological story of the birth of Aphrodite (Venus).
Kronos (Saturn) dismembered his father, Ouranos (Uranus), throwing his phallus into the sea, the foaming of which then gave birth to Aphrodite. This myth can be read as being about harmony being necessary amidst the struggle between old and new.
Mars and Jupiter both form aspects with the Saturn-Uranus opposition, and Venus's importance is reinforced by virtue of its connection with all four planets: it is on the halfway point (the midpoint) of Mars/Jupiter and Saturn/Uranus.
The chart shaping emphasises the last half of the Zodiac, which is to do with interpersonal and collective processes, activities, and identifications. It can also reveal a bias towards or preference for these, potentially neglecting the need for individuality, personal freedom, and having a mind of one's own.
Second Saturn Opposition Uranus
Date: 5th February 2009
Degree: 20º 39'
Quadruplicity: Mutable
In this second of the series of five oppositions, most of the planets are contained within 90 degrees of the Zodiac. Again, the Saturn-Uranus opposition embraces nearly all of the other planets, and again there is a T-square formation but this time it is the Moon that is involved. This suggests an emotional tension, and issues to do with the general public. There could be a confrontation to do with women or women's issues - or men's issues about women.
Apart from the Moon's squares with Saturn and Uranus, the only other aspect that the opposition planets make is a trine/sextile with Mercury. This brings in things like rational thinking, connections, transport, and the media.
The concentration of planets in the later Signs of the Zodiac suggests globalisation issues, and an emphasis on the international community. It also indicates a lop-sidedness, a type of bias, and a single-mindedness.
Third Saturn Opposition Uranus
Date: 15th September 2009
Degree: 24º 43'
Quadruplicity: Mutable
Here the planets are lined up on opposite sides of the Zodiac. The Sun is picking up the Saturn-Uranus opposition, so this is an emphatic time in the themes described by this series of aspects. This chart shaping indicates an overriding need to reconcile polar opposites, lest conflicts cause separation, division, and tugs of war.
Other planets making aspects with Saturn-Uranus are the Moon, Venus, and Neptune. Venus and Neptune are in opposition to one another. All three of these aspecting planets are 'feminine' - not just females, but the psychological feminine. The involvement of Moon and Venus in the first two Saturn-Uranus oppositions suggests feminine issues are a major part of this unfolding process.
Non-violence, peace, reconciliation, and coming together are all issues germane to the thematic development of these times. Dealing with tension, frustration, mixed feelings, and ambivalence look likely to be required.
Fourth Saturn Opposition Uranus
Date: 26th April 2010
Degree: 28º 46'
Quadruplicity: Mutable
In this chart we again have Jupiter involved with the Saturn-Uranus opposition, but this time more closely as the opposition coincides with a Jupiter-Uranus conjunction and a Jupiter-Saturn opposition. These latter aspects are vitally important socially and economically, as they mark the half-way point in the planetary pair's 20-year cycle. Thus this time holds the potential for significant economic changes, and considerable social restructuring.
The general shape of the chart shows planets fairly well spread around the Signs. There isn't the same clustering or see-saw polarisation as we saw in the previous three charts; there is more diversity and multiplicity.
Venus is once again connected with the Saturn-Uranus opposition, this time by trine with Saturn, and sextile with Uranus. So again we have the mythology story of harmony amidst strife and revolution. Interestingly, Venus is again on the Mars/Jupiter midpoint, so there is a direct thematic echo of the first Saturn-Uranus opposition on 4th November 2008.
This is the last of the Virgo-Pisces oppositions of this series, so there is a sense of concluding, of tying up loose ends, of readiness to begin something new and of global importance.
Fifth Saturn Opposition Uranus
Date: 26th July 2010
Degree: 00º 25'
Quadruplicity: Cardinal
This is the last of the series of five oppositions between Saturn and Uranus, and it occurs in the globally significant first degrees of Aries and Libra. The Jupiter-Uranus conjunction, and Jupiter-Saturn opposition, are both still present, but they have passed exactitude so there will be a different feel to them - things are not building up to a crescendo, the crescendo is now here and we're in the midst of it, finding ways to start anew.
This really is an incredibly important time, because four out of five of the outer planets are aligning in a T-square formation. This signifies the start of the 2010s in more than just calendar terms. The 2010s will echo the 1960s in terms of their widespread, comprehensive, radical change - socially, technologically, medically, environmentally, culturally, artistically - and this is where it begins in earnest.
Pluto is at the apex of the T-square, at right angles to the Mars-Saturn conjunction on one side, and the Jupiter-Uranus conjunction on the other. Pluto is also on the midpoint of Jupiter/Saturn.
The Sun is almost exactly aspecting Pluto, and is also forming a trine with Uranus, thus linking into the Saturn-Uranus opposition, and by extension the whole configuration. This means that not just this general period of time, but also this specific week or so in July, is likely to correlate with a tremendous amount of revolutionary change in society, and we can certainly use it as such if we wish - it's a wave we can ride to make a radical departure from whatever no longer serves the needs of the present and the future.
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