December 2026 Astrology Calendar: Sagittarius New Moon, Jupiter Retrograde, Winter Solstice and Cancer Full Moon

December 2026 brings a Sagittarius New Moon on Dec 9, Jupiter turning retrograde in Leo on Dec 13, the winter solstice on Dec 21 and a Cancer Full Moon on Dec 24 (all UTC). Saturn and Neptune both turn direct in Aries, on Dec 10 and Dec 12.

What are the key astrology dates in December 2026?

All positions use the tropical zodiac. The table lists each event in UTC, New York standard time (EST, UTC−5) and Beijing, Hong Kong and Taipei time (UTC+8). Several events fall on different calendar days in different places, so check the column for your own location before you plan around a date. A planet that is turning around moves very little, so Saturn, Neptune and Jupiter station times can differ by a few minutes from one calendar to another, though the dates are the same either way.

When is the New Moon in December 2026?

The New Moon falls on December 9 at 00:52 UTC, with the Sun and Moon together at 16°57′ Sagittarius. In New York, that is the evening of December 8 (7:52 pm EST), which is why US calendars show December 8. In Beijing, Hong Kong and Taipei it is the morning of December 9 (08:52).

In tropical astrology, Sagittarius is associated with travel, belief, study and the long view, and a New Moon is a time for setting a direction. A lovely way to use it is a question: "What do I want to understand better by this time next year?" If you want a simple ritual, our New Moon ritual guide works with any lunation. You do not need to act at 00:52 UTC; a quiet moment near the date is plenty.

When do Saturn and Neptune turn direct in December 2026?

Saturn stations direct on December 10 at 7°56′ Aries, at about 23:31 UTC. Neptune stations direct on December 12 at 1°37′ Aries, at about 22:18 UTC. Both planets have been retrograde in Aries since the summer (Saturn since July 26, Neptune since July 7), and both resume forward motion within two days of each other.

A station is the moment a planet's apparent motion against the zodiac reverses, like a car that seems to pause as it turns around. In astrology, a direct station is read as an easing of review and a return to forward movement for that planet's themes: structure and responsibility for Saturn, dreams and ideals for Neptune.

When does Jupiter go retrograde, and for how long?

Jupiter stations retrograde on December 13 at about 00:56 UTC, at 27°01′ Leo. That is the evening of December 12 in New York (7:56 pm EST) and the morning of December 13 in Beijing, Hong Kong and Taipei (08:56). Jupiter then moves backward through Leo until it stations direct on April 13, 2027, at 17°00′ Leo, so the retrograde lasts about four months and covers about 10 degrees of Leo.

Jupiter spends roughly a year in each sign and is retrograde for around four months of that cycle, so this is a normal, recurring event. In astrology, Jupiter is the planet of growth, learning and opportunity, and Leo is linked to creativity, visibility and self-expression. A retrograde Jupiter is usually read as a stretch for reviewing what you are expanding, not for stopping everything. Jupiter does not really reverse in space; it only looks that way from Earth. A grounded way to use that symbolism is to choose one project, study or commitment from 2026 and ask whether it is still worth growing.

When is the winter solstice in 2026?

The December solstice is on December 21, 2026 at 20:50 UTC. That is 3:50 pm EST in New York and 04:50 on December 22 in Beijing, Hong Kong and Taipei, so the date differs between the Americas and East Asia. In the Northern Hemisphere it is the shortest day of the year and the start of astronomical winter. In the Southern Hemisphere it is the longest day and the start of summer.

At the solstice the Sun reaches its most southerly point in the sky (a declination of about −23.4°). In the tropical zodiac, the solstice is, by definition, the moment the Sun enters 0° Capricorn, so the astrological and astronomical events are the same moment. Sidereal zodiac systems place the Sun in a different sign, so if you use one, your Capricorn season starts later.

Is the December 24 full moon a supermoon?

Yes, by the usual meaning of the word. The Full Moon on December 24 at 01:28 UTC (December 23, 8:28 pm EST) is at 2°14′ Cancer, opposite the Sun at 2°14′ Capricorn. The Moon is about 356,700 km from Earth's center at that moment, and it reaches perigee, its closest point, about seven hours later at roughly 356,650 km.

"Supermoon" is not an official astronomical term. It is typically used for a full Moon within at least 90 percent of perigee, and the November 24 and December 24 full Moons are both on the list for 2026. This is the closest full moon of 2026: the November 24 full Moon is about 360,800 km away and the January 3 full Moon about 362,300 km. The Moon's perigee on December 24 is also the closest of the year.

How much "bigger" it looks is modest. A full Moon at perigee can look up to 14 percent larger and 30 percent brighter than the faintest full Moon of the year, a difference that is hard to notice by eye. The traditional name for this Full Moon is the Cold Moon, and our full moon rituals guide lists it among the next three Full Moons with a Cancer-themed ritual idea.

Which planets are retrograde in December 2026?

Four outer planets are retrograde for at least part of the month:

• Jupiter turns retrograde on December 13 and stays retrograde until April 13, 2027.
• Uranus is retrograde in Gemini all month, since September 10, 2026, and turns direct on February 8, 2027, at 1°41′ Gemini.
• Saturn is retrograde until its December 10 direct station.
• Neptune is retrograde until its December 12 direct station.

Mercury, Venus, Mars and Pluto are all direct in December. Mercury turned direct on November 13 and Venus on November 14 (UTC), as covered in our November 2026 astrology calendar. The next Mercury retrograde starts on February 9, 2027, and our Mercury retrograde 2027 dates have the full schedule. For this year's Mercury cycles, see our 2026 Mercury retrograde dates.

Which planets change signs in December 2026?

Three inner-planet sign changes happen in December, plus the Sun's move into Capricorn at the solstice:

• Venus enters Scorpio on December 4 at about 08:13 UTC.
• Mercury enters Sagittarius on December 6 at 08:33 UTC and Capricorn on December 25 at about 18:22 UTC.
• Mars does not change sign in December. It entered Virgo on November 25 and moves from about 2° to about 10° Virgo during the month.

The slower planets also stay put: Jupiter in Leo, Saturn and Neptune in Aries, Uranus in Gemini and Pluto in Aquarius. If you are new to the vocabulary, our astrology for beginners guide explains stations, ingresses and retrogrades.

Good to know

The dates are astronomy, and astrologers read themes into them, such as direction at the New Moon and review at a retrograde. Research has not shown that planetary positions predict events, and traditions differ on how to read them, so treat the month as guidance for your planning. A "supermoon" is just a full Moon a little closer than usual, and time zones can shift the date: the New Moon on Dec 9 is Dec 8 in the Americas, and the solstice is Dec 22 in East Asia. It is the same moment everywhere.