Corrine Kenner
Whether you think of Midsummer as the first day of summer, the longest day of the year, or the summer solstice, it’s both an astronomical and an astrological event.
Like most celestial phenomena, the summer solstice can be keyed to a specific moment in time. In this case, that’s on June 21 at 6:07 am eastern, when the Sun enters watery Cancer.
That’s also when the Sun reaches its northernmost position in the sky, directly over the Tropic of Cancer. In fact, the word solstice comes from the Latin words for “sun” and “stop.” The Sun stops moving north on that day. At that point, the North Pole is tilted toward the Sun so its rays will shed light on the earth for the longest day of the year.
This is a day to celebrate both the Sun and the midsummer Moon—and to keep the party going through two eclipses in the next few weeks.
Mythic Astrology
The Moon has many faces. From dark to light, she shines in heaven and walks on earth, an archetypal figure of womanhood in all her guises.
To the ancients, she was Luna or Selene in heaven, Artemis or Diana when she roamed the forests, and in her darkened aspect, she was Persephone, queen of the Underworld.
At night, she rose from the mysterious depths of Oceanus and drove her silver chariot across the sky while her twin brother, Apollo, was fast asleep. She wore a crescent Moon on her forehead, along with a veil of stars, and she illuminated the earth with a glowing torch in her hand.
As the virgin goddess of the hunt, she was intimately connected to life and death. The crescent Moon was her bow, and she could take life to preserve it. She delivered her own twin brother, Apollo, and from that time on women would call to her during labor, pleading to be released from their pain or delivered from their suffering by death.
As Hecate, the goddess of the crossroads, her reputation was darker yet. In myth and legend, she had the power to summon demons and phantoms from the bowels of the Earth. She taught sorcery and witchcraft. She could be found wherever two roads crossed, on tombs, and near the blood of murdered persons. She herself traveled with the souls of the dead, and her approach was announced by the whining and howling of dogs.
The Moon moves through all twelve signs of the zodiac in a month. In the process, it waxes from a shimmering crescent to a luminous orb—but the Moon always has a dark side that remains hidden from the world.
The phases of the Moon parallel the phases of human life and experience, including the cycles of life: maiden, mother, and crone.
In astrology, the Moon is the guardian of dreams, the keeper of secrets, and the silvery orb of reflection and intuition. It symbolizes the rocky emotional landscape of memories and dreams, and embodies our most our primal needs and desires.
The Moon rules watery Cancer, the sign of motherhood, home, and family life. It also rules the fourth house of the horoscope, where astrologers look for information about early nurturing and one’s childhood environment. It’s also a symbol of public perception and popular opinion, because it represents how our gifts will be accepted and received by the public, when we leave home as adults.
Cancer’s signature creature is the hard-shelled crab, with claws that pinch and a shell that’s hard to crack. The crab’s defenses are hard to crack, but they conceal a tender, gentle sensitivity. The glyph for watery Cancer looks like the claws of a crab or a pair of female breasts: 
Reading the Signs
When the Sun enters Cancer at 6:07 am eastern, five planets are either stationed or retrograde. It’s almost as though the universe is taking a deep breath to rest and reflect before time marches forward.
The Sun is in a wide opposition to Saturn, which is across the zodiac in Capricorn. Saturn is the ringed planet of boundaries and limitations, and its opposition to the Sun reminds us to reinforce boundaries at work and at home. Saturn is also moving retrograde, which means you might also need to be a little stricter with yourself when it comes to deadlines and personal commitments.
The Moon is in airy Libra, square Mercury in watery Cancer. It’s a fast-moving aspect, but for a day or two, you might want to be especially careful about how you talk to your loved ones. Give other people the benefit of the doubt when they talk, too, because even simple observations and statements of fact are bound to rub people the wrong way.
The Moon is also square Saturn, which is retrograde in Capricorn. Normally the Libra Moon would be glowing with social grace—but tonight, it’s fumbling and bumping into walls.
That awkward energy is compounded by the fact that Mars is in more of a fighting mood than usual. It’s in the relatively cold and unfeeling sign of Aquarius, and it’s standing still, generating energy that could easily be interpreted as hostile.
If that weren’t enough, both Mars and Venus are in an uncomfortable square with Jupiter, the planet of generosity and good fortune. At the moment, Jupiter is retrograde in watery, secretive Scorpio.
Mercury is also opposite Pluto, which is moving backward through Capricorn, so people are especially susceptible to their darkest fears.
Both Jupiter and Mercury are in an open trine with Neptune—but Neptune is stationary in watery Pisces, which only confuses and obscures our true feelings and intentions. Be as transparent as possible. The more you broadcast messages of love and acceptance, the better you’ll be received.
The Moon is also in an easy sextile with Venus, the planet of love and affection.
Venus is across the zodiac from Mars, so their line of communication is wide open.
The Moon also has an open channel to Mars’s sense of reason through an airy, intellectual trine.
Venus is in fiery Leo. The planet of love and beauty will glide into Virgo on July 10. When it does, Leo’s long nights of passion could lead to a long-term commitment.
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Planetary Positions |
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• Sun in Cancer |
• Jupiter in Scorpio |
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• Moon in Libra |
• Saturn |
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• Mercury in Cancer |
• Uranus in Taurus |
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• Venus in Leo |
• Neptune in Pisces |
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• Mars in Aquarius |
• Pluto |
Phases of the Moon
On June 28, a Full Moon in earthy Capricorn sheds light on issues of business, career, and social status—all subjects that are completely opposite the Sun’s position in watery Cancer, the sign of home and family life.
On July 13, there’s a New Moon in Cancer—its own sign. The luminary’s entrance ushers in a brief period of domestic tranquility. It’s a good time to enjoy life in your own domicile, or to invest in home repairs and home improvements.
There’s also a partial solar eclipse on July 13, followed by a total lunar eclipse on July 27. Eclipses almost always bring new information to light.
On July 27, a Full Moon in airy Aquarius will bask in the light of the fiery Leo Sun.
Practical Astrology
Make the most of lunar astrology by actually looking for the Moon each night. Pay special attention to every Full Moon, which rises at sunset and sets just as the Sun rises. Full Moons represent culmination and completion, and you can time your most important projects to peak when the Moon is at its brightest.
It’s also interesting to note that a New Moon occurs when the Moon and the Sun are conjunct—which means they occupy the same sign and degree of the zodiac. When the Moon is New, it’s a great time to initiate projects, because your head and your heart will be on the same page.