Uranus, symbolizing sudden and unexpected changes, governs freedom and originality. In societal realms, it presides over radical concepts, individuals, and revolutionary occurrences that disrupt established frameworks. Uranus holds particular sway over innovation and brilliance among all planets. Its influence on your personal life is depicted by its position in your chart’s houses and its interactions with other planets. It delineates areas marked by unpredictability and divergence, embodying a highly unconventional nature that identifies the uncommon or distinctive. It also signifies the groups and affiliations you belong to, as well as potential involvement in esoteric studies, science and technology, computing, and media. As one of the outer trans-personal planets, Uranus takes approximately seven years to transit each sign, or roughly 84 years to traverse all twelve signs. Groups sharing Uranus in the same sign are spaced apart by 84 years, making its impact primarily generational. Nonetheless, Uranus transits and challenging aspects to the natal chart can be notably disruptive. When Uranus transits to the opposite point in your chart from its natal position, astrologers refer to this as the Uranus Opposition. This aspect, occurring around the age of 40, is often interpreted as indicative of a mid-life crisis. During this period, many individuals grapple with apprehensions about the future and unsettling reflections on the past. It becomes a time of intergenerational tension, as your generation clashes with the trends, ideas, and behaviors of the emerging generation.

Although you might feel somewhat out of sync with the “new wave,” this isn’t meant to make you feel aged, but simply distinct. You’re likely just as reluctant to relinquish the sense of uniqueness inherent to your own generation as the current generation is to acknowledge that your generation possesses any uniqueness at all. During this phase, there’s often little agreement or alignment of tastes. Unless your profession (or that of influential figures in your life) hinges on finding ways for opposing forces to reconcile, it’s best not to let such conflicts disrupt your life. Uranus, nearly invisible to the naked eye, was omitted from the ancient astrological framework. Despite being observed through telescopes since 1690, it wasn’t officially “discovered” until March 13, 1781, by English astronomer Sir William Herschel. Initially named Georgium Sidus (George’s Star) after his patron King George III, its name was later changed to Herschel by astronomer Jérôme Lalande. The more mythologically fitting name Uranus—Uranus being the father of Saturn, just as Saturn was the father of Jupiter—was proposed by German astronomer Johann Bode (who had predicted its location using Bode’s Law in 1772) and first published in 1823, though it wasn’t officially recognized by HM Nautical Almanac Office until 1850. Uranus, possessing a ring system and 27 known moons, was the first planet discovered by telescope, expanding the known solar system and sparking considerable controversy in academic circles. Its peculiar characteristic lies in its sideways rotation, akin to a ball, rather than spinning like a top, as observed in other planets. Truly unconventional!

Despite the scientific uproar, Uranus is indeed visible to the naked eye under specific conditions. There’s evidence that ancient astronomers had observed (and named) Uranus, though they opted not to integrate it into the astrological framework, possibly due to its faintness and slow movement. Consequently, Uranus lacks traditional rulership or exaltation, although many contemporary astrologers argue that Uranus has supplanted Saturn as the ruler of Aquarius. Modern astrologers generally concur that Uranus is well-suited to Aquarius and could be considered the co-ruler of that sign, although Saturn undeniably retains its traditional rulership.