Mardi Gras Parade Night Blessed With An Astrologically Fabulous Planetary Alignment

It looks like the cosmos will be having its own parade for Mardi Gras this year, with a six-planet alignment joining our annual festivities.

That’s right, gay Christmas has gone intergalactic, with Mercury, Venus, Neptune, Saturn, Uranus and Jupiter all appearing in a westward line as thousands of people gather along Oxford Street for the Mardi Gras Parade.

The effect is created by the way planets orbit the Sun along a shared plane, and echoes scenes from last February, where the six planets- with the addition of Mars- gave viewers a rare chance to see much of our solar system all at the same time.

Suzy Jackson, a senior engineer at the CSIRO, has worked in astronomical space technology across Australia for 27 years and will be marching in the parade under the planets’ watchful eyes.

“Venus will likely be the brightest object visible, with the other planets stretched across the same section of sky,” she said. “They aren’t actually close together, they’re millions to billions of kilometres apart, but from our perspective, they appear in a striking alignment.”

“As a trans woman, science has always been a place where your mind matters more than how you look. To share both science and community on the same night feels incredibly special.”

Those hoping to spot the planetary spectacle are encouraged to find a clear western horizon at around sunset and give themselves 10–15 minutes for their eyes to adjust to twilight. Viewing conditions will depend on local weather and light pollution, but with storms expected across the south east of Australia, our cosmic cousins will likely be hidden behind clouds.

Heavenly bodies

Although we may not be able to see the planets, their influence will certainly still be felt Earthside.

Fio Gede Parma, a Balinese-Australian witch and award-winning author, told Star Observer the planets would be split between alignments in Pisces and Aries on the night.

“These are times of great upheaval, of a tectonic shift of how we think and behave and act on global and collective levels,” she said. “Neptune has shifted from watery, mystical, dissolving Pisces into sharp, pioneering, catalysing Aries, and to have Saturn join them there indicates a sharpening of new skills. We need to adopt new ways of looking at how we catalyse action in our world and how we understand who we could be, together. It’s potentially unifying, it’s also very tense.

“Venus is exalted in the sign of Pisces and so loves swimming in those waters. And Venus is joining Mercury there who is uncomfortable in not knowing what is up or down, so though there is potential confusion and disorientation, we also have a pleasure palace awaiting for us. A place for the waters or our emotions and vulnerabilities gathering us in together.

“The Sun in Pisces conjunct the North Node on the weekend reminds us that the way forward is through emotional intelligence, through transforming and loosening the hard categories and boundaries we make for each other and communing in ways that bring in care and beauty and sincere romantic love.

“Let’s fall in love with each other as we move through revolution, is the vibe,” they said.

Compassion, love, revolution, transformation- what more could we hope for our Mardi Gras travellings?

Astrologer Dru Ish added that Mercury will be in retrograde on the night which, if you know anything about astrology, means things can get a bit messy.

“Be mindful that there’s a high likelihood of running into an ex, or someone you may need to close an old emotional loop with,” they said. “Don’t pass up these opportunities. While the astrology suggests we’re ripe for moving forward into a new era, there may be a few loose ends that need tying up so we can move forward unencumbered by emotional baggage from the past.”

Despite the usual retrograde drama, the alignment of Pisces in Venus makes it a perfect time for writing poetry, or even a love letter.

“Let the love flow from the deepest parts of your heart! This watery energy can reach deep down into what your heart really desires, so put it out there without forsaking your boundaries. Be bold with your love, not for others but for yourself.

“When Mercury moves forward again on March 21st, reality will come knocking. By then you will know if it’s the real deal, or too good to be true. Either way, ride it out until the Equinox so there is no looking back and nothing you wish you’d said.”

Ultimately, Ish says the cosmos reminds us that focusing our energies on togetherness and honouring our families, whether they be by blood or by choice, will help us create change in the systems that do not serve us.

“Our queer-trancestors are cheering us on from across the veil,” they said.