The sky right now
Mars conjunct Jupiter in Leo on 16 November 2026: the drive is back, and it’s yours to steer
The Mon thème team6 min read
There’s that project you’ve been talking about for months without ever starting. The conversation you keep putting off, the application sitting in a folder. And then, some days, for no obvious reason, you catch yourself saying "right, I’m doing it". Mars conjunct Jupiter is that moment: the urge to act meets the confidence to believe in it.
Why talk about it tonight? Because the meeting is nearly here. This Thursday 12 November, Mars is at 24° Leo and Jupiter at 25° Leo, and the conjunction will be exact on Monday 16 November at 07:22, Paris time. In between, Mercury and then Venus turn direct again. After weeks of revising and rethinking, the sky moves into action.
What the wheel shows
- Mars conjunction JupiterTwo planets are in conjunction when they occupy the same degree of the zodiac, 0° apart.
- Venus sextile MarsThe sextile links two planets 60° apart.
- Moon trine JupiterThe trine joins two planets 120° apart.
- Sun square JupiterThe square forms a 90° angle between two planets.
The planets circled in gold are the ones in this article; each colour is an aspect. Tap a name to learn more.
What does Mars conjunct Jupiter in Leo mean?
Mars is desire set in motion: what we want, and the energy we put into getting it. Jupiter enlarges whatever it touches: it brings confidence, scale, a sense of what’s possible. When the two come together, action thinks big.
In Leo, this meeting takes on a particular colour: heart, pride, the wish to create and to be seen for who you really are. It’s a climate that encourages you to be bold, to stand up for an idea or to step on stage, literally or otherwise.
There is a flip side, and it’s worth knowing: enthusiasm can promise more than it can deliver. This sky isn’t asking you to hold back; it’s asking you to choose where to put your fire.
Why does this conjunction arrive at a turning point?
Look at the sequence. Mercury turns direct on Friday 13 November at 5° Scorpio, Venus on Saturday 14 at 22° Libra. Two planets that had been doubling back set off forwards again, and two days later Mars joins Jupiter.
Venus, as it happens, is forming a sextile to both Mars and Jupiter over these days. Whatever you’ve been rethinking about your relationships and your wants during its retrograde finds a natural outlet here: the sorting is done, and the drive can serve something that feels right.
Already tonight, the Moon at 25° Sagittarius forms a trine to Jupiter and Mars. It’s a foretaste: a more expansive mood, a longing for wider horizons.
Does everyone feel this surge in the same way?
No, and that’s the key point. What this page describes is a general climate. The people who feel it most strongly have a natal planet or angle at around 24° or 25° of a sign, and the aspect it forms tells you how.
Take a natal Sun at around the same degree of Aries or Sagittarius: it receives the conjunction by trine, and the drive comes naturally. A Sun at around the same degree of Aquarius receives it by opposition: the urge to act comes through other people, sometimes through a disagreement that forces you to take a stand. At around the same degree of Taurus or Scorpio, it’s a square: friction that pushes you to move.
And if nothing in your chart sits near those degrees? The transit remains a background climate, pleasant but low-key. That’s why the same transit doesn’t affect everyone alike, and it isn’t astrology getting it wrong.
How to make the most of this conjunction, 16 to 26 November
The surge isn’t left on its own for long. The Sun in Scorpio squares Jupiter on 18 November, then Mars on the 19th: depth comes along to question the enthusiasm. Then Mars enters Virgo on the 26th, and it’s time to put things into practice.
- Pick just one thing to launch, the one that truly matters to you, rather than five at once.
- Make the first move around the 16th: a phone call, something sent off, a page written. Leo likes what can be seen.
- On the 18th and 19th, welcome the objection, whether it’s yours or someone else’s: it sharpens the project, it doesn’t cancel it.
- From the 26th, get down to the detail: schedule, method, steps. Mars in Virgo turns the fire into work.
- Venus turns direct at 22° Libra (01:21), the day after Mercury: the sky moves forwards again.
- Mars conjunct Jupiter exact in Leo (07:22): the peak of the surge.
- Sun square Jupiter (10:38): confidence is measured against reality.
- Sun square Mars (18:50): friction that makes you spell out what you want.
- Mars enters Virgo (00:37): over to method and practicalities.
- Jupiter turns retrograde at 27° Leo (01:59): confidence becomes an inside job.
What this sky teaches
Today’s law
Drive is hardly ever what’s missing; what’s missing is choosing a direction for it.
Mars and Jupiter meet a little more than once every two years. Each time, the lesson is the same: energy and confidence aren’t enough on their own; they serve whatever you point them at. In Leo, what you point them at is better coming from the heart than from the need to impress.
Ten days later, Mars changes sign. So this sky is also a reminder that a big yes is proved in the small actions that follow.
- What would I dare to do if I were sure I had the right to try?
- Where am I scattering my energy instead of focusing it?
- What first step, simple and visible, can I take this week?
And in your chart?
The climate applies to everyone, but each of us receives it wherever the end of Leo falls in our chart. If a natal Moon sits at around 24° or 25° Leo, the conjunction touches it directly: intensity, and a strong need to express what you feel. If it’s your Midheaven that sits there, the drive is more about your place in the world. So look at two things: the house that holds 24° and 25° Leo, which shows the area of life involved, and any planets or angles at around those degrees in any sign. With nothing at those degrees, you’ll mostly pick up the mood. Either way, it’s worth going to see what this sky lights up for you.
And for you, precisely?
This text describes the sky for everyone; each of us lives it through our own chart. Calculate yours once (free, 30 seconds): on every Decoded page, this box will show you what this sky touches in you. With a free account, your chart stays saved.
See what this sky touches in me✦ The technical point
What is a conjunction in astrology?
A conjunction is the meeting of two planets at the same point of the zodiac. Seen from Earth, they occupy the same degree of the same sign and their functions blend: it’s hard to tell where one ends and the other begins. It’s the most intense aspect, neither easy nor difficult in itself: it all depends on the planets involved. The gap between them is called the orb. On 12 November, Mars and Jupiter are a little over one degree apart: the conjunction isn’t exact yet, but it’s already at work. It will be exact on 16 November at 07:22, Paris time, after which Mars, the faster of the two, will pull ahead and the effect will fade within a few days.
Frequently asked questions
When is the Mars Jupiter conjunction in November 2026?
The conjunction of Mars and Jupiter in Leo is exact on Monday 16 November 2026 at 07:22, Paris time. Its climate can be felt for several days before and after: on 12 November, the two planets are already at 24° and 25° Leo.
Is Mars conjunct Jupiter a good time to start a project?
It’s a supportive climate for being bold and making a start, because the urge to act meets confidence. Astrology doesn’t guarantee a result: it points to a favourable wind for taking the initiative, provided you choose one priority and plan the follow-through, which Mars in Virgo supports from 26 November.
Which signs are most affected by Mars conjunct Jupiter in Leo?
More than your Sun sign, it’s the degrees that count: people with a natal planet or angle at around 24° or 25° of a sign feel this transit most strongly. Leo, Aries and Sagittarius take it in their stride, while Aquarius, Taurus and Scorpio feel more tension.