Mars enters sidereal Aries on August 16, 2020. Mars likes being in its own sign, which boosts the energy of Mars for Action & Fast Results. Mars combines with Uranus, already transiting in Aries. Uranus is the planet of Sudden Events, Freedom, Rebellion. The combination of Mars and Uranus in Aries is quite Dynamic, but can become Risky, even Explosive.

Mars in the early degrees of Aries forms a Square Aspect pattern with Saturn, which is transiting in its own sign Capricorn. Mars and Saturn are enemies; their energy is contradictory, and the square aspect puts them at odds with one another. Saturn the planet of Established Order tries to maintain the Status Quo; Mars wants to Move Forward.

The Mars-Square-Saturn pattern lasts from mid-August until early October. Mars is beginning a Retrograde phase in early September, and therefore moving very slowly in the zodiac. Saturn is coming to the end of its retrograde period, therefore also barely moving. Thus the two planets will be in a sustained inimical pattern for several weeks, creating a lot of Tension & Stress on many levels.

Retrograde Mars will ‘back into’ Pisces on October 3. At that point, the square aspect between Mars and Saturn breaks up. But then Mars will begin to form a new square, with Jupiter and Pluto, effective in October.