New Moon in Scorpio November 9, 2026: laying the old to rest
New Moon at 16° Scorpio – Monday 9 November 2026
There’s a particular kind of evening that belongs to early November. The light is gone before you’ve properly noticed it, the first candle of the season is burning on the table, and in the morning the grass is silver at the edges: frost is on its way.
In the old Celtic year, this was the moment the dark half of the year began.
The ancestors understood that the power of the night is equal to the power of the day. Roots, seeds and dreams grow in the dark, as alive as anything blooming in the sun. It’s the time of year when we naturally turn inward. We tidy a drawer and find a card from someone we haven’t spoken to in years. A song on the radio brings back a summer long gone.
The people we miss feel closer, as if the season itself has thinned the distance.
Unfinished things come back in these weeks too.
The half-written email in your drafts folder. The conversation you never finished, the course you dropped in the spring, the box in the attic marked later.
The last days before a New Moon are what astrologers call the balsamic phase: the dark of the Moon, when the old cycle winds down and asks us to walk back over unfinished business before anything new can begin.
This year that dark has lasted longer than a few nights.
With Venus and Mercury both retrograde, it has lasted for weeks.
On Monday 9 November a new lunar month begins.
It begins in Scorpio, and it asks a question that is simple to say and hard to answer: why are you doing what you are doing?
The sign of the depths
Scorpio is the fixed water sign: still, deep, and very hard to fool. It wants to know what lies underneath: the motive behind the kindness, the fear behind the control, the grief behind the anger. Scorpio is where we meet what we would rather not see, and also where we find the power we didn’t know we had. Here, things are taken apart and rebuilt from the inside.
A New Moon in Scorpio is a seed planted in very dark, very fertile soil.
Heracles and the Hydra
Heracles was the strongest man who ever lived, as he was the son of Zeus and a mortal woman.
Hera, Zeus’s wife, was very upset that this love child, Heracles, came into being, and was apalled by his existence.
She followed him all his life, and one day she sent a madness over him.
In that blind fury, Heracles destroyed what he loved most: his own family.
When he came back to his senses and saw what he had done, he went to the oracle at Delphi and asked how he could ever make amends.
The answer was hard. He was to serve his cousin Eurystheus, a small and fearful king, and carry out whatever labours he demanded.
Through that service his strength would be purified.
The first labour took him to Nemea, where a lion was terrorising the land.
Its golden hide could not be pierced by any arrow or blade.
Heracles tried all arrows and blades, and they all failed.
Finally he put his weapons down, wrestled the lion with his bare hands and strangled it.
From then on he wore its skin as a cloak, and the lion’s head as a helmet.
The second labour was darker.
In the swamps of Lerna lived the Hydra, a serpent with nine heads whose breath was poison. One of those heads was immortal.
The creature hid in a cave deep in the mud, and anyone who came near it died.
Heracles drove it out of its lair with flaming arrows and attacked it with his club.
With every blow a head fell, and with every fallen head two new ones grew back. The harder he fought, the stronger the Hydra became.
Hera even sent a giant crab out of the swamp to bite his heel.
So Heracles did something the strongest man in the world had never done before: he called for help. His nephew Iolaus, who had come with him, lit a torch, and each time Heracles cut off a head, Iolaus burned the wound so that nothing could grow back. Together they managed what neither could do alone.
When the immortal head was all that remained, Heracles cut it off and buried it, still hissing, under a heavy rock by the side of the road.
There it was laid to rest, for good.
When he came back, Eurystheus refused to count the labour.
You had help, he said.
Heracles accepted, and began the next one.
He completed all twelve labours .
At the end of his life he was received on Olympus, and Hera herself made peace with him.
The esoteric tradition, which links each labour to a sign of the zodiac, gives the Hydra to Scorpio and tells its ending a little differently: Heracles defeated the Hydra by kneeling in the mud and lifting it up into the light, where it could not survive.
What the myth tells us about this sky
Mars, ruler of the New Moon, is Heracles.
In the old tradition, Scorpio is ruled by Mars, which makes Mars the planet that steers this New Moon. Mars is pure strength, drive and will. Heracles shows the whole range of that strength: the blind fury that destroys, and the disciplined force that serves. The question of this New Moon is which of the two we put to work.
Mars in Leo is the lion’s skin.
Mars is in Leo, and like Heracles it wears its courage as a cloak: bold, proud, warm, visible. That cloak protects. It can also become armor that keeps everything out, help included.
The New Moon in Scorpio is the Hydra in the swamp.
Scorpio is where the old fears and compulsions live, hidden in the mud.
Fight them with force, and they multiply. Cut off one head, and two grow back.
The Sun and Moon square Mars are the fight itself.
The New Moon is in a square to its own ruler, and the Sun’s square to Mars tightens over the following days, exact on 19 November. This is the friction of the story: every reaction creates a new reaction, every blow a new head.
Venus retrograde sextile Mars on 10 November is Iolaus.
Help comes from a partner, someone close by, or someone from the past. Second chances, and partnerships renewed.
Mercury and Venus turning direct on 13 November is the change of strategy.
A wiser approach takes shape, and the way forward opens.
Mars and Jupiter on the South Node in Leo, 12 to 16 November, are the immortal head under the rock, and the labour Eurystheus refused to count.
Some old things are laid to rest, consciously, by the side of the road.
And the true labour is done for its own sake.
Mars, the ruler: let’s just decide
After weeks of looking back, many people will feel Mars in Leo very strongly at this New Moon. Mars in Leo has little patience for data, spreadsheets or the five-year strategy that Scorpio would quietly prepare in the dark. Its logic is simple and primal: I have been moved. My passion is aroused. I believe, so I can do.
Enough worrying, enough going over it again. Let’s just decide and get it done.
That drive is a gift, and the square makes it interesting.
The Sun and Moon in Scorpio square Mars in Leo, so the ruler of this New Moon is under tension with the New Moon itself.
A square is a negotiation between two forces that don’t naturally understand each other: the hidden, strategic depth of Scorpio, and the bold, reactive heart of Leo. There may be a fractious, antagonistic edge in the air in the days ahead, building toward the Sun’s exact square to Mars on 19 November.
You may find heat rising faster than usual, in yourself or others. You may find yourself managing other people’s priorities, with everyone convinced that their fire is the one that matters.
Heracles learned in the swamp that more force only brings more heads.
The work of this square is to keep the fire burning and work through the tension points one by one. Before you strike, ask: is this passion, or is it pride? Is this courage, or an old wound looking for a fight? Sometimes the strongest move is to stop swinging and look closely at what you are fighting.
Tuesday 10 November: second chances
The day after the New Moon, Mars makes a sweet sextile to Venus, still retrograde in Libra, exact at 23° and peaking on Tuesday.
A sextile is an open door, a gentle invitation to step through. Because Venus is retrograde, that door often opens toward the past: a second chance, a renewed partnership, a reconciliation, someone coming back with a torch at the very moment you need one.
It’s a supportive aspect for collaboration and reconnection, for revising your passions and decisions, and for rethinking how you work together with others.
Pay attention to advice you were given before. A mentor’s words may come back, or a friend’s warning, or a lesson you thought you had forgotten.
This is also a good day to pick up negotiations that had stalled. And you might ask which community or group you would like to put your strength behind, now that you are clearer about what matters to you.
Heracles was the strongest man alive, and he still needed Iolaus to defeat the Hydra. Accepting help is what made the labour possible.
Thursday 12 to Monday 16 November: the right action
Then comes a rare stretch in the sky. Mars joins Jupiter in Leo, and both of them sit on the South Node. The conjunction is exact on Monday 16 November.
Mars and Jupiter together amplify everything: courage, ambition, confidence, generosity, and also overconfidence and the urge to make every gesture grand. On the South Node, all of that energy is drawn toward what we already know: the familiar throne, the old ways of shining, the habits and roles we have mastered so well that they ask nothing more of us. The South Node asks us to release, and in doing so to let other priorities come forward.
This is where the Buddhist idea of right action becomes very alive. Right action is the honourable thing to do: acting in a way that does no harm, that is in line with your values, and that serves something larger than yourself.
Heracles’ labors brought him no crown, and Eurystheus refused to count some of them. He carried them out because they were his way back to himself, and in the end they carried him to Olympus.
So this week, ask yourself honestly: why am I doing what I am doing?
For recognition, for control, out of habit, out of fear? Or because it is right?
Mars on the South Node invites you to surrender your energy to a higher calling, and to make meaningful, different choices.
They may shine less brightly at first, and they will truly matter. Some old patterns are ready, like the immortal head, to be laid to rest under a stone, with respect, by the side of the road you are leaving.
Where does Scorpio fall in your chart?
Read this for your ascendant, or for the house where 16° Scorpio falls in your birth chart.
1st house – “I am” (Scorpio ascendant)
This New Moon falls on your ascendant, and Mars, its ruler, is also your own chart ruler. The past weeks may have felt very personal: your body, your face in the mirror, the way you stand in the world. Mercury retrograde in your 1st house has sent you back over how you present yourself, and maybe over what you have been hiding even from yourself.
This is your new year in miniature.
With Venus turning direct in your 12th house, something quietly healed beneath the surface returns as strength. Mars, Jupiter and the South Node at the top of your chart put your career and public role in the spotlight. A bold move is possible, as long as it serves something you truly believe in. Ask yourself which labour is yours.
2nd house – “I have” (Libra ascendant)
The New Moon lights up your resources, your income and, underneath them, your sense of worth. Mercury retrograde has probably sent you back over figures, contracts or a negotiation about what you are worth.
Look calmly at what was revealed: an underpriced talent, an old fear of not having enough, a habit of giving more than you receive.
Venus turns direct on your ascendant on the 13th, and with her your charm and your sense of balance return.
The sextile to Mars in your 11th house can bring a second chance through a friend or network. With Jupiter and the South Node there too, ask whether the groups you invest in still reflect your values.
Right action, for you, may begin with how you spend your energy and your money.
3rd house – “I perceive” (Virgo ascendant)
Words carry weight for you this month. The New Moon in your 3rd house opens a new cycle of learning, writing and speaking, especially about subjects you used to avoid.
Mercury retrograde may have brought back an old conversation with a brother, sister, neighbour or colleague. With the square to Mars, choose your words with care: a sharp one can grow two new heads.
Venus turns direct in your 2nd house, bringing your values and resources back into line. Mars, Jupiter and the South Node in your 12th house work behind the scenes: old anger, old loyalties and old dreams rise to be released.
Your strength this month may be quiet, a service done without anyone seeing it. That is exactly what makes it count.
4th house – “I look back” (Leo ascendant)
The New Moon falls at the root of your chart, in your home, your family and your ancestral line. This season may have brought up memories of those who came before you, or a family pattern that is ready to be seen in full.
Mercury retrograde has stirred the past, perhaps literally through old photos, a house to clear out, or a family conversation.
Venus turns direct in your 3rd house, softening how you speak about what hurts. Meanwhile Mars, Jupiter and the South Node sit on your ascendant, and you may be wearing the lion’s skin more visibly than ever.
You burn to act, to lead, to be seen. Let that fire honour your roots. The bravest act may be to lay an old family pattern to rest.
5th house – “I create” (Cancer ascendant)
The New Moon opens a new chapter in love, creativity, play and everything you bring into the world from your heart, including children, literal or symbolic. Mercury retrograde may have sent you back to an old creative project or an old love, to see what is still alive in it.
With Venus turning direct in your 4th house, peace at home can return.
The sextile to Mars in your 2nd house brings energy to your finances, and Jupiter and the South Node there ask whether you are working for security, for status, or for what you love.
Heracles wore the lion’s skin with pride, and his real strength lay in the labours themselves. What do you create when nobody is applauding?
6th house – “I serve” (Gemini ascendant)
This is the house of service, and for you the theme of right action is very concrete: your work, your routines, your health and the quiet ways you take care of others. Mercury retrograde has probably made you rework something, a schedule, a habit, a way of working that no longer serves you.
Like Heracles in the swamp, you may have noticed that working harder only creates more heads. Venus turns direct in your 5th house, and joy comes back to life.
Mars, Jupiter and the South Node in your 3rd house make your words fiery and persuasive. Use them to build bridges with colleagues.
A small, honest change in how you work can transform the whole cycle ahead.
7th house – “I balance” (Taurus ascendant)
The New Moon falls directly opposite you, in your house of partnership. A relationship, personal or professional, has been through its own descent in recent weeks, and Mercury retrograde may have brought back an old agreement, an old hurt, or even an old partner. This is your Iolaus moment: the help you need may come from someone beside you, if you let them close enough.
Venus turns direct in your 6th house, helping you find a healthier daily rhythm.
With Mars, Jupiter and the South Node in your 4th house, pressure may be felt at home or in a decision about where you live.
Ask yourself what would be the honorable choice for everyone involved, including you.
8th house – “I transform” (Aries ascendant)
This is Scorpio’s own house, and with Mars as your chart ruler and the New Moon’s ruler, this lunation goes straight to the swamp: intimacy, trust, shared resources, inheritance, the old fears that hide in the mud.
Mercury retrograde may have reopened a financial matter or a conversation about what is shared, and what is fair. Venus turns direct in your 7th house, and a partnership can find its balance again, perhaps with a real second chance.
Mars, Jupiter and the South Node in your 5th house set your heart on fire: creative courage, a romance, the joy of being seen.
Check whether that fire is covering an old need for applause.
You know how to fight.
This month, try kneeling and lifting what scares you into the light.
9th house – “I understand” (Pisces ascendant)
The New Moon opens a new search for meaning: a study, a journey, a spiritual path, a belief system that is ready to be renewed. Mercury retrograde may have sent you back to old teachings, old teachers, or a decision about travel or law. Venus turns direct in your 8th house, where trust and intimacy can deepen again. Mars, Jupiter and the South Node in your 6th house bring a strong urge to get things done at work. Watch your energy, and take on what one body can carry. The question of right action is your natural territory: which principles do you truly live by, and which have you only inherited?
10th house – “I achieve” (Aquarius ascendant)
The New Moon falls at the top of your chart, in your career, your reputation and your place in the world.
A professional setback in recent weeks, a delay, a disappointment, or a labour that someone refused to count, may now show what it was really for.
Mercury retrograde may have brought back an old opportunity or an old contact. Venus turns direct in your 9th house, and your vision of the future grows again.
With Mars, Jupiter and the South Node in your 7th house, others may push hard or offer a great deal. A renewed partnership is possible, built on values you truly share. Ask yourself: what would I do even if nobody counted it?
11th house – “I belong” (Capricorn ascendant)
The New Moon opens a new cycle in your friendships, your networks and your hopes for the future. Mercury retrograde may have brought back an old friend, an old group, or an old dream, asking whether it still belongs to you.
Venus turns direct at the top of your chart, which can bring a professional reconciliation or recognition you have waited for.
Mars, Jupiter and the South Node in your 8th house stir up the depths: shared money, power and intimacy all ask for honesty. Which community do you want to serve with your strength? This may be the moment to put your energy behind a cause larger than yourself.
12th house – “I surrender” (Sagittarius ascendant)
For you, this New Moon happens in the most hidden part of your chart, in the stillness before your own new year next month. You may have felt it as tiredness, a need to withdraw, or dreams that are more vivid than usual.
Mercury retrograde has drawn up old memories, and maybe old griefs, to be gently released. Venus turns direct in your 11th house, so friends can now be a real source of comfort.
Mars, Jupiter and the South Node in your 9th house make you restless for faraway places and big ideas. Surrender is the key word for you this month. In the esoteric story, Heracles defeated the Hydra on his knees.
Sometimes kneeling is the most powerful thing you can do.
Questions for this New Moon
Light a candle, perhaps next to a photo of someone you miss, and stay with these questions for a while:
Why am I doing what I am doing?
Where am I fighting heads that keep growing back?
Where am I reacting from pride, and where from passion?
Who could be my Iolaus, and am I willing to ask for help?
Which second chance is quietly being offered to me?
What is the honorable thing to do, even if nobody counts it?
Which old pattern am I ready to lay to rest by the side of the road?
If I gave my strength to something higher, what would it be?
Heracles began as a man destroyed by his own fury, and ended as one of the gods. In between lay twelve labors, carried out one at a time, to set things right. Tonight, choose the first one, and choose it well.
Comments