What the month holds for your love life, built from where Venus, Mars and the Moon actually are.
The sky in October
Venus starts the month in Scorpio and Mars in Leo.
- Oct 2Mercury in Scorpio squares Mars in LeoWords come out sharper than you mean them.
- Oct 3Venus turns retrograde in ScorpioA time to look back at relationships before starting new ones. It lasts about six weeks.
- Oct 6Mercury meets Venus in ScorpioSweet words come easily. A good day for the message you've been drafting.
- Oct 10New moon in LibraA good moment to begin something new.
- Oct 10Venus in Scorpio squares Mars in LeoDesire and affection pull different ways, which means sparks or friction.
- Oct 23The Sun enters ScorpioThe start of Scorpio season.
- Oct 23The Sun meets Venus in ScorpioVenus meets the Sun: a reset point for what you want from love.
- Oct 24Mercury turns retrograde in ScorpioMixed messages and exes getting back in touch are classic for the next three weeks. Double-check plans.
- Oct 25Venus enters Libra (while retrograde)Until Venus moves on, romance takes its cue from Libra.
- Oct 26Full moon in TaurusFeelings come to the surface and things come to a head.
- Oct 30Mercury in Scorpio squares Mars in LeoWords come out sharper than you mean them.
October 2026
Planet events
How these horoscopes are made
Each horoscope starts from the real positions of Venus, Mars, Mercury and the Moon for the month. Every event is placed in a house counted from your Sun sign, which is how most horoscopes are written, and the text explains what it means for dating and relationships.
Common questions
How are these love horoscopes written?
Each month starts from the real positions of Venus, Mars, Mercury and the Moon. Every event is placed in a house counted from your Sun sign, and the horoscope explains what it means for dating and relationships.
Should I read my Sun sign or my rising sign?
These horoscopes count houses from the Sun sign. If you know your rising sign, read that one as well, since many astrologers count houses from the rising sign.
What does Venus retrograde mean for love?
Roughly every year and a half, Venus appears to move backward for about six weeks. Astrologers treat it as a time to look back at relationships and reconsider them before starting something new.
When does next month's horoscope come out?
New love horoscopes go up in the last third of each month, so next month is ready before it starts.