Jupiter in Capricorn 2020: Hope in Hopeless Places

While we’re all nervously gulping about the Saturn-Pluto conjunction in Capricorn, we’re probably also wondering a bit about what to expect from Jupiter in Capricorn. I’ve already written about what the Jupiter-Pluto conjunctions will be about in the realms of science and finance, but this article is about what to expect from Jupiter in Capricorn more broadly. First of all, let’s define the timeframe we’re talking about.

  • December 2nd 2019, Jupiter left Sagittarius and ingressed into Capricorn.
  • December 18th 2020, Jupiter will leave Capricorn and inqress into Aquarius.

What does Jupiter in Capricorn mean in astrology?

Jupiter is the greater benefic. By itself it’s a planet which looks ever upward toward bigger, better, brighter horizons, a noble planet of freedom and abundance, wisdom and faith, justice and affirmation. It confirms, stabilizes, expands and blesses. It rights wrongs, bestows mercy and forgiveness, brings hope, joy and relief. It’s the voyager, professor and all-around good guy of the solar system. Its transits typically reflect areas of focus in legal and political contexts, growth in philosophical and spiritual thought and other expansions in our own knowledge and wisdom through science and exploration. It aggrandizes, enriches or ennobles the ruler of its sign and other planets it comes into configurations with. While Jupiter is at home in Sagittarius and Pisces, and an exalted guest of honor in Cancer, it is fallen in Capricorn, dejected and lowly. How do we understand such a positive planet in such a negative condition?

Capricorn is a cardinal sign ruled by Saturn. Since it is Saturn’s nocturnal/earth domicile, the distinct environment of Capricorn is informed by the more earthy material connotations of Saturn’s qualities, (as opposed to the airy diffuse abstractions of Saturn’s other domicile, Aquarius). Saturn is about limits and endings, walls and boundaries, consequences, time, old age, punishment, scarcity, poverty, etc. If we were to imagine a place that embodied this kind of Saturnian quality, we might imagine a place like an icy fortress, a castle, a prison, all places with definite borders or walls which either protect or imprison, or sometimes both.

A Game of Thrones Analogy

In Game of Thrones, there is a location which perfectly matches this archetypal environment of Capricorn: Castle Black at the Wall. Appropriate for Saturn’s rulership of Capricorn, it is a cold, bleak fortress behind a giant ice wall to keep zombies out! People serve at the Wall as a punishment, and have to follow strict rules of behavior, forgoing many earthly pleasures. The Moon is in its antithesis in Capricorn, and Castle Black isn’t exactly a safe space for communities, families and emotional needs. Mars is exalted in Capricorn, and the people who do best in this punishing environment are the strong and the brave, soldiers like Jon Snow. It’s not a place for cowards. Jupiter is fallen in Capricorn, and Castle Black is not exactly a place you expect to find much hope or joy, and there is a character who perfectly embodies this fallen dynamic: Samwell Tarly. Watch the video below for a surprisingly literal dramatic presentation of Mars in Capricorn (Jon Snow) and Jupiter in Capricorn (Samwell Tarly).

Archetypally, Samwell Tarly is closest to being a Jupiterian figure. He’s from a noble wealthy family line. He’s knowledgeable, wise and friendly. He even physically embodies Jupiterian notions of excess. However, all of the things that make him great are things which have worked against him. His father disinherited him for his interest in becoming a scholar and sent him to the Wall to “toughen him up”. He is completely ill-equipped to deal with the punishing order of life in Castle Black, where he is unable to fight or stand up to bullies, where his kindness and expertise mean little to those around him and is reliant on the mercy of others get through it at all. Even when he goes to the Citadel, a vast center of knowledge and learning akin to Jupiter’s home in Sagittarius, he’s made to be the bedpan boy, completely underappreciated by the senior maesters:

Things only finally turn around for Samwell Tarly when he breaks the rules and treats a prisoner with an illness no one thought could be cured, which eventually puts him on the path to becoming Grandmaester of the Six Kingdoms. It was only through struggle, suffering and mastering self-sufficiency (and bringing hope to someone in a hopeless place) that he was able to rightfully claim victories and high status. In all these ways, Samwell Tarly dramatically embodies Jupiter fallen in Capricorn, as a figure of goodwill and wisdom in restrictive and hostile environments.

And if you happen to be taking Jupiter’s side here, think about it from Saturn’s point of view. When you’re going through something serious, is there anything less irritating than the friend who offers “support” through insincere feel-good platitudes and toxic positivity instead of leveling with you? This is why Jupiter finds itself out of sorts in Capricorn, because Jupiter’s jolly/hopeful/trusting approach is not even necessarily desirable in contexts where seriousness, caution and restraint may be the more prudent responses.

Jupiter in Capricorn and the Paradox of the Egalitarian as Disciplinarian

The typical Jupiterian response to problems is to resolve through addition: more aid, more resources, more understanding. But is this response always appropriate when faced with the harsh realities of scarcity and cruelty? What are the limits of Jupiter’s approach? Can or should anything be forgivable? On a broader societal level, Jupiter’s transit through Capricorn introduces ethical dilemmas where altruistic instincts for generosity and leniency are apparently insufficient or less immediately appreciable for tackling grave problems. Jupiter is more of a liberal egalitarian, not a grim disciplinarian. Jupiter prefers to dispense rewards, not punishments. Those are Saturn’s jobs.

This leads us to two general types of Jupiter in Capricorn periods. On the one hand we can see Jupiter in Capricorn periods as times when Jupiter endorses the agenda of Saturn, forgoing its typical modus operandi of generosity in promoting consequences and limits above forgiveness and mercy, resulting in the justifications of necessary evils or miscarriages of justice. In short, it is a Jupiter that doesn’t stand up for its own cause. On the other hand we can see Jupiter in Capricorn as times when there is principled advocacy for unpopular causes or unpopular people that while ethically sound are difficult to defend. So it is a Jupiter that stands up for its cause but for people who are not typically considered worthy or deserving.

Jupiter in Capricorn: Parole, Probation and Prison Reform

Transits through Capricorn can be interpreted on a more mundane level as certain kind of events transpiring around the themes of crime and punishment, involving jails and prisons. For example, my research into previous Saturn in Capricorn periods revealed times when notorious prisons were built and established which is a straightforward description of Saturn and its domain of Capricorn. In the Venus retrogrades in Capricorn of 2014 and 2006, sex scandals involving prisoners and prison guards were in the news. In the Mars retrograde in Capricorn of 2018, there was a national prisoner’s strike.

So Jupiter’s entrance into Capricorn can be seen as the forces of hope, conscience, justice, political activism and goodwill entering the Saturnian fray of crime and punishment, in jails and prisons. This can be seen in the way Jupiter in Capricorn periods coincide with important events in the history of prison reform, probation, parole and in the movement to abolish the death penalty, bringing some measure of mercy or hope to people in hopeless places, behind bars. While Jupiter in Capricorn periods are insufficient to give a comprehensive history of prison reform, they do seem to punctuate some key moments with their own consistency.

  • ♃ in ♑︎ 1771 – William Eden Publishes “Principles of Penal Law”
    1771 is pointed to by many legal sources as the beginning of the reform of English criminal law, with the publication of William Edens’ “Principles of Penal Law”. Jupiter was in Capricorn for 96% of 1771, and also conjoined Pluto in Capricorn in that year, just like it will in 2020.
  • ♃ in ♑︎ 1830 – Massachusetts Judiciary Pioneers “Recognizance”
    In 1830, Judge Peter Oxenbridge Thatcher of Massachusetts originated the practice of recognizance, a proto-form of probation, which granted some leniency to the accused if they performed some act of contrition/reparation. Jupiter was in Capricorn the entire year of 1830.
  • ♃ in ♑︎ 1878 – Massachusetts Establishes First Probation System in US
    In 1878, Massachusetts established the nation’s first probation agency. This was pioneered by John Augustus, who believed that people could be rehabilitated through understanding and treatment instead of jail. Again, we can see how this reflects Jupiter doing the only thing it can, forgiving and improving, even when it comes to those who violate the law.
  • ♃ in ♑︎ 1913 – “Mutual Welfare League”
    Thomas Mott Osborne became the new chairman of the New York State Commission of Prison Reform. His first act was to live at the Auburn Prison for a week undercover as a prisoner. He entered the prison on September 29th 1913, when Jupiter was at 8º Capricorn. As a result of his experiences he instituted a democratic system of self-rule for the prisoners known as the “Mutual Welfare League” in December 1913. This was when Jupiter was between 18º-25º Capricorn. His book “Within Prison Walls” and the success of his prison reforms catapulted him to fame as the loudest voice for prison reform in his time.
  • ♃ in ♑︎ 1925 – US Establishes Federal Probation System
    The National Probation Act of 1925 was signed on March 5th 1925 when Jupiter was at 16º Capricorn. This allowed federal judges to sentence someone to probation, a straightforward granting of leniency to the accused – Jupiter in Capricorn.
  • ♃ in ♑︎ 1937 – US States Unite on Terms for Parolees and Probationers
    On September 12th 1937, when Jupiter was at 17º Capricorn, US states entered into the first interstate compact to standardize their regulations for dealing with parolees and probationers across state lines.
  • ♃ in ♑︎ 1984 – Ankle Monitors on Probationers
    It was in April 1984 when the first probationers in the United States were fitted with ankle bracelets to monitor their activities and location to make sure they were following the terms of their probation.
  • ♃ in ♑︎ 2008 – Second Chance Act
    President Bush signed the Second Chance Act on April 9th 2008 when Jupiter was at 20º Capricorn. The legislation aimed to help prisoners returning to society through provisions of job training, housing reforms, assistance with substance abuse, mental health, family issues and protections for pregnant inmates. So this was a clear extension of Jupiterian aims and motives directed toward the Capricornian/Saturnian realm of prisons and incarcerated persons.

Jupiter in Capricorn and “Jail No Bail”

The Mississippi State Penitentiary, also known as “Parchman Farm” is the oldest prison and only maximum security prison in Mississippi. In keeping with my observations about Saturn in Capricorn periods featuring the establishment of notorious prisons, Parchman was established in 1901 when Jupiter and Saturn were both in Capricorn. Parchman used the brutal “trusty system” of inflicting physical punishment on inmates by other inmates. It is hard to overstate how awful this prison really was. The return of Jupiter and Saturn to Capricorn in 1960/61 would make history.

On February 6th 1961, the first sit-in activists employed the “Jail No Bail” Tactic when Jupiter was at 22º Capricorn conjunct Saturn at 23º Capricorn. This entails demanding jail time rather than posting bail as a political statement against the reasons for their arrest. This is a remarkable distillation of the combined philosophies of Jupiter and Saturn in Capricorn – a profound moral proclamation and protest through imprisonment itself. Here was MLK Jr’s response on this day which doubles as an interesting reflection on Jupiter’s fallen condition in Capricorn:

The “Jail No Bail” tactic was used again by the the Freedom Riders across 1961 while Jupiter was in Aquarius and retrograding back into Capricorn for several months. The cops threw them in Parchman where they were treated particularly horrendously. To keep their spirits up, the Freedom Riders sang spirituals and freedom songs in jail, greatly irritating the guards. This is Jupiter in Capricorn, hope in hopeless places.

The abuses inflicted against the Freedom Riders and other prisoners at Parchman were fought against in the courts for years afterward. It was not until October 20th 1972 that a federal judge made a sweeping decision in Gates v. Collier against the abuses at Parchman, ruling against the “trusty system” and all prisons using it as engaging in unconstitutional “cruel and unusual punishment”. It was the first major intervention by the federal courts into prison practices. This judicial intervention (Jupiter) on behalf of prisoners (Capricorn) came when Jupiter was at 2° Capricorn.

In 1996, when Jupiter was back in Capricorn, a new unit was built at Parchman for the specific purpose of facilitating conjugal visits for the prisoners as a reward for a behavior modification program. In that same year when Jupiter was in Capricorn, the historian David Oshinsky released the Robert Kennedy-prize winning history book about Parchman called “Worse than Slavery: Parchman Farm and the Ordeal of Jim Crow Justice”. With Jupiter and Saturn having returned to Capricorn in 2020, I would expect a renewed interest or other further developments with this haunted place, and a potential return to using “Jail No Bail” tactics by activists.

Jupiter in Capricorn and the US Anti-Death Penalty Movement 

The anti-death penalty movement is a fairly straightforward description of Jupiter’s kindness in the coldness of Capricorn – some measure of mercy is extended towards even those who have committed terrible crimes by sparing their lives, even if life imprisonment is the alternative. Now to be clear, this isn’t necessarily always times that these efforts are successful. Jupiter in Capricorn seems to present the question itself, the answer can be rationalized either as Jupiter’s endorsement of Saturn (pro-penalty) or Jupiter’s fallen defiance of Saturn (pro-mercy).

  • ♃ in ♑︎ 1960/61 – The Chessman Affair
    “Today it is easy to forget that it was the Caryl Chessman case….more than any other criminal case in the past generation, that stirred the national debate over capital punishment.”
    -Hugo Adam Bedau, The Courts, the Constititution and Capital PunishmentCaryl Chessman became an emblem of the postwar United States’ rising opposition to the death penalty. He consistently maintained his innocence despite his convictions for rape and kidnapping, and his sincere mature writings from prison galvanized a global movement to spare his life. He was in prison for 12 years (approximately a Jupiter cycle), and was finally executed by the state of California on May 2nd 1960, when Jupiter was at 3º Capricorn.
  • ♃ in ♑︎ 1972 – Furman v. Georgia
    The Supreme Court of the United States indirectly abolished capital punishment on June 29th 1972 when Jupiter was at 2º Capricorn in Furman v. Georgia. This was extremely controversial, as it immediately reduced all pending death sentences to life imprisonment, including the Manson Family murderers. Immediately, states went to work revising their laws to comply with the ruling in order to keep capital punishment on the books. This led anti-death penalty groups to organize to keep it off the books. The ACLU Capital Punishment Project was started on December 14th 1972 when Jupiter was at 13º Capricorn.
  • ♃ in ♑︎ 1984 – NCADP, Crime Victim’s Fund
    The National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty (NCADP) was incorporated on May 23rd 1984 in Pennsylvania, when Jupiter was at 12º Capricorn. This is one of the largest anti death penalty organizations in the United States. Also, on October 12th 1984, Reagan also signed the Victims of Crime Act of 1984 when Jupiter was at 5º Capricorn. It established the Crime Victim’s Fund. Its goal was to help the victims of crime through financial aid rather than through punishment of the criminal. It’s funded by convicted federal offenders. I mean if that isn’t a straightforward enough manifestation of Jupiter in Capricorn I don’t know what is.
  • World Coalition Against the Death Penalty demonstrates with “Die In”, 2008

    ♃ in ♑︎ 2008 – Baze v. Rees, Kennedy v. Louisiana
    In Baze v. Rees, the Supreme Court of the United States upheld the constitutionality of a particular cocktail of drugs used for lethal injections around the country on April 16th 2008, when Jupiter was at 21º Capricorn. The news of this case stirred a strong debate about whether lethal injection (and capital punishment in general) constituted “cruel and unusual” punishments.In Kennedy v. Louisiana, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that the death penalty could not be used against someone convicted of raping a minor if no murder occurred. This was handed down on June 25th 2008, when Jupiter was at 19º Capricorn. In both of these cases we can see how Jupiter in Capricorn periods coincide with having to make the most difficult ethical judgments when it can be construed as endorsing or protecting the perpetrator, whether it is the criminal themselves or the state that executes the criminal.

  • ♃ in ♑︎ 2020 – US Federal Government Resumes Capital Punishment
    In July 2019, the US Attorney General William Barr announced that the federal government would resume capital punishment after a 16-year lapse. The announcement included the names of 5 convicts who were scheduled to be executed starting on December 9th 2019 and continuing through early 2020. Jupiter entered Capricorn on December 2nd 2019, so all of these executions just happened to be scheduled while Jupiter was in Capricorn! These plans were thwarted by a federal judge who stayed their executions and were heavily demonstrated against by anti-death penalty advocates. This seems to be setting the stage for the topic of capital punishment becoming a more prominent issue in 2020.

Jupiter in Capricorn and Henry Schwarzschild

We can also see this trend of anti-death penalty activism in Jupiter in Capricorn periods in the life of one of the most prominent death penalty abolitionists of the 20th century, Henry Schwarzschild. His personal chronology intersects with the broader developments on this topic of the anti-death penalty movement at large.

  • ♃ in ♑︎ 1925 – Henry Schwarzschild born – Henry Schwarzschild was born on November 2nd 1925 when Jupiter was at 17º Capricorn.
  • ♃ in ♑︎ 1960/61 – Schwarzschild’s Begins Political Activism – He first became involved in political activism in 1960 when he was one of the few white activists to join in on the sit-in protests with the Freedom Riders and was arrested in 1961. Jupiter was in Capricorn for large parts of 1960 and 1961.
  • ♃ in ♑︎ 1972 – Schwarzschild Heads ACLU Capital Punishment Project –He headed up the ACLU Capital Punishment Project after it was created on December 14th 1972, when Jupiter was at 13º Capricorn.
  • ♃ in ♑︎ 1984 – Schwarzchild Incorporates NCADP – He incorporated the National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty (NCADP) on May 23rd 1984 in Pennsylvania, when Jupiter was at 12º Capricorn.
  • ♃ in ♑︎ 1996 – Henry Schwarzschild dies – Henry Schwarzschild died on June 1st 1996, when Jupiter was at 16 Capricorn.

So he was born under Jupiter in Capricorn, lived under Jupiter in Capricorn, and died under Jupiter in Capricorn. His life’s purpose was to be a principled advocate for justice and mercy in complicated contexts regarding criminals as a Jupiter in Capricorn native, punctuated by his actions when Jupiter was transiting through Capricorn.

International Death Penalty Abolition 

Unfortunately my examples are very US-centric, but I did notice the cycle playing out in other countries and on an international level.

  • ♃ in ♑︎ 1948 – UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights & Geneva Conventions
    On December 10th 1948 when Jupiter was at 5º Capricorn, the UN adopted the UNDHR which affirmed the “right to life” which is fundamental to opposition to the death penalty. Even legal scholars point to 1948 as the key year that a more global movement to abolish the death penalty began, in the aftermath of the death and destruction of WWII.
    On August 12th 1949 when Jupiter was at 24 Capricorn, the Geneva Conventions were ratified, forming the cornerstone of international humanitarian law. These laws ban torture and killing of prisoners of war, the injured and other non-combatants in war zones.
  • ♃ in ♑︎ 1984 – UN Protects Prisoners’ Rights/Europe Abolishes Capital Punishment
    On May 25th 1984, when Jupiter was at 11º Capricorn, the United Nations Economic and Social Council adopted the resolution “Safeguards guaranteeing protection of the rights of those facing the death penalty”.
    The Council of Europe passed Protocol 6 abolishing capital punishment in Europe on January 3rd 1985, when Jupiter was at 22º Capricorn. All European countries except Russia ratified the change.
  • ♃ in ♑︎ 1996 – Russia Abolition, China Legalizes Lethal Injections
    On May 16th 1996, Russia abolishes the death penalty as a condition of joining the Council of Europe, the Jupiter return of when Russia refused ratify Protocol 6.
    -China legalized lethal injections in 1996. The reason why this was a big deal is that China executes more people than any other country and is strongly pro-death penalty, and they’ve taken very few actions generally to make executions more humane or less numerous.
  • ♃ in ♑︎ 2008 –  UN Moratorium, African Resolution for Abolition
    A majority of nations in the United Nations General Assembly voted for a global moratorium on capital punishment on December 18th 2007, the very day Jupiter entered Capricorn.
    On November 24th 2008 when Jupiter was at 20º Capricorn, the African Commission on Human Rights adopted a resolution for the abolition of the death penalty in all African countries.

Jupiter in Capricorn in Popular Media

Another way in which these weighty topics can become a cultural focus is through works of art in popular media during Jupiter in Capricorn periods.

Dead Man Walking (1996)

The critically acclaimed anti-death penalty movie “Dead Man Walking” premiered on January 12th 1996 when Jupiter was at 2º Capricorn. It tells the true story of Sister Helen Prejean, a death penalty abolitionist nun who befriends a convict on death row. This clearly illustrates the entrance of a Jupiterian figure into Capricornian place of despair. It was nominated for four Academy Awards, with Susan Sarandon winning the Oscar for Best Actress in her portrayal of Prejean. The release of the movie itself was the Jupiter return of when Helen Prejean began her activism against the death penalty, after witnessing a state execution on April 5th 1984 when Jupiter was at 12º Capricorn.

The Green Mile Novel Series (1996)

While the popular movie “The Green Mile” came out later in 1999, Stephen King first published the six novels of the Green Mile series between March 28th – August 29th 1996, while Jupiter transited between 7º-17º Capricorn. The story presents a clear portrait of a Jupiterian figure (in this case, the prisoner himself has miraculous abilities) behind bars, bringing hope and healing from a hopeless place. The story highlights the inhumanity and potential unalterable injustices of the death penalty.

The Dark Knight (2008)

The Dark Knight premiered on July 14th 2008 when Jupiter was at 16º Capricorn. This might seem like a strange example, but it really is a sterling depiction of this theme of Jupiter in Capricorn. While Batman’s commitment to non-lethal force is an enduring trait of his character, in this movie in particular, his ethics are pushed to the limit by the malevolent agent of chaos in the Joker. A central question of the movie is ‘how far should you go to pursue justice against evil without becoming evil yourself?’ “You either die a hero, or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain.”

In the scene above, Joker has devised a situation to pit people’s worst instincts against each other. A boat full of prisoners and a boat full of civilians both have detonators to explode each other’s boats, and if neither decides to explode the other boat then both will explode. Both boats end up making the harder but more ethical decision not to explode the other boat, revealing the Joker’s bluff. Batman defeats Joker, and has every reason to kill him but he ultimately makes the harder ethical decision to let him live. In this way the film presents merciful restraint as the harder but ethical choice to make in the face of evil, and that is so Jupiter in Capricorn.

Clemency (2019)

“Years of carrying out death row executions have taken a toll on prison warden Bernadine Williams. As she prepares to execute another inmate, Bernadine must confront the psychological and emotional demons her job creates, ultimately connecting her to the man she is sanctioned to kill.”

Clemency premiered on December 27th 2019 when Jupiter was at 5º Capricorn. I haven’t seen the film, but it’s hard to imagine that a movie like this is pro-capital punishment! Just from the trailer and plot synopsis, this film definitely seems to be picking up on the heavy zeitgeist of the Jupiter-Saturn-Pluto co-presence.

Just Mercy (2020)

“World-renowned civil rights defense attorney Bryan Stevenson works to free a wrongly condemned death row prisoner.”

Just Mercy will be premiering on January 10th 2020 when Jupiter is at 8º Capricorn. Even just within this moving trailer we can see the general outline of a Jupiterian figure entering the harsh terrain of Capricorn. While Bryan Stevenson himself was born with Jupiter in Sagittarius rather than Capricorn, the release of this movie coincides with his 2nd Saturn return in Capricorn. His 1st Saturn return in Capricorn was when he founded the Equal Justice Initiative, in 1989.

Other Jupiter in Capricorn Topics

Jupiter in Capricorn and Death Positivity

Caitlin Doughty is the leading voice of the modern “death positivity” movement today. She is a mortician, author and host of the popular YouTube series “Ask a Mortician”. She advocates for reforming the funeral industry and for adopting healthier and less fearful attitudes about death and dying. She even founded an organization called The Order of the Good Death. Even just the name evokes a happy planet in a sad place. Which is interesting because…

Doughty was born on August 19th 1984 at 8:12 pm in Oahu, Hawaii. She very graciously offered her birth time on Twitter. Not only was she born when Jupiter was in Capricorn, but it’s her Ascendant ruler, in the 11th whole sign house of allies and organizations. And she founded an organization called The Order of the Good Death. I mean. Guys. Come on. That’s pretty cool. It will be interesting to keep track of what she does next as she is currently experiencing her third Jupiter return in Capricorn.

Jupiter in Capricorn and Abortion Rights

Abortion is a complicated topic astrologically, and isn’t only represented by Jupiter in Capricorn. However, it is interesting that probably THE defining court case legalizing it in the United States was Roe v. Wade, which occurred on January 22nd 1973, when Jupiter was at 22 Capricorn. One is reminded that Capricorn is an unwelcome sign for the Moon (antithesis) and Jupiter (fall) and both planets are connected with fertility and parenthood, so Jupiter’s presence in Capricorn at the time abortion rights were confirmed in the US is appropriate whether you are for or against abortion rights.

This degree has already been activated by Pluto and Saturn fast approaching it earlier in 2019 when several US states passed extreme anti-abortion legislation specifically designed to overturn Roe v. Wade. It’s not inconceivable to imagine that the Supreme Court could make significant decisions regarding abortion while the Saturn-Pluto conjunctions occur on the degree of the Roe v. Wade Jupiter, or at the fourth Jupiter return of Roe v. Wade in 2020.

Jupiter in Capricorn the Icy Voyager

In the course of my research I kept noticing certain kinds of events showing up repeatedly in Jupiter in Capricorn periods – important moments in mountaineering or in the exploration of the arctic, which makes some amount of theoretical sense if one imagines in Jupiter in Capricorn as the roaming explorer in cold, unforgiving environments. I also noticed significant tragedies and rescue efforts taking place in these kinds of contexts. Here is just one interesting example:

♃ in ♑︎ 1925 –  “Great Race of Mercy”
In early 1925, the Alaskan town of Nome was about to be hit by a diphtheria epidemic in the middle of a blizzard. Planes and boats weren’t options, so the only way the diphtheria antitoxin could get there was by dog sled. On January 27th 1925, when Jupiter was at 9° Capricorn, 20 mushers and about 150 sled dogs heroically braved the dangerous conditions of the 674-mile Iditarod Trail to deliver the medicine to Nome. The dogs and the mushers became famous, and the event became known as the 1925 Serum Run to Nome, or the Great Race of Mercy.

♃ in ♑︎ 1972  – Iditarod Trail Dog Race Established
In October 1972, three mushers decided to establish an annual Iditarod Trail Dog Race to save mushing from going extinct as well as to commemorate the 1925 Great Race of Mercy. Jupiter was at 0°-4° Capricorn in October 1972.

♃ in ♑︎ 1996 – “Balto” Released
On January 13th 1996, Universal Pictures released “Balto”, an animated film about the dog who led the last leg of the 1925 Serum Run. Jupiter was at 2° Capricorn. The movie was criticized for overemphasizing Balto’s accomplishment when the dog Togo was the real hero for covering the longest and most dangerous part of the journey.

♃ in ♑︎ 2019 – “Togo” Released
On December 20th 2019, “Togo” was released on Disney+, a live action film about the dog who led the longest and most treacherous part of the 1925 Serum Run. Togo finally got the heroic treatment he deserved when Jupiter was at 3° Capricorn.  Amazingly, we actually know the birthdate of the dog, Togo. He was born on October 17th 1917 which means that Togo, the hero of the 1925 Serum Run was born when…Jupiter was at 10° Capricorn. So Togo’s Jupiter return was the 1925 Serum Run, and the commemorations of his heroism and this story continue to reverberate through these Jupiter returns. Astrology is weird like this sometimes.

Some Thoughts About Jupiter in Capricorn and 2020

The Good: If you think certain criminal laws and penalties are unjust to begin with, then there may be a lot to hope for. I think like in the previous periods, we will see a crest in a wave for mercy or forgiveness for those who are imprisoned. We may see this in moves made against the death penalty, against mandatory minimum sentences, against indefinite solitary confinement and other injustices against incarcerated persons. Some prison reform legislation has already been passed while Saturn has been in Capricorn, such as the First Step Act. Questions of justice and mercy for the imprisoned will take place prominently in politics and in popular media. Since Jupiter and Saturn are returning to where they were in 1960/61, perhaps the “Jail No Bail” tactic will make a comeback, and we’ll see political activism surrounding jails, hope behind bars, activism through imprisonment.

The Less Good: If you’re hoping that certain criminals or accused persons get the final comeuppance they deserve, it might be a time of disappointment. While Saturn in Capricorn absolutely promotes the conviction of “bad guys”, Jupiter in Capricorn might provide a frustrating degree of leniency towards the guilty. There could be miscarriages of justice in high profile criminal trials. One considers the continuing investigations into Jeffrey Epstein’s death, the imminent trial of Harvey Weinstein and the impeachment saga of Donald Trump and how likely it is that meaningful punishments will actually land on these powerful men and others associated with their crimes. So many powerful people have a lot to lose from further investigations into Epstein’s crimes and seem to be scrubbing their tracks clean. Weinstein could be spared the worst by anti-feminist/#Metoo-skeptical jurors. Trump is protected by a blindly obsequious GOP Senate that refuses to hold him to account as well as by the conservative majority on the Supreme Court. Obviously it’s a bit of a concern that we’re heading toward the Jupiter return of the 2008 financial crash. Since that featured the forgiveness (bailout) of perpetrators, then some of these themes could repeat, in keeping with the symbolism of Jupiter in Capricorn.

For a more complete picture though we have to consider how Jupiter is configured with Saturn and Pluto while it’s in Capricorn, but that’s an article for another time.

17 thoughts on “Jupiter in Capricorn 2020: Hope in Hopeless Places”

  1. I am having a great time during this astrology and i do not know anybody that doesnt have a job and a car and a person to date. I think the “meatgrinder” narrative was a scare tactic and sales tactic promoted by a circular back-patting clique. Its interesting how that scare strategy parallels with the politics strategy where main street is doing great, but the message is to be afraid because its so bad out there. “The sky is falling” is always snake oil. But it works to gather the sheep for sheering. I have made more money this year than ever in my life and all my friends and family have too. Even the homeless dude down the street has a better van to sleep in now. I am wealthy with two houses paid for and i know the kind of inner and outer magic involved in real wealth generation. The stock market (my profession) is one great example of a new age wealth generator mechanism that can be used by mordern magickal peeps and i have been recommending, for Jupiter in Sag, Disney Stock, and for Saturn in Capricorn, Kansas City Southern (owns all the rail track in mexico) rail road stock and for neptune pisces, its medicine with Pfizer thats got a great 4% dividend. And they are doing great, just like i expected under these epic skies! Bears and bulls make money, sheep get sheered.

    1. Patrick Watson

      Oof Sherri, this comment did not age well, haha! Turns out some of the concerns about Saturn-Pluto were spot-on, and I’m really sorry that your stocks tanked under these epic skies, hopefully you got out in time.

  2. in nyc we have introduced this revised no bail /parole system for criminals and now we are being victimized by these people back out in the streets physically assaulting people as soon as they walk out the court door: homeless and mentally ill.

    jupiter in capricorn=wall street bail out. ? i can’t see a crash happening in the effective time period.

  3. Patrick,
    You must have some serious Capricorn energy in your own chart. What a well written, and well researched article you have generously given us. Thank you.

    An amateur hack astrologer myself, this Jupiter conjunct Pluto transit is exact degree on my nadir @ 24 degree Capricorn. It hits my mother exact degree on her ascendant. It hits a good friend of mine, exact degree on his mid heaven.

    I can’t decide if I need to hunker down clean out the basement during this time or leave my young kids at home to help prepare meals for people who’ve lost their jobs etc.
    As a mom, I’m so worried about children stuck “distancing” in abusive situations. It feels overwhelming to imagine the impact of the coronavirus on prisoners, refugees and populations held against their will. And there’s a conflict, that you need to stay alone and socially distance, while so many people need help.

    Thank you again, Patrick, for the time and energy it took to create a well thought out and well written article.

    Sending you and everyone right now peace and health. Now let’s all go wash our hands.

  4. “There could be miscarriages of justice in high profile criminal trials.”
    In Australia, there was a very high profile criminal trial involving the most senior Australian church cardinal, George Pell, involving allegations of sexual misconduct with minors. His conviction was just overturned by the High Court on 7 April. Before this, he was serving his sentence and had been behind bars already for a year. Now that it’s been ruled by the High Court, the judgment can’t be challenged. Media, journos, #metoo movement have gone mad. Huge.

  5. Great explicite and easy to grasp article. Thank you for that. As the sun- moon Capri in 4rth house it was very helpful. Thank you for our first reading and I look forward to the next one very soon.

  6. Por sugerencia de otro astrólogo español José Millan accedí a este contenido que me sorprendió gratamente ya que tiene tantos aciertos y en cierta relación de los temas más candentes que se están tratando en Argentina mi país.. En primer lugar la discusión sobre la Cuarentena como un ejerció militar y un avance del Estado contra las libertades del ciudadano, también se está discutiendo la situación denigrante de las cárceles y la libertad condicional de los presos ante el posible avance del virus en las cárceles… También se está tratando el tema de la deuda externa y si se condonan los intereses y los pagos además de la discusión sobre el proyecto de ley sobre el aborto legal y gratuito… Me deslumbró con tantas coincidencias. ?
    ..

  7. Natalie Dinsdale

    This is such an excellent piece of research and writing. Thanks so much! Also, loved the movie Togo.

  8. You had me until you brought up Caitlin.

    I realize that she’s probably changed quite a bit since she wrote “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes”, but it’s absolute junk. Far from encouraging “death reform”, it slams the entire industry for BS that isn’t even common.

    (*takes a look at her chart*) Should’ve guessed. A Leo who thinks she’s right and wants everyone to know it. ?

  9. just found this article via your tweets when i was searching up capricorn and this was a really interesting read! Really enjoyed the comparisons you did with common media the general public knows and continuing to analyze how Jupiter in Capricorn is like!

    Also this year was wild… can’t believe its almost over. It feels like its been years but its only just the last month of 2020. Kudos to doing all of this work! It seems like you have a good head on your shoulders with the points you made for Jupiter in Capricorn & I also appreciate all the historical events you used to back up certain patterns 😀 Its really interesting seeing the stars align with certain events.

  10. Pingback: 2020 Year in Review — Christopher A. LaFond, Professional Astrologer

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