Millennial Generation in Astrology explained
By: Jaclyn Michelle Ortega
Tags: Generations Y, Astrology, Generation, Planets, Millennials

When we talk about generational astrology, the planets that we have to keep in mind are the generational planets Uranus, Neptune and Pluto, as well as the outer planet Saturn. The three generational planets are the farthest from the earth and the slowest to rotate where Uranus takes about 84 years to complete its orbit staying in one zodiac sign for 7 years. Neptune takes about 164 years to complete its orbit staying in one zodiac sign for 14 years. Pluto takes about 248 years to complete its orbit staying for an average of 21 years in just one sign. Saturn is also worth mentioning here because it represents our limitations, responsibility, discipline, success in the material plane. It is the farthest planet we can see with our naked eyes. Saturn takes 28 years to complete its orbit (aka Saturn Return) staying in one sign for 2.5 years. They are not our inner planets which directly affects us but it affects us as a group and more so if it makes an aspect to our personal planets. Personally I have many of these aspects to my inner planets such as Moon conjunct Neptune in Sagittarius, Sagittarius Moon square Virgo Saturn, Aries Sun opposite Libra Pluto, Aries Sun trine Sagittarius Neptune, Pisces Mercury opposite Virgo Saturn, Pisces Mercury trine Scorpio Uranus, Gemini Venus square Virgo Saturn (also squares Virgo Jupiter though Jupiter isn’t an outer planet), Leo Mars square Scorpio Uranus. This means that the planetary transits happened from the time I was born greatly influenced my personality and I’m constantly carrying the energies of these outer planets in my everyday life. Therefore it makes sense that we consider these planets when determining generations.

Millennials are generally infamous for being entitled, sensitive and job hopping adult kids who refuse to grow up. Although upbringing and environment play major factors but their shared astrological placements also played a huge part of their shared collective traits. Now there are varying definitions of birth year range for Millennials although the most commonly used is 1981–1996 which I agree based on numerous factors including astrology.

My analysis on the Millennial generation is it began when both Neptune & Uranus were in Sagittarius and both Saturn & Pluto were in Libra. Uranus entered Sagittarius in 1981, the year the oldest Millennials were born. It first entered the archer sign in February 1981 then retrograded into Scorpio a month later and again reentered Sagittarius for good on November 1981. The Uranus shift in Sagittarius in early 1981 coincided with the beginning of the digital age with the rise of modern technology (Uranus) such as atari, personal computers, arcade games, VCRs on a global scale (Sagittarius) as well as the overall optimism (Sagittarius) of the new Reagan administration that promised huge changes (Uranus). Uranus retrograde in Scorpio coincided with the increasing rates of a rare cancer found in gay men in 1981 which later on became known as AIDS changing the way we view sex and the early 80s recession that began in mid 1981 caused by Reagan’s federal budget cuts that resulted in massive loss of employment (Scorpio) and the overall mood was gloomy. Meanwhile Saturn entered Libra on late September 1980 which coincided at the time when people were looking for a change in system (Saturn) in order to create a balance (Libra) between the society and government (Saturn) in the form of the One Child Policy law in China, South Korean revolution, Reagan’s election paving the way for the beginning of the new age. Saturn and Pluto both entered Scorpio in 1983 just in time when Reaganomics was starting to transform the lives of many Americans and the US regained its status as the global superpower resulting in its massive influence on various social revolutions in many parts the world that transformed (Pluto in Scorpio) its societies from dictatorial/communist to democratic. Afterwards Saturn entered Sagittarius in late 1985 and stayed there until 1988. It was during this time when dictatorships in many countries were failing, the American society was experiencing its economic growth and the overall mood was optimistic and jovial (Sagittarius). Neptune entered Capricorn in 1984 just in time when the Neptunian ideals and dreams were being brought out into the concrete world (Capricorn). This coincided with the mid 80s being known as the golden age of 80s music and movies (Neptune), it was in this period when MTV became popular with 80s icons Madonna, Michael Jackson, Cyndi Lauper, Bruce Springsteen, Prince, Culture Club, Duran Duran, George Michael etc becoming superstars. Classic 80s films like Ghostbusters, Back to the Future, Goonies, Gremlins and teen-oriented movies like Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club were released. Saturn and Uranus joined Neptune in 1988 where the Neptunian dreams and ideals combined with the Uranian need to change the status quo and Saturn in its home sign Capricorn materializing it in the real world resulted in the end of communism in Europe, fall of Berlin Wall, the Tianamen Square massacre and the dissolution of the Soviet Union symbolizing the end of the Cold War. It ended in 1995 when Uranus entered Aquarius and Pluto entered Sagittarius coincided with the beginning of the tech bubble in the mid 90s ushering in the age of globalization. So the 1981–1995 definition of Millennial/Gen Y does makes sense from both astrological and historical sense.

As a result of all these events, the Millennials born with these planetary combinations were influenced by all these energies carrying it into their lifetime. Overall most Millennials have Sagittarius-Capricorn Uranus, Sagittarius-Capricorn Neptune and Scorpio Pluto placements in their natal chart which collectively incline them towards realizing their idealism out in the real world and breaking existing status quo. However members of this generation don’t have the same approach to change as a result of different placements of the older and younger cohort. Older Millennials (1981–1988) have strong Libra and Sagittarius placements which makes this leading edge Gen Yers idealistic (preferring passion over salary/job stability), collaborative and seeking equality in work and at home. They generally are the ones who prefer to work in a low paying job they are passionate about versus a high paying job they don’t like. They have shared planetary placements with younger Gen Xers notably Uranus retrograde in Scorpio (March-Nov 1981), Neptune in Sagittarius (1970–1984) and Pluto in Libra (1972–1984) which explains why most of them feel they relate more to Gen X. However what sets them apart from late Gen Xers aside from reaching adulthood in the new millennium is their Saturn placements are in interpersonal signs (Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces) versus Gen X’s Saturn placements in personal signs (Aries to Virgo) based on the 12 houses the signs each rule. Saturn in signs is all about working with that energy in concrete ways which explains why Millennials as a whole resist the status quo (Saturn) looking to change and transform it (Scorpio) by creating balance (Libra) thru work-life integration, strives fairness & collaboration at work (Libra) thru flat organizational structures, equality to all gender & races (Sagittarius) as opposed to Gen X’s more individualistic approach.

Younger Millennials (1988–1995) have strong Capricorn placements which is the reason the younger half of Gen Y are more practical, prefer job stability over passion. These younger Gen Yers have triple planetary conjunction in Capricorn (Saturn, Uranus and Neptune) but the bad thing is although Saturn is in its domicile in Capricorn but with the combination of Uranus and Neptune there, it greatly offset Saturn’s qualities thus making Saturn more elusive and delusional. As a result, you get a sub-generation of overachieving young professionals that are confident, optimistic, ambitious and driven yet hate to do the hard work which irritates the older generations. They constantly on the lookout for something better which results to their job hopping. However that is not to say that this combination is doomed to fail. If used correctly thru a creative outlet, this triple conjunction can work very well with them. Since younger Millennials were children during the rise of the internet so this generation have an advantage of being tech savvy and knowing how to utilize (Capricorn) internet/technology (Uranus) as a tool to materialize (Saturn/Capricorn) their dreams & ideals (Neptune) out in the real world (Saturn/Capricorn). Many vloggers and Youtube influencers were born under this triple conjunction as well as many celebrities such as Taylor Swift, Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Jennifer Lawrence, Justin Bieber.