Predictive astrology relies on a comparison between your natal chart and the transiting planets. What houses are they currently orbiting through in your chart? These areas of life will be "lit up" by the energy of the planet that's visiting.

If you don't know your birth time, there are other things to look for. Most importantly, is a transiting planet crossing over the same point (zodiac sign and degree) as a natal planet in your chart? When this happens, the two planets involve strike a duet—and it can be dynamic or discordant, depending on how much chemistry the two planets have. ​

You can also use synastry to compare a natal planet to a transiting planet. While this is advanced learning, and not something we'll be teaching in this course, you may want to study this on your own. For example, wild-child Uranus, which takes 84 years to do a full transit around the chart will be exactly opposite your natal Uranus around the age of 42. This is often the age where a mid-life crisis has been known to erupt. The charge of transiting Uranus waking up your natal Uranus in that oppositional tug of war can bring out a latent teenage rebellion. We're not saying Uranus is to blame for that high-octane, red convertible and the sessions with the celebrity trainer...but we're not saying it isn't either!

The infamous Saturn return—which we think of as an astrological rite-of-passage into adulting—takes place around age 28-29, when transiting Saturn has done one full orbit around the Sun and returns to where it was when you were born. 

Sites like astro.com make comparing the transiting planets to your natal chart easy. You can run what’s called a “Natal + Transits Chart” for yourself or on anyone. You’ll get a chart with an additional outer ring representing the transiting planets. Select any date you want—from breakups to proposals to other major moments! This chart reveals where the planets were on that day, and how they synced up with your natal planets and houses.  

Below is Kim Kardashian-West’s Natal + Transits chart. The planets inside the circle represent Kim’s natal chart, or where the planets were at her time of birth.

Outside the circle, in green (on a light blue background) are the transiting planets, or where the planets were on November 1, 2011, the day she announced her divorce from Kris Humphries (after 72 days of marriage) to the world.

Interpretation:

Venus transiting through the 12th House:
On 11/1/11, transiting Venus was in Kim's 12th House of illusions, hidden enemies and endings. The man she thought was her life parter turned out to be a serious adversary.  She had no choice but to put up a firm boundary and break things off.

Jupiter transiting through the 5th House:
Jupiter was transiting through Kardashian's 5th House of romance and drama, making this divorce announcement a very public spectacle—particularly since her televised wedding had just aired just 72 days earlier. But with benevolent Jupiter offering her grace, she quickly resurrected her career—and had another high-profile wedding with (Gemini) Kanye West in 2014.

Saturn transiting through the 10th House:
On November 1, 2011, Saturn (ruler of tough lessons and maturity) was in Libra, the sign of marriage and relationships. It was in Kim’s 10th house of traditions and men. Her attempts to have a conventional, storybook wedding were met with Saturn’s test. Because her connection to Kris Humphries did not have the strength to go the distance, the marriage crumbled.

Transiting Saturn conjunct Natal Pluto:  
Transiting Saturn was also at 22º Libra on November 1, 2011, which was in a 1º aspect to Kardashian's natal Pluto of 21º Libra. When a transiting planet crosses the same point in the chart as a natal planet they wake up each other's energy and work together.

As sober realist Saturn crossed Kardashian's natal Pluto—the planet of intensity, sexual desire and shared assets—it served up a maturing lesson about the price of getting entangled with the wrong person. Literally! Their wedding was one of the most expensive of all times, ringing in at a total of nearly $10 million dollars! Although the marriage only lasted 72 days, the divorce took 536 days to settle, with Humphries suing for $7 million (accusing Kardashian of fraud for saying, "I do") but ultimately losing his case.