The Astrology Podcast: Triple Conjunction Recurrences: Venus, Mars, and the Sun

Host: Chris Brennan
Guest: Nick Dagan Best
Recording Date: January 13, 2026

Overview

This episode explores the extremely rare triple conjunction of Venus, Mars, and the Sun that occurred in early January 2026. Chris Brennan and Nick Dagan Best use this powerful astrological event as a lens to examine recent global upheavals—especially their correlation with pivotal moments in world history marked by similar rare planetary alignments. They trace the resonance of these alignments through militaristic events, treaties, violent incidents, cultural shifts, and changing attitudes toward consent and sovereignty.

Main Theme

The rare, tightly-aligned triple conjunction in Capricorn (Venus, Mars, and the Sun) directly mirrored and activated a sequence of historic and world-shaking news events in early 2026. The episode delves into how such conjunctions have echoed through the past 120 years at moments of extreme collective import—wars, coups, violent protests, broken and forged treaties, technological turning points, shifts of leadership, and scandals involving issues of consent.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Recap of Early January 2026 World Events

• US military strike on Venezuela (Jan 3): Abduction of President Maduro, takeover of government.
• US–Greenland escalation: Trump administration threatens Greenland, implying potential military action, risking NATO’s future.
• US withdrawal from treaties (Jan 7): Announcement to leave 66 international treaties—environmental, women’s rights, and more.
• Massive US military spending increase: Trump announces $1.5 trillion annual defense budget.
• Police shooting of Renee Goode in Minnesota: On the day of Venus-Mars conjunction.
• AI “Grok” scandal on Twitter/X: Viral spread of nonconsensual, sexually explicit AI images.
• Russian nuclear-capable missile attack on Ukraine (Jan 9).
• Iranian protests erupt (Jan 7–11): Widespread unrest, growing government crackdown.

“So many things happened. … It seemed like a decade’s worth of history all happened in like 10 days.” —Chris, [00:40]

2. Rarity and Historical Pattern of the Triple Conjunction

• Such tight Venus–Mars–Sun conjunctions (within a degree) occurred only six times since 1901.
• These events often marked critical inflection points in global history.
• Past dates: 1902, 1968, 1981, 1987, 2006, 2026.

“To give you some idea… we’ve only had six of those that are super close within a degree over the past century.” —Chris, [08:21]

3. Astrological Archetypes and Peace vs. War

• Venus: Peace, treaties, consensual relationships.
• Mars: War, violence, rupture.
• Sun: Leadership, focus on singular figures, spotlighting or decapitating power.
• Duality: Conjunctions mark both beginnings (wars, coups) and endings (treaties, surrender).

“Traditionally, Mars is the planet of war and Venus is the planet of peace…this tension basically between war and peace.” —Chris, [45:34]

4. Recurrence Transits in Historical Context

a. Venezuela: Bookended by Triple Conjunctions

• Maduro became president under a triple conjunction in April 2013.
• Overthrown under a nearly exact same alignment 13 years later.

“He begins and ends his presidency under these quite rare triple conjunctions.” —Nick, [20:54]

• Venezuela’s “independence” chart (1811) echoes US birth chart: both have Mars-Uranus conjunctions, Venus-Jupiter conjunctions, declared near Saturn-Neptune cycles.

b. Wars Coinciding with Venus-Mars Conjunctions

• World War I: Broke out during a Venus–Mars conjunction; US entry and the Lusitania sinking also under these alignments. Woodrow Wilson (US President) natally had a Venus–Mars conjunction.
• Vietnam War: Gulf of Tonkin resolution and escalation authorized under Venus–Mars conjunctions.
• US Invasions: Panama (1989) and Grenada (1983), both under such conjunctions.
• Russia–Ukraine: 2022 ground invasion under Venus–Mars conjunction post-Venus retrograde in Capricorn.

c. Hitler, the Kennedys, and Recurrences

• Hitler: Born with Venus–Mars conjunction; joined WWI, published Mein Kampf, and ascended to full power (becoming Führer) under Venus–Mars conjunctions.
• JFK & RFK Assassinations: Both happen under Venus–Mars conjunctions (and RFK’s is a triple conjunction).

5. Treaties: Creation and Severance Linked to Triple Conjunctions

• NATO (1949): Founded on a triple conjunction.
• Division of the World (Treaty of Tordesillas, 1494): Split globe between Spain/Portugal under a rare triple conjunction.
• League of Nations (1919): Drafted on Venus–Mars conjunction.
• US withdrawal from treaties (2026): On exact Venus–Mars conjunction, echoes past mass treaty dissolutions (e.g., Germany exiting League of Nations, Oct 1933).

“Sometimes treaties are made during Venus–Mars conjunctions, and sometimes treaties are broken.” —Chris, [136:00]

Notable:

• European Union (Maastricht Treaty, 1992) and nuclear arms treaties (SALT, 1972; Non-Proliferation, 1968) linked to conjunctions or triple conjunctions as well.

6. Greenland, NATO, and Echoes of the Past

• Trump’s interest in purchasing Greenland surfaced first during a 2019 triple conjunction.
• US relinquished claims to Greenland in 1917—again, at a triple conjunction.
• Denmark’s direct control over Greenland began post-referendum in 1979 under a Sun–Mars conjunction; the 47-year synodic cycle repeats the same Sun–Mars pattern in 2026.
• 1946: US makes secret offer to buy Greenland after a Venus retrograde in Scorpio (mirrored in 2026).

7. Public Shootings, Consent, and Gendered Violence

• Venus–Mars conjunctions (often with the Sun) frequently coincide with high-profile shootings—especially killing of women where images go viral and protests erupt:
  • 2009 Iran: Neda Agha Sultan shot, becomes symbol of protests.
  • Kent State (1970), JFK/RFK assassinations, Reagan assassination attempt, Las Vegas mass shooting (2017), and others.
• AI scandal on Twitter/X: Nonconsensual sexual images—Venus–Mars archetype (consent vs. violation).

8. Sexual Violence, Scandals, and #MeToo

• Venus–Mars conjunctions/triple conjunctions are turning points for collective conversations about sexual agency, predation, and unconsensual acts:
  • 1994 Lorena Bobbitt trial; Harvey Weinstein exposure (Oct 2017, conjunction triggers #MeToo Movement).
  • Epstein (born on Venus–Mars), dies during 2019 triple conjunction.

“It speaks for itself…revelations of these really gross, you know, transgressions against people.” —Nick, [198:53]

9. Saturn–Neptune Backdrop: Iran’s History

• Saturn-Neptune cycles (conjunctions, squares) have consistently marked pivotal moments in Iran's history:
  • 1917: Famine, British-back coup
  • 1953: US-backed coup
  • 1979: Revolution (square)
  • 1989: Death of Ayatollah Khomeini
• The current conjunction (Feb 2026) foreshadows a potential regime change or seismic unrest in Iran, paralleling the 47-year Sun–Mars cycle from the Shah’s ouster in January 1979.

10. Nuclear Weapons & Mars–Venus–Sun Alignments

• Sun–Mars (and Venus) alignments correlate with pivotal nuclear treaty signings (SALT, Non-Proliferation) and threats (North Korea’s first test - 2006, Russia’s 2026 missile launch).

11. Future Triple Conjunctions & Predictive Astrology

• The next century will see triple conjunctions (sometimes with Venus retrograde) recur in various signs (2032, 2038, 2045, ... up to 2124 in Taurus).
• Projected likelihood: these timeframes will again coincide with major, world-shifting events echoing the archetypes defined in this episode (war/peace, treaties, regime changes, consent/violation crises, sovereignty battles, technological turning points).

“If past is prologue…some similar events that happened this month are going to come up again in the future.” —Chris, [277:36]

Notable Quotes & Moments

• “Statistically, there’s no way that’s a random thing that we just happen to see.” —Chris, on Venus–Mars conjunctions marking US entry into both World Wars [61:09]
• “The US only came in at the last year of the war, but...looking at these Venus–Mars conjunctions relating to the First World War...is very striking.” —Nick, [40:00]
• “There does seem to be some kind of...coming together of parties that maybe aren’t usually on each other’s side or, you know, have to cooperate in some fashion.” —Nick, [293:19]
• “May you live in interesting times type scenarios.” —Chris, on the wild year ahead [277:36]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:40–04:19 — Introduction to the week's extraordinary events and focus on triple conjunctions.
• 05:31–11:13 — Astrological breakdown: planetary positions, rarity, and degree of conjunction.
• 14:46–16:22 — Detailed summary of all major January 2026 news events.
• 20:05–24:16 — Venezuela: Historical recurrences, Maduro’s presidency bookended by triple conjunctions.
• 39:57–66:52 — World War I, Lusitania, World War II, US war entries: Venus–Mars conjunctions.
• 86:56–91:00 — US–Greenland history: triple conjunctions, Domino impact on NATO.
• 110:28–136:00 — Treaties: Formation/dissolution under conjunctions, Treaty of Tordesillas, Hitler withdraws from League of Nations.
• 155:27–178:31 — Shooting incidents, Venus–Mars and Sun triple conjunctions: US, Iran, Kennedy, Reagan, Bobbitt, #MeToo, and more.
• 206:48–216:33 — Nuclear treaties, North Korea, weapons escalation: Sun–Mars (-Venus) links.
• 218:33–266:50 — Iran: Saturn–Neptune cycles, 1979 revolution, 47-year Mars cycle, regime changes, present/future prospects.
• 274:17–292:01 — Upcoming astrological peaks, predictive cycles, how future triple conjunctions may manifest.
• 295:17–298:11 — The significance of the Sun’s role in triple conjunctions; vulnerability of leadership.

Conclusion

The episode not only illuminated the 2026 triple conjunction’s power to coincide with and amplify high-impact world events, but also demonstrated how recurrence astrology provides a startling framework for understanding cycles of conflict, alliance, upheaval, and cultural transformation through time.

Key Archetypes of Triple Conjunctions

• War vs. Peace; Treaty-making and Treaty-breaking
• Sovereignty, Colonialism, & Resource Nationalism
• Consent vs. Violation—Bodily, Political, Social
• Technological turning points (weaponry, AI)
• Spotlights on Leadership; abrupt removals or ascensions
• Recurring patterns in gendered/sexual violence and scandals

By studying the dense connections of the past, present, and (projected) future, Chris and Nick urge astrologers to track these patterns for insight into both mundane and personal astrology—and to prepare for further waves of upheaval as the world continues to move through these powerful planetary cycles.

Further Resources

• Nick Dagan Best's research/chart files: nickdaganbestastrologer.com
• Chris’s courses & recommendations: theastrologypodcast.com / theastrologyschool.com

Did you notice a historical triple conjunction or archetypal pattern not discussed? Join the conversation in the episode’s comments section!