Jupiter is the largest of all the true planets. Its mass is greater than all the rest of the planets combined. Some astronomers even consider it to be a failed star. Astrologically, Jupiter is the planet of expansion, growth and optimism. Known as The Greater Benefic, it symbolizes good luck and fortune. In the ancient Indian language Sanskrit Jupiter is called "guru" or teacher. This fits its association with the higher mind, philosophy, truth and religion. Perhaps Jupiter's good fortune derives from the capacity to give us a larger view in which to see the world.

Jupiter's expansionist qualities benefit from the progressive nature of innovative Aquarius. This unconventional sign represents ideas that are beyond the bounds of ordinary thinking, giving Jupiter's wide ranging mind plenty of room to wander. However, there is a potential for philosophical extremism here if the revolutionary tendencies of Aquarius are not tempered with compassion and respect for alternative opinions. Both planet and sign have a strong need to be right and can,against their stated principles, become intolerant of dissenting opinions.

Jupiter in Aquarius tends to recognize the power of community, rather than individualism, as its highest value. A broader, perhaps sociological, view of human behavior allows us to recognize the collective waves of change in which we all swim. A paradox is that while this sign believes in liberty for everyone, it seeks collective answers.

Freedom is a high value for Jupiter in Aquarius. It's represented by political activists, metaphysical seekers, unconventional artists and society skewing comedians. We each search for our own truths during this period and in the end find that our common needs are far greater than our individual differences. The unique qualities of race, gender and nationality needn't be barriers to recognizing and addressing our common issues. Humanity, we continue to realize, is the group to which we all belong and to whose survival and well being we all need to be committed.

Famous folks with Jupiter in Aquarius include Michelangelo, Tycho Brahe, Emanuel Swedenborg, Immanuel Kant, Jean Jacques Rousseau, Thomas Paine, Walt Whitman, Helena Blavatsky, Lewis Carroll, Percival Lowell, Marie Curie, Pancho Villa, W.C. Fields, H.P. Lovecraft, Agatha Christie, Joe Louis, Alan Watts, James Hillman, Chuck Berry, Sai Baba, Percy Seymour, Billy Joel, Tom Waits, Annie Wilson, Peter Gabriel, Bobby McFerrin, Bill Murray, Eddie Murphy, George Clooney, Melissa Ethridge, Barack Obama, Tyra Banks.