Pluto’s residency in Aquarius has long been associated with societal upheaval and the redistribution of power. This planetary transit, which began back in March 2023, marks a generational shift and a repeat of historical eras when the collective pushes back against oppressive hierarchies. As Pluto moves into Aquarius for a 20-year stay, its final ingress has coincided with a dramatic surge in users of the Bluesky app – an event that seems to exemplify the energy of this new pairing.
Pluto and the Power of the Masses
Astrologers associate Pluto with transformation, power dynamics, and collective reckoning. The last time Pluto navigated Aquarius (1778–1798), the world witnessed the American and French revolutions, significant historical events when the masses rose against aristocratic and plutocratic control. The ideals of liberty, equality, and society disrupted centuries of monarchical rule, paving the way for modern democracies. Fast forward to today, and a similar energy has re-ignited. Social media platforms like Bluesky, born in the shadow of Pluto’s ingress, reflect a contemporary revolution against centralised control, not of governments, but of information.
Bluesky’s Journey
Bluesky’s evolution maps Pluto’s ingresses into Aquarius, with forward motion aligning with surges in growth and subsequent retrogrades back into Capricorn seeing reviews and structural changes to form itself as a user-centric organisation.
- March 2023 (First Ingress): The app had launched a few weeks earlier as an invite-only beta, positioning itself as a fresh alternative to the increasingly chaotic X (formerly Twitter). Bluesky’s offer was clear – empower its users to take control of their digital experience. Initial uptake was modest but the organisation had set in motion a new movement in social media.
- June 2023 (Retrograde Return): In early July 2023, Bluesky announced it had raised $8 million in a seed funding round to grow its team, manage operations, pay for infrastructure costs, and further develop the AT Protocol. The company also announced its conversion to a public benefit C corporation.[1]
- March 2024 (Second Ingress): The app opened up to the general public in February 2024 seeing its user base swell for a short period before receding again, awaiting a catalyst that would propel Bluesky fittingly into the digital stratosphere.
- September 2024 (Retrograde Return): The last visit into Capricorn provided further structural enhancements as Bluesky declares it has added video uploads to the platform, a feature that would be essential for Bluesky to stand as a credible contender to the main players.
- November 2024 (Final Ingress): Pluto’s final entry into Aquarius, two weeks after a notable US election, coincided with Bluesky’s public surge, spurred by an escalating dissatisfaction with centralised social media giants, in particular Elon Musk’s X – a platform embroiled in controversy, political bias, and connections to controversial figures like Donald Trump.
This timeline reflects a larger cultural and technological shift at play. While platforms like X reinforce hierarchical control through obscure algorithms and Musk’s polarising vision, Bluesky offers a decentralised alternative. What CEO Jay Graber has described as a “billionaire-proof” model, is a clear manifesto for a new digital age reflecting a collective pushback against the monopolisation of platforms by the wealthy elite, aligning with Pluto in Aquarius’s call to distribute power among the many.[2]
Decentralisation and the Spirit of Reformation
In contrast to other force-fed content, Bluesky’s open architecture allows users to curate their own feeds, breaking from the controlled approach of most other social media platforms. This stance is reminiscent of historical reformation movements, particularly Martin Luther’s challenge to the Catholic Church in 1517. Luther’s theses democratised spiritual access, challenging an elite institution that dictated obedience. Correspondingly, Bluesky democratises digital expression, shifting power from platform owners to individual users. This ethos aligns effortlessly with the Pluto in Aquarius archetype and the dismantling of elitist structures in favour of collective empowerment. While the plutocracy of the 18th century revolved around land and wealth, today’s power centres on data and influence. Bluesky’s model challenges this digital aristocracy, offering an alternative to platforms controlled by a select few.
A New Era of Digital Revolution
As Bluesky gains traction, it symbolises more than just a shift in user preferences; it represents a larger reckoning with how we engage with technology. The final ingress of Pluto into Aquarius marks the beginning of a 20-year journey, during which the dismantling of established systems will likely dominate discourse, both online and offline. With astrological trines between Uranus and Pluto suggesting a harmonious partnership of revolutionary ideas and systemic change, the Uranus-Pluto trine that forms in Gemini from 2026 to 2028 could support further growth in the social tech landscape. In the spirit of past revolutions, Bluesky is pioneering reformation of the digital commons, inviting users to co-create a space free from the constraints of the old guard. Much like the revolutions of the 18th century, this new digital age holds the potential to reshape the world, not through violence, but through the transformative power of choice. Bluesky’s rise, interlinked with Pluto’s new trajectory, reminds us that the cycles of history continue to turn, repositioning humanity toward progress, equity, and freedom.
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bluesky
[2] https://www.npr.org/2024/11/19/g-s1-34898/bluesky-traffic-surge-after-election