I wish I could show you your brilliantly lit chart, dear Taurus! It's a dazzler this month! With no less than SEVEN out of ten heavenly bodies shining at the very top of your chart, and a major, friendly eclipse due, it looks like you will be propelled very quickly up the ladder of success. You may also find that you are in the public eye in weeks to come, too. This will be one of your best months for career progress, for sure!

Before we get to THAT good news, I have other good news to tell you first!

The month will start out with on the perfect note when Venus aligns with Jupiter on February 1. This will be a four-star day, for these two luminary planets meet only once a year. When they do, they always choose a different time and place and always bring a box of goodies for you. This time Venus (ruling fun and love - and financial benefits) and Jupiter (ruling good fortune, happiness, and expanding opportunities) will meet in your 9th house, ruling travel, foreign people and places, and a few other things we will talk about.

Near February 1 would be a great time to take a long trip, or to seal an international deal. Or, you may find you gain from another area ruled by the 9th house: the courts and legal system, anything having to do with the pursuit of a higher education, and the publishing / broadcasting industry. You will be dealing with high-level people, for sure - CEOs, ambassadors, professors, bosses and owners, or other distinguished people. You are ruled by Venus so you will enjoy this aspect more than most!

If your birthday falls on April 30, plus or minus five days, you will hit the jackpot and enjoy a double dip of pleasure on February 1.

The first week of February will be brimming with luck, because on the heels of this Venus and Jupiter meeting will come the major solar eclipse, February 6. This will be a very happy eclipse, brimming with good news.

This is a benefic new moon, but since it is an eclipse, its power is triple the strength of any normal new moon! Falling in your 10th house of honors, awards, achievement, and fame, you will soon get a stunning opportunity to advance your career. Neptune will be close, and while some would say that Neptune would cloud the situation, I don't feel that it will. Instead, I feel Neptune will bring outstanding opportunities for you to show off your creative abilities, whether in the arts or in high-tech innovation. There are a lot of ways to be creative!

I would like you to RESPOND rather than INITIATE any actions. As you see, you need not do too much! You seem to have already done a lot in the past - now it's your turn to be rewarded. Wait for your phone to ring and see what that person on the other end offers you!

I am excited for you because I see that you should be able to make your mark in February, the most exciting month of the year for professional progress. Even enforced changes should work to your favor.

It is really fortunate that your ruling planet, Venus, has scheduled to have a beautiful dinner with lucky Jupiter to talk about YOU five days earlier. Also, Aquarius' ruler, Uranus, will be in a very benevolent mood too, and beaming very positive rays to Jupiter. This shows me that what is to come your way will really please you!

I am enthusiastic about this eclipse for still one more reason - this eclipse will send a supportive beam to Mars, currently touring your house of earned income. Any financial offer you receive should be excellent, and that has to be good news, for you have been spending quite a bit lately. (Yes, ha, ha. You can't fool me, dear Taurus. I see it right here in your horoscope. Since early January you've been spending up a storm. This eclipse should help. Check writing will slow down once you get to March 4, no matter what, which is even more good news.)

When will the eclipse deliver your good career news? The answer is: very close to the appearance of the eclipse, February 6. However, having said that, sometimes an eclipse will deliver its news one month to the day earlier or one month to the day later. Astrologers look at bell curves to judge the areas of mathematical tolerance.

This all means that you might want to look back to January 6, plus or minus five days, for you may have gotten clues then, or ahead to March 6 plus or minus five days, should you not hear anything special in February. I feel you will hear something sooner or later as this is big, special, and very exciting career news due you!

An eclipse is always the harbinger of dramatic, life-changing news, particularly if it hits a planet in your natal chart, or sends vibes to one at various angles. This eclipse will fall in Aquarius at 17 degrees.

Aquarius and Taurus aren't a natural mix - both are fixed signs - so this only means that you may have to venture out of your comfort zone to take full advantage of opportunities that will be presented. That's not easy, and I know that. All change represents risk, but you appear to be up for that, for you need change.

Mercury will continue to retrograde in Aquarius in this same 10th house of fame and honors until February 17, so there are a few things to keep in mind.

First, I would like you to take your time before you jump at any professional offer. Ask a lot of questions. Ideally, you can give your final answer in March, when all the cosmic dust that's been kicked up will clear and provide you with a better view of things. I don't think the person who is offering you the job knows precisely what he or she wants either, but by March will have a better idea.

Second, with Mercury retrograde, you may get an offer from a high level person you worked with in the past. This is someone who believes in you and who would love to work with you again. That's good!

Third, protect all electronic equipment. Back up your laptop computer and label your cell phone, iPhone, iPods, BlackBerrys, and whatever else with your business card taped to the back. People lose things when Mercury is retrograde, but when it's in Aquarius, the high-tech sign, what gets lost is data or the equipment itself. This would be not a good month to buy anything electronic, or to install new software. Wait until March. My engineers on Astrology Zone used to laugh at me - now they call to find out when Mercury will be up to his old tricks.

ANOTHER eclipse will come by later, on February 20. This eclipse is a full moon, so it will bring an ending. This lunar eclipse - double the strength of any regular full moon - will fall in your 5th house of true love and will focus you on a romantic relationship. (Your 5th house rules other things too, and we will get to those in a second).

You've been through two years of eclipses in this house, and this one will be the last. (Think back to 2007: March 3 and 19, August 28, and September 11. In 2006: Think back to March 14, and September 7 and 22.)

Saturn is now in this house too, a new development that started last September, and Saturn's job is to teach you to be very realistic in matters of the heart. You need to be very practical and clear-eyed now, for this eclipse seems to be strong and capable of bringing on a strong emotional impact.

I say this because this eclipse on February 20 will fall very close to Saturn, suggesting that you will need to make a very important decision about a romantic relationship. Whatever you decide will be a choice you will live with a very long time.

This will be true if you are dating, but not if you are married or otherwise seriously attached. Commitment falls in another part of the chart not being touched by this eclipse.

Something is about to end, but it could be the end to your single life if you feel you are ready for the next stage - an engagement. If so, you would move on to that stage very quickly.

Since eclipses bring news in the extreme end of both sides of the spectrum, you could, alternatively, break up, depending on how things have been going all along. If a relationship has not developed in the way you had hoped, and you feel you've given it enough time, you may call it quits. If your partner breaks up with you, know that it will be very hard to negotiate a road back during eclipse time, as they have a finality that is hard to change.

If you do have a breakup, you may decide to travel to a nearby city over the coming weekend (February 23-24) to recuperate, perhaps in the company of a loving sibling, cousin, or close friend. There is ample indication that this month you will be on the road, especially near February 20, and I suppose it may be for a variety of reasons.

The house that will be highlighted by the February 20 eclipse also rules children and pregnancy. If you are not ready for a baby, be very careful this month if you think you could get pregnant (or if you are man, to bring on a pregnancy in your partner).

A child you have now may need some assistance, say, when a teacher mentions your child is having problems with a certain subject, as one example. A full moon will always bring things to light, so be glad to know about whatever needs attention, as only then can you move to fix it.

Your creative efforts also come under the 5th house, so you may find that a creative effort is about to be concluded, or that it will need to change direction. It is alternatively possible that a certain person may bow out, causing you to have to rethink how you would like to proceed.

I have listed many possibilities that could come up, but realize only one of these is likely to touch you, not all of them.

Whenever you know an eclipse is due, always hold off making decisions until the eclipse has spoken, because often we have to make adjustments that would change or negate the decisions we made earlier.

Even though this eclipse may bring a need for adjustment in your private life, I feel you will do fine with the results, for it will clear up a situation you apparently didn't know about or if you did, you probably didn't fully understand what was happening.

The eclipse that will fall on February 20 will be in Virgo, and that sign relates well to your Sun sign.

If you were born between April 22 and 27, you will almost certainly find a way to benefit from the news this eclipse brings. There may be other planets in your chart that relate well to 2 degrees of Virgo, and if so, you too will find special favor - even if you initially assume the eclipse is nothing but bad news! Sit back and let things play out. I think you will find a beneficial side in time.

On February 24, the Sun will oppose Saturn. This is certainly not a cheery aspect. It is more like the meeting of fire and ice. This is but another indication that you could experience a few problems in your love life (or with children or creative project) during this particular week. If you break up, it could cause you to have to move, as the Sun rules your home and an opposition is a "tearing way" aspect.

Alternatively, near or on February 24, you may have an expense involving your property or you may get news from a parent that your assistance is needed. If so, you may need to travel quite a distance to see your parent in person.

Or, you may get news that you need to make a costly repair on your home or on property you were about to buy. If you are selling property, the buyer may not be in a position to buy the house after all. These types of things happen, and I am so sorry to have to even suggest this possibility.

During the time near February 24, most people will feel worn out and tired, and bosses, being cranky themselves, will be more critical. It will be very important that you get enough rest, for this aspect is very draining.

I have found it is much easier to take criticism from others if I am well rested than if I have been up writing on an "all nighter." That makes sense, doesn't it? So dear Taurus, get rest, and if someone does come by to needle you, take the best of the person's advice and let go of the rest. You want to improve yourself from the advice, not collapse under the weight of it!! In a few days you'll be yourself again, so not to worry.

As you may have deduced, this could be a difficult month for love. If your relationship is sound, you could have a happy Valentine's Day, however, as so much depends on what has already happened in your life leading to this month.

Eclipses are testing points - they do not predetermine what you will choose to do. The universe simply wants to see you use your time well, and not waste it with someone who doesn't love you in the way you deserve.

With Saturn in your romantic house, increasingly you will want your time to count together to count and to feel you are progressing toward a goal - no more wasted time! Saturn has not been in this house for nearly three decades, so this may be a completely new influence to you!

If you are in a happy relationship, married or single, with the moon in Gemini, text one another before you go out. Have some silly fun, just like you did when you first dated. Or, tuck a note in your partner's pocket to find later, perhaps at work. With the moon in Gemini, it will be all about the words you use. Have fun!

Most romantic evenings: February 1, 3, 13, 14, and 17.

Summary:

This will be your most critical month of the year to score a major career breakthrough. Watch the conversations you have just after the new moon on February 6 for clues of something VERY exciting to materialize - this will be an important opportunity you will want to investigate.

With the Sun, new moon, Venus, Mercury, and Neptune all crowded in your house of fame and honors, your profile will be very high, and you will generate quite a bit of buzz about your work. This will be true whether to you plan to do so or not! The actions you take this month may have far reaching professional ramifications, something you may not see or fully understand until later.

Mars will be in excellent angle to all the planets in your house of career status, but especially Neptune, suggesting that your vision and creativity will put you head and shoulders above the rest. Your ability to see down the road and to come up with imaginative solutions and creative ideas could earn you a substantial raise soon.

You may need to travel this month too, possibly overseas, and if so, go on your most exciting day, February 1, when Venus (happiness) will join Jupiter (good luck). This day will be a bewitching one for everyone of every sign, but doubly so for you, for Venus is your guardian planet. February 1 should be outstandingly special for you, so make the most of it.

If you cannot travel, you may see luck regarding a publishing or broadcasting endeavor or a project involving the college market. A foreign-born person living in your city may also be a fortunate force for you.

Romance may hit the skids on February 20, the lunar eclipse in your house of true love. Eclipses have been falling in this part of your chart since March 2006, every six months, so if you have not been able to clear the air in past months, you may have one more chance to do so now.

Although discussions of this type can be emotional and trying, the eclipse will be in a fellow earth sign, indicating talks and end result will work in your favor. Trust that this process is necessary to grow closer or, failing that, to help you decide what to do about your future, should you be considering a break.

Discussions about plans to have a baby (or to decide not to have a child) could come up near February 21, with a final decision made at that time. Alternatively, if pregnancy is not at all likely at this time, a creative idea may be approved, or if you've been working on one for some time, you will complete it.

If it works out that a creative project is highlighted, this artistic expression will bring you to a whole new level - important because its appearance will arrive at the eclipse. This suggests another new important opportunity to show off your creative talents will grow out of this one and that publicity will come to your efforts. Make sure you give your project everything you've got. With Mercury retrograde, go over things once more to polish them up until they gleam.