(April 20-May 20)

The year begins on an inspired note, with grand visions and ideas swirling in your midst. The Sun, Mercury, Venus and Pluto are in Capricorn, your jolly ninth house, and you’re not ready to retire your Santa suit just yet. So keep it on, Taurus—the world could use some leftover optimism as the pine trees get dragged to the curb.

Although this month brings a surge of independent energy, there’s strength in numbers now. On January 17th, expansive Jupiter begins a yearlong tour of Pisces, your eleventh house of group activity (minus a short summer break). Friends, colleagues and connections make your world go ‘round. Link up with a group of like-minded forward thinkers, and cut any dead weight from your contact list. You might get involved with a non-profit or social cause. The people with whom you spend your time dramatically shape your life in 2010. With inventive Uranus also in Pisces, technology, social media and scientific advances could be part of this year’s prosperity package.

Your luckiest events this month will occur on a Wednesday.