UAC is the kind of thing where if you know, you know... and if you don't you've probably never heard of it. You could categorize me into the latter until early 2026. As I spent the winter crushing YouTube videos on all things astrology, I noticed that speakers in the videos and interviews I was watching kept referencing this conference they would be attending in Chicago in September 2026. Finally, one night, I decided to see what all the fuss was about and threw U-A-C into the search engine.
"User Account Control"? What the fuck? Go home Windows Operating System, you're drunk. Okay, so second go round... "UAC astrology" should do it. Okay, nowwwww I had something to read. The wall of information was overwhelming at first but I was certainly intrigued by what I saw.
The tl;dr for those who don't want to deep dive down the wormhole:
- The United Astrology Conference [UAC] is the largest gathering of astrologers on the planet.
- The 2026 iteration is the first in 8-years and expects to have over 1,500 attendees.
- For one-week in September, the Chicago Marriott on the Magnificent Mile will be host to lectures, workshops, and the kind of conversations that would make a non-astrologer's eyes glaze over faster than you can say "What's your rising sign?"... for those of us hip to the idea it's the veritable Super Bowl.
- The event is sponsored by the American Federation of Astrologers [AFA], International Society of Astrological Research [ISAR], National Council for Geocosmic Research [NCGR], and the Organization for Professional Astrology [OPA], as well as associate sponsors the American College of Vedic Astrology [ACVA] and Association for Young Astrologers [AYA].
- "The Future is Collective: The Pluto in Aquarius Era", the keynote address is being delivered by none other than Chani Nicholas.
As a newcomer to UAC myself, I appreciate that the conference website has a 'History of UAC' page. I encourage you to read all about it here but the quick synopsis is that the leaders of several of the aforementioned organizations banded together in the early 1980s to sponsor a super duper groove-tastic international astrology conference that would be held every 3-years. UAC numero uno was set to be unleashed upon the world [or at least the 500 attendees the organizers expected anyways] in late June of 1986. In what I can only imagine was the astrological equivalent of the roads leading to Max Yasgur's farm in 1969, the first UAC saw over 1,300 guests and organizers scrambled set up more tents and find nearby lodging for guests from over 46 countries. The event was a success and the conference attendees went home elated and looking forward to what future UACs would have in store.
The conference was held every 3-years through 1998 where it then shifted to an every-4-years event. There have been nine iterations of UAC thus far and each one has seen over 1,000 guests [with this year's conference poised to be the largest yet]. Like so many things... like, so many... the COVID pandemic threw a wrench in the armillary sphere and there was no conference in 2022.
So, this September will see the first UAC held in eight years. EIGHT YEARS! That's even longer than it took me to get my Bachelor's Degree. That's longer than a full Saturn square. The last time UAC happened in 2018, football fans were still asking who these Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson kids were [people are probably still asking who Josh Rosen is].
As you have likely read on the homepage or in my bio, I will be one of the 1,500 attendees at this year's conference. It is a few weeks away and I still can't fully believe I am going to be there. I've been studying astrology for a few years now but, up until this past winter, I was in the cave, in a vacuum, on an island... whatever metaphor you like. I was mainly reading books and, for whatever reason, eschewed social media as part of my studies. I am certainly glad I decided to start watching videos and listening to podcasts or else this September may have come and gone with me being none the wiser. As it turns out, I registered in early June and am going to be taking the NCGR-PAA Level 1 Certification exam on September 9th, the final day of the conference. Whew, that's overwhelming in its own right at times. Not only will I be stepping off the train and walking into the Chicago Marriott as an astrology student but also as a content creator. When I need a break from practicing Local Sidereal Time calculations I am learning how to deploy updates to my first/new website and take video on my new DJI Osmo Pocket 3 (affiliate link). I am deeply, deeply excited for the future of AstroRot but, man has it felt like juggling flaming bowling pins lately. I'm keeping at it and staying positive, though, and I'm certainly looking forward to providing pre-conference information and on-site updates from Chicago for you.
Next up in my pre-UAC series, I will take a deeper dive into the seminars I plan to attend from the pool of OVER 350 SESSIONS AND EVENTS and how I made my decision for each one. Until then, keep it weird, goblins.