It’s that time again where we find ourselves in eclipse season. This Full Moon on Wednesday January 31 will be a lunar eclipse.

If my Facebook feed is anything to go by, we are as fascinated by eclipses in the 21st century as the ancients were before us. As the main light sources of bygone eras, when the light of the Sun or Moon was eclipsed, it was seen as a powerful and often frightening omen.

The Astronomy

As the ethos of astrology is ‘as above’ so below,’ I thought I’d share a few astronomical facts about tomorrow’s eclipse so you know what is going on.

While we have a Full Moon every month, what makes an eclipse is when the Sun, Moon and the Earth align on the same plane in the sky.

For the first time in three years, Australia is in prime position to witness a lunar eclipse, which is pretty exciting! Let’s hope for clear skies on Wednesday night!

It will take around three hours for the Moon to pass through the Earth’s shadow. Once she is fully engulfed, the period of totality begins.

Now here’s the important part… sunlight still reaches the Moon by passing through the Earth’s atmosphere. This process reddens the light by scattering the shorter wavelengths/blue light and it also bends the path of light and directs it into the shadow.

Due to the Moon being a source of reflective light, she will therefor reflect this reddish hue from the Earth’s atmosphere and wholah… your Blood Moon is formed.

Due to the totality of this eclipse, the red hue will be deep and intense. She will then begin to emerge from the shadow of the Earth, returning to her silvery brilliance.

Unlike a Solar Eclipse, you don’t need special glasses to observe a Lunar Eclipse. Here are the times in Australia you can see the action.

Is It A Bird, A Plane Or A Super Moon?

The Moon’s orbit is elliptical. Meaning, it travels within a range or distance within space. So, while from our view, the Moon appears to hang in the same part of the sky she can actually vary from a distance of 357,000kms – 407,000kms. These measurements are a standardised calculation from the centre of Earth to the centre of the Moon.

As she loops around the Earth, she varies in distance as per the above measurements. Known as perigee when the Moon is closest to Earth, can actually occur through all of the Moon’s phases. From an astrologer’s perspective, it can be more dramatic or powerful when she’s reflecting full light.

When the perigee position occurs at the full moon, the term super moon, coined by astrologer Richard Nolle back in 1979, is used. The use of the term super moon, only gained traction around 7 years ago.

6 months later, the Moon has travelled within her range of elliptical space and she’s the farthest from Earth, known as apogee. The distance between the closest range and the most distant is only 50,000kms.

So, to be honest, unless you’re a regular sky watcher, you won’t be able to tell the difference in Moon size, as it really is minimal from our perspective.

Though it must be noted that the perigee occurs not only at a Full Moon, but a total Lunar Eclipse. This most definitely making this particular eclipse potent and intense.

One hand it’s a cool thing that social media is bringing attention to the sky. However, since the dawn of time human beings have wondered and awed about the ever-changing faces of the Moon. Each month we are treated to a Full Moon spectacular.

I’d like to humbly invite you to notice the Moon at her fullest each month. Develop your own relationship to the heavenly God’s and pay attention to the messages they share with you.

Back to the Astrology

I often describe eclipses as portals of fate. As they can be tricky to predict in both outcome and timing due to the seasonal and repetitive nature of the eclipse cycles, it is often in hindsight those penny-drop moments occur.
In previous posts, I’ve discussed the technical elements behind why some lunations are considered eclipses. As we are entering the halfway point in the Leo/Aquarius series of eclipses you may start to recognise the personal meaning of the Leo/Aquarius eclipses in your life.

Firstly, here are the dates of the Leo/Aquarius eclipses:

 August 18, 2016 – Lunar Eclipse [25 Aquarius]
 February 11, 2017 – Lunar Eclipse [22 Leo]
 August 7, 2017 – Lunar Eclipse [15 Aquarius]
 August 21, 2017 – Solar Eclipse [28 Leo]
 January 31, 2018 – Lunar Eclipse [11 Leo]
 February 15, 2018 – Solar Eclipse [27 Aquarius]
 July 27, 2018 – Lunar Eclipse [ 4 Aquarius]
 January 21, 2019 – Lunar Eclipse [0 Leo]

It’s important to remember that the sky is always moving. As planets continue to wander, not every part of their journey will suggest important events in your life- eclipses are no different. Unless you have planets or angles- the ascendant, descendant, midheaven or IC in the signs of Leo or Aquarius, it’s quite possible the current eclipse cycles may not be all that impactful for you.

If you can cast your minds eye back to August 2016 when the first eclipse of this series occurred, wheels may have been set in motion outlining the bigger picture of the eclipses since, and those yet to occur.

If you have a really good memory, the following dates may also be noteworthy from when the nodes last entered this portion of the zodiac.

February 2008 to August 2009
 August 1998 to July 2000
 August 1989 to July 1991
 August 1979 to February 1982

When working with eclipses, I generally consider really tight conjunctions only, within 3 degrees maximum of the degree of the eclipse. When this is the case, the impact of an eclipse will be much more potent or life changing.
Overall, eclipses can trigger a string of events that plays out over the course of weeks or months and can have a karmic or fated feel to them. How they communicate with your chart will determine their potency.

Children of an Eclipse

Reading charts for over 12 years now I can say that nearly every client I’ve read for who is born on an eclipse has a deep sense of inner knowing. There is often an awareness that their life is fated in some way.

Making a choice and going with it seems to be the way they operate in life. Often with a lack of internal conflict as they are guided by a force that is fated or destined beyond those not born under an eclipse.

Children of eclipses tend to live a life of greatness as they instinctually know what their path is. If you’ve ever watched the show on Netflix, Vikings, they often mention ‘the will of the God’s’ or ‘it’s up for the God’s to decide our fate.’ While they not may see life exactly like that, children of an eclipse do often recognise a special force in their life.

A native of the New Moon eclipse may be more behind the scenes than those born on a lunar or Full Moon eclipse- as you may expect.

Either way, a type of duality permeates their personality as one of the luminaries literally has its light blocked/eclipsed at birth.

To be born on an eclipse, you have to be born on a New or Full Moon. In the case of a solar eclipse, the Sun and Moon are conjoined and within range, 18 degrees of the North or South Node. In a Full Moon/lunar eclipse, the Sun and Moon are in opposition and still within range of the nodes. If you have your birth chart, you’ll recognise the nodes by the ‘headphones and horseshoe’ that lie opposite each other.

The Eclipses and Your Chart

Even if there isn’t a potent influence of these eclipses for you, they will be triggering life topics, aka houses. As all eclipses are linked to fate, they will remind you of your free will to pay attention to the messages the sky is telling you, or not!

For me, I didn’t expect major turning points during the Leo/Aquarius eclipse cycles as these signs occupy cadent houses in my chart. Cadent houses are known to be less active than the other houses. Though, the first lunar eclipse in Leo back in August 2016 I did make an important decision that has since become a major turning point in my life.
With each eclipse since, I’ve needed to continually readdress this decision and deal with any fated or karmic outcomes as a result of my choice. I expect I will continue to do so until the nodes change signs and eclipses occur in the Cancer/Capricorn axis, of which we’ll get a sneak peak of in July.

Take note of the feelings or events that are coming up now. Are the themes from the eclipse dates mentioned above repeating? This will give you insight into the personal meaning of this amazing eclipse for you.

Below I’ve listed the houses that this eclipse triggers for each sign. As this eclipse is the Leo/Aquarius axis, it may play out over two related houses. If you know your rising, then read that sign, if not then your ‘star’ sign will also offer insight.

Aries/Libra – 11th/5th houses– topics including friendship, support, abundance, creativity, romance, children and joy.
Taurus/Scorpio – 10th/4th houses – career, professional life, reputation and life direction, home and family, roots, history and the past
Gemini/Sagittarius 3rd/9th houses – learning/teaching, travel, overseas or foreign interests, what gives you meaning and purpose, siblings, communication, religion, academia
Cancer/Capricorn 2nd/8th houses – money, cash flow, income, joint finances, death, investments, loans, bills, inheritances
Leo-Aquarius 1st /7th houses – you- hour health, body attitudes and habits, relationships, significant others, partnerships both personal and professional, adversaries
Virgo/Pisces- 12th/6th houses– retreat, rest, labour, pets, sickness/wellness, service, sacrifice, isolation

Cover photo of the Gibbous Moon in Cancer, 29 January 2018 – Northern NSW, Australia by Tony Taylor