Eclipse Season ~ June-July 2011 ~ Part I

Eclipses June-July 2011

Nearly every eclipse season I find that I want to communicate about these interesting and often very visible astronomical events.  The linking of astronomical and astrological is a very rational, mental, intellectual process but centuries of attention suggest something more.  Sometimes, I sense what prompts some other cultures and civilizations to regard even “simple” (not an eclipse) lunations as important times of alignment with a greater whole.  Many cultures use New, Full (and even Quarter) Moons for special awareness, ceremony, and celebration.  For most of those an eclipse is “even more so.”  I suggest that we make an effort to expand our awareness to include as much as we can and when possible utilize lunation times to see and to feel something greater than our hum-drum everyday life.  Find a moment to turn off the phone and to tune in to a few minutes of quiet. Take a wandering walk in nature with no purpose but to observe.  Lie on a blanket and watch the clouds or the stars. Since holy days are in most religions linked with the solunar cycle you will often find religious events for your participation near times of New and Full Moons. What is in your heart and the spaciousness you give your mind is key, no matter which option to honor the cycle that you choose.

Astrologers Studying an Eclipse by Antoine Caron 1571

In a very basic sense, an eclipse is simply a very close Full or New Moon syzygy (alignment) so that a shadow is cast either on the earth (Solar Eclipse) or on the Moon (Lunar Eclipse).  In the West we tend not to notice the lunar cycle, while for much of the world that very cycle determines the calendar and so it is quite apparent.  An advantage of a lunar calendar is that it puts us in touch with what is actually a very significant process that gives a view of the world and of life. I am comfortable with our herky-jerky, 365 & 1/4 days, calendar, but I think we should also be aware of the lunar cycle for more than just tide watching.

     

The dark areas indicate where the eclipse is visible. 

The two lunar eclipses this year are total: June 15, and December 10.

June 15 is seen in Africa, Arabia, Eastern Europe, India and western Asia. http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/LEplot/LEplot2001/LE2011Jun15T.pdf   

The December 10 total lunar eclipse is most visible in the Eastern Pacific and the Orient with the US mainland getting various degrees of the eclipse at moonset.  http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/OH/OHfigures/OH2011-Fig06.pdf

 

  The shadow of the solar eclipses  in June, July, and November this year graze the polar regions and will only be visible at very high or very low latitudes depending on the eclipse.  All four Solar Eclipses are partial: January 4 (most widely seen), June 1, July 1, and November 25.

Most of the astrological work that I do is for individuals.  I find that opportunity deep and fascinating. It is a calling.  Still, on a daily basis I give varying degrees of attention to much larger applications of solar system patterns.  Those have historical connections, from the rise and fall of civilizations to geologic and climate anomalies.  While mundane and political astrology is fascinating, sharing it is challenging.  It isn’t so hard to point things out, but it is hard to do it in a way that does not seem completely boring.  The reader has to work a bit to “get” the political and mundane astrology that I share, especially when it is before the fact, predictive if you will.

I posted commentary for a previous eclipse season and did it in stages.  I think I will take that tack again.  I hope you will give me feedback and ask questions. That helps me make future offerings about this eclipse season interesting and relevant to you.

A note about times: the reach of the Internet being global the question of “what time is the event?” poses a bit of a problem. There are web sites and cell phone aps you can find easily. Sometimes I’ll use UT/GMT (Universal Time and Greenwich Mean Time) as that is a world standard.  I live in Hawai’i and Hawai’i time will insinuate here and there. I often calculate charts for the White House or Washington D.C. as that is the seat of power for the United States from where come most of my readers.  From an astrological perspective calculations interpreted for D.C. will have relevance for the United States as a whole.

Partial Solar Eclipse/New Moon June 1, 2011 occurs at 11°02' Gemini

http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/OH/OHfigures/OH2011-Fig02.pdf

Ecliptic Conjunction  = 21:02:35.5 UT [This is the astrological conjunction or New Moon.]

Greatest Eclipse = 21:16:11.1 UT [This is the greatest shadow.]

http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/OH/OH2011.html#SE2011Jun01P

According to the Eclipse Geeks at http://eclipsegeeks.com/SolarEclipse1June2011.aspx to see this Partial Solar Eclipse you need to be in: Alaska - only US view, northern Canada, China, Iceland, Greenland, Norway, Japan, North Korea, or the Russian Federation. The eclipse is remarkable in the lands of the midnight sun. "The eclipse can also be seen from Siberia, northern China, remote parts of Alaska and Canada, and Iceland," writes Fred Espenak of the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, where the eclipse circumstances were calculated. "Greatest eclipse occurs at 21:16 Universal Time on June 1st. At that time, an eclipse of magnitude 0.601 will be visible from the Arctic coast of western Siberia as the midnight sun skirts the northern horizon."

Here’s an astrological charting of the eclipse.

The eclipse set for the White House has Jupiter sinking 1°35’ below the Descendant making it the most prominent (thought not exactly powerful) planet for USA charting.  The 7th is the House of treaties and foreign relations and Jupiter represents legislation.  The question is how much is known or revealed about foreign affairs now? Does the eclipse suggest major behind the scenes machinations, the revelation of past actions, or simply point to a current focus on international activity and legislation?

Looking at where planets of the eclipse chart Rise, Set, Culminate, and Anti-culminate gives additional indications of the type of events we might see in parts of the world where planets are angular at the time of the eclipse.

The glyphs at A, M, D near the middle of the map are Uranus (Ascendant), Pluto (Midheaven), and Saturn (Descendant). Map via Janus software - www.astrology-house.com.

Some of what strikes me is the eclipse itself (Moon and Sun together) is near the IC (foundational effect) near Baghdad, Iraq, with Neptune of confused uncertainty on the Ascendant there. There is a similar arrangement in Yemen and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Not illustrated.)

To further complicate US (undeclared) war zones the Saturn/Uranus opposition on the Asc/Dsc axis sandwiches secretive and powerful Pluto on the MC at the time of the eclipse.  That “sensitizes” western India (including Western Kashmir), Pakistan (Uranus on the Ascendant in Karachi and Quetta, Saturn on the Descendant in Lahore), Afghanistan, and on north thru this-and-that-stan through Kazakhstan and up through central Russia.

In flip-flop fashion, the same planets are emphasized on the opposite side of the globe.  In the US the Saturn/Uranus with Pluto configuration occurs in the Rocky Mountain region (Montana, Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona).  These are areas where we might expect the struggle Saturn (structure, established order) poses with Uranus (freedom, independence, revolt) and that is raised to potentially volcanic proportions with the presence of Pluto, the Phoenix planet of death and resurrection.

The key three are represented from left to right at the top of the map, Uranus (D) that looks like a sort of antenna, Pluto (I) that might be a figure with arms raised, and Saturn (A) a little cross with a tail. Map via Janus software - www.astrology-house.com.

What these observations suggest is not specific events but events that fit the archetypal signatures of the planets involved.  Those “sensitize” the location to fitting events, whether geologic, meteorological, or political, or combinations of those.

The eclipse occurs just over two degrees past the July 4, 1776 location of Uranus.  The reference here is to the revolt that resulting in the founding of this independent nation.  Uranus is the planet of divorce and separation and the implication for our period is a continuation of the divisiveness we see in current politics.

Other links from the eclipse chart to that of the Declaration chart:  Eclipse Pluto opposite Jupiter, Eclipse Uranus sq Venus (&Uranus), Eclipse Saturn near Declaration Saturn reminds us of the “growing up” US Saturn return in effect (8th since Independence, exact December 2010, by Rx March 2011, final of the series in August 2011).  The eclipse Mercury at a right angle to the US Moon suggests continuing dispute and discussion about matters of labor, jobs, and employment between the people and between the representatives of the people.  As much as this represents real exchange this is very much needed now.

Individually those with important planets or horoscopic points at 11 degrees will have revelations keyed to this eclipse and this period (eclipse effects at least cover a time frame until the next eclipse of the same type – solar or lunar – in other words, at least a month’s time until the July 1 Partial Solar Eclipse).  While the eclipse makes a nice trine to Saturn, that aspect is separating and a 3/16 aspect to Uranus may have more to say about the type of effect, especially with those with something significant at 11 degrees, and especially if the 11 degree factor is in a mutable sign (Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, Pisces).  For those the message is freedom, change, revolt, independence, breakthrough, surprise, and science, to suggest a few possible themes.

Total Lunar Eclipse June 15, 2011 occurs with Sun at 24°23' Gemini, Moon at 24°23' Sagittarius

Ecliptic Conjunction =  20:13:34 UT

Greatest Eclipse = 20:12:36 UT

http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/LEplot/LEplot2001/LE2011Jun15T.pdf

100 minutes of totality.

With this lunar eclipse 24 degrees of the mutable signs (Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, Pisces) might feel some message while the pure and simple mundane chart set for DC has a powerful similarity with that of the previous solar eclipse in that Jupiter is exact to one minute of longitude conjunct the Descendant (7th House cusp) of international affairs, treaties, and allies and enemies.  Aspects in the chart with the MC, representative of the chief executive suggest the President being very active in terms of public perception for this time frame as well (again, at least until the next eclipse, perhaps until the next lunar eclipse, or for some period indicated by the 100 minutes of totality – you see there are quite a few different theories about the amount of time covered effectually by a given eclipse.  Personally, I’ve seem some important Solar Eclipses remain resonant zodiacal points for ten or more years.  Practically speaking, I give most eclipses a few months of attention if that.  In general I give most attention to Total Solar Eclipses the paths of which traverse populated regions of the planet.

While this is a lunar eclipse, it is total and of fairly long duration so should show some astrological effect (eclipses are always believed to be more potent that an “ordinary” Full or New Moon).

Partial Solar Eclipse/New Moon July 1, 2011 at 9°12' Cancer

Ecliptic Conjunction = 08:53:54.2 UT – July 1, 2011

Greatest Eclipse = 08:38:22.7 UT – July 1, 2011

http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/OH/OHfigures/OH2011-Fig04.pdf

Just nicks the South Polar region (Antarctic Ocean) with a maximum eclipse of 3% shading of the sun.  It is the first of a Saros Series (156) and as the series continues the eclipses will be more central on the earth, to totality, and then grow less and less eventually concluding the last eclipse of the series at the North Polar Region.

Astrologically this eclipse is really rock and roll from a mundane perspective.  I have it set to DC for this writing and Venus rises just 18’ from the Ascendant.  While women and relationships of all kinds would be flagged with Venus rising, for a mundane chart set for Washington I would especially thing of money and finance.  Venus rising is likely to be an beneficent indication of financial progress, and especially of news in the Sign Gemini, so I’d expect some good news about the economy.  Not a guarantee, this is an eclipse chart and sometimes what is revealed or discovered is not happy making.  Still, Venus is more often nice than not even if to some cultures she is a war maker.

The chart is a very active one, the most of the three discussed in this article.  Some indications are: adjustments with regard to the military and defence (it would be nice if the Venus effect allowed for defence cutbacks to the benefit of civilian needs); challenge to the status quo and struggle between legislature and executive government branches reaching some sort of a peak; striving for scientific and technological refinement clashing with the status quo (telecom, Internet, nuclear, are likely zones of this contention); and awareness of social unrest over the increasing distancing of what was formerly a middle class from the financial well being enjoyed by corporations.  There are definitely echoes of the sorts of struggles of the Sixties that included anti-war, civil rights, and movements to empower the disempowered.  This will be a very active and challenging time.

For individuals 9 degrees of the Cardinal Signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn) are activated by the eclipse and folks with points there will most likely be part of the shadow play, that may not seem so shadowy after all.