by Robert Wilkinson
This Total Lunar Eclipse Full Moon at 19 Sagittarius-Gemini will bring opportunities to escape from polluted physical, emotional, or mental environments, and put the focus on tapping into universal or seed knowledge. This period begins 3 1/2 months of some radical reorientations!As a result of the FOUR Solar Eclipses in 2011, coupled with this Lunar Eclipse and July's, we are in a period where we have been and continue to be shutting down old Gemini, Cancer, Sagittarius, and Capricorn energies. We are growing toward new Sagittarius energies, thanks to the North Node being the line of greatest development during 2011.
The lesson of the year, which continues for several years to come, involves letting go of old ideas and interpretations, being pulled into broader views, broader truths, broader understanding, and broader futures. When in doubt remember that a sense of humor often solves many psychological problems and greases the wheels of communication.
This "multicolor" Total Lunar Eclipse will begin a several month "shut down" in the houses it occupies in our charts. Given that it happens during the period Uranus is going stationary direct, you can bet that your emergent individuality over the past 18 months is now a fixed part of your future! All our lives have been revolutionized during this period, and now there's no looking back.
This Total Lunar Eclipse is related to the Lunar Eclipse of December 2010 which was a precursor to the June 2011 Solar Eclipse in Gemini and the Total Lunar Eclipse in Gemini-Sag that same month. Though it's no longer in direct effect, the late 2010 Lunar Eclipse is also related to this one, since it was an Eclipse involving Sun in Sag and Moon in Gemini.
The clearance we began this time last year anticipated the bigger, longer-term endings set into motion at the Solar Eclipse in January 2011 that was boosted by the June 1 Solar Eclipse in Gemini. These Solar Eclipses will be helping shut things down for years, so when you're done here, please check out the articles at the bottom of this article.
Like most Lunar Eclipses, this one ushers in a transitional period of about 3 1/2 months that will clear things out of our lives, and especially our past (the Moon). The space created can attract circumstances and people through which we can develop skills helping us deal with the wild ride of The Grand Irrationality that's in continuous motion during these months and years.
From the NASA Lunar Eclipse page:
The last eclipse of 2011 is a total lunar eclipse that takes place at the Moon's descending node in eastern Taurus, four days after apogee.The Moon's orbital trajectory takes it through the southern half of Earth's umbral shadow. Although the eclipse is not central, the total phase still lasts 51 minutes.... The timings of the major eclipse phases are listed below.
Penumbral Eclipse Begins: 11:33:32 UT
Partial Eclipse Begins: 12:45:42 UT
Total Eclipse Begins: 14:06:16 UT
Greatest Eclipse: 14:31:49 UT
Total Eclipse Ends: 14:57:24 UT
Partial Eclipse Ends: 16:17:58 UT
Penumbral Eclipse Ends: 17:30:00 UT
At the instant of greatest eclipse (14:32 UT) the Moon lies at the zenith in the Pacific Ocean near Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands. The umbral eclipse magnitude peaks at 1.1061 as the Moon's centre passes 21.4 arc-minutes south of the shadow axis. The Moon's northern limb is then 6.4 arc-minutes south of the shadows axis and 33.3 arc-minutes from the umbra's edge. In contrast, the Moon's southern limb lays 36.5 arc-minutes from the shadow centre and 3.2 arc-minutes from the southern edge of the umbra. Thus, the northern half of the Moon will appear much darker than the southern half because it lies deeper in the umbra.
Since the Moon samples a large range of umbral depths during totality, its appearance will change dramatically with time. It is difficult to predict the brightness distribution in the umbra, so observers are encouraged to estimate the Danjon value at different times during totality (see Danjon Scale of Lunar Eclipse Brightness). Note that it may also be necessary to assign different Danjon values to different portions of the Moon (i.e., north vs. south).
During totality, the winter constellations are well placed for viewing so a number of bright stars can be used for magnitude comparisons. Aldebaran (mv = +0.87) is 9° to the southwest of the eclipsed Moon, while Betelgeuse (mv = +0.45) is 19° to the southeast, Pollux (mv = +1.16) is 37° east, and Capella (mv = +0.08) is 24° north.
The entire event is visible from Asia and Australia. For North Americans, the eclipse is in progress as the Moon sets with western observers favored by a larger fraction of the eclipse before moonset. Observers throughout Europe and Africa will miss the early eclipse phases because they occur before moonrise. None of the eclipse can be seen from South America or Antarctica.
So because the Eclipse lasts 3 hours and 32 minutes (total for 51 minutes) but will vary in brightness, it will be somewhat surreal and an important Lunar Eclipse. You can bet many things will be seen in varying "brightness," preparing them to shut down over the next few months. Get ready to leave some things behind that you no longer need to carry.
In Parts 2 and 3 we'll explore the Ascendants around the world, the qualities of the Eclipse, the Sabian Symbols, the aspects, configurations, and other specifics of this very powerful Total Lunar Eclipse Full Moon in Gemini-Sagittarius. Check back in tomorrow!
Here are the articles I promised earlier to the very important Summer 2011 Eclipses. (I didn't include links to the Cancer Solar Eclipse articles, since it wasn't very powerful. Go to the archives if you want to learn more about that one that was seen by no one on Earth.)
Astrology in June 2011 - On The Threshold of A Partial Solar Eclipse at 12 Gemini
The Solar Eclipse at 12 Gemini June 1-2, 2011 Pt. 1 - Who Does It Affect and for How Long?
The Solar Eclipse at 12 Gemini June 1-2, 2011 Pt. 2 - How Will It Manifest?
The Solar Eclipse at 12 Gemini June 1-2, 2011 Pt. 3 - Letting Go of the Old and Opening to the New
© Copyright 2011 Robert Wilkinson
wow 2012 looks set to be a zinger. I don't recognise myself from the person I was this time last year! Thanks Robert
Posted by: Kaz | December 06, 2011 at 10:40 AM
S.HOW.B.US.I.NE.SS S.HOW.D.OWN S.HOW.TI.ME L.UN.AR E.CLIP.SE MOO.N O.ME.N W.OMAN MAN.KIN.D HUM.AN BE.IN.G HU.MAN.I.TY AL.MIGH.TY LOR.D G.OD AL.L 1.AU AL.MIGHTY AU.1; RED.DOG RED.CAT TA.CD.ER G.OD.DE.R D.NA AN.D DNA UN.ION NO.IN.U UNION***
MMM..... LOOKS LIKE THERE BEING VERY BLOODY INTERESTING TIMES AHEAD.ASTRAL+ASTRO-NAVIGATOR*
HEY YOU KNOW SOMETHING? QUITE A FEW OFF US HAVE EXPERIENCED* THIS BLOODY WELL=BE.4 KNOW IT*
# transformations re-balancing it has been quite a journey so far this lifetime &eyes sees I HORIZON WE HUMANITY ALMIGHTY US 101*
Posted by: Morlokk | December 07, 2011 at 04:20 AM