by Robert Wilkinson
This Solar Eclipse will have a huge impact on everyone for 3+ years. All eclipses shut something down, taking away elements of our lives no longer true for us. Over the next 45 months many will go through endings while finding abundance and freedom.
Taurus is the sign of values, resources, what we enjoy, the pleasures of life, and capturing concrete forms of things. It is how Scorpio, the sign of elimination, purification, and regeneration of power, externalizes. With North Node in Scorpio, we will learn through loss, and an old ability to hold on to things and people will end, with the void sure to attract new forms of these.
Because this Eclipse lasts 3 hours and 47 minutes from start to finish, and it's relatively high magnitude, it will have a strong impact on everyone for about 3 years 9 months. As with the themes of the November 2012 Solar and Lunar Eclipses, this one will help us end old inert patterns, old value structures, old financial situations, and old ways of using what we own, with the void sure to attract new forms of Scorpio energies.
Look to the house where this Lunation falls to see what area of your life will be impacted, just as the houses where past Solar Eclipses fell have already been shutting down obsolete patterns since then. This one will take something away, leaving a void that will attract something appropriate to who you are becoming.
This Annular Solar Eclipse happens on May 9, 2013 at 5:28 pm PDT, 8:28 pm EDT, and 1:28 am Greenwich on May 10. The Lunation finds 23 Libra rising in Santa Monica, 16 Libra in Vancouver, 21 Scorpio in Toronto, 24 Scorpio in Montreal, and 25 Scorpio in Washington DC. That places mid-Libra through late Scorpio as the rising signs across North America.
Moving east, we find Ascendants at 20 Capricorn in Rio, 26 Capricorn in Lisbon, 24 Capricorn in London, 13 Aquarius in Berlin, 10 Pisces in Sofia, 24 Pisces in Johannesburg, and 8 Aries in Moscow.
Moving into Asia and Oceana, we find the Ascendants are 24 Taurus in Abbottabad, 26 Taurus in New Delhi, 17 Taurus in Trivandrum, 30 Gemini in Hong Kong, 29 Cancer in Tokyo, 9 Gemini in Perth, 1 Cancer in Melbourne, 15 Cancer in Brisbane, 29 Cancer in Wellington, and 20 Virgo rising on Maui (May 9).
All Solar Eclipses are New Moons. When a Lunation is on one of the angles of a chart, it is said to be particularly powerful. Among the cities covered in this column, this month the Lunation is culminating in the triangle between Tokyo, Brisbane, and New Zealand, setting in Toronto, Montreal and Washington DC, on the nadir from Portugal to London to Berlin, and rising in Pakistan, India, and Perth. These places will all see developments related to this Eclipse over the next 3 + years.
So you can construct a rough chart for where you are in the world, I’ll give you the rounded up degree for each planet. Use the Ascendants given above to get a rough sense of what’s on the eastern horizon where you are, and using an Equal House system, you can see what’s going on in your part of the world for the next 4 weeks (and 45 months!)
In this New Moon Solar Eclipse at 20 Taurus, Mercury is 18 Taurus, Venus is 1 Gemini, Mars is 15 Taurus, Jupiter is 20 Gemini, Saturn is 8 Scorpio retrograde, Uranus is 11 Aries, Neptune is 6 Pisces, Pluto is 12 Capricorn retrograde, TransPluto is 30 Leo retrograde, Chiron is 14 Pisces, and the NN is 17 Scorpio.
A solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the Sun and Earth. The Moon blocks the light from the Sun and casts a shadow on Earth. In eclipse lore, where the Eclipse is visible will be where the greatest effects can be expected, lasting the number of years that the eclipse is long in hours.
Eclipses Past and Which Ones Still Affect Us
The 2009 Solar Eclipse at 30 Cancer was one of the longest of the 21st century, so its effects have been powerful through 2012 into 2013. The Solar Eclipses of 2010 continue to be an influence. There's more in the archives, so please take a new look.
The Solar Eclipse of January 2011 lasted 4 hours and 20 minutes, which also makes it a player in the events of 2012-2014, since it'll be active for 4 years and 4 months. As noted, the June 2011 Gemini Eclipse was very long, bright, and powerful, while the July 2011 Cancer Eclipse was short and weak, and its influence lasted only through the end of 2012.
The November 2011 Sagittarius Eclipse was very bright, and will be in effect for almost 4 years. So besides the usual transits and Lunations, planetary stations and conjunctions to the outer transformational planets, we also have Eclipses as long wave influences still be in play years after the event!
As I've mentioned in previous articles, we had 4 Solar Eclipses in 2011, which is a very rare occurrence. The January 2011 Eclipse was visible in Europe and the major cities of the Middle East. Perhaps that Eclipse had some correlations with the "Arab Spring" revolutions spreading throughout that region.
The June 2011 Eclipse was visible in Northern Canada, Iceland, Greenland, and Norway. The July 2011 Eclipse was visible only in a small area between Antarctica and South Africa, so was seen by no one. The November 2011 Eclipse was visible in South Africa, Antarctica, and New Zealand.
The May 2012 Eclipse was visible from S. China and Japan through the Northern Pacific and Aleutian Islands down to S. Oregon and N. California, central Nevada, southern Utah, northern Arizona, New Mexico, and the Texas Panhandle. The November 2012 Total Solar Eclipse was partial across a large area of the South Pacific (including Australia and New Zealand), southern South America, and part of Antarctica. The only place it was total is on the east coast of Queensland, Australia.
This May 2013 Annular Solar Eclipse will be seen at various times in parts of Australia, eastern Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, and the Gilbert Islands. A partial eclipse is seen within the much broader path of the Moon's penumbral shadow, which includes Australia, Indonesia, Oceania and much of the central the Pacific Ocean.
From the NASA Solar Eclipse site (where you can find more than you could ever want to know about Solar Eclipses!)
... The first solar eclipse of 2013 occurs at the Moon's descending node in eastern Ares. An annular eclipse will be visible from a 171 to 225 kilometre-wide track that traverses Australia, eastern Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, and the Gilbert Islands. A partial eclipse is seen within the much broader path of the Moon's penumbral shadow, which includes Australia, Indonesia, Oceania and much of the central the Pacific Ocean.The annular path begins in Western Australia near Collier Range National Park at 22:33 UT. Because the Moon passes through apogee just 3 1/2 days later (May 13 at 13:32 UT), its large distance from Earth produces a wide path of annularity. Traveling northeast, the shadow quickly sweeps across the Northern Territory where Tennent Creek experiences an annular phase of 3 minutes 4 seconds. Since the eclipse occurs here shortly after sunrise, the Sun is just 16° above the horizon. On the central line 70 km to the north, annularity lasts 4 minutes 27 seconds at 22:37 UT.
The antumbral shadow crosses the Gulf of Carpentaria and reaches the Cape York Peninsula at 22:44 UT. As it does so, it crosses the track of the previous year's total solar eclipse (2012 November 13). Four minutes later, the shadow departs Australia at Lakefield National Park (22:48 UT).
The next landfall in the eclipse path occurs in eastern Papua New Guinea at 23:00 UT. The central line crosses Basilaki Island where annularity lasts 4 minutes 59 seconds with the Sun at an altitude of 39°. Traveling at 0.98 km/s, the antumbra next reaches the Solomons where Choiseul, the largest island in the chain, lies at the center of the track. Annularity is now 5 minutes 16 seconds and the Sun is 49° above the horizon (23:15 UT). This is the last major landfall in the path.
As the antumbral track curves to the east, it encounters Tarawa atoll in the Gilbert Islands (Republic of Kiribati). The duration of the annular phase reaches the 6-minute mark here at 00:15 UT. The annular ring is quite thick because the Moon appears only 95% the diameter of the Sun.
The instant of greatest eclipse occurs at 00:26:20 UT when the eclipse magnitude [3] will reach 0.9544. At that instant, the duration of annularity is 6 minutes 3 seconds, the path width is 173 kilometres and the Sun is 74° above the flat horizon formed by the open ocean.
The shadow passes just north of Kiribati with no other landfall of any consequence occurring over the remainder of the track. At 02:20 UT, the antumbral leaves Earth's surface as the annular path ends.
During the course of its 3/4-hour trajectory, the antumbra's track is approximately 13,300 kilometres long and covers 0.50% of Earth's surface area. Path coordinates and central line circumstances are presented in Table 1 at five-minute intervals. The first column gives the Universal Time (UT) while the next six columns define the northern and southern limits as well as the central line coordinates at that instant. The Sun's altitude at maximum eclipse is given, followed by the width of the central path and the duration of totality.
Partial phases of the eclipse are visible primarily from Australia, New Zealand and Indonesia. Local circumstances for a number of cities are found in Table 2. All times are given in Universal Time. The Sun's altitude and azimuth, the eclipse magnitude and obscuration are all given at the instant of maximum eclipse.
This is the 31st eclipse of Saros 138 (Espenak and Meeus, 2006). The family began with a series of 7 partial eclipses starting on 1472 Jun 06. The first annular eclipse was on 1616 Sep 11. After a series of 50 consecutive annular eclipses, Saros 138 will produce one hybrid and three total eclipses before it terminates on 2716 Jul 11 after a final nine partial eclipses.
Besides the factor of where the shadow falls, in Astrology Eclipses are said to be most powerful when they conjunct the Sun, Moon, Ascendant, or Midheaven of a birth chart. When this happens it always brings endings related to the planets and sectors involved, but these can be of great benefit in clearing away old life factors that have no place in our future. As it was once sung, "something's lost and something's gained in living every day..."
Of course, besides the usual general effects, the Eclipse will also bring losses and endings where it falls in our individual birth charts. In an example of how a loss can work to great benefit, if it conjuncts the Saturn in a birth chart, it can indicate the ending of old, lesser responsibilities, limitations, or fears, and open the being to a greater sense of purpose. If it conjuncts Jupiter, then it could show the ending of an old philosophy or belief system and open the gates to something far greater.
Given a Solar Eclipse is a New Moon, then like all Lunations that work their influence over time, it's triggered by subsequent transits to those points. Thus we can assume we will see developments related to this Eclipse when Mercury crosses the Eclipse degree on May 10-11, and these glimpses of seeds, or information and insights about the larger implications of this Eclipse, will be quickly set into motion once Mars transits the Eclipse degree on May 16-17. Each of these events can bring some element of the endings and/or regenerations promised by this Taurus Eclipse.
This Eclipse will show powerful future effects as Jupiter moves into a septile to the Eclipse degree in August 2013 and exact sextile in October, November, and early December. When coupled with Saturn opposed the Eclipse degree, releasing realizations, repolarizations, oppositional forces, and bringing the Eclipse effects to the surface of existence through the opposition, we will have powerful awareness-producing events with great productivity helping us get organized and self-disciplined in some larger group function and/or performance.
The August Jupiter septile is important, since after Jupiter goes retrograde exactly sextile the Eclipse point, it will go stationary direct in March 2014 again septile the Eclipse degree, and begin releasing those expansive Cancer energies in productive ways for the first half of 2014. So both Jupiter and Saturn are major players in releasing the energies promised by this Solar Eclipse. Since this Eclipse could bring blessings of a very material nature, the Saturn opposition could indicate a time to let go of lesser ways of possessing things, and open to a more responsible authorship in society.
So pay close attention to the transits I mentioned between now and Summer 2014, since they hold the keys to effective abilities to respond to what’s coming for everyone. This Eclipse will show effects in 2014 when the inner planets transit Taurus, and we’ll again see major growth through loss and regeneration when Mars moves through Scorpio from mid-July through late September 2014 and transits the Saturn and North Node of this Eclipse while opposing the Eclipse degree.
This Eclipse and these transits are opportunities to understand magnetism better, whether our own, others, or situations. This can give us insights into why we had to give something or someone up, or why we could not hold on to something or someone, and why cleaning out our inner and outer life from time to time creates space that will be filled with new things, people, ideas, feelings, and actions.
In the next parts of the series, we'll explore how this Eclipse will manifest and its astrological components, including which signs will be most affected over the next 3 + years.
For more on this one: Astrology in May 2013 - On The Threshold of an Annular Solar Eclipse at 20 Taurus
© Copyright 2013 Robert Wilkinson
Thanks Robert! Question: This solar eclipse of the S.Node falls in my 11th close to my natal N. Node with Taurus on the cusp of the 12th. Jupiter conjuncts my S.Node in Scorpio. Any ideas on eclipses conjuncting natal nodes and how to make the most of this energy shift?
Posted by: Claudia | May 08, 2013 at 02:01 PM
My AC is 21 Taurus, Robert. Talk about new ways of thinking...
what a earthling fiesta this is. ps--what does TransPluto Leo mean? Gracias, from the exact tropic of cancer...
Posted by: Jan | May 08, 2013 at 02:58 PM
Hi Claudia - It would seem with the "crossed nodes" that you'll be learning and growing from what is usually easy for you, and you'll find a new way to grow in expressing your Jupiter/SN energies. So now you're growing toward what you already know, and demonstrating what the larger growth patterns are.
Hi Jan - Welcome to flashes of blessings, showing which way the winds of destiny are blowing. This will shut down an old self image, and allow the birth of new discoveries. You have rewards coming over the next few months via the last Full Moon Eclipse two weeks ago.
TransPluto is Divine Mother energy. Parvati. Percephone. The feminine "lord and partner of the ruler of the underworld." Vast and broad redemptive power, unifying field of feeling, blessing and protecting ALL Her children. Sharing is what we are learning to learn, learning to demonstrate, learning to appreciate. Welcome to the blessing of the 21st century!!
Posted by: Robert | May 08, 2013 at 03:04 PM
Hi Robert, If I do not have any planets in Taurus on my birth chart at all, what does this eclipse mean to me or does that mean I will not be affected? DOB 2/27/52 1 pm Framingham MA Thank you, Bev
Posted by: Bev | May 08, 2013 at 05:50 PM
Robert, my AC is 24 degrees Scorpio...any secrets to be revealed?
Posted by: Suzanne | May 08, 2013 at 08:15 PM
Dear Robert,
I know you have said that generally - and especially those of us with planets at the final degrees of signs - we shouldn't pay much attention to the notion that we shouldn't do such and such during a "void of course" moon. However, given the practice I sometimes have of writing intentions at the New Moon, and this being an especially powerful one with the solar eclipse, what would you advise as good timing for writing intentions or affirmations this time, given the very long void of course moon that occurs with this new moon ?
We folks out there who sometimes like to write down our intentions for the new lunar cycle would really appreciate your take on this ! Many thanks, magenta
Posted by: Magenta | May 09, 2013 at 12:22 AM
Uranus is at my IC 11' - can you enlight me about this? (Cancer Sun 25, Scorpio Asc 25, and this new moon is "close" to my Desc in Taurus 25).
Posted by: ulrika | May 09, 2013 at 12:35 AM
Hola Senor...
Hope this finds you well :-)
This solar eclipse conjuncts my natal moon in the 8th house, opposing my sun, which conjuncts my mars in the 2nd. The Nov solar eclipse was conjunct my sun at 22 degrees scorpio, oppossing my natal moon in the 8th at 21 taurus. The lunar eclipse of April 25, conjuncted my neptune in scorpio in the first house 7 scorpio.
Im "seeing so much more"...and my "feeing capabilities
have opened", and I have much healthier boundaries than I have in the past.....As the 2nd house is self-worth/possessions...and the 8th death/taxes/inheritances/endings/beginnings....and both recent solar eclipses conjuncted my sun and moon that opposse each other....does that mean death/rebirth....and new identity???
Muchas grasias y Que tenga un buen dia :-)
Posted by: Wild Horse Running | May 09, 2013 at 06:57 AM
Hello Robert......WOW, what an incredible writer with such depth of insight!!! Thank you for posting these amazing articles!
This Solar Eclipse is right on my SUN and my Midheaven, and opposite natal Saturn in Scorpio sitting on the 4th house cusp. Guess I'm in for a ride! Can you tell me what to expect?
Blessings,
Posted by: Carol | May 09, 2013 at 07:20 AM
Hi Bev - It means that wherever it falls in your chart, something of that life area shuts down. Because it doesn't conjunct a planet, it means that you don't have one of your "inner lights" transforming through direct loss, though much can be seen by the aspects this Eclipse makes to planets in your chart. Neptune's on your Sun anyway, and you just went through your Saturn return, so you've had plenty to deal with over the past several years. All Eclipses affect ALL of us, just in different ways.
Hi Suzanne - Self-adjustment toward something more pleasurable. Exteriorization of your self-image. New types of relationships to be cultivated. The end of a power struggle.
Hi Magenta - Again, there is no VOC Moon phenomenon. A leftover from ancient Horary techniques that were not applied to natal charts until recently. And right now, when at 26 Taurus it quintiles Chiron, at 27 Taurus it sesquisquares Pluto, and at 28 Taurus it quadranoviles Saturn. So there are plenty of aspects forming in the late degrees.
Intentions expressed as precise affirmations are good just about any time, with the way they work out shown by the chart of their creation, since that sets the wave forms into motion. A thought form is a thought form is a thought form. For example, Friday from 11:30 am to 1:15 pm EDT would be a good time for something related to Moon in Taurus at the degree of rebeginnings conjunct Venus in Gemini on the Santa filling stockings degree. That said, any precisely crafted thought form that could be true for us will manifest over time. This Eclipse brings blessings and much higher states than we've been experiencing before now. More in future articles.
Hi ulrika - Already spoke earlier about this Eclipse in 6th conjunct Dsc. I have no idea what to say about your IC due to lack of info. I can say you're beginning a new 12 year cycle this Autumn, so close out the old, stop clutching at echoes of memories, and be gracious in receiving the rewards you are due between September 2013 and June 2014. New truths are on the way. Learn how to hold empty space. You have to figure out a new perspective early 2014 so you can move forward unencumbered by old conflicts.
Hi WHR - Well, as well as well can be, given recent events. Hanging in there is more apt, but at least the storm seems to have passed for now. Just trying to stay current given the work load.
It would seem that since last Nov, an old way of expressing your illumination and heart has shut down, allowing you to "see the stars during the day." Now the Moon, package of personality, will get to let go of old inertias and find new ways to enjoy yourself, take care of yourself, probably target some new needs that will help you relax into life.
Remember this is an Eclipse promising blessings and forms of abundance, or at least new ways of using and enjoying what we have. So this time in your life your old light was shut down allowing you to see new distant lights that are the backdrop to the Great Light. This whole time you are understanding your Neptune through new eyes, and I have no doubt that Saturn is helping you restructure your ideals and self image, preparing you to take on a new rigor later this year. Jupiter in Cancer will be a delight to you. Todos somos más inteligentes y más capaces juntos que por separado.
Hi Carol - Thanks for your kind words regarding the work. I just described how an eclipse might work when conjunct the Sun, so please read what I just wrote above this. You have a new light, a new truth, a new future, and new understanding opening after some old ones end. With Saturn "down under" train your mind and speech to express only what you want to see made manifest, and cultivate a positive and mature outlook on things. The restructuring will show as a new view of your environment and neighbors, preparing you to cut loose from old unhelpful memories of your early life. You are setting the foundations for mastery, recognition, and/or important responsibilities to come over the next 15 years.
Posted by: Robert | May 09, 2013 at 07:52 AM
Robert - thank you greatly for your reply. I can certainly feel the "undertow" and know there will be many changes in my life in the near future...all very exciting as I prepare to go through my 2nd Saturn Return by the end of this year, although I know I'm already IN the energies of it!
Blessings to you, and thank you again!!! ~ CAT
Posted by: Carol | May 09, 2013 at 10:21 AM
Dear Robert,
Thanks for sharing your knowledge. My date of birth is 21 august 1979, birth place Chandigarh, India. How will this impact me?
With gratitude,
Amit
Posted by: amit | May 09, 2013 at 11:06 AM
Hi Robert,
My Venus is at 21 degrees Taurus. Dob: 3/26/80 9:06am SoCal. Does this have any meaning? I just came upon your page this year...very good stuff. Thank you.
megan
Posted by: megan | May 09, 2013 at 02:58 PM
Born on January 28, 1959 at 11:33 pm in Phila, Pa....how do I get more information??
Thank you
Posted by: robin | May 09, 2013 at 06:03 PM
Grasias Senor Wilkinson....
Your reply validated things I have been feeling, and "sensing"? My intuition seems to be awakening,
I have been in a "restricted state" for a few years....head to the grindstone, learning to focus, as I had no choice, no possibilities to "escape". But it was necessarry, as I was a great escape artist :-)
I am looking forward to new horizons, as I am completeing my "sentence". Sorry to hear that your "Cat teacher" ascended....my Mother shared with me once, when I had lost a "cat teacher", that my heart still had the ability to love, and another cat would come to fill it up again :-)
Blessings to you Amigo....
Posted by: Wild Horse Running | May 12, 2013 at 08:39 AM
Hello.
I am a Taurus, born 23.04.73. Lost my job on 03.05.13 and very depressed, sad, and confined to the couch at home. What can I do?
Posted by: Jazz | May 14, 2013 at 11:05 AM
Hi,
I am in Brisbane when the eclispe took place and haven't felt the same since. It was like a lightning bolt swept through and changed everything around me.
I am born on teh 3rd Oct 1976. My partner is born 30 june 1976 and everything has also just gone haywire for him.
I have know him since we were 15 and we have been in and out of each others lives for 23 years and only recently reconnected in January and have had the most amazing 5 months.
I am not usre whether this elipse has occured and has seperated us again or whether is means a new begining for us.
Posted by: Birgitte | May 30, 2013 at 03:10 PM