by Robert Wilkinson
We have a Penumbral Lunar eclipse on May 5 which combines the power of a Full Moon, an eclipse, and a Superior conjunction with numerous serious conjunctions! We enter a period of revolutionary developments, as well as major endings and beginnings, the next few weeks.
As most of you know by now, I take the view that no eclipse is bad, nor do we have anything to fear. There is a lot of superstition about eclipses, mostly focusing on "dreadful" or difficult elements that often seem to accompany them. However, while all eclipses take something away and/or shut something down, an eclipse can have beneficial effects if we just know "when to hold 'em, when to fold 'em, when to walk away, and when to run."
Eclipses are both anticipated and often create a lot of worry in those who wonder how they will be affected. These “cosmic recyclers” are one of the most misunderstood recurring phenomena in all of astrology. Here it’s important to remember that Solar eclipse effects usually last for several years, while Lunar eclipse effects usually last for a few months.
This Full Moon Lunar eclipse happens on 10:34 am PDT, 6:34 pm BST, on May 5. The penumbral magnitude is relatively strong, but the umbral magnitude is very weak. The penumbral phase of the eclipse lasts 4 hours and 17 minutes, showing a general eclipse effect for 4 months and 9 days.
Interestingly, last year we had weak Solar eclipses and strong Lunar Eclipses of relatively long duration. But this year’s Solar eclipses are long and strong, while the Lunar eclipses are a mix of this one being long and dim, and the next one being short and bright. This eclipse, being the Full Moon of Taurus-Scorpio, is special because it coincides with the Wesak Festival, showing the primary elements of the Wisdom Teaching for the world for the year.
Today we'll discuss a lot about eclipses in general and a little about this one, as well as who is most affected and where. In following articles I'll elaborate on symbols, aspects, patterns, and what we can expect from this Penumbral Lunar eclipse at 15 Taurus and Scorpio.
Eclipses Are Not Bad – They Recycle What We No Longer Need In Our Lives
While Lunar eclipses shut down parts of our lives for a few months, Solar eclipses shut down parts of our lives for years after they occur. There are many articles on past eclipses in the archives that bear re-visiting, since the Solar eclipses of 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022 are still manifesting results, if traditional eclipse lore is to be believed. Core material about the timeline of Eclipse effects can be found in the article, What Are Solar Eclipses and Why Are They Feared, as well as many other elements of what we can expect from these recurring celestial events. Links to recent eclipses are at the bottom of this article.
As I offered in that article, eclipses are “Cosmic Recyclers,” removing what is over and done in our lives. While eclipses shut down some elements in the area of life (house) in which they fall, this is needed for growth, since we must bring some things to an end if we are to embrace newer, better ways of doing our Being.
No astrological event need be "bad," or have "evil" effects, regardless of whether we're using Vedic, Chinese, Western, or any other approach to figuring out cycles within "All-That-Is." Though a circumstance may seem to have "bad" omens for the future, we can always transcend any negativity and turn the future to beneficent possibilities if we find the right point of view. No matter where an eclipse falls, we can turn it to good.
Favorable ways to use eclipse energies can be seen by the aspects in eclipse charts as they impact our natal and progressed planets. And because time is an unbroken continuum, we can anticipate what is ending and let it go with grace and a sense of surrendering to a greater life in the becoming.
The choices we make at crucial astrological junctures bring pleasurable or painful circumstances, depending on what we need to learn. These choices are directly related to how evolved our planetary responses are. As I explain in my book Saturn: Spiritual Master, Spiritual Friend, each planet has a duality of function. It is up to us to determine whether our Moon, Sun, Mercury or any other natal planet involved in eclipses, "bad" aspects, and configurations manifests productively or non-productively.
Where and When Is This Lunar eclipse Visible?
From the NASA site, the penumbral magnitude is .96 and the umbral magnitude is – 0.04, which is very bright turning to very dim, and because of its duration, it will last 4 months and 9 days. The penumbral phase of the eclipse begins at 3:14 UT, and ends at 7:32 UT on May 5.
It will be visible at moonrise in all of Africa except Madagascar and the Horn, All of Europe except Great Britain, Norway, and northern Sweden and Finland all the way to a NE line through ther middle of Saudi Arabia, western Iran, the Caspian Sea, and central Asia. It will be fully visible east of a line from Mozambique up to Somalia, Yemen, UAE, eastern Iran, Turkmenistan, western Kazakhstan, including India, Pakistan, Tibet, Mongolia, southern Japan, the Philippines, New Buinea, Oz, and the southern island of NeZ.
It will be visible at moonset in Siberia, Manchuria, northern Japan, northern NeZ, and the Hawaiian Islands. Besides these regions of the world, it will also strongly impact all who have 13-17 Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, and Aquarius on the angles, or any planet in that part of the zodiac.
What Can We Expect From This Lunar Eclipse?
This Penumbral Lunar eclipse in Taurus-Scorpio over the next few months will lead us through loss to a genuine rejuvenation and life renewal through a deeper connection with Source. This is about a new material “light of great inner resources” and “the supremacy of conscious mind over brute nature forces” expressing itself in our ability to see the “world of the 5 senses and the mind as the playground of God and Soul.” This eclipse will remove old desires, aversions, values, and ways of confirming things so we can make the space for new life activities which will be pleasant and straightforward. Whatever is lost will attract a new abundance in some concrete way.
A “peeling the onion” Full Moon, as we eliminate the old we shall attract new understanding, new magnetic power, and a newer, more unique way to express our individuality. The outstanding feature of this eclipse is the Grand Water Trine between Moon, Mars, and Neptune released through Venus square Neptune helping us all be released from old pressures we no longer need to bear. I believe those who exhibit humor and grace will come to an entirely new view of life.
As we also have Sun conjunct Uranus adding revolution to the mix, it’s great to have Saturn cutting the Lunation into a quintile and tredecile, giving a highly unique interactive blessing to this eclipse. The next few months will yield a new dedication to a collective good, with Mercury retrograde providing hope and the ability to bring light into dark situations.
Whatever is taken away by this eclipse makes space for many rewards and blessings promised before now. As with all eclipses involving Taurus and Scorpio, this one offers us opportunities to grow in our ability to embrace a greater focus, eliminate stagnant feelings, find a simpler and more straightforward way of expression, and a new set of values and desires. These signs eliminate to attract, and sometimes the more we let go of the greater the space to attract a natural form of abundance. This eclipse both shuts and opens doors. I’ll give you more specifics in the next articles in this series.
Though there are always endings associated with any eclipse, these open up the space we need to align with Spirit in natural and productive ways. Take a new look to see what really matters and what you do and do not want to bring with you into the new world opening before your very eyes.
For some, this Lunar eclipse will shut down old connections, values, and resources, and ushers in a period of intense activity after proper deliberation about what to do and how to do it. This begins a new way of focusing our magnetism, as well as a new way of understanding our part within the larger whole of the work. Be of good humor, and see the grace that allows us to "shed old skins" and find a new way to experience life, light, and love.
Over the next few months, find the deep connections you need to regenerate your life wherever this eclipse falls in your chart. There are major decisions to make which involve letting go of lesser things and accepting greater responsibilities. This is a highly magnetic eclipse, and will sweep away many old desires and considerations as we “turn back to our integrity,” with renewal in alignment with whatever we’re dreaming which will take shape in the future.
This will lead to major realignments in our personal and social worlds. Rejuvenation is in the air, with many expected eclipse effects taking place over the long haul as well as immediately! This will facilitate many of the recent Solar eclipse effects, so keep building character as you see how you are a Spirit playing with matter. This will activate the spontaneity we’ve been developing since 2022, and so will experience sudden “eruptions of Spirit.”
This eclipse will clear out space and provide the magnetism which will allow the themes of the recent Solar Eclipse at 30 Aries to be manifest. With the current Sun in Taurus and Moon in Scorpio, look at the next few months as a time of feeling your magnetic connection with Source, Self, and others to come to understand your wisdom in simple and straightforward ways.
Find your comfort zone as you enjoy moving into greater strength than you knew before now! This Lunar eclipse is the next one in Scorpio/Taurus, helping us concentrate and become stable in our focus as we stand on the intersection of Fate Street and Free Will Street at a corner on Eternity Boulevard. Whatever is taken away over the next few months will be replaced with a greater life enjoyment perfect for where we’re at now.
See you soon with more on this 2023 Taurus-Scorpio Penumbral Lunar eclipse!
Before we get to the list of past Solar eclipses which activated various sectors of our charts, because Venus rules the Sun in this May Scorpio/Taurus eclipse, please consider getting your copy of The Magic of Venus: Friendships, Soul Mates, and Twin Flames. It is the most comprehensive book on Venus ever written, and explains why we attract who we do and how to create more satisfying relationships in the future. You will understand the foundations of long term healthy relationships and friendships, why Soul Mates come into our lives, and how to know the difference between a Soul Mate and our Twin Flame. Even if you’re not looking for a partner, this book will explain why certain people with certain traits came into your life and what they taught you about yourself.
It has chapters on the qualities of each sign’s natural mate, the qualities of Venus in each sign, and when crucial choices and changes are made, affecting who we attract in the future. It was written for both astrologers and lay people, and as it has a thousand gems for better relationships, with self, others, and Source, please consider getting your copy by going to the link above! (And when you’re done, please leave a review on Amazon, since it helps the book and all other books on astrology as well!)
Past Solar Eclipses
Past Solar Eclipses
These were all active for 2 to 5 years.
For more about the November 2011 Sagittarius Solar Eclipse with links to the 2011 Gemini Solar Eclipse, please check out The Solar Eclipse at 3 Sagittarius November 24-25, 2011 Pt. 3 - Signs, Sabian Symbols, and What It All Means. (You can follow the internal links in this article to the previous articles about this specific Eclipse.)
For more about the May 2012 Gemini Annular Solar Eclipse, here’s The Solar Eclipse at 1 Gemini May 20-21 2012 Pt. 3 (You can follow the internal links in this article to the previous articles about this specific Eclipse.)
For more about the 2012 Scorpio Total Solar Eclipse, here’s The Total Solar Eclipse at 22 Scorpio Nov 13-14, 2012 Pt. 3 - Signs, Sabian Symbols, and What It All Means. (You can follow the internal links in this article to the previous articles about this specific Eclipse.)
For more about the 2013 Taurus Solar Eclipse, here’s The May 2013 Solar Eclipse in Taurus Pt. 3 – How Will This Lunation Affect Us? (As with the previous links, follow the internal links in this one to the previous articles about this Eclipse)
For more about the 2013 Scorpio Solar Eclipse, here’s A Hybrid Solar Eclipse New Moon in Scorpio Pt. 2 – What’s Happening in November 2013 as well as 2014-2015-2016. (link to pt. 1 at the bottom of that article. Pt. 3 has the Sabian Symbols.)
For more about the 2014 Taurus Solar Eclipse, here's The New Moon Solar Eclipse in Taurus Pt. 2 - What’s Happening in May 2014 (Part 3 elaborates on the Sabian Symbols and other factors.)
For more about the October 2014 Scorpio Solar Eclipse, here's The October 2014 Solar Eclipse in Scorpio Pt. 3 – Signs, Sabian Symbols, and What It all Means (Links to other articles on the Eclipse at the bottom of this post.).
For more about the March 2015 Total Solar Eclipse at 30 Pisces, here’s The Total Solar Eclipse at 30 Pisces Pt. 3 (Internal links in this article go to previous articles about this Eclipse.)
For more about the September 2015 Partial Solar Eclipse at 21 Virgo, here’s The Partial Solar Eclipse at 21 Virgo Pt. 3 (There are no links to previous articles in that Eclipse series. You can find them in the articles posted in the week before this link).
For more about the March 2016 Total Solar Eclipse at 19 Pisces, here’s The Total Solar Eclipse at 19 Pisces Pt. 2 (You can find the other articles in that series just before and just after this one.)
This ended June 2022
For more about the September 2016 Annular Solar Eclipse at 10 Virgo, here’s The Annular Solar Eclipse at 10 Virgo Pt. 2 (Link to pt 1 at the bottom. You will have to go to part 3 to find the Sabian symbols, Jones pattern, aspects and more.)
This ended July 2022
For more about the February 2017 Annular Solar Eclipse at 9 Pisces, here’s The Annular Solar Eclipse on February 26, 2017 at 9 Pisces Pt. 2 - What’s Happening in February-March 2017 (and through 2022!) (Parts 1 and 3 have the Sabian Symbols, aspects, Jones pattern, and other details about its qualities).
This lasted through November 2022, the last national election.
This eclipse has brought America to its knees! This Eclipse penumbral phase was 5 hours and 18 minutes, showing those effects are in play for 5 years and 3.5 months. The umbral phase, which is the most intense part, lasted 3 hours and 14 minutes, showing that would be in play for 3 years and 3 months. So the eclipse effects began August 21 and entered the umbral phase an hour and 12 into it. That means the most intense part of the eclipse effects began November 2018 and lasted through February 2022. Looking back, it’s clear to see America had a meltdown between November 2018 and now, with maximum intensity in 2019-2020-2021! It’s safe to say America has been “eclipsed” between August 2017 and now.
For more about the August 2017 Total Solar Eclipse at 29 Leo, here’s The Total Solar Eclipse of August 2017 at 29 Leo Pt. 2 - What’s Happening in August-September 2017 (and through 2022!) (Parts 1 and 3 have the Sabian Symbols, aspects, Jones pattern, and other details about its qualities).
This was active through December 2021
For more about the February 2018 Partial Solar Eclipse at 28 Aquarius, here’s The Partial Solar Eclipse of February 2018 at 28 Aquarius Pt. 2 - What’s Happening in February-March 2018 (and through 2022!) (Parts 1 and 3 have the Sabian Symbols, aspects, Jones pattern, and other details).
This was active through December 2020
For more about the July 2018 Partial Solar Eclipse at 21 Cancer, here’s The Partial Solar Eclipse of July 2018 at 21 Cancer Pt. 2 - What’s Happening in July-August 2018 (and through 2020!) (Parts 1 and 3 have the Sabian Symbols, aspects, Jones pattern, and other details).
This was active through February 2022
For more about the August 2018 Partial Solar Eclipse at 19 Leo, here’s The Partial Solar Eclipse of August 2018 at 19 Leo Pt. 2 - What’s Happening in August-September 2018 (and through February 2022!) (Parts 1 and 3 have Sabian Symbols, aspects, Jones pattern, and other details).
This was active through April 2023.
For more about the January 2019 Partial Solar Eclipse at 16 Capricorn, here’s The Partial Solar Eclipse of January 2019 at 16 Capricorn Pt. 2 - What’s Happening in January 2019 (and into 2023!) (Parts 1 and 3 have Sabian Symbols, aspects, Jones pattern, and other details).
These are still active at this time.
This is active through June 2024.
For more about the July 2019 Total Solar Eclipse at 11 Cancer, here’s The Total Solar Eclipse of July 2019 at 11 Cancer Pt. 2 - What’s Happening in July 2019 (and through Spring 2024!) (Parts 1 and 3 have Sabian Symbols, aspects, Jones pattern, and other details).
This is active through July 2024.
For more about the December 2019 Annular Solar Eclipse at 5 Capricorn, here’s The Annular Solar Eclipse of December 2019 at 5 Capricorn Pt. 2 - What’s Happening in January 2020 (and through 2025!) (Parts 1 and 3 have Sabian Symbols, aspects, Jones pattern, and other details).
These will be in effect through 2026 and beyond.
For more about the July 2020 Annular Solar Eclipse at 1 Cancer, here’s The Solstice New Moon Solar Eclipse of June 2020 at 1 Cancer Pt. 2 - What’s Happening in June-July (and through 2025!) (Parts 1 and 3 have Sabian Symbols, aspects, Jones pattern, and other details).
For more about the December 2020 Total Solar Eclipse at 24 Sagittarius, here's The December 2020 New Moon Total Solar Eclipse at 24 Sagittarius Pt. 3 - Signs, Sabian Symbols, and What It All Means (Links to other articles in the series at the bottom of this one)
For more about the June 2021 Annular Solar Eclipse at 20 Gemini, here’s The Annular Solar Eclipse of June 2021 at 20 Gemini Pt. 2 - What’s Happening in June-July 2021 (and through 2026!) (Parts 1 and 3 have the Sabian Symbols, aspects, Jones pattern, and other details).
For more about the December 2021 Total Solar Eclipse at 13 Sagittarius, here’s The Total Solar Eclipse of December 2021 at 13 Sagittarius Pt. 2 - What’s Happening in December 2021 (and through 2025!) (Parts 1 and 3 have the Sabian Symbols, aspects, Jones pattern, and other details).
For more about the April 2022 Partial Solar Eclipse at 11 Taurus, here’s The April 2022 Partial Solar Eclipse at 11 Taurus Pt. 2 - What’s Happening in May (and through 2025!) (Parts 1 and 3 have the Sabian Symbols, aspects, Jones pattern, and other details).
For more about the October 2022 Partial Solar Eclipse at 2 Scorpio, here’s The October 2022 Partial Solar Eclipse at 2 Scorpio Pt. 2 - What’s Happening in November (and through 2026!) (Parts 1 and 3 have the Sabian Symbols, aspects, Jones pattern, and other details).
In answer to questions about why I don’t include the Lunar Eclipses from years past in this section, it’s because their effects are usually only for a few months, and so they’ve completed their work long before many long lasting Solar Eclipses. If you’re interested, you will always find what I wrote a couple of weeks before or after the Solar Eclipses, depending on when the Lunar Eclipses fell in those years. They’re all in the archives.
See you soon with part 1 of the 3 part series on this Penumbral Lunar Eclipse Full Moon!
© Copyright 2023 Robert Wilkinson
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