by Robert Wilkinson
We have an Annular Solar eclipse on September 30 which combines the power of a New Moon, an eclipse, and the Superior conjunction of Mercury and the Sun. Please remember that even though many feared them in previous centuries, we now know an eclipse isn’t necessarily "bad." While eclipses are associated with things and people leaving our life and the world, they help us let go of what we no longer need, and remember that we cannot lose what truly belongs to us.
Eclipses are recurring celestial phenomena which lead to subsequent months or years where we end old ways to make space for new ways of living our lives. While this Solar eclipse will lead to endings wherever we have 11 Libra, those voids will be filled with new Libra things, people, and activities! We now begin a period of surrendering old individual spiritual ideals and get to find new ways of communicating with others. Because Libra is always associated with relationships, expect to have some pretty agreeable interactions even as some people leave your life and others show up.
Eclipses Are Never A Bad Thing
Eclipses are times to face facts about what needs to end. Most people want to hold on to what is familiar, even a past that’s already faded or needs to end. It still intrigues me that so many are afraid of the endings accompanying eclipses, even though life is about cleaning out obsolete behaviors, feelings, and ideas from time to time so we can get a fresh view of life.
There is a lot of superstition about Eclipses, mostly focusing on "dreadful" or difficult elements that often seem to follow eclipses. However, while all eclipses take something away and/or shut something down based in what house of our chart they happen, 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 a natural part of how the Moon, Sun, and Earth relate to each other as they move through space and time. They are certain not anything to be feared, and by understanding this recurring phenomena we can cooperate with our own “pulse of life,” letting go of what we no longer want or need to create space to attract new potential.
In the article “Why Are Solar Eclipses Such A Big Deal,” I explained how we compute how long eclipse effects last. As noted in that article, Solar eclipse effects usually last for 1-6 years, while Lunar eclipse effects last for 1-6 months, and eclipses vary in strength or duration, making some stronger and longer than others.
As I offered in that article, eclipses are “Cosmic Recyclers,” removing what is over and done in our lives. While eclipses are associated with many elements in our lives shutting down 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. We need to clear the dead material from our old garden before we can prepare the ground for a new planting.
No astrological event is automatically "bad," or has "evil" effects, if we respond in a conscious way with an eye to the larger cycle we’re in. Though a circumstance may seem to have "bad" omens for the future, we can always transcend negativity and turn to a better future 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.
I have found it’s a great exercise to take a look back at what ended in the various life areas where eclipses fell in our charts to see what’s ended and the new that has come forth. We’ll discuss more about this downstream, but for now….
When and Where is this Solar Eclipse Visible?
The coming Annular Solar Eclipse falls at 11 Libra at 11:49 am PDT, 7:49 pm BST on October 2. The total Penumbral phase is 6 hours 4 minutes, indicating an influence lasting 6 years and 3 weeks. The Umbral phase is 3 hours 48 minutes. So these eclipse effects will last through late October 2030, with the most intense period beginning about mid-November 2025 and lasting for 3 years and 9.5 months. Of course this eclipse, like all eclipses, will be triggered by transits over significant points. As the magnitude is .93, it is strong, so this eclipse is also very long and strong.
This eclipse will only be seen by those in Pacific Antarctica, southern Brazil, Argentina, Chile, most of Bolivia, southwestern Peru, up to the southernmost tip of Baja and out to Hawaii and down to the northern island of New Zealand. Of course it will also profoundly impact those with planets or points around 9-13 Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn, as well as 24-28 Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, and Aquarius.
Today we'll discuss eclipses in general and a little about this one. In following articles I'll elaborate on who is most affected by this eclipse, symbols, aspects, patterns, and what we can expect from this Annular Solar eclipse at 11 Libra.
I've composed quite a few articles on past eclipses in the archives that bear re-visiting, since the Solar Eclipses of 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023 are still manifesting effects, if traditional Eclipse lore is to be believed. Those which are still active fell at 20 and 30 Aries, 11 Taurus, 20 Gemini, 1 Cancer, 22 Libra, 2 Scorpio, 13 and 24 Sagittarius. All of us have had various parts of our inner and outer lives “recycled” during these past few years.
We’re still experiencing effects from all Solar Eclipses since 2020. You can find out more about the lengths of each of these and where they fell through the links to past Solar Eclipses at the bottom of this article.
How Do Eclipses Work?
As mentioned in the article about Solar eclipse linked above, for many centuries people freaked out about eclipses because they were believed to foretell the fall of empires, dynasties, and powerful people anywhere the Eclipse shadow fell. The doom and gloom associated with eclipses which happened centuries ago often marked major changes in governments and nations. Of course, it could also have been a situation where the changes were in motion, and the eclipse just happened to come at a “perfect time” for those changes.
No Astrological event is “bad” in and of itself. Thought some configurations might seem to portend “bad omens” for the future, we always have the power to respond as positively as we are able, generating momentum toward beneficent possibilities. No matter where an eclipse falls, we can turn it to good. It all depends on our point of view.
By looking at the aspects in eclipse charts, as well as aspects those charts make with our natal and progressed planets, we can turn negatives to positives. 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 voids arising after an eclipse opens the door to countless other opportunities.
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. That work is a guidebook for taking control of your destiny and bringing forth your most loving, wise Spiritual Self.
Key Factors in This Libra Eclipse
This Annular Solar eclipse in Libra over time will help us release old ways of “doing our relationships,” find new ways of communicating and/or new understanding of at least one of our archetypes, and help us release things we no longer need to defend. Serendipity is in the air through the tredeciles of Jupiter, promising unique interactive communications where we need to be at our highest, most “ambassadorial” levels of being with others. While there will be agitation, keep it cooperative and you’ll find you’ve passed the dress rehearsal with flying colors!
Venus rules the eclipse, and brings a level of intensity to this otherwise pleasant Libra eclipse. As She is in a Grand Water Trine with Mars in Cancer and Saturn in Pisces, stay alert to the flow, integrate or reintegrate if tasked with that, and be disciplined in your moderate use of power. Another major feature of this eclipse is that it also makes a tredecile with Pluto, creating a special evolutionary configuration of a “10 Pointed Star of Quintessential Serendipity” which I’ll speak of in the article about aspects and configurations coming soon.
Different eclipses have different timing. Some things are removed quickly, others are removed gradually over time. Some eclipses are VERY beneficial because they bring an end to something we really don’t need to be involved with, and leave a void we can fill appropriately, according to our evolved awareness and intention. As I just offered, we can see favorable ways to use eclipse energies by noting the aspects in eclipse charts as they impact our natal and progressed planets.
Different Times Bring Different Focus
This is the second Libra Solar eclipse, and finishes this year’s run of eclipses. This year’s eclipses feature a Penumbral Lunar eclipse in March at 6 Aries/Libra, a Total Solar eclipse in April at 20 Aries, a Partial Lunar Eclipse in September at 26 Virgo/Pisces, and an Annular Solar eclipse in October at 11 Libra.
Still, because eclipses are tied to the Moon’s nodes, they ultimately show us the evolutionary pull in each event. In the current Solar eclipse, the North Node is at 7 Aries, just as it was at the Lunar eclipse 2 weeks ago.
During the 2022-2023 eclipses with the nodes in Taurus/Scorpio, old attractions, aversions, stuck emotions, and old emotional ghosts were removed through the South Node, and new directions of enjoying life and feeling secure as we saw what we did and didn’t value opened wherever we have Taurus. During the time the Nodes have been in Aries/Libra, we’ve grown in new ways of experiencing ourselves on our own terms, demonstrated by the balance and sense of proportion of the SN in Libra.
A Look Back at Recent Eclipses Still Active
The June 2020 Solstice Eclipse at 1 Cancer has led us to new needs, new relationships, and new life habits. We have found stability and security by moving in new directions beginning then, with cooperative collective pioneering group endeavors front and center. That powerful Solstice eclipse promised new life allegiances, new relationships, and new ways of living our daily existence, letting go of attachments to people and things. It favored those who cultivated spiritual intuition through a social rebirth, with new standards and new truths.
The December 2020 Solar Eclipse has helped us see our good fortune from a wider angle, and has given us the power to “read the tea leaves,” seeing deeper and wider truths of people and situations. This has led to forms of “executive power,” setting patterns of social power into motion which have led to greater building endeavors.
The June 2021 eclipse at 20 Gemini brought unique and serendipitous returns, as well as signs and signals of a future still in the making. We’ve seen “the indestructible elements of our spiritual nature” as we’ve mobilized and shared information during a time of being “large diamonds in the cutting process” learning to manifest our Higher Self.
The December 2021 eclipse at 13 Sagittarius has given us glimpses of the future, more enjoyable roles to play, the stirring up of new loves, and rewards for doing what we had to do. This eclipse will ultimately yield us all a transfigured life after a time of purification.
The April 2022 eclipse at 11 Taurus put the focus on our “Garden of Life,” and what needed tending or clearing out because it was cluttering our garden or more trouble than it was worth to maintain those things which were not healthy. This is shutting down parts of our Taurus sector so the void may attract more productive “crops” in the future.
The October 2022 eclipse at 2 Scorpio has helped us release some very powerful memories from the past and open to deeper relationships with people in our lives. We’re all letting go of stuck feelings and finding new ways of enjoying life. This one shut down parts of our Scorpio sector which we no longer need in our magnetic field.
The April 2023 eclipse at 30 Aries has helped us release our old focused area of activity, bringing new freedom, new focus, and a new field of activity where we can happily focus our potential. We now have begun to turn a huge corner, and the losses accompanying this eclipse will bring us to a form of “philosophical completion” as well as a sense of what needs preserving because it is meaningful to us.
The October 2023 eclipse at 22 Libra has cleared away much that would hinder our ability to show care to others who thirst for what we have. This has shut down many old relationships and ideals in the house where we have late Libra.
The April 2024 eclipse at 20 Aries has helped us heal into our Higher Self through new initiatives, new ways of being ourselves, new life directions, and less equivocation in our Libra sector. This shut down old ways of caring so that new expression could come forth. Since the Spring endings have been associated with entry into a life larger than any previous conception, and the ability to protect or the need to be protected in some way.
See you soon with more on this 2024 Annular Solar eclipse in Libra!
If you want my take on how much is fate and how much is free will when it comes to eclipse effects, please check out The Solar and Lunar Eclipse - Is Any Eclipse Destined to Have Bad Effects? (It’s part 1 of a two part series, so make sure you read part 2, as it describes how past eclipses conjunct my Sun and Ascendant were very beneficial for me!)
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 (You can follow the internal links in this article to the previous articles about this specific Eclipse.)
For more about the September 2015 Partial Solar Eclipse at 21 Virgo, here’s The Partial Solar Eclipse at 21 Virgo Pt. 3 (though 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 (though there are no links to any other articles in that series, you can find them just before and just after this one.)
For more about the September 2016 Annular Solar Eclipse at 10 Virgo, here’s The Annular Solar Eclipse at 10 Virgo Pt. 2 (though there are links to previous articles in that series, you will have to go to part 3 to find the Sabian symbols, Jones pattern, aspects and more.)
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!) (You’ll have to go to parts 1 and 3 to find out the Sabian Symbols, aspects, Jones pattern, and all the 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!) (You’ll have to go to parts 1 and 3 to find out the Sabian Symbols, aspects, Jones pattern, and all the 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!) (You’ll have to go to parts 1 and 3 to find out the Sabian Symbols, aspects, Jones pattern, and all the other details about its qualities).
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!) (Again, go to parts 1 and 3 to find out the Sabian Symbols, aspects, Jones pattern, and all the other details about its qualities).
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 all the other details about its qualities).
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 all the other details about its qualities).
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 all the other details about its qualities).
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 all the other details about its qualities).
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 all the other details about its qualities). [These effects last through April 2026.]
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). [These effects last through April 2026.]
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!) (Again, go to parts 1 and 3 to find out the Sabian Symbols, aspects, Jones pattern, and all the other details about its qualities). [These effects last through June 2026.]
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!) (Again, go to parts 1 and 3 to find out the Sabian Symbols, aspects, Jones pattern, and all the other details about its qualities). [These effects last through January 2026.]
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!) (Again, go to parts 1 and 3 to find out the Sabian Symbols, aspects, Jones pattern, and all the other details about its qualities). [These effects last through September 2026.]
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!) (Again, go to parts 1 and 3 to find out the Sabian Symbols, aspects, Jones pattern, and all the other details about its qualities). [These effects last through November 2026.]
For more about the April 2023 Hybrid Solar Eclipse at 30 Aries, here’s The April 2023 Solar Eclipse at 30 Aries Pt. 2 - What’s Happening in April-May (and through 2028!) (Again, go to parts 1 and 3 to find out the Sabian Symbols, aspects, Jones pattern, and all the other details about its qualities).
For more about the October 2023 Annular Solar Eclipse at 22 Libra, here’s The October 2023 New Moon Annular Solar Eclipse at 22 Libra Pt. 2 - What’s Happening in October-November (and through 2029!) (Again, go to parts 1 and 3 to find out the Sabian Symbols, aspects, Jones pattern, and all the other details about its qualities).
For more about the April 2024 Total Solar Eclipse at 20 Aries, here’s The Total Solar Eclipse of April 2024 at 20 Aries Pt. 2 - What’s Happening in April-May 2024 (and through 2029!) (Again, go to parts 1 and 3 to find out the Sabian Symbols, aspects, Jones pattern, and all the other details about its qualities).
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 Annular Solar eclipse New Moon!
© Copyright 2024 Robert Wilkinson
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