The moment of the New Moon is always astrologically qualified by the state of play in the rest of the heavens, and this applies a few orders of magnitude more when it occurs close enough to a lunar node to be a solar eclipse. Luckily, we can be reasonably confident that tomorrow’s annular (Sunday 26th February) one will be but a slow-motion solar wink, only visible over a thin strip of South America, and that the Sun will shine again afterwards. But will it be the same Sun?
Solar eclipses are so impressive that ancient astronomer-astrologers carved out a very powerful niche for themselves simply by being able to predict these events, which disrupt so awfully the natural order of things like daylight. Today, we can easily consult a multitude of sources to find out when they will occur and precisely from where they will be visible, far into the future. Predictability has taken away some of their power to impress. Nonetheless, as the rising tide of really bizarre socio-political upheavals in the collective consciousness has been quite aptly reflected in recent planetary activity, it might help to take note of what is to come.
This eclipse occurs in Pisces, which be the watery realm of Neptune the Enlightener (or is it Confuser?) who is currently at home and receiving. Neptune is credited with the ability to make all that glitters seem to be gold for long enough to get someone to buy it. The Sun is already close to the King of the Sea Change (and will connect precisely with Neptune on the 1st of March). The Moon and Mercury are crossing the border from Aquarius almost simultaneously this evening and they are not likely to get held up by immigration officials because Pisces is all about blurring the boundaries between things, like facts and fiction. So the astrological markers for conscious reason (Sun), subconscious intuition (Moon) and thinking and communication (Mercury) will all be hanging out together at Neptune’s place, probably getting intoxicated and watching escapist movies as a form of group therapy while the eclipse happens.
Meanwhile, just over the fence in Aries… Confrontational, go-getting Mars will be charged up from being in his home sign and mere arc-minutes (fractions of a zodiacal degree) away from meeting Uranus the Unexpected. Aspects between these two are inflammable, and Aries is the most combustible of fire signs. As these fire-starters move into conjunction they are also just half a degree away from precise opposition to the magnifying properties of Jupiter, who is trying to keep the balance of social niceties in Libra. Mars will oppose Jupiter exactly on Monday and Jupiter will oppose Uranus on Thursday, by which time the Moon will have also swept through Aries, interacting with them all along the way. At least it will be over quickly. They say it’s a good time to kick-start something, but not a good time for precision control over what happens to it once it’s on its way. Venus is also in Aries, but she is lagging behind the action and slowing to turn retrograde next Saturday. That’s when second thoughts are likely to start surfacing.
astrospection 