All eclipses come in pairs. The second eclipse of this pair (the first was September 17th) occurs on October 2nd, and this time it’s a solar (new Moon) eclipse. You can read about the previous lunar eclipse, and other information about eclipses in last month’s article.
During a solar eclipse, the light of the Sun gets blocked by the Moon. Depending on the amount of coverage, we’ll either experience a partial, annular, or total eclipse. This month’s lunation is an annular eclipse, which is commonly referred to as a “ring of fire” eclipse because we can see a ring of sunlight around the moon. This differs from a total solar eclipse, such as the one we had last April, in that we’re not going to experience darkness or a drop in temperature. What a difference slight geometric movements can make! Astrologers often argue about the symbolic intensity expressed by the amount of light being blocked. No matter anyone’s opinion, we regard all solar eclipses as major astrological events.
Imagine how disturbing this must have been for our ancestors; one moment you’re out foraging for dinner in the sunshine—next thing you know, the lights go out. In astrology the sun represents all that is consistent, life-giving, and conscious. What are we left with when those things are blocked? We get interruptions in patterns, energy drains, and the surfacing of unconscious material. We have more access to our animal nature for better and worse. While this sometimes manifests as disruptive events surrounding the days of an eclipse, that’s usually not the case. Eclipses are beginning and ending points that unfold. I think of them as nesting dolls of process, holding certain subjects that crack open in a series of revelations.
This particular eclipse is especially meaningful and volatile. It’s the last eclipse in Libra we’ll experience in this Aries-Libra series. The first one we had, on October 14, 2023, was heavily influenced by Mars’s interaction with Pluto and the south lunar node in Libra. We have similar influences this time around. Mars, planet of discord and action, is in aggravated alignment with this lunation by a square aspect. The 90-degree square configuration speaks to conflicting desires and values, but not methods. The sign of Cancer, where Mars is placed, and the sign of Libra, are both cardinal signs that are good at initiating action to enforce an agenda. We’re likely to witness or experience overt attempts at change or domination that clash. Add to that, that Mars is involved in a grand trine (three planets configured to each other by 120-degree angles) with Venus and Saturn, the plot thickens like boiling tar.
All the planets involved in this configuration are placed in signs that they are traditionally uncomfortable in, including the eclipse’s planetary ruler, Venus, who sits in smoldering Scorpio. Trines offer support and unmitigated, flowing energy from one planet to the other. This can be a very stabilizing influence, but with three planets that are in a state of unease, what’s flowing could look more like a triangle of sadness.
This solar eclipse is very close to the Moon’s south node in Libra, and is exactly conjoined to Mercury. Mercury’s influence gives voice and amped-up mentality to Libra’s plans. The south node is a point of entropy and diminishing returns. It’s where old patterns go to die and where the past can come back to haunt us, or reward us for completing a process. Having the south node in the sign of Libra speaks to ways of relating that have outlived their usefulness. This can show up in all kinds of relationships: the interpersonal, the societal, and the relationships between nations. It doesn’t necessarily point to the end of relationships, but it does signal an end to specific dynamics. Luckily, this is paired with a new Moon. New Moons are seeding points that initiate new cycles. In this particular lunation, there’s a new beginning that is possible only by letting go of the old. The fact that this new Moon is an eclipse confers an air of urgency around this fresh start.
Libra is also the sign of justice, fairness, and diplomacy. Within this extremely complex lunation are suggestions that diplomacy may actually get in the way of what is just—that glossy appearances hide deep inequities. We may have to deviate from codes of decorum. It might be time to make amendments to the rules of engagement, and be brutally honest about what connects and divides us.
