What's Up?
The Lunar Eclipse on December 10, 2011


The Astronomy

An eclipse of the Moon can only take place at a Full Moon, and only if the Moon passes through some portion of the Earth's shadow. The closer the Moon is to the center of the shadow, the more total the eclipse. A lunar eclipse is visible wherever the Moon is above the horizon.

If the Earth had no atmosphere, then the Moon would be completely black during a total eclipse. Instead, the Moon can take on a range of colors from dark brown and red to bright orange and yellow. The exact appearance depends on how much dust and clouds are present in Earth's atmosphere.

Lunar Eclipse map

The lunar eclipse on December 10 is a total eclipse, which is visible from Asia and Australia; parts of the eclipse will be visible in Europe, Africa and North America.

The Moon's path through Earth's shadow
The Moon's path through Earth's shadow

Eclipse maps and diagrams courtesy of
Fred Espenak - NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center
http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/eclipse.html


The Astrology

A lunar eclipse is a time of beginnings, endings, exposure and major changes. It always has something to do with "relationships". The changes are tied to how we relate and will have a lasting impression. Emotions run high, causing upsets and feelings of disorientation. Actions taken often do not have the expected results, but they do bring awareness and enlightenment. The energy of an eclipse is at its strongest during the two days before and three days after its occurrence.

At lunar eclipses we: merge, unite, announce, contact, present ourselves, bring something out into the open, make decisions, engage, rise to the challenge, make an effort, change, get a new perspective, join with others, take on greater challenges, travel at a faster pace, feel restless, feel pressured by deadlines and a buildup of emotions, and experience excitement and crisis.

During a Full Moon, the Sun and Moon are in opposition, also called the Full Phase, indicating the linking of soul to spirit and awareness of purpose gained through relationship with another. A lunar eclipse is a supercharged Full Moon. The blocking of the Moon's reflection of the Sun's light by the Earth suggests that our material viewpoint stands in the way of our "seeing the light". It serves as a reminder that we need to realize how we are held in the dark by virtue of our perspective.

The Sun is in Sagittarius and the Moon is in Gemini during the total lunar eclipse on December 10. The ability to see the big picture is distorted by skewed knolwledge. Partial or biased data contaminates clear thinking. Concern for the letter of the law shadows intelligenent discussion. The challenge is to disseminate accurate information. Listen closely for the truth.

Sabian Degree Symbols For This Lunar Eclipse
Sun:
"Pelicans Menaced By The Behavior And Refuse Of Men
Seek Safer Areas For Bringing Up Their Young"
Moon:
"A Large Archaic Volume Reveals A Traditional Wisdom"

The Sabian degree symbols for this eclipse suggest that this time calls for awareness of a potentially threatening situation and the action necessary for survival. In Danne Rudhyar's words, "The need for people concerned with the future to discover a new way of living and more wholesome surroundings." Studying the structure of cyclic manifestations can provide the seed-knowledge that will lead the way to a positive solution. It's possible that a fateful event will draw attention to how endangered the planet and its inhabitants are. The test is to adjust personal values to fit the needs of sustaining the planet. The question is, will we heed the call?

Events associated with this eclipse had their origin in June 2010, were triggered into action last March and will resurface for completion beginning in September 2012. The last time a lunar eclipse occurred at this degree was 1992.

The eclipse does not have to fall in your sign for you to feel its effects. However, if your birthday is around Jan 8 or 23, Feb 7, Mar 7, Apr 7 or 22, May 7, Jun 8, Jul 9 or 25, Aug 10, Sep 10, Oct 10 or 25, Nov 9, Dec 9, you will definitely have an emotional response. If it makes any contacts to a planet or personal point in your chart, your experience of the eclipse will be heightened. Consult with an astrologer for a personalized discussion of the energies activated in your chart.


Aquarius Lunation
Gibbous Phase
Aquarius Sun
Cancer Moon


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