Cosmic Events and Other Astrological Stuff
Summer Solstice / Lunar Eclipse
by Jenni Muscat
Another year is drawing to a close, and how quickly it has flown! It seems that each passing year just seems to be flying by more quickly than the previous. We look forward to another Summer Solstice, only this time it coincides with a lunar eclipse marking the Sagittarius sun/Gemini moon axis.
For the moment, I would like to write about the Summer Solstice. Since both the Solstice and the Eclipse are two separate events, they deserve mention in their own right, rather than it be seen as this powerful cosmic bundle - although mind you, it is sure to be!
The Summer Solstice draws the year to a close in the Southern Hemisphere, moving to its most southerly point down to the celestial line of the Tropic of Capricorn. After the Winter Solstice in June, when it reached it most northerly point at the Tropic of Cancer, we saw the Sun moving across our sky from north to south, increasing its arc and making the days longer before reaching its pinnacle. The word Solstice itself is to mean the sun standing still. It is also the longest day of the year, as opposed to the Winter Solstice being the shortest in the Northern Hemisphere. It appears to sit in our northern sky when it has reached its zenith. Its arrival in the solar calendar marks the passing of the Sun through the mutable sign of Sagittarius - on 21st December - and into its final ingress through the cardinal sign of Capricorn - on 22nd December. The diagram below gives a general view from both hemispheres:
Technically speaking, the Solstice coincides with the ingress, but there feels like a hidden veil between the passing of spring and the beginning of summer, on either side of it. Therefore, from my perspective at least, this Solstice period would last a few days. Once the Solstice has passed, we know that summer has well and truly arrived. Although the Sun is on the move again towards its eventual northerly point, with the days slowly going darker again, we endure the extremely hot and humid weather and the more unpredictable patterns which bring about tropical storms. At this time of year, we think about the plans that have been set in motion from the previous spring, the seeds that have been sown. We recognise what has been planted and bearing fruit, but the full potential is realised and the capitalising begun at autumn, the time of harvest. Summer holidays have begun for school children and the adults who can also take advantage of this leisure time.
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The lunar eclipse of the Sagittarius/Gemini axis falls on 21st December. To have a lunar eclipse is when the Sun and Moon are in an exact opposite alignment - with Earth in the centre - thus giving us a full Moon. When it becomes an eclipse, both solar and lunar, is when the imaginary crossing point of the North and South Nodes connects to them both; the closer the connection the more exact it becomes. This eclipse is another partial one that those of us on the eastern seaboard of Australia may be able to see. It's a partial eclipse because its meeting point with the nodes is out by several degrees. My approximate time is around 6-7pm, after consulting my ephemeris and giving an eyeball estimation within the 12 hour time frame that the moon will have moved - 7 degrees. Another thing about a lunar eclipse is that it can only be seen after the sun setting and the moon rising. Even by that estimated time, the impact of the eclipse may have already passed over, in regards to how we view it in the sky. The more beneficial viewing may be from New Zealand and other areas of the Pacific in that time zone.
Even if the lunar eclipse can't be so easily seen, it will still be felt. Depending on one's time of birth, it will be felt differently. The eclipse/full moon actually runs into two consecutive signs each; that is the axis begins in Sagittarius/Gemini and ends in Capricorn/Cancer. While the axis is in Sagittarius and Gemini, we have these two celestial bodies in the realm of the mind, the law, philosophy and travel. Jupiter, the ruler of Sagittarius, is the long range thinker, the dreaming philosopher who sees the goal and has no set plan on how to reach it. Mercury, ruler of Gemini, is the quick thinker, restless with thought, always fleeting and living in the moment. This axis period coincides with the moon waxing to full. I guess it's no accident then that my oldest son, who was born on the 21st, decided to have his 18th birthday party on that very day! It will be interesting to see how that particular night will play itself out, especially as I expect the party to kick on into the wee small hours, and right about the time when the Sun and Moon both make their axis in the ingress signs of Capricorn and Cancer.
Saturn, ruler of Capricorn, is about public recognition, ambition, striving to achieve a goal; it's usually a single-minded, conscious aim and from an authoritative position. At the opposite of the spectrum, we have the Moon, ruler of Cancer, and in its natural sign. It is here that we tap into our unconscious mind, through our dreams and by using our intuition. We are aware of cyclical movements. Family and the home take precedence, the caring and nurturing of others before the self. We see this axis at the waning end of the full moon.
This combination of both the lunar eclipse and the Summer Solstice will greatly impact, especially for those people who were born in the beginning of the ingress signs of Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn, along with those people born at the tail end of the mutable signs of Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces. People born at other times will also notice, especially if they have other planets in the above-mentioned signs which may otherwise square off or oppose, while others again may enjoy a more harmonious time if their planets happen to trine or sextile with the celestial bodies of the Sun and Moon.
Until next month, and also next year, have a safe Christmas/Solstice and prosperous New Year. Enjoy this leisure time with family and friends, and if you must travel, plan ahead and leave no stone unturned.
Fare Thee Well
Jenni lives south of Sydney with her three children and menagerie of pets. Her passion for Astrology has been utilised at great length for the last ten years. Along with self-learning, she has studied at the Sirius School of Astrology under the guidance of Ed Tamplin and Sherrynne Dalby. Jenni's other interests include Reiki, Feng Shui & intuitive alignment of the land and home, Heathenism, Shamanism, Crystals, Metaphysical Healing, Paranormal investigations (conducted through the SOuL Searchers team of Spheres Of Light) Tarot and Angel readings, along with gardening, walking, family & friends. Jenni has various creative endeavours including making candles, soaps and runes for sale, along with selling crystals and other trinkets.
Jenni can be contacted for consultations and merchandise on...
Mobile: 0438 741 964
Email: ladybryn@y7mail.com
(See links above for paranormal investigations)
The images were taken from the following sites - links below:
http://internetlooks.com/wintersolstice.jpg
http://dsmith77.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/lunar-eclipse.jpg?w=800
