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ECLIPSES

In the past, Eclipse events caused great fear in people.  In many civilizations, an "observable" Eclipse was considered to be a bad omen.  The Solar Eclipse was especially feared. This fear was most likely created because an actual Solar Eclipse will seldom be viewed more than once in a lifetime in any one specific locale.  We now know that Eclipses (Solar and Lunar combined) actually occur 4 - 7 times each year, even though we may not always see them.  To learn more about some of the myths of the past, visit Lunar Lore: Eclipses Through the Ages by Wil Milan.

An eclipse occurs when one object gets in front of another, obstructing our view of the farther object. So if your spouse gets in front of the television, it could be said that he/she is eclipsing the television (ha ha). We usually associate the term Eclipse with one planet obscuring our view of an outer planet in the sky. In the case of a Lunar Eclipse, it is the Earth (us) blocking the light of the Sun's reflection upon the Moon during a Full Moon event. An eclipse can be total or partial, depending on how the Sun, Moon and Earth are aligned. The shadow that is created by an eclipse has two parts: the umbra, or total shadow; and the penumbra, or partial shadow. Note the dates of Eclipse types at the bottom of this page.

Eclipse Basics:

If you don't learn anything else from this piece, please remember this. A Lunar Eclipse cannot occur without a Solar Eclipse occurring within two weeks (either before the Lunar Eclipse or after the Lunar Eclipse.) The Eclipses - Lunar and Solar - ALWAYS happen as a pair. More people are familiar with seeing a Lunar Eclipse because the night sky makes the viewing of the lunar event possible from just about anywhere on the world regardless of where the Lunar Eclipse is occurring. Solar Eclipses are harder to observe; require special equipment and/or eye protection to watch it and being in the "right place at the right time." A Solar Eclipse is the Moon blocking the Sun's rays onto the Earth and a Lunar Eclipse is the Earth blocking the Sun's rays to the Moon from reflecting back to the Earth. The next time you ask about the date of the "Eclipse" be sure to indicate which one you are asking about; the Lunar Eclipse or the Solar Eclipse.

Ecliptic Patterns:

Eclipses, Solar and Lunar, occur through a series of consecutive Ecliptic events that follow a pattern. Perhaps the better term would be sequence. The series can be tracked over time from beginning to end. Yes, each Eclipse series, or sequence, has a birth time and a death time. And like many living organisms, even the series have families that link them generationally. The fact of the matter is, that their cycles are extensive, lasting over one thousand years. Each Eclipse cycle, known as a Saros Series, occurs for approximately 1300 years. Since the life of each Saros is trackable as each of the connecting Eclipses cycle through time, it is logical to expect that each subsequent Eclipse event, as a result of the initial Saros birth, is an expansion upon the original Ecliptic arrival. The unique energies of the original event carry on for the life of each particular Saros Series. Essentially, the Saros is the "name" given to a new eclipse sequence.

In Astronomy, each of the current Saros Series have been individually numbered (named) and tracked. In Astrology, we break from this tradition. Instead, the Eclipses are linked together as a family (cluster) of events that occur as a group approximately 18 years apart. Eclipse families always consist of four or more members. Each member will present an Eclipse during that family's Eclipse Season, depending on whether it originated as a Solar Eclipse or a Lunar Eclipse. That family will not put on another show for 18+ years. If one of the Eclipse family member's is dying out, another will begin being initiated into the family. We see this transition occurring while there are more than four eclipses (two solar and two lunar) during any one Eclipse season. For concise and technical explanations of the Eclipse from the astronomical perspective, visit the NASA Eclipse site that is linked below. In Astronomy, the new birth will be given a new number, i.e. next new Saros number for a Solar Eclipse will be 156 given to an eclipse that will be born on  July 1, 2011 and it will eventually replace Saros 118, which will sequentially appear with 156 until July 15, 2083 when Saros 118 will finally cease to exist. The currently existing Saros number for Solar Eclipses are 117 to 155.  The existing Saros number for Lunar Eclipses are 109 to 149.  This can get quite confusing if you give don't define whether the Eclipse is Solar or Lunar since Saros 117 to 149 can be either a Solar Eclipse or a Lunar Eclipse only they are totally different, with different birth times and ends.  Astrology uses the number 1 to 19 with an S or N to indicate which hemisphere the eclipse originated in. You can see the comparisons and use of the two numbering systems in the table on the bottom of the next page. (Continued on next page.)