Annular Solar Eclipse of 20121
What differentiates an eclipse from a new or full moon?
It is the apparent latitude, or vertical direction of the moon, relative to the ecliptic plane.
The Sun's apparent orbit is always very near the ecliptic plane, at 0 degrees latitude. But the Moon's apparent orbit is inclined at about 5 degrees, relative to the ecliptic plane.
It's only when the Moon is within about +/- 1 degree latitude of the ecliptic plane that celestial shadows are able to be cast upon one another. Otherwise, shadows are being cast out into space above or below.
What differentiates a total solar eclipse from an annular solar eclipse?
It is the closeness of the Moon.
Since orbital paths are in the shape of ellipses, and not perfect circles, the Moon is sometimes slightly closer to Earth (perigee) and sometimes it is farther away (apogee).
When the Moon is closer to Earth and a solar eclipse occurs, it is able to completely cover the Sun in a total eclipse. However, when the Moon is farther away along its elliptical orbit and a solar eclipse occurs, it is only partially able to cover the Sun in an annular eclipse.
Tonight we have an annular solar eclipse. Unfortunately for Westerners, this eclipse is only visible in Asia.
A brief recap of the three eclipses this season:
- Fri, June 5th - a Penumbral Lunar Eclipse
- Sat, June 20th - an Annular Solar Eclipse
- Sat, July 4th - a Penumbral Lunar Eclipse
Symbolism and Sensemaking
Given the void space conditions created by an eclipse, it's worth taking this moment-out-of-time to step back from the immediate intensity of 2020, zoom out and revisit the larger context of the ongoing Jupiter-Saturn-Pluto conjunction.
Below is a dual timeline covering 2020.
The top graph shows the Sun-Moon relative progression over the year (the Moon's latitude relative to the ecliptic), with highlighting for our current eclipse season.
The bottom graph shows the constituent transits of the Jupiter-Saturn-Pluto conjunction. Of specific note is that the Jupiter-Pluto conjunction is peaking as the prominent backdrop for this eclipse season, and will peak again during the November election. The Saturn-Pluto conjunction has dipped in exactitude, and the Jupiter-Saturn conjunction will be reaching its peak at the end of the year.
I liken this kind of differentiated nuance to varying notes in a chord progression, or instruments in an orchestral piece. Except it's the gods informing and influencing the contours of experience and reality in this case.
In regards to Saturn-Pluto, the correlation with COVID, quarantine, and economic collapse is painfully clear. Like a mass scythe making its way across the landscape, bringing literal death to vulnerable populations, and symbolic death to ways of being and entrenched business-as-usual routines.
It should be noted that while COVID began in China under peak Saturn-Pluto conditions, it wasn't until Jupiter entered into the conjunction that the epidemic went pandemic in March.
It seemed like overnight, with the video of George Floyd's murder, that the world went from being cooped up and in the partially-cautious, partially-restless process of gradually reopening, to out in the streets protesting and rioting with righteous urgency.
The revolutionary spirit that gives rise to massive protest calling for systemic overhaul has the classic signature of Uranus-Pluto. While we are in the sunset period of the Uranus-Pluto square from 2008-2020, and the "generator function" is quieting down, this revolutionary potential is fully saturated and manifest in the collective psyche.
Yet, it should be noted that worldwide protest against police brutality is also happening in the context of peak Jupiter-Pluto. Whereas Uranus brings rebellion and change in relation to Plutonic power and evolutionary drive, Jupiter broadens, elevates and sometimes moralizes the will to power and regeneration.
Exploring Jupiter-Pluto
To quote a relevant passage from Renn Butler's The Archetypal Universe on shadow qualities of Jupiter-Pluto:
Political drama, a feeling of being high and mighty, delusions of superiority, opportunities to abuse power, runaway power trips, inclinations to act as a law unto oneself which threatens those in authority, the power elite, plutocracy. A habit of obsessive righteousness, fanaticism and overkill, ideals of betterment and progress as a reason to dominate other people and nature.
And a passage on character and themes of Jupiter-Pluto:
Dramatic opportunities for regeneration and transformation, deep and thorough healing, complete overhauls, “a desire and ability to transform mind, body, soul, and culture,” restitutio ad integrum, “the spiritual blood transfusion,” a sense of powerful healing waves coursing through one’s body and psyche. The transition from decay to fertilizer, beneficial destruction, heavy experiences with a positive outcome, the long trip into and through the underworld of the psyche, “If I cannot bend the gods above, then I will move the infernal regions.” The undreamed-of benefits of psychospiritual death and rebirth, the death-rebirth struggle with an emphasis on rebirth, triumph through facing death, the titanic drive toward rebirth, the ongoing struggle for purification, the successful purging of karma, activation of the inner kundalini, evolutionary forces in overdrive.
It seems clear that the intensity and gravity of our moment has pierced through enough cultural inertia, apathy, and distraction to bring the need for radical action into sharp and acute enough focus in enough people for worldwide mobilization. Specifically in support of Black Lives Matter in this case, but with the underlying context of widespread systemic injustice and disparities.
Where the trend has been toward widening inequality with the ruthless extraction and concentration of wealth without adequate redress in the populace, the situation of titanic asymmetry only remains tenable in a population that doesn't revolt.
One of the gifts of Jupiter-Pluto here is the ability to turn the tables and emerge out of the upside down. In the face of brazen criminality, whether at the hands of an openly belligerent police force, corrupted and rotting institutions, or a population contending with a teflon mafia godfather as petty tyrant with dictatorial ambitions, Jupiter-Pluto presents the unique opportunity for "extreme failure, disgrace, fall from the heights."2
On the other hand, looking at the shadow qualities of Jupiter-Pluto above, it seems there are a few excessive ways the protests can go off the rails. In other words, power is an equal opportunity corruptor, whether constellated in a single authority or a mob. Protests turn into riots turn into looting, without some restraint and leadership to counteract the free-flowing possessive impulses to act out, and remain directed toward the reasonable goal at hand.
Fortunately, this solar eclipse doesn't make any triggering aspects to the Jupiter-Saturn-Pluto conjunction. They are merely co-present in the collective simulatenously.
The next lunar eclipse on July 4th will be right at 10 degrees out from the Jupiter-Pluto end of the conjunction though. So the above archetypal exploration may come in handy again.
Solar Eclipse Horoscope of June 20th/21st, 2020
Footnotes
- Annular Solar Eclipse Image taken by Bill D. from from Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah in May 2012.
- "extreme failure, disgrace, fall from the heights" quoted from Richard Tarnas' Notes on the Planetary Archetypes.