Historically, the events surrounding Eclipses are distinctive for their dramatic impact of both the globe and human affairs. This period of elevated drama seeds a series of related events over an extended period of time.

There are two major Eclipse cycles, the greater 1300-year Saros cycle, begins with a New Moon at the North or South Pole - finishing its cycle at the opposite pole. The shorter Eclipse cycle, called the Metonic Cycle, has a 19-year pattern repeating 3-5 times over a span of about 57-95 years. A deeper study of the Metonic Cycle reveals the key to the timing of Eclipse events.

2008
This is one of the most exciting eclipse charts since August, 1999. The total solar eclipse at 9° Leo 32’ on August 1, 2008 will be visible in Siberia over the Altai Mountains and most directly in the city of Novosibirsk in Siberia. It will be seen in China, Mongolia, North America, Northern Canada and Greenland.

It is no mistake that nearby China is host to the summer Olympics, as the global events cluster around the path of the shadow of a solar eclipse. The last few years the paths of solar eclipses have been seen near the north and south poles, heating up these regions.

This eclipse occurs at the south node of the Moon at 9° Leo 32’ and is a member of the 10-South Saros cycle. The Saros cycle has approximately a 1,300 year lifespan. This Saros cycle began on Marcy 10, 1179 at the South Pole and ends in April 13, 2423. From Bernadette Brady’s book The Eagle and the Lark, Brady interprets this Saros series 10-South “to concern itself with breaking out of a very negative situation where no hope can be seen to a more positive space containing many options.” She interprets that there is an urgency to applying solutions that are shown as a result of the impact of this eclipse. Another positive note from Brady is that “a worry that may have been affecting a person will suddenly clear’. Interestingly the Sabian Symbol for this degree is “early morning dew”. Both of these notes are encouraging when a positive shift is so necessary for a struggling economic, stressed agricultural and ecological system.

Cycles a very handy for trying to make sense of how they affect you. A shorter eclipse cycle gives us solid reference points for when this energy was last here. By remembering what happened then you may find similar topics in your life now that have matured. There is a group of solar eclipses that occur near the same date and zodiacal degree which repeats every nineteen years, called the Metonic cycle. This is different from the Saros series which produces dozens of eclipses in its life and all at different signs and degrees throughout.

This solar eclipse begins a new Metonic cycle group near 10°Leo at the south node of the Moon and will repeat three times every nineteen years until the group ends on August 2, 2065.

The last Metonic cycle group, near 10° Leo, ended recently on July 31, 2000. That group occurred at the north node of the Moon and was the last of five solar eclipses near the same date in 1924, 1943, 1962 and 1981. It is not hard to remember the candidates for the US Presidential election in the summer of 2000. The economy was at its peak during that time and people were buying property with opportunities for mortgages for any budget. The Clinton administration was leaving the White House with a national surplus and a balanced budget.

There are more fun dates to play with. Check out the dates of the lunar eclipses also related to this Metonic cycle group as well. The first occurred 9.5 years ago when the north node of the Moon traveled over the degree of this 10° Leo eclipse point on January 31, 1999. The exact location of that lunar eclipse was 11°Leo 20’. During that time Bill Clinton was relieved when his long impeachment ordeal ended. Later that year he was talking about his wife’s future run for the presidency.

The next related lunar eclipse to this summer’s solar eclipse will occur on January 31, 2018. The lunar eclipses reignite the purpose of a solar eclipse, bringing to the forefront related matters. It can be a time of conclusion and endings.

This summer a different lunar eclipse occurs on August 16, 2008, at 24° Aquarius 21’. It is not related to the current solar eclipse but has its roots in a solar eclipse back in February 1999. You may look to that time for related matters that may be pressing in some form during this summer.

August 1, 2008’s solar eclipse has many interesting configurations that influence this time. The asteroids are highly emphasized in the eclipse chart as well as Mars. This year, Mars was the first planet to cross this eclipse point on May 26, 2008 (aside from Saturn which crossed this eclipse degree on October 8, 2005 and again on January 6, 2006.) The nodes of the Moon will retrigger this eclipse for a two week period surrounding each of the following dates; December 27, 2008 and January 27, 2009.

Mars as the current indicator of leading events is giving Saturn’s mission a fire under its pot. And Saturn truly has a clear mission this year when it opposes Uranus on November 4, 2008, Election Day here in the US. The nature of a Saturn and Uranus opposition is to upset the apple cart and rearrange the status quo. The two planets represent the most ancient energies. Saturn is the ruler of time itself and governs our structure and its stability. Saturn is the father principal. Uranus rules sudden abrupt change. Uranus will shake things up to make way for new roads to progress. Outworn ideas, establishments and restrictions will not be unmoved as Uranus’ rattle causes shifting plates. The opposition between the pair shows an acknowledgment of opposing ideas and conditions. There can be a rebellion to force matter into an open area. Remember the sit-ins and protests against the war and about racial equality in the 60’s. The issues could not be ignored. That energy is back and in the same signs.

Mars was the first to reach eclipse degree on a precarious day, May 26, 2008 when Mercury (the messenger) and Neptune (ruler of wet confusion) were at their stationary degrees about to turn retrograde (reversals). Hillary Clinton’s campaign was washed up when Mars (the race) reached the degree of the 10° Leo eclipse and the race went to the Leo, Barack Obama. Hillary is a Scorpio.

On the day of the eclipse Mars will be at 18° Virgo, as if it is holding the space for the Saturn and Uranus opposition which will occur at 18° Virgo/Pisces. This is identical to the Saturn and Uranus opposition on February 24, 1966, but then the planets were reversed. It took nearly two years for Saturn and Uranus to end their opposition on January 6, 1967 that began in April of 1965. The country was in shambles after President Kennedy was killed and his brother Bobby Kennedy was cut down while running for president on the heels of the assassination of Martin Luther King in 1968. A prediction from President John F. Kennedy is recalled that there would be a black president in 40 years. Perhaps his predictions won’t be far off.

Ceres (the nurturer and caregiver) in Cancer (the family, home and stomach) is very active in this eclipse as it forms three aspects; the first is trine Uranus in Pisces; the second is quincunx to Chiron and Neptune in Aquarius. Ceres is dead serious about her concerns as the goddess of the harvest. Her mythological character was coined as the grieving mother. She lost her only daughter to the god of the underworld, Pluto. Her grief shut down her primary purpose of feeding the world. All the crops withered and the entire population nearly starved to death before Jupiter intervened and begged Pluto to release her daughter, Persephone. They struck a deal that allowed Persephone to return above ground to her mother for six months out of the year. Gratefully, the earth was restored to its plentiful state. Ceres’ energy has not been this obvious as we sacrifice our food for fuel.

The New Moon at 10° Leo is challenged by an opposition to the powerful midpoint of Uranus and Pluto. It brings to mind again the 60’s when Uranus and Pluto were within one degree of a conjunction from September 1965 to August 1966. This configuration sets up a deep transformational vibration that resonates with people anxious for change. The eclipse begins a 27-month period when ones perspective is pressured to change. Once again old ways of thinking are not supported in this future motivated time. It is an emotionally restless period that is constantly seeking the truth that will incite change and break through new ways to implement freedom from past restraints. There will be no doubt that the engines are fired for a new era.

The Eclipse point is also in aspect to the Mars/Pluto midpoint. This indicates it is time to cut a new fabric for life and to utilize personal power. This aspect indicates superhuman energy. The temptation is to overwork.

If you are an artist of any type, this is your eclipse. Plan a show for mid-August and gather support from interested parties. The money is available for those with a clear set of goals and a motivated vision. Children are inspired or are an inspiration during this time. The child within yourself is transformed.