Lunar Eclipse of January 20-21, 2019

We started off this year with the Solar Eclipse of January 5-6, 2019, and in a few days, on January 20-21, 2019, there will be a Total Lunar Eclipse. This Eclipse will be visible in North and South America, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. The period of totality will be 62 minutes.

As Eclipses go, the effect of this one will be moderate, but not severe. As always, the greatest impact of this Eclipse will be felt on the world stage, but it can also create disruption in the personal lives of some people as well, depending on their charts.

With that in mind, let us look at the Lunar Eclipse of January 20-21, 2019.

Eclipse Chart

One of the first ways to analyze an Eclipse is to look at the chart of the Eclipse itself.

The Eclipse itself occurs with the Sun at 0° Aquarius and the Moon at 0° Leo. For those with planets in the early degrees of the Fixed Signs of Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, and Aquarius, this will be a short reprise of the disruption from last summer’s Eclipses and from the retrogrades last September and October. That being said, none of the other planets seem to be interacting with the Eclipse itself, so it will only be a short reprise and nothing like what was felt last year.

The signs that will feel the heaviest impact of this Eclipse will be the Cardinal Signs, Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn. The most prominent and troubling feature of this chart is a tight applying square between Mars in Aries and Saturn in Capricorn. Mars and Saturn are the two malefics, they are both strong in their own signs, and they are fighting each other. On a global level, this means that the conflicts that are going on right now will probably not be ending any time soon.

On a personal level, if you have major planets in one or more of these four Cardinal Signs, you may experience a frustrating period, where you want to make changes, but you feel hindered by one problem after another. The key is to be patient and to do what you can under the circumstances. This is just a period of bad astrological weather, and it does not represent a permanent situation.

There is some hope in the air with this Eclipse, though. Jupiter is still enjoying her stay in Sagittarius, and Venus is there with her. This will help people keep the faith and in good humor. It will also help with forgiveness if tempers flare due to stress. The one problem will be the influence of a separating square between both of these planets and Neptune. This could create an issue of overconfidence and carelessness if one is not careful, particularly for those with important planets in the Mutable Signs of Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, and Pisces.

There is good news, especially for those with prominent planets in the Fire Signs of Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius. The day after the Eclipse, a Grand Trine will form between the Moon in Leo, Mars in Aries, and Venus and Jupiter in Sagittarius. This should be a window of opportunity in an otherwise difficult month.

How Long Will the Effects of this Eclipse Last?

This is not a simple question, especially with respect to a Total Eclipse. The effects of this Eclipse will be felt most strongly in the two weeks following it. Not only is it an Eclipse, but it is also the Lunation (New or Full Moon) governing this time. Eclipse Season will be over on January 26, 2019, which end the most chaotic period. The next Lunation will be the New Moon on February 4, 2019, so if it is possible, it would be best to wait to begin new ventures until then.

On the world stage, each Eclipse set, which would include this one and the Solar Eclipse of January 5-6, can impact events over the next six months or so, until the next Eclipse season. This year, the next Eclipse season will occur at the end of June and into July of 2019.

Furthermore, because this Lunar Eclipse will be total, its full impact will be delayed. For a Lunar Eclipse, each minute of totality corresponds to one month. The period of totality will be about 62 minutes, which corresponds to 5.167 years. This means we will see the full impact of this Lunar Eclipse in March of 2024.

Lunar Saros Series 134

Eclipses are not single events, but they are also part of families, known as Saros Series. The Lunar Eclipse of January 20-21, 2018 is a part of Lunar Saros Series 134. This Saros Series began on April 1, 1550, and it will end on May 28, 2830. Here is the chart for the first Eclipse in this series.

This chart has a lot of interesting features. It is not an extremely powerful chart. The energy is rather scattered, with a complicated disposition pattern. Most of the planets feed into a mutual reception between Mercury in Taurus and Venus in Gemini. The one exception is Saturn in Aquarius, who stands by herself, applying tension to Mercury. The Eclipse itself occurs between Aries and Libra, which seems to quite literally to relate to the opposition between war and peace. The disposition pattern also alludes to the themes of territory, borders, and intolerance competing with themes of openness and interest in diversity.

The history of events surrounding this Eclipse seems to follow these themes of war and peace and intolerance and openness. The first Total Eclipse of this series occurred on October 25, 1874. It was 32 minutes long, meaning its full impact would be felt in two and a half years, or at the end of April of 1877. This marked the beginning of one of the Russo-Turkish Wars, which led to the independence of several countries such as Romania and Serbia. This conflict was in part over the trouble between the different religions in the area.

The next Total Eclipse in this series occurred on November 4, 1892. On November 23, 1892, Pierre de Coubertin launched the plans for the modern Olympic games. This Total Eclipse lasted 44 minutes, meaning that the full impact would be felt in about 3 years and 4 months, or the end of March and early April of 1896, which was when the first modern Olympics began in Athens.

Also of note, given the current struggles surrounding the borders between the U.S. and Mexico, it was during the December 1964 Eclipse Season of this Saros pair, Solar Saros Series 122 and Lunar Saros Series 134, that the current shape of this border was formed. It was at this time that U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson and Mexican President Gustavo Diaz Ordaz set off an explosion diverting the Rio Grande River as a part of an agreement to settle a century-long border dispute between these two countries.

Conclusion and Recommendations

The Lunar Eclipse of January 20-21, 2019 seems like it will be a bit disruptive, but it will not be awful. It is part of a Saros Series that deals with issues of border disputes, intolerance, and diversity. The greatest impact will be on the world stage, but it could influence people on a personal level as well. Below are some recommendations for managing this Lunar Eclipse:

• As much as you can, avoid the light of the Lunar Eclipse. Try to stay inside and close your curtains or blinds to keep its light from entering your house if you can.
• For Cardinal Signs, Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn, stay calm and exercise patience. You could experience frustrations and delays. This period of bad astrological weather will only last for a couple of weeks.
• For Fixed Signs, Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, and Aquarius, you have been through this before. There will be a minor reprise of last year’s disruptions, but it is nothing that you cannot handle. Use the lessons you learned last year to get through this.
• For Mutable Signs, Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, and Pisces, do your best to be sensible. You could be subject to overoptimism and overextension.
• For everyone, as much as you can, stay detached from world events. Live your life without getting caught up in things you cannot control. In particular, do not let political fights turn into personal ones with your friends and family.