Sky calendar

Eclipses

Eclipses happen when the Sun, Earth and Moon line up closely enough for one to cast a shadow on another. They come in seasons about six months apart, usually a solar and a lunar eclipse two weeks apart.

How eclipses work

The Moon’s orbit is tilted by about five degrees to Earth’s orbit, so most New and Full Moons pass just above or below the Sun–Earth line. The two points where the Moon’s path crosses the Sun’s path are the lunar nodes, which astrology calls the North and South Node (Rahu and Ketu in Vedic astrology). An eclipse happens only when a New or Full Moon falls near a node.

A solar eclipse happens at a New Moon, when the Moon blocks the Sun. It can be total (the Sun fully covered along a narrow path), annular (the Moon is a little too far away and leaves a ring of sunlight) or partial. A lunar eclipse happens at a Full Moon, when the Moon passes through Earth’s shadow; a total lunar eclipse turns it a coppery red and is visible from the whole night side of Earth.

Never look at a solar eclipse without certified eclipse glasses or a proper filter, except during the brief totality itself.

What eclipses mean in astrology

Eclipses have been treated as major omens in nearly every culture. Modern astrology reads them as supercharged New and Full Moons: turning points that close one chapter and open another, often with events moving faster than expected.

A solar eclipse is read as a new beginning that may not be visible yet. A lunar eclipse is read as a culmination or ending, when something comes to light. Their effects are traditionally said to unfold over the following months rather than on the day itself.

Eclipses move backwards through the zodiac in pairs of opposite signs, staying in each pair for about eighteen months. The signs involved, and the houses they fall in for your own chart, show which areas of life are being reshaped.

Traditional advice

Astrologers usually advise against launching important ventures in the days around an eclipse, and suggest using the time to notice what is ending and what is quietly beginning. Big decisions are given a few days to settle.

Dates for 2026 and 2027

Times are in UTC. Rows already past are dimmed (updated 3 Nov 2026).

The whole sky in 2026 →