The Great American Eclipse of August 21

The August solar eclipse occurs August 21, and falls at 29 degrees of Leo. This is called the 'Great American Eclipse as it is the first eclipse that has crossed the US from coast to coast in 99 years, and it should be visible from all parts of the US. Click here to see the eclipse map. This is the first time since 1257 and eclipse fell exclusively within the borders of the US, which makes it the only eclipse exclusive to the US since the formation of the country. This eclipse cuts the US in half, and its path goes from Oregon to South Carolina. It's interesting that in 2024, another eclipse will cut the country in half again from Texas to Main.

The best city to view the eclipse from is Nashville, TN or one of the following locations: Atlanta, 97%, Boston, 63%, Chicago, 87%, Cincinnati, 91%, Dallas, 76%, Denver 92%, Detroit, 79%, Houston, 67%, Indianapolis 91%, Las Vegas, 72%, Los Angeles, 62%, Memphis 93%, Miami 78%, Milwaukee 83%, Minneapolis, 83%, NYC, 72%, Oklahoma City 84%, Philadelphia, 75%, Phoenix, 63%, Pittsburgh, 81%, Portland 99%, Salt Lake City 91%, Seattle, 92%, Washington, DC, 81%.   If you look at the google map, the closer you are to the eclipse path, the more you will see.  

 Click here for a map to see the duration of the eclipse in your area.

If you are on the path of totality, the sky will go dark, the temperature will drop, and animals will respond as though it is night. The crust of the earth will rise, according to reports. For some, this is the only total eclipse they have seen in their lifetime.

Eclipses are like wildcards, and one of the ways we learn how and what we need to change and evolve. An eclipse can seem good or bad, depending on what it aspects in your personal chart, and often an eclipse is dramatic, or reveals important information if it aspects a significant point in your own chart/life.  An eclipse often brings news pertaining to life's biggest events.

The energy of an eclipse can go for months and in some cases years.

 The energy and events connected to an eclipse can occur before or after the actual eclipse. The energy of an eclipse can generate major circumstances weeks and even months after the eclipse-an eclipse is a predictor of events that can occur before, during and after the actual event itself.

With an eclipse we have both endings and beginnings. A solar eclipse is more like a new beginning, and it is always a new moon. A lunar eclipse can being more news of endings and it is associated with a full moon.

Almost always unexpected information comes to light and at this time something may be eclipsed completely out of your life, or into your life. Eclipses can bring positive or negative events depending on what it aspects in your personal chart.

 This eclipse can clear away the emotional baggage and re-set your emotional life, so to speak. With Jupiter in the picture, we have the potential for personal expansion and a link to happiness of some kind.

The eclipse falls at 29 degrees of Leo. This is known as the Anaretic degree, and considered crisis oriented. Many things, situations and personal cycles can end at this time.

Eclipses can and do bring random events, that you did not expect and are typically beyond your control.

This eclipse falls on the fixed Star, Regulus, one of the Royal Stars of Persia, that also include Aldebaran, Fomalhaut, and Antares.

Ptolemy describes the nature of Regulus as violence, destructiveness, military honor of short duration with ultimate failure, imprisonment, violent death, success, high and lofty ideals and strength of spirit, and makes its natives magnanimous, grandly liberal, generous, ambitious, fond of power, desirous of command, high spirited and independent. (Donald Trump has Regulus on the ascendant conjunct Mars, and the eclipse will bring about significant events in his Presidency).

Each of the royal Stars can promise success if a certain attribute is avoided. With Regulus, it asks that we proceed without vengeance, or suffer a fall.

An eclipse at this degree can indicate the fall of an important leader as it did in 1998, (Bill Clinton went through impeachment proceedings) but it does not have to occur on that exact day.

The eclipse is also trine Uranus at 28 degrees of Aries. This can bring about sudden and unexpected events, but as it is a trine, events can turn out well, and be of a positive nature. New ideas, or even inventions may come to the forefront and there can be a sense of excitement in the air.

Mars sextiles Jupiter, which is a positive and enthusiastic transit as well.

There are fifth house connotations to this eclipse as Leo rules the 5th house of love/friendships and children and entertainment. I expect to see many events and situations during and around this eclipse that relate to relationships and love. An eclipse can 'eclipse' something in, or out of your life and sometimes both depending on what it is aspecting in your personal chart.

Mercury is retrograde-While eclipse energies go for at least a month before the eclipse and after, it is often longer. As Mercury is retrograde on this day at 8 degrees of Virgo, we can expect to see some events that relate to the eclipse delayed. By the first week of September, Mercury will hit the eclipse point at 28-29 degrees of Leo where it will turn direct, and I expect many eclipse events to play out then. On September 3, Mars and Mercury both hit the eclipse point, and we can expect to see significant events on this day. As Venus hits the eclipse point  September 19, we may see more events connected with this eclipse.

August 21, 1998 an eclipse occurred at the same degree of 28 Leo. If you are old enough to remember what occurred at this time, you may have an indication as to how this eclipse will affect you.

One of the most significant things that occurred around the time of the last eclipse at this degree was the scandal that occurred involving US President Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky, that led to Clinton's impeachment. We could see other scandals during this time, and US President Donald Trump's chart is heavily affected by this eclipse as it falls on his ascendant and conjuncts Mars.

Other events of August/September 1998 included:

 -Winnie Mandela sued by the South African government

- Omagh bombing in Northern Ireland, the worst terrorist incident of The Troubles, kills 29 people and injures about 220

- South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission chairperson, Archbishop D. Tutu, releases documents revealing an alleged plot by Western countries to assassinate UN Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld of Sweden

- The Royal Proclamation of HRH Prince Al-Muhtadee Billah as the Crown Prince of Brunei.

- The Supreme Court of Canada rules that Quebec cannot legally secede from Canada without the federal government's approval.

- U.S. embassy bombings: US military launches cruise missile attacks against alleged al-Qaida camps in Afghanistan and a suspected chemical plant in Sudan in retaliation for August 7 bombings of American embassies in Kenya and Tanzania

- First RFID human implantation tested in the United Kingdom.

- North Korea reportedly launches Kwangmyongsong, its first satellite.

-On September 2, Swissair Flight 111 crashes near Peggys Cove, Nova Scotia. All 229 people on board are killed.

- Google.com is registered as a domain name.

The eclipse literally cuts the US in half. Major events typically are associated in and around the path of totality of eclipses. As the eclipse divides the US, I do not see an change in the political divisions that exist for some time. As another eclipse crosses the country in 7 years the deep divisions may continue for years to come.

In the US natal chart (Sagittarius rising) the eclipse falls in the 9th house of governments, laws and foreign nations-relations. As it opposes the US Moon the people will be agitated-upset. As Mercury squares natal Uranus we can expect to hear sudden and unexpected news that can include healthcare, workers, or the military. News may relate to foreign people/affairs, as well as the dissemination  of information, transit and communication networks to name a few.

Leo rules royalty and we could hear new of royal families now or in the next 6 months. As you can see from 1998 the Crown Prince of Brunei was named. On August 2, Prince Phillip of the UK officially retired from Royal duties, but we could hear more over the next 3 months. In 1998, the royal family was in a state of flux over the death of Princess Diana and investigations into her death were continuing and the British monarchy suffered a crisis of confidence.

We could also hear news of celebrities, actors, and people in the entertainment world.

We could hear cutting edge types of news (Uranus) and on August 2, it was announced deadly gene mutations have been removed from embryos.

Those Most affected by this eclipse will have fixed planets at 29-27 degrees of  Leo, Aquarius, Taurus or Scorpio. If your Sun or ascendant falls one of these signs and degrees the eclipse will bring significant events to your life. 

If you are a Leo or Aquarius, expect the issues to center around relationships. If you are a Taurus/Scorpio, the 4th/10th house axis of home, family and business will be activated.

We are currently experiencing a 'Moon wobble' which occurs when the Sun forms a square to the nodal axis, as the Moon is wobbling in its path by declination. This will continue through August 24.  This will amp up the energy of this eclipse, as emotions are aroused and there is a tendency to act suddenly without thinking things through correctly. Astrologer Carl Payne Tobey coined this phrase after he discovered the moon wobble correlation to natural disasters, fires, loss of life, bad weather and other catastrophes.

Hotel rooms are booked all over the country, some schools are not going to be in session. Some will take the day off and enjoy the skies. You can google your town to see what the peak time of the eclipse is. Good luck!

Samastha lokaah sukhino bhavanthu - May all the worlds have peace and prosperity.