With Scorpio prominent at both spring and autumn eclipses, it should come as no surprise that power and death proved to be strong themes. In fact, 2013 marked the death of quite a few prominent politicians, including Margaret Thatcher (in April 2013 at the lunar eclipse – fitting for a prominent woman) and Nelson Mandela in December, close to the Scorpio solar eclipse – one of the archetypal symbols of the male leader. There are some interesting parallels between the 2013 and 2014 eclipses and that of 2005 in terms of astrological overaps as well as themes, which included unexplained or accidental deaths, murders and terrorist attacks. Both revolutionaries in their day, it was almost as though the old guard were giving way to a new generation of firebrand, albeit one less focused or organised than their predecessors.
However, overall the Spring eclipses proved to be a bit milder/beneficent than their autumnal counterparts, perhaps because the Moon is exalted in Taurus, but considered to be in fall in Scorpio.
LUNAR ECLIPSE IN SCORPIO
TYPE: Partial
DATE: 26 April 2013
DEGREE: 5 Degrees Scorpio
SABIAN SYMBOL: A gold rush.
SAROS SERIES: Van Den Berg 112 series
RELATED OCCURRENCES: This eclipse is related to the partial lunar eclipses in Libra that occurred in April 1995 and April 1977.
KEY PLANETS/ASPECTS: This eclipse was interesting. The Scorpio Moon was conjunct Saturn – a pattern echoed by the November 2013 Scorpio solar eclipse. This would have added a gloomy note to proceedings – fitting, given the Woolwich Machete Massacre in May 2013 and the Boston Marathon Attack in April 2013 – well within the three-month window of this eclipse and in keeping with the Moon’s detrimented position in this sign.
The Moon was also making an opposition to Venus and Mars in Taurus, both flanking the Sun at the time, which may have led to some turbulence in romantic relationships, especially if there was any sort of cheating or infidelity; as well as controversy within the art or business worlds.
SOLAR ECLIPSE IN TAURUS
TYPE: Annular
DATE: 10 May 2013
DEGREE: 19 Degrees Taurus
SABIAN SYMBOL: Wisps of clouds, like wings, are streaming across the sky.
THEMES: Taking place in Taurus, a position where the Moon is exalted, this eclipse began a six month cycle that lasted until the autumn 2013 lunar eclipse. There may be ties to the 2021–22 eclipses, also in Taurus and Scorpio.
KEY PLANETS/ASPECTS: The May 2013 eclipse took place in the midst of a stellium of planets in Taurus, including Mercury, Mars and the South Node, which in itself, can signal karmic release. Interesting that Mercury was so closely involved in both 2013 solar eclipses – suggesting an element of virality, as well as a focus on media, telecomms, as well as travel, thought and learning.
Once again, Mars figured into proceedings closely, which may have cast a rather violent and angry shadow over proceedings – very much in keeping with the turbulent and bloody mood that seemed to characterise both 2013 and 2014, which were both strongly coloured by a series of cardinal aspects, including a volatile Uranus-Pluto square, which played out in a number of terrorist incidents and mass killings such as the Boston Marathon Attack and Woolwich Massacre, both committed by angry and disgruntled young men who felt alienated and excluded from their social sphere. In many ways, this echoed the Black Lives Matter riots following the killing of George Floyd in 2020 (especially around the time of the lunar eclipse in Sagittarius with it’s fiery T-square to Mars) and the Arab Spring of 2011 in terms of being about youth wanting to express their frustration and outrage over social inequalities and injustices.
SAROS SERIES: Brady 15 South family; Van den Berg: 138. Brady characterises this set of eclipses as facilitating ‘a sudden release of tension.’ For example, a situation that might have been lingering or festering, suddenly clears or is resolved. However, she does add that ‘In the clearing of the problem, there is also a sense of grief or loss which is not so much personal’ but rather belongs to a group or collective.
PREVIOUS OCCURRENCES: 1905, 1923, 1941, 1977, 1995
