A New Birth:
The Solstice Total Lunar Eclipse Grand Square
December 21, 2010

Nick Anthony Fiorenza

A Total Lunar Eclipse occurring on the December Solstice is a rare event. The last December Solstice Total Lunar Eclipse occurred in 1638. (The 1378 date first reproted was in error.)

1638 Elcipse map: http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/5MCLEmap/1601-1700/LE1638-12-21T.gif
Five Millennium Catalog of Lunar Eclipses: http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/LEcat5/LEcatalog.html

Full Moon 1638 Dec 21, 2:01:06
Total Lunar Eclipse: 1638 Dec 21, 02:00:39
Solstice 1638 Dec 21, 16:04:35

Lunar eclipses tend to be about releasing the emotional bonds within ourselves that reach out and glue us to involvements that are less than we truly want or deserve. They are about the emotional and experiential aspects of our relations with others and with the world--how we feel about and palpate life. Lunar eclipses provide opportunity for an emotional release, a fresh start.

The December Solstice is the astronomical New Year. This is when Earth is at a location in its orbit around the Sun where Earth's north pole is tilted furthest from the Sun. At this time, the direct line of sight to the Sun is at its closest point in Earth's southern hemisphere (creating mid-summer for our southern friends). Although mid-year for those in the southern hemisphere, it is mid-winter in the northern hemisphere. Either way, for Earth, this is like a new breath beginning, when the solar fire begins to move upward through the polar backbone of Earth and her magnetic field, igniting Earth's kundalini, marking the start of another orbital cycle around the Sun.

An excerpt from the December 5, 2010 Lunar Planner:

December 21, 2010 Total Lunar Eclipse Star Map

The Full Moon occurs in early sidereal Gemini on the "Gate of Man" of Earth's Precessional Cross. The Moon near the Lunar South Node produces a Total Lunar Eclipse--visible throughout North America and western South America. The zenith (when the eclipse is overhead) lies just off the coast of southern California and Baja Mexico.

Juno, the asteroid of covenant relationships and mutual equality, opposes Uranus an hour and one half before the Full Moon Eclipse, adding a significant dynamic to our Full Moon eve. In addition, the Sun and the asteroid Pallas (along with Mercury, the Lunar North Node, Pluto and Mars) lie opposite the Moon and the Lunar South Node; and this axis creates a Grand Square with Juno opposite Jupiter-Uranus. The entire Solstice Grand Square Total Eclipse Full Moon, with the Moon on the Gate of Man of Earth's Precessional Cross, creates a primary activation of Earth's Precessional Cross--our sacred geometry of evolutionary change. This produces a dynamic and potent passageway--a challenge for radical action to change--especially in relationships of all sorts.

The Sun-Pallas alignment marks the mid-point of vision and realization in the current Earth-Pallas synodic cycle that began on May 4, 2010. The theme of this synodic cycle was presented in the April 14, 2010 Lunar Planner. The Sun-Pallas part of this Grand Square, and the realizations we have on our Full Moon, adds a significant dynamic regarding any changes we may be making in our relationships. In its lower octave and for the less emotionally mature, it may express as spiteful and judgmental side-taking to validate any need to change. In its higher octave, and for the more emotionally mature, it provides tremendous opportunity for the application of artistic creative intelligence in support of partnerships to enter into a new octave of experience and creative co-participation. Any changes being made in partnerships may involve long-standing, even karmic, patterns of participation.

The Full Moon Eclipse nearly conjoins the same stars as our new Mercury 116-day synodic cycle (which also begins in this lunar cycle on Dec 19-20), with emphasis on Betelgeuse of enterprising Orion and Menkalinan of Auriga, which mark the "Gate of Man" at 5° sidereal Gemini.

Betelgeuse marks Orion's right shoulder, from which he holds the upraised sword just under the gate of Man. Betelgeuse embodies the theme of a male warrior, is of a kingly nature, authoritative and is of human resourcefulness in action. Betelgeuse inspires a sense of responsibility to dynamically response to whatever is occurring in the moment. Betelgeuse will challenge existing systems or authorities to cut through whatever is in the way of solution. Physical constructive response is the hallmark of Betelgeuse.

Also articulating the nature of this few degree band of the zodiak is Menkalinan, the right shoulder of Auriga the Charioteer, which conjoins Betelgeuse and the "Gate of Man." Menkalinan motivates mutual support amongst colleagues with a responsibility to assist each other in the world of daily human affairs.

The theme of this zodiakal longitude--dynamic resourceful action amongst colleagues with the ability to strategically respond in the moment....

Eclipse Map by Fred Espenak, NASA/GSFC.

Eclipse Map & Info: http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/OH/OH2010.html#LE2010Dec21T

Full Moon Eclipse Times (Eve of Dec 20, 2010)

Full Moon: Dec 21: 8:13:27 UT • (Full Moon Zenith: 23N45 123W54)

Penumbral Eclipse Begins: 05:29:17 UT
Partial Eclipse Begins: 06:32:37 UT
Total Eclipse Begins: 07:40:47 UT
Greatest Eclipse: 08:16:57 UT - (total duration ~72 minutes)
Total Eclipse Ends: 08:53:08 UT
Partial Eclipse Ends: 10:01:20 UT
Penumbral Eclipse Ends: 11:04:31 UT

Peak Full Moon Eclipse Local Times:
Dec 20, 10:13 PM AHST; 11:13 PM YST
Dec 21, 12:13 AM PST; 1:13 AM MST; 2:13 AM CST; 3:13 AM EST

Example: partial eclipse begins about 1 hr 45 min before peak local time.

Solstice: Dec 21: 23:38:28 GMT


The eclipse should be spectacular to watch (weather permitting). The ring of light the moon will produce is the refection of every sunrise and sunset occurring on Earth all at the same time. (If you were looking from the Moon, you would see an Earth eclipse of the Sun, with the ring of light around the Earth being the sunrises and sunsets all around the Earth. It is this light the Moon will reflect back to Earth--the ring of fire.


Since receiving so many emails re 2010 - 2012, my responce was:

The 2012 info that has been circulating and building for years is an amalgamation of many misunderstandings; confusions, and illusory fabrications of astronomical fact, Mayan date controversies, wishful and fearful thinking. What is real and what is fact?

The Solstice Total Lunar Eclipse occurring now (tonight) Dec 21, 2010 on Earth Precessional Cross is a MAJOR activation of Earth's Precessional Cross; of Earth's grid; and of the portal of evolutionary change catalyzed by Earth's precessional Cross--a cycle which governs the evolutionary cycle of soul collective on Earth. This astronomical event (this lunar eclipse) is far more significant than any astronomical event occurring on the December solstice of 2012.

Everything people hear--fact or fiction--seems to get thrown into the 2012 date--from the statement of a grand planetary alignment; to the 2012 solstice / Precessional Cross alignment; to an alignment with the center of our galaxy; to the end of the world; or we all go up in light--all of which are erroneous or at the best convoluted twists of astronomical fact.

A primary example is regarding my work on Earth's Precessional Cross (first published in 1995) - an event which actually peaked in 1998. We are now on the other side of that cross as we accelerate into a period of change in Earth precessional cycle. BTW - not at the end of this cycle, but at a transition point within it--albeit a significant one--into the "transitional quarter" of the ~25,000 cycle.

It has become common myth that the solstice / precessional cross alignment is occurring on the December solstice of 2012 coinciding with often-debated Mayan 2012 December date, and justifying the statement because the sun's disc (as seen from Earth at solstice) is large enough to still be seen crossing the "Galactic Equatorial Node," which is the  primary reference point for Earth's Precessional Cross (where the galactic equator and the ecliptic cross, at 5° sidereal Sagittarius). We could say the same for many solstices occurring throughout a many year period surrounding the actual cross of 1998. Nothing astronomical makes the 2012 solstice extra significant--and certainly not more so than this solstice-eclipse of Dec, 21, 2010.

And now, people say the Mayan date must be 2010 because of the eclipse - is this more fabrication? I have no idea. Study of the Mayan Calendar is not my area of expertise, so I will not suggest any dates for its end or for any transition points within it. 

However, this is so typical when people fall into the trap of waiting on some date for something outside of self to occur, when the real transition is occurring NOW - moment-by moment - within. Don't miss the present.

At the least, watch the eclipse (if the clouds permit) - they are always beautiful events of nature to witness.

Reference:
Earth Precessional Cross / Solstice Timing
http://www.lunarplanner.com/HolyCross.html#Timing

The Solstice Total Eclipse of Dec 21, 2010 (maps, times, etc)
http://www.lunarplanner.com/Snippets/10.12.21-LunarEclipse/index.html
(that is this page)

Hope that helps,
Nick


The 2011 Lunar Planner Journal

The Lunar Planner Journal provides a way to learn how to live in attunement to the natural Lunar Cycles. By using the Lunar Planner Journal on a daily basis, you can quickly learn how to participate in harmony with the natural lunar spiral of growth and gain an entirely new understanding and perspective of your life experience.

We need not live in endless struggle, overwhelmed by the surface turbulence of our growth and awakening process. We can establish an inner peace instead, with life becoming a graceful dance when we attune ourselves to the natural spiral of growth that is guiding our lives. Living in attunement to the natural Lunar Cycles is an effective and empowering way to do this.

The Monthly Lunar Planner

Astronomical Sidereal Astrology and Star Lore reveal each lunar month's theme, and the planetary themes unfolding throughout the year. Each lunar month's theme weaves a continuing story line of the patterns of growth unfolding in our lives.


The stars would not be in the heavens
if we were meant to walk in darkness.