Solar Eclipse 29 April 2014

On 29 April 2014, at 06:14:29 UT, there will be a rare non-central annular solar eclipse. The Sun and the Moon will be conjunct in 08*52 Taurus.

A partial eclipse will be visible within the much broader path of the Moon’s penumbral shadow, that includes the southern Indian Ocean, the southern edge of Indonesia and all of Australia.

This eclipse is part of Saros cycle 143, repeating every 18 years and 11 days, containing 72 events. The series started with partial solar eclipse on 7 March 1617.

The map below shows visibility and timing of the eclipse (time = UT):

(click to enlarge)

The astrological chart, cast for Bangladesh, shows the event:

In his Annus Tenebrosus, or the Dark Year, the famous 17th century astrologer William Lilly presents a method of eclipse delineation, including an interpretation of the effects of solar and lunar eclipses, occurring in each decanate of the Zodiac. As this solar eclipse takes place in the first decanate of Taurus, Lilly’s aphorism is as follows:

“afflicts such as are Negotiators, Solicitors, Agents, or are generally employed in men’s affairs, or in the publick; it compells men to undertake unnecessary business, it brings to nought, and confounds all factions undertaken by the former sort of men, and is suficciently hurtfull to corn”.

If we have a look at the eclipse’s path of angularity, we can see the following:

The map above shows that the solar eclipse will be of quite immediate importance for parts of Africa, particularly Morocco, Mauritania, and the Ivory Coast. The eclipse point will be in the first decanate of Taurus, suggesting Venus to be the eclipse ruler. Venus is essentially dignified by exaltation in Pisces. William Lilly tells us about Venus being Lady of the Eclipse:

“… Venus generally in all things is like unto Jupiter, and produces such effects, with a certain kind of gracefulness; Peculiarly she gives renown unto men, honour, cheerfulness, … obedience and confirmity in Religion, … In the ayr she stirs up temperate blasts of wind, moyst and fructifying, no unpleasing weather or troublesome tempest. In rivers, it notes their gentle Inundation, and pretty swellings without harming any thing, not destructive or violently breaking forth …” 

We can also see that the eclipse point is conjunct the Medium Coeli in Bangladesh, China and Russia. Our astrological chart above is cast for Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, and the map segment below shows the event from a different perspective. We can expect Bangladesh to be affected four to five months after the actual eclipse date.

 

For readers, interested in the personal implications of this eclipse, it might be of interest what William Lilly has to say:

“… Eclipse is more dangerous or pernitious which shall be in the Horoscope or Ascendant of the birth; or which shall be in the degree Ascending in an Annuall Revolution: it portends unto the Native some ominous and mischievous action as unto his body and also in his vital substance.”

And further on:

“… who had in the Radix of his Nativity either the Sun or the Moon in that degree, or in the degree opposite … or in the like degrees … which signs are in Quadrate aspects to the former, or if the degree Culminating in any man’s Nativity was either [the degree of the eclipse or its opposite or square] or within one degree thereof, the native did suffer more or less by the influence of this Eclips; according to the signification of the House of Heaven, wherein the Sun or the Moon was in at the Birth, and was either well fortified or aspected of the benevolent Planets, or ill aspected, or afflicted of the Malevolents.”

For this particular Solar eclipse that means that people with Taurus rising or culminating, either in their birth chart or in their solar return chart for 2014/15, will feel the influence stronger than others. Furthermore it should be noted if Sun or Moon are closely conjunct the Ascendant or Midheaven. Should it be the case that one or even more of these factors apply, an in-depth reading of the native’s charts may be necessary to find out which particular areas of life are likely to be affected the most.