Venus Eclipse Ruler

On 23 March 2016, at 12:00 UT, there will be a penumbral lunar eclipse. The eclipse will be visible from east Asia, Australia and most of North America . It is number 18 in the Saros Series 142, and the duration of this eclipse will be 4 hours and 15 minutes. The map below shows the visibility of the eclipse:

The astrological chart, cast for Kolkata, also shows the event:

Before we will discuss any possible effects on the individual, we have a look at the mundane astrological implications of this eclipse. To be able to do this, we need to establish where the eclipse is likely to have its greatest effect. For this purpose we need to look at the countries or cities falling under the rulership of Libra, the sign wherein the eclipse Moon resides during the event. We also have to take into consideration that the eclipse’s visibility will greatly enhance its effect. Looking through traditional source material, we find that Arabia, Antwerp, Argentina, Austria (Vienna), Bactriana (Persian Asia), Canada, Caspia, Egypt (Thebes), Ethiopia, France, with Dauphine and Laudam, Germany, with Heilbronn, Landshut, Frankfurt, Freiburg and Freising in particular, Italy, Jamaica, Portugal, Sweden (Hull), and Thebes are the locations traditionally thought to fall under the rulership of Libra. The Moon is placed in the first decanate of Libra, which is ruled by the Moon. Therefore we have to look at Venus as main eclipse ruler. William Lilly writes in his Annus Tenebrous, that a lunar eclipse in the first decant of Libra signifies:

“hail storms, ill weather, turbulent winds, violent tempests, very harmful”.

He also writes that Venus, as main eclipse ruler, ‘gives honour, cheerfulness, delightful marriages, firm friendship’, and so forth. ‘In the air, she stirs up temperate blasts’, which reiterates what has been stated above. We also have to take into account that in the eclipse chart, Venus is very much essentially dignified, which somewhat softens the statements about the severity of any potential storm. She is exalted in Pisces, and benefits from her triplicity rulership. Furthermore, she is in mutual reception by term and face with Jupiter. Therefore, we can but hope that this will turn out to be a benign eclipse with maybe only some localised problems, due to bad weather.

Lilly comes to the overall conclusion that an eclipse ruled by Venus is :

“… in general, the fore-runner of a quiet, peaceable time upon earth, I mean in those countries where the eclipse is visible.”

The map above shows the paths of angularity for Sun (black) and Moon (white).

On a personal level, an eclipse usually affects only a small number of people. To establish the possibility of any effect to take place, the birth chart should be scrutinized for any of the following:

Moon is in or around 3 Libra, Sun is in or around 3 Aries
Moon is in or around 3 Aries (opposition)
Sun or Moon are in or around 3 Cancer or 3 Capricorn (square)
3 Libra is culminating in the birth chart (conjunct Midheaven)
3 Libra is ascending in the birth chart (conjunct Ascendant)
Should it be the case that one or even more of these factors apply, an in-depth reading of the birth chart may be necessary to find out if, how and to what extent the native could be affected.