LODESTAR JOURNALBoth eclipses involve the Sun, Moon, and Earth lining up. What changes is which object casts the shadow and where you see it.
At a solar eclipse, the Moon blocks the Sun
A solar eclipse can happen at new Moon. The Moon passes between Earth and the Sun, and its shadow falls on part of Earth. From that area, the Sun looks partly or fully covered.
At a lunar eclipse, Earth shades the Moon
A lunar eclipse can happen at full Moon. Earth is between the Sun and Moon, so Earth’s shadow falls on the Moon. The Moon may look darker or reddish.
Astrology adds a symbolic reading
Some Western astrologers map the position of a particular eclipse onto the houses of a birth chart, then reflect on that area of life. This is an interpretation of the chart, separate from the visible alignment in the sky. An eclipse by itself cannot tell you what will happen to someone.
A few common questions
Does every new or full Moon bring an eclipse?
No. The Moon’s path is tilted, so the three bodies do not line up for an eclipse every month.
Sources & further reading
Astrology sources describe their own traditions and methods; they do not establish predictive accuracy. The writing exercises are original Lodestar editorial material.
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