Annular Solar Eclipse in Aquarius
On February 17th, we’re having an annular solar eclipse in the zodiac sign of Aquarius. Solar eclipses occur when one of the lunar nodes is up to 18° from the Sun and Moon at the time of a new moon. This eclipse is happening at 28° of Aquarius while the Lunar North Node is at 8° of Pisces, placing the node just 10° from the eclipse, even though they’re in different signs. This means the eclipses are beginning to transition from the Pisces-Virgo axis to the Aquarius-Leo axis. This new series of eclipses in Leo and Aquarius will run until 2028, so we can expect some changes to be ignited in these areas of our lives and develop over the next 2 years.
Eclipses in Pisces and Virgo have highlighted topics such as the ideal vs. the reality. They have nudged us towards compassion and empathy for ourselves and others, instead of a constant quest for perfection and paralyzing analysis. They have pushed us to release control and allow ourselves to surrender to the flow of cocreating our reality alongside something greater than ourselves.
The series starting now on the Leo-Aquarius axis is about embracing our uniqueness and authenticity to contribute to something greater than ourselves. It’s about leaving behind any egocentrism and realizing that we are not islands and we actually need each other to thrive. It’s about our need to belong to groups and communities where we look after each other and where we feel free to shine our light.
Aquarius is traditionally ruled by Saturn, which means that the Saturn-Neptune conjunction at 0° Aries, perfecting 3 days after the eclipse, is acting as the eclipse's ruler. We can’t really separate the two planets when they are in such a tight conjunction, so we must understand how they behave together. I have broken down Saturn and Neptune in Aries in another blog post, so you can check it out to understand this archetype better.
Solar eclipses represent new beginnings, but having Saturn and Neptune in the first degree of the zodiac ruling this eclipse emphasizes this so much more. The significance of these two events happening days apart can’t be overstated. This is a new beginning, like we haven’t seen in our lifetimes, brought about through the dissolution of long-established institutions and long-held dreams and ideals. The past years have brought about so much change, but I really think it all pales in comparison to what’s to come. I’m not trying to sound dramatic or to cause alarm. I think we have all been feeling this already in one way or another. I just want to bring awareness to the fact that we can better prepare ourselves when we know what’s coming. It’s important to understand that these changes are a natural part of larger cycles of time and the evolution of consciousness.
Change can often feel uncomfortable, especially when it’s unexpected and takes us out of our comfort zone, but it’s ultimately for our growth and evolution. Aside from being ruled by the Saturn-Neptune conjunction, the eclipse also features a square with Uranus at 27° Taurus. This aspect also denotes sudden, disruptive changes. A square aspect between the solar eclipse in Aquarius and Uranus in Taurus can be about the necessity to integrate novel and innovative ways to resource ourselves in the face of rapidly evolving technologies and collective unease. It asks us how well equipped are we to handle radical changes in the collective fabric of society.
This is emphasized by the fact that Uranus in Taurus responds to an exalted Venus in Pisces conjunct the North Node at the time of the eclipse. Venus and the North Node in Pisces point to the direction the eclipse is taking us, and this configuration again has very much to do with how we resource ourselves and come together as a collective. Venus in Pisces conjunct the North Node also pushes us to hold on to our values, to ground our relating in empathy and compassion, to maintain a healthy idealism, not lose faith, and not isolate ourselves.
Venus is not just exalted herself, but is also responding to an exalted Jupiter in Cancer, which, even though it’s retrograde at the time of the eclipse, is guiding us in finding solutions to heal ancestral wounds that keep us from connecting to ourselves and each other in the ways that these times are calling for. We are actually going through this process more deeply now as Jupiter retrogrades, and I expect when it turns direct in March, we will be ready to connect with those around us who will become our chosen families, and to pour into and receive from the well of support found in community. Venus and the North Node are also conjunct the asteroid Pallas at the time of the eclipse, which is about strategic thought and action, suggesting that there will be organized strategizing involved in how people come together and allocate resources to further the eclipse's agenda.
Mars is also playing a big role in this eclipse. Even though it’s at 19° Aquarius, it can be considered to be in a wide conjunction with the eclipse. The fact that the orb is just enough to form a conjunction while still being far enough brings down the intensity that could have been very explosive otherwise. Nevertheless, Mars also acts as a disruption agent and fuels the fire of any impending crisis, especially considering its conjunction with the asteroid Vesta at the time of the eclipse.
Vesta represents the sacred flame, that which brings the energy of devotion into our lives; it lights us up for a cause from deep inside. Vesta is bringing a devotional quality to what Mars is trying to accomplish. This is very significant given that Mars is the ruler of the Saturn-Neptune conjunction in Aries that rules this eclipse. This means that any dreams and visions we are bringing to life now, or any cause we are fighting for, must be fueled by the energy of devotion. Mars in Aquarius is also in mutual reception with Saturn, meaning they are in each other’s signs. This is helping both planets by giving them access to the energies they are most comfortable in, thus bringing more balance to their expression and making it easier for us to work with them.
Finally, there is a beautiful trine between Mercury in Pisces and Jupiter in Cancer. While Mercury is in its fall and detriment in the sign of Pisces, it’s given some grace by the fact that its host Jupiter is exalted in Cancer at the moment of the eclipse, and they are connecting beautifully via a trine aspect. Emotional conversations could be taking place around this time, or even just internal dialogues about our dreams and visions for the future. As ruler of the South Node in Virgo, Mercury in Pisces is aiding us in the emotional processing and shedding of habits, ways of working, and ways of looking after ourselves that no longer feel aligned with where we are going, and that we have been slowly working to leave behind since the South Node first entered Virgo in January of 2025.
Mercury’s trine with Jupiter in Cancer helps us reach insights and a deeper understanding of the emotional underpinnings behind long-ingrained, outdated, and unhealthy patterns, some stemming from our ancestral lineages, that we are ready to release. These are the north node ruler and the south node ruler, harmoniously conversing about the shifts that this nodal transit has been developing for us, just as we have the first eclipse of the next series. This all ties together with how Jupiter, Venus and the North Node are having us come together in a more healed and grounded capacity, ready to face and tackle the changes ignited by this new series of eclipses starting alongside the Saturn-Neptune conjunction, even though there is still a long road ahead to see and understand what it’s all truly about.
As an Aquarius rising, I have been feeling the buildup to this eclipse very strongly. It feels restless, a bit nerve-racking, and quite humbling. With eclipses, it’s best not to try to control the outcome and allow the energies to unfold. Eclipse energies can feel destabilizing and chaotic, but their ultimate role is to align us with our soul’s intended evolutionary path. All this said, I do believe it’s a good time to plant intentions for the potent new beginning that the Saturn-Neptune conjunction is heralding in all of our lives, as what we are doing now will have a long-lasting impact throughout the next 36 years. On the actual day of the eclipse, it’s best to lie low, rest, and listen to our bodies. I also recommend documenting everything that is happening now as much as we can so that we can track the development of these once-in-a-lifetime transits.
I want to end with a brief note about the Sabian Symbol for this eclipse, 29° Aquarius (Sabian Symbols go from 1-30, so must be rounded up): ‘Butterfly Emerging From A Chrysalis.’ Astrological events don’t happen in a vacuum. This Sabian symbol feels so evocative of the transformations we will all be going through this year, as all the collective and transpersonal planets change signs and connect in the early degrees. It serves as a reminder that everything we have gone through up to this point has been preparing us for this moment, and we all have what we need within us. The process of transformation happens naturally and doesn’t need to be forced. But we do need to spread our wings and fly. Saturn and Neptune will for sure take care of that.