The astrological event you can count on for bringing the most drama is, undoubtedly, a full moon – and perhaps, even more specifically, a lunar eclipse. A lunar eclipse occurs four times a year and is basically a full moon on steroids. And, unlike Mercury retrograde, which often brings up plot twists that don’t really go anywhere, the lunar eclipse meaning for you spiritually and personally is usually quite apparent, especially when you look at it in retrospect.
Regular full moons, which happen once or, at most, twice a month, are opportunities to do ritual work related to releasing whatever is no longer serving you and experience a culmination point in, whether that’s crossing the finish line on a big project or taking a relationship to the next level. But the astrology of a lunar eclipse is so intense and super-charged that your only job is to really roll with the growth-spurring shifts and course changes they present.
In 2024, there are two lunar eclipses – one in cardinal air sign Libra and another in mutable water sign Pisces, which kicks off a brand new eclipse series we haven’t encountered since 2015-2017. You can prep yourself now for gasp-worthy changes, especially when it comes to relationships, as lunar eclipses tend to highlight cataclysmic shake-ups within our one-on-one bonds.
This major astrological and astronomical event may also fuel pivots related to how you bring in money, interpret beauty, think of your values, experience empathy and go about healing yourself emotionally and spiritually.
Read on for the meaning of lunar eclipses, as well as intel on which signs will be most affected by 2024’s lunar eclipses.
What Is a Lunar Eclipse?
Astronomically-speaking, lunar eclipses occur when the moon is at its fullest. Since Earth is directly between the moon and sun, lunar eclipses happen when Earth casts its shadow over the moon, dimming its light and often spurring a stunning red hue that lasts a few hours. There are three types of lunar eclipses:
- Total lunar eclipse: This happens when the moon moves into the inner part of Earth’s shadow (also referred to as the umbra). The more dust or clouds in Earth’s atmosphere at this time, the redder the moon will appear, according to NASA.
- Partial lunar eclipse: When the sun, Earth, and moon aren’t perfectly aligned, and the moon passes through a part of Earth’s umbra, there’s a shadow that doesn’t ever entirely cover the moon – aka a partial lunar eclipse.
- Penumbral lunar eclipse: This is the most subtle of all lunar eclipses in which the moon travels through Earth’s penumbra, or its faint outer shadow, and in turn, the moon dims only ever so slightly.
What Do Lunar Eclipses Mean in Astrology?
Full moons offer the perfect opportunity for tuning into a meditation, putting your crystals out to charge, or making moon water. If you’re not at this level, maybe you’ve found that visualization techniques, deep breathing, or yoga classes help you manage the energy of the moment. But unlike regular full moons, lunar eclipses only happen approximately twice a year, and the astrology of lunar eclipses stir up vibes that are far more intense than the average full moon’s energy.
Astrology-wise and spiritually-speaking, lunar eclipse energy is so heightened, in fact, that you’d do best to steer clear of involved rituals. You don’t want to work with it so actively, because it’s simply too tough to harness (think of it as a bolt of lightning or a powerful windstorm). The best way to handle it is to simply step out of its way and let it do its thing, even if it plows down your perfectly laid plans and leaves you with a chaotic mess. Eclipses teach you that there’s actually a lesson to be learned – and possibly even a new path forward – once the dust settles.
Lunar eclipses, in particular, can feel full of upheaval, especially when it comes to your closest relationships. In astrology, the moon represents emotions, while the sun represents your core identity and self-image. In turn, the spiritual meaning of lunar eclipses is pegged to your relationships – with yourself and others. When the shimmering moon is at its most full and luminous, and is also simultaneously battling it out with an ominous shadow (aka an eclipse), you may be nudged to more clearly see your own shadows, patterns, behaviors, or issues that play out in your bonds.
That said, not every lunar eclipse will heighten your emotions and leave your life altered. It really depends on how the astrological event is interacting with your birth chart. You generally feel the eclipse most if it’s “hitting” or matching up with a part of your chart at a particular angle. To get a sense of how it might affect you, you’ll want to familiarize yourself with your sun, moon, and rising signs, as well as other planetary placements and angles in your chart, such as your Mercury, Venus, and Mars signs.
When Are the Lunar Eclipses in 2024?
Lunar eclipses generally happen twice (rarely, three times) each calendar year. In 2024, here’s when you can expect a lunar eclipse:
- Monday, March 25 at 3 a.m. ET: full moon penumbral lunar eclipse in Libra
- Tuesday, Sept. 17 at 10:34 p.m. ET: full moon partial lunar eclipse in Pisces
Falling in the cardinal air sign Libra, the first lunar eclipse of 2024 is a continuation of a story that began back on Oct. 14, 2023 when there was a new moon and solar eclipse (the first building block in a lunar cycle) in the sign of the Scales. This intense, partnership-oriented event will bring intense realizations about how you’re relating to others, showing up in your closest partnerships, and finding more balance in life. You might also reflect on how your sense of self is either nurtured or quashed by particular pairings you’ve involved yourself in and consider whether it’s time to move away from one-on-one bonds that are not reciprocal and are failing to fulfill you spiritually and emotionally.
The second lunar eclipse of 2024 occurs in mutable water sign Pisces and is the first along the Pisces-Virgo axis since 2015-2017. (So think back to that time for a sense of themes that could be coming up for you personally now.) Pisces, the twelfth sign of the zodiac whose modern ruler is Neptune, the planet of spirituality, dreams, illusion, and delusion, is concerned with healing your inner wounds, exploring empathy, tapping into your imagination to share what’s in your heart through an artistic outlet, escaping reality (for better or worse), and wading through deep waters of emotion. As a result, this could be a magical eclipse in which you’re able to get a sense of what you need spiritually – specifically, from your relationships – in order to feel centered internally. It’s a time in which getting in touch with your intuition (as opposed to working with rational, cerebral energy) will be crucial.
Depending on which sign it transits through, lunar eclipses affect each of the 12 zodiac signs in unique ways.
How the 2024 Lunar Eclipses Will Affect Your Zodiac Sign
When it comes to 2024’s lunar eclipses, people who have placements in any of the cardinal signs – Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn – will feel the March 25 event more acutely, while people with placements in mutable signs – Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, Pisces – will be most affected in September. However, here’s how they are affecting all 12 signs. (Be sure to read your rising sign if you know it.)
Aries (March 21-April 19)
This year’s lunar eclipses activate your seventh house of partnership and twelfth house of spirituality, Aries, nudging you to meditate on how you’re relating to others and what you need to do to care for your psychological and inner well-being. In the spring, you’ll be encouraged to make a call after assessing the harmony within your one-on-one bonds, and in the fall, you could be swimming in a sea of emotion as you navigate what you need to nurture your soul and spirit.
Taurus (April 20-May 20)
This year’s lunar eclipses hit your sixth house of wellness and eleventh house of networking, so expect highlights to revolve around your health and social life. In the spring, you’re stirred to reflect on how you’re incorporating self-care on a day-to-day basis. Embracing changes around any of these themes could prove vitality-boosting. In the fall, you’ll want to consider which bigger picture projects you want to bring your skills to the table on – and which groups and teams, in turn, you want to be associated with and feel connected to.
Gemini (May 21-June 20)
In the spring, the first lunar eclipse of 2024 lights up your fifth house of romance and self-expression, which could inspire you to more fully own your voice and channel your most heartfelt emotions into a fulfilling creative outlet. It’s also possible you’ll experience thrilling shifts or jarring shake-ups in your dating or love life that require you to rethink how you’re tending to this area of life. In the fall, the second lunar eclipse occurs in your tenth house of public image, requiring that you face changes related to power and authority – your own and others. Prioritizing your inner life and your emotional well-being in a proactive way can fuel your confidence and lead to well-deserved recognition.
Cancer (June 21-July 22)
The lunar eclipses of 2024 fall in your fourth house of home life and ninth house of adventure and higher learning, which are two very different sectors of your birth chart. The former, which will be a major focus in the spring, causes you to reflect on your emotional well-being, roots, and inner life. It’s time to let go of the past and more fully embrace the healing self-work you may have previously felt you could put on hold. In the fall, the lunar eclipse in your ninth house requires you to step beyond your comfort zone, soak up knowledge, meet people outside of your usual social circle, and tune into your gut in order to take a leap of faith.
Leo (July 23-Aug. 22)
The spring’s lunar eclipse activates your third house of communication, Leo, which can make this an especially social, buzzy moment. You’ll want to soak up knowledge, trade notes with friends, express yourself through writing or public speaking, and your calendar could be bursting with get-togethers and social events. There’s a lot to learn about how you learn and connect now. And in the fall, the lunar eclipse in your eighth house of emotional bonds and joint resources can have you craving more intimacy with loved ones. You’ll also be challenged to reflect on and embrace changes related to moneymaking, investing, saving, and your relationship to your values and cash flow.
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)
This year, the lunar eclipses are activating your second house of income and seventh house of partnership – two major sectors that will bring up a lot of self-reflection around moneymaking, values, and your one-on-one relationships. In the spring, consider whether or not you are bringing in cash in a way that’s in tune with your heart. If not, you might do well to cut ties that aren’t sitting right with your emotional and financial goals. In the fall, you could be on the precipice of a new chapter with a significant other, loved one, or business partner. Think about how you can balance your own personal goals and sense of self while working as part of a powerful pair.
Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)
The solar eclipses of 2024 are hitting you head-on, Libra, falling in your first house of self and then, in the fall, your sixth house of wellness. In the spring, you have the opportunity to enjoy personal and partnership-related growth by getting clear on the best way to show up in your bonds – and require that others show up for you. You might also be embracing big changes when it comes to your passion projects and how you’re presenting yourself out in the world. In the fall, the lunar eclipse in your sixth house of daily routine and health is a chance to turn your attention to your health and well-being, perhaps considering how you might adjust your day-to-day hustle to feel more vital.
Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)
In the spring, the lunar eclipse lights up your twelfth house of spirituality, inviting you to be even more in tune with your intuition, your gut, your inner voice, dreams, and imagination. You’ll notice that caring for this side of you serves to bolster your mental, emotional, and physical well-being. In the fall, the second eclipse of 2024 activates your fifth house of romance and fun, empowering you to own your voice and share it with others by emphasizing self-expression, embrace playfulness and your artistic impulses, and step even more fully into your creative power.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)
The spring’s lunar eclipse occurs in your eleventh house of networking, so you’ll be meditating on the groups and teams you associate with. It’s possible you’ll need to step away from a community you’ve felt deeply immersed in. Over the past six months, you’ve likely been getting a read on the friends and colleagues you want to align yourself with – and how these platonic bonds could fuel your long-term wishes – and now, it’s time to take action. In the fall, the lunar eclipse in Pisces lights up your fourth house of home life, challenging you to address unresolved emotional stressors related to your inner world that might have been holding you back in some way. Resolving to heal was the key to blazing a whole new trail, perhaps related to your family, literal home, emotional well-being, or sense of security.
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)
The spring lunar eclipse activates your 10th house of career, laying the groundwork for a whole new chapter of your professional life. It could be time to step into the spotlight (something you can’t help but welcome, of course), take on more responsibility, own a leadership role, or prove just how much you want that big picture wish you’ve been manifesting. Because you are so innately industrious, this should all come quite naturally to you, however, eclipses are intense and change can be jarring to just about anyone, so be sure to strap in for a thrilling ride. And in the fall, the lunar eclipse in your third house of communication stimulates your mental energy and curiosity, nudging you to learn and connect, perhaps even take a short-distance trip or spend more time with neighbors or siblings. It’s time to prioritize and nurture your social side.
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)
The spring’s lunar eclipse activates your ninth house of adventure and higher learning. Over the last six months, you’ve been nudged to get out of your comfort zone. Although you are future-minded and progressive, you often get overly set on going about life in a particular way and now it’s time to take a leap of faith to broaden your horizons and really experience life to the fullest. In the fall, the lunar eclipse in your second house of income is an eye-opener for your moneymaking plans. You’ll need to tune into your intuition, your heart, and your spiritual needs in order to gauge the best next step in terms of investing your money – or even just time and energy – in an income-fueling endeavor. Consider whether you’ve been bringing your skills to the table in a way that aligns not only with your financial but your emotional goals.
Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20)
This year’s lunar eclipses activate your eighth house of emotional bonds and first house of self. In the spring, do your best to embrace changes related to shared assets – whether that’s negotiating a budget with your partner or trying to move a business proposal forward. Your adaptability and appreciation for avoiding conflict could come in handy now. And in the fall, we’ll welcome the first eclipse in a new series on your axis. This can be an emotional, exciting time that highlights strengths and challenges related to your sense of self and one-on-one relationships. Consider how you want to project your personal brand and identity, and then move beyond old patterns that could be holding you back.
