Striking Eclipse Promises Outbursts Above and Beyond

October’s solar eclipse combined with a bright asteroid and bizarre dwarf planet, presides over increasingly strange flare-ups – in the world’s hot spots, between media and mother, with the two contenders for the American presidency, and even on a little star far, far away…

Stargazers know that a solar eclipse is magical to behold, the perfect alignment swiftly darkening a bright day into eerie gloom. While the simple physicality is impressive, there are those who dive more deeply into the experience, the studious astrologers who mine events for underlying meaning. They can point out sudden fractures, breakthroughs, and surprising entanglements that arise around an eclipse, interpreting the Sun and Moon’s dramatic union in terms of a greater configuration with the solar system and human relations. One such very special, unique eclipse arrives on October 2, 2024, at 18:49 UTC (London, 7:49 pm BST; New York 2:49 pm EDT). 

This will be the first solar eclipse closely conjunct main-belt asteroid Astraea and fourth-largest dwarf planet Makemake, all at 10 Libra with Sun and Moon, and Mercury at 11 Libra. No one has ever anticipated a Makemake-eclipse conjunction, as the last one appeared in 1997, before Makemake’s 2005 discovery, and none in the last 200 years included both Astraea and Makemake.

The participation of these additional bodies brings wonder and an extraordinary excitement to this event and to the human endeavors touched by its placement. Astraea was spotted in 1845 decades after the first four asteroids were discovered, the largest ones Ceres, Pallas, and Vesta, and smaller Juno. Astraea is half Juno’s size, but all are larger than 99% of the asteroids. The discovery of Astraea was a surprise, as then people believed the first four were the only planetoids between Mars and Jupiter. Astraea (Latin for star goddess or maiden) signaled that there were more celestial discoveries in store, so in that sense it has come to mean “wondrous expectation.” Astrologers also see Astraea as an indicator of purity, innocence, and desire for justice; in challenging aspect, Astraea represents naïveté, lack of imagination, and weak faith. 

Makemake, on the other hand, is a dynamic new addition to the solar system. Orbiting far past Pluto, Makemake is part of a coterie of “next level” planets in the Kuiper Belt that represent an expansion of human awareness. Simply put, Makemake (named after an Easter Island bird god) represents ideas and actions so new and unfamiliar, they can seem crazy, at least initially. Makemake thinking is merely ahead of its time, a harbinger of a future that keeps challenging us with innovation. To some this might sound like Uranus, but Makemake is a whole magnitude more advanced. When Uranus was discovered, its appearance ushered in concepts of individual freedom, reason, and scientific inquiry, leading to the Industrial Revolution, medical breakthroughs, and mechanized transportation. But progress hasn’t slowed down. We don’t use one machine at a time anymore; devices like computers and cell phones do a litany of tasks. Physics (Uranus) morphed into quantum physics (Makemake), the latter hard to pin down, a confusing concept for many, but the basis of technology we rely on every day.  

Makemake has been here all along, exemplified by the early pioneers of electricity having it prominently placed at birth: Benjamin Franklin (Sun trine Makemake), Thomas Edison (Sun Mercury Makemake conjunct), and Nikola Tesla (Sun sesquiquadrate Makemake) made careers experimenting with and harnessing this “shocking” power that literally runs the modern world. Makemake’s “peculiar” energy is found in all professions, witness Psycho film director Alfred Hitchcock (Sun square Makemake), painter of “melting clocks” Salvador Dali (Sun Mercury Mars Makemake conjunct), and musical parodist ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic (Sun square Makemake). Neil Armstrong (Sun semi-square Makemake) had the surreal experience of being the first human to stand on the moon, as Makemake transited conjunct his Sun. Makemake can also deliver terrible shock and trauma, as when Americans learned their country (founded at Sun sesquiquadrate Makemake) was suddenly attacked at Pearl Harbor in 1941, as Makemake was conjunct the US Sun and sesquiquadrate US Makemake.

With Astraea and Makemake added to the October Eclipse’s cast of characters, one should brace for an epic wild ride for the next few weeks. And no wonder, when one sees the country charts and individual birth charts with potent points around 10 Libra. For example, the UK founding Sun is 10 Capricorn, square to the eclipse. Just last year two of the royal family, Princess Catherine and King Charles himself, were diagnosed with cancer. This was a great shock to the nation, and the effects are still playing out. King Charles (Sun 22 Scorpio trine Makemake 21 Cancer) appears recovered more quickly and returned to active public engagement, in line with the October Eclipse impacting his natal Sun obliquely. Princess Catherine and Prince William both have their Mars conjunct the eclipse point at 10 Libra and 9 Libra respectively, which is also semi-square their Makemake at 25 Leo. The impact to their Mars/Makemake underlines the Prince and Princess of Wales’s uncompromising stance on Kate making her own decisions on public appearances and disclosing her health status. There might be a flare-up coming in this regard if some media or public figure prods too much or opines on when the Princess should be finally out and about. Whatever success modern medicine can deliver (and there is much to be grateful for with its many miracles), doctors tell patients it takes years of tests to feel confidently cured. The Princess and her family should be given all the time they need.  

The Middle East has been in turmoil since last October when Hamas attacked Israel, killing more than 1100, taking hostages, and committing atrocious crimes. Iran (founded at Sun 10 Aries) has been accused of encouraging and financing various anti-Israel groups, and Israel and Iran’s erratic missile exchanges cause the rest of the world to hold its breath. Iran is on the sticky end of the October eclipse, with its Libra grouping opposite Iran’s Sun. Israel, conversely, has many founding positions supported by the 10-11 Libra group: Israel’s Mercury (10 Gemini) and Moon (9 Leo) are trine and sextile the eclipse, while Israel’s Mars (28 Leo) is semi-square, not supportive but not a major blocker to its plans to root out Hamas through military operations in Gaza, action which has killed more than 41,000 Gazan civilians so far.

Israel’s Neptune (10 Libra) signals trouble, however, as its conjunction with the eclipse seems to validate accusations that Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu (Mercury at 10 Libra) is ignoring or sidelining calls to accept a cease-fire deal that would bring Israeli hostages home. Netanyahu’s reasoning has been questioned (Neptune represents deception, impure motive). With his Mercury conjunct Israel’s Neptune, he has the ear of the deeply religious (Neptune) and seems in charge of what they believe is the truth or best way to deal with Israel’s crisis. With the eclipse coming to this flash point, alongside disruptive Makemake and Justice-seeking Astraea, a breakthrough could come at last, or a revelatory report, perhaps when Mercury is conjunct Makemake a day before eclipse exactitude. These will continue to be uncertain and explosive times for Israel, Netanyahu, and Iran and allies, as eclipses bring heightened emotions, and one with Makemake intimately involved could prove exceptionally volatile. Even as I write this, thousands of pagers exploded in Hezbollah hands one day, and walkie-talkies the next, for which they accuse Israel (1).

Meanwhile, the world cannot ignore Vladimir Putin (Sun 13 Libra) and his incomprehensible war in Ukraine. He and Ukraine President Volodymir Zelensky (Mercury 14 Capricorn) periodically escalate their conflict, so with Mars (15 Cancer) and Uranus (27 Taurus) positioned disagreeably to them at eclipse time, expect more drone swarms pelting Moscow and missiles hitting Kiev. Zelensky will reap rewards, possibly from his allies, as Jupiter stations retrograde on his Ascendant a week after the eclipse. Positive movement in the Ukraine war looks likely when Makemake closes in on Putin’s Sun next year. By early 2027, Makemake fully conjunct Putin’s Sun with Saturn opposed could finally see Putin’s “retirement.”

USA’s founding Sun (13 Cancer) is also impacted by mid-Cancer Mars semi-square Uranus, representing a struggle with Congress to avoid a government shutdown, as wars in Ukraine and the Middle East continue. President Biden (Sun/Venus at 27/28 Scorpio), frustrated by Israel’s reluctance to accept a cease-fire he favors, also made the hard call to withdraw from seeking reelection this summer. His top priority to deny former President Donald Trump another term, Biden must be heartened by Vice President Kamala Harris’s securing of his party’s nomination, her upbeat campaign, and decisive debate. Harris (Jupiter 24 Taurus) has no personal planets affected by the October Eclipse, except a minorly impactful sesquiquadrate to Jupiter that could be opportunity she must work for, perhaps evident in slowly rising poll numbers. Like Zelensky, her Gemini Ascendant is close to where transiting Jupiter will halt and hover, perhaps a nod to her crisscrossing the USA (Jupiter) to campaign and her enthusiastic crowds.

In contrast, former President Trump (Mercury 9 Cancer, Mars 27 Leo) struggles to keep on message. The Makemake-eclipse square his Mercury and semi-square his Mars will further exacerbate his habit of ignoring advisors and the teleprompter, and rather railing that the 2020 US election was stolen, complimenting various dictators’ strength and brains, and dreamily reminiscing about “the late, great Hannibal Lecter,” a fictional movie villain he apparently also admires. After a second assassination attempt was recently thwarted, expect Trump’s rhetoric to escalate stratospherically. Jupiter’s station post-eclipse near Trump’s 23 Gemini Sun normally would be energizing, but Jupiter more closely opposes his 21 Sagittarius Moon (2); expect more moodiness, accusations, even overconfidence (he already claims he does not need more votes, just a “fair election”).

And ano­ther former US president will snag the spotlight at this special eclipse. Jimmy Carter (Sun 8 Libra, Mars 25 Aquarius) celebrates his 100th birthday on October 1. In hospice since last year after his wife died, Carter is reportedly energized, but it’s not the birthday milestone keeping him going. He wants to vote for Kamala Harris, his son says (3).

If all this drama is not enough, in true Astraea-Makemake fashion, a surprisecelestial event is expected before the eclipse. Currently in sunset skies, a star in crescent constellation Coronae Borealis will nova (flare brightly) for a few days when its surface suddenly detonates (4). The dazzling display should coincide with a beautiful configuration (5) like we have coming on September 20-22 when the Sun (27-29 Virgo) forms a grand trine with Pluto (30 Capricorn) and Uranus/dwarf planet Sedna (27 Taurus/1 Gemini) as Sun also opposes Neptune (29 Pisces). This is followed on September 24-25 when Mercury reaches the same spot and completes the same grand trine and opposition. The eclipse could portray the excitement and wonder (Makemake and Astraea), the chatter after the event, or — if astronomers have misread their observations of the star’s behavior — continued expectation. I favor September 22 (~0600 UTC) when the Sun is closely trine Pluto and trine Moon/Uranus/Sedna. 

Know that whatever is most dramatic will not happen right at the eclipse. One can see this by studying other eclipses. One mentioned earlier with Makemake involved was on September 1, 1997, two days after Princess Diana’s tragic death, and another, on July 31, 1981, came two days after Charles and Diana’s royal wedding (6). A worldwide outpouring of intense emotion (anguish, joy) followed both events. Also consider the Makemake Eclipse of July 31, 1962, that preceded the Cuban Missile Crisis, a deadly serious Soviet-USA stand-off, with the eclipse opposing Saturn. For days, people the world over were gripped by the terrifying prospect of imminent nuclear war.

This current eclipse looks to offer an emotional afterglow of the nova event (7) or other benefic achievement preceding it, and then with eclipse elements moving to square Mars (conjunct the US Sun and square US Saturn), flaring hostilities in Ukraine and the Middle East. Add to that the no-holds-barred fight for the US presidency, set to dominate attention for five weeks or more, if court challenges dispute the vote. The American election eerily resembles the eclipse, as it involves a sun-tanned, unmanageable male (Sun-Makemake) up against a biracial female Vice President (Moon), former prosecutor and attorney general (Astraea, “justice”), both engaged in a war of words (Mercury, Sun, and Astraea will square Mars those ensuing weeks).

Enjoy the starburst!

References/Notes

1. Bassam, L., and M. Gebeily, “Hezbollah devices explode again in Lebanon, raising fears of wider Israel conflict,” Reuters, September 18, 2024, https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israel-planted-explosives-hezbollahs-taiwan-made-pagers-say-sources-2024-09-18/
2. Donald Trump was born a few hours before a lunar eclipse.
3. “Jimmy Carter excited to vote for Harris in 2024 presidential election, son says,” Fox 5 Atlanta, September 9, 2024, https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/jimmy-carter-update-kamala-harris-health-rosalynn
4. Pearson, E, and C. Lintott, “T Coronae Borealis nova could become a ‘new star’ in the sky any day now, and will be as bright as the North Star,” BBC Sky at Night Magazine, August 19, 2024, https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com/space-science/t-coronae-borealis-nova
5. When Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 impacted Jupiter on July 16, 1994, 20:13 UTC, the images were broadcast around the world via a nascent Internet. At the same time, our Sun was trine Pluto and opposite Uranus/Neptune. Sun also was semi-square Mars and sesquiquadrate Saturn on one side, and semi-square Makemake (unknown at the time) on the other. Mercury was trine Moon/Jupiter, and Venus sextile Moon/Jupiter.
6. The 1981 Royal Wedding eclipse was 19 degrees from Makemake, too far away for relevance.
7. The nova could slip to later this year (2024 is two years early, considering its past history of illuminating every 80 years), but whatever day it brightens the sky, our solar system will present a lovely figure.

About the author

Sue Kientz, author of More Plutos (2015), has studied astrology since 1977 and specializes in the new dwarf planets (Eris, Makemake, Haumea, Sedna, Gonggong, Orcus, and others). Currently writing a general-audience book on the dwarfs, Sue casts their addition to astrology as a transformational breakthrough, comparable to medicine’s discovery of microorganisms. Visit MorePlutos.com to read free book chapters from More Plutos as well as other published articles, dwarf planet keywords, and other fun facts. E-mail her at Sue@MorePlutos.com