The Moon is Full in Capricorn on July 16, 2019, at 5:39 PM EDT. This full moon is a partial Lunar Eclipse.

A Lunar eclipse is an especially potent lunation — in this case a potent Full Moon. Lunar eclipses are relationship-oriented. The “crisis” that these eclipses tend to elicit is a crisis of lack–a time when we suddenly realize a great need or want. The impact of the crisis can act to sever a relationship–it’s possible. But it can also bring two people together with a sudden awareness of a great need for each other. Although Lunar eclipses are more relationship-oriented than Solar eclipses, they are not always about relationships between two people. They can trigger awareness of need in other areas of our lives, such as our relationship to work, to our health and bodies, and so forth. This is a time when matters come to light–things that have been brewing under the surface.

When a Full Moon occurs, we can suddenly burst forth with proclamations and outpours that seem fresh and new, simply because they are not yet rationalized. A Lunar eclipse is a more potent Full Moon, and its effects tend to last longer—approximately six months.

This eclipse occurs when the Moon is at approximately 24 degrees of Capricorn, opposing the Sun at 24 degrees Cancer, and is a Partial Lunar Eclipse.

Lunar Eclipses are about relationships and polarities. With the Cancer-Capricorn axis involved, this Lunar Eclipse presses us to look more closely at our needs, lacks, and wants in our lives concerning the balance between our private lives, domesticity, our need for a home base, and nurturance (represented by Cancer) versus our public lives, careers, reputation, and accountability (represented by Capricorn). Attachments and love are ruled by Cancer, while achievements and rewards/punishments are ruled by Capricorn. In some ways, this polarity deals with the balance between unconditional love and conditional love. Cancer encourages us to value our home base and our roots, while Capricorn persuades us to consider our sense of duty and responsibility along public or professional lines. While Cancer may be content to be dependent, Capricorn urges us to be grown-up and responsible. Cancer represents the origin, and Capricorn represents the goal. Neglecting either end of the axis will surely backfire on us. Ideally, a balance should be found between the two energies, and this is what the Full Moon invites us to do.

This Full Moon is about balancing our commitment to our career and families. Something has been building inside of us, and now is the time when the energy of the cosmos fairly demands that we let it out. Over the coming months, we will discover what this means for us. For now, we can’t sit on our feelings. We need to express them. The Full Moon illuminates this conflict. Some sort of crisis (which can be a crisis of consciousness) or sudden awareness of a lack in our lives provides us with a golden opportunity to explore our emotional needs within the context of the house polarity where the eclipse occurs in our natal charts. Relationships may be challenged, broken, or strengthened dramatically at this time. Our discovery is emotionally charged and dramatic. Epiphanies are likely at this time as we become acutely aware of our lack. This understanding can propel us into positive action.

This eclipse is one in a series of eclipses that fall along the Cancer/Capricorn axis. It can be viewed as one of many cosmic pushes regarding the themes it has been and will be stimulating.

Full Moons and Lunar Eclipses bring issues in our lives to fulfillment. Our emotions are heightened, and there is often some sort of drama involved with the house, sign, and any contacted planets activated by the Full Moon. Look to 24 degrees of Capricorn (and Cancer) in your own chart. This Lunar Eclipse gives us a cosmic push to make needed changes in our lives. The areas of life activated by the eclipse may see dramatic turns, after which the path is clear to move forward. Note that whatever “happens” at this time is nothing truly new. The issues have been brewing inside of us, and emotions have been building. Something comes to light at the time of the Full Moon, and if we get in touch with our emotions, we can get a better idea of what needs to change, or what needs to go.

This Lunar Eclipse in Capricorn is bound to thrust us into a state of heightened awareness of flaws in the structures of our lives, particularly in our career or outer structures and our home and family structures. Decisions made now are emotionally-driven.

This Lunar Eclipse occurs when the Moon is aligned with Pluto and opposite Mercury, and at the same time as a Venus-Saturn opposition. This configuration is powerful and complicated at once. The need to take action feels urgent.

Read more about the eclipses here. See The Astrology of 2019 and 2019 Eclipse charts.