The Moon is New in Sagittarius on December 14, 2020, at 11:17 AM EST. This is a solar eclipse.

A total Solar Eclipse New Moon occurs in the sign of Sagittarius. It’s the third eclipse to fall along the Gemini-Sagittarius axis this year, but the first Solar Eclipse.

Eclipses have the power to set up themes for the coming six months. In the Jupiter-ruled sign of Sagittarius, matters related to faith, optimism, belief systems, philosophy, sharing ideas, and our sense of adventure become a strong focus on a personal level. This eclipse is about new beginnings regarding all of these matters.

Occurring in Sagittarius, we are called upon to:

• increase our understanding and awareness of the world around us;
• muster up the courage to expand our horizons and branch out into new ways of thinking
• gain more confidence and optimism by focusing on the “big picture”
• transcend the details of mundane existence
• work on positive thinking as a way of life
• take an exam, apply for or begin a new higher learning course, or travel
• nurture faith, hope, and vision being careful to moderate our expectations.

We can too easily get lost in the details of mundane existence. With this potent Sagittarius energy, we might discover ways to transcend these details of day-to-day life and nurture our faith, hope, and vision. Because Sagittarius thinks in big terms, we may have a tendency to overdo our expectations or to assert ourselves too blindly, although its trine to Mars helps us assert ourselves with enthusiasm. It’s time to be a little more adventurous, and to set the stage for reaping the rewards from our braveries, as little or big as they may be.

We should try to avoid jumping to conclusions and asserting ourselves without considering others’ feelings and reactions. There is a big difference between asserting ourselves from a place of healthy confidence, and asserting ourselves brashly and blindly which can give us a false sense of confidence or bravery when doing so respectfully is best.

With this potent Sagittarius energy, we have the chance to make important changes in our lives that will benefit us well beyond this Moon cycle. For some of us, circumstances are such that we need to pay more attention to these matters. It’s a time when we can focus on some of the constructive traits of the sign of the Archer–optimistic, enthusiastic, adventurous, honest, outspoken, independent–and consider how to positively incorporate these qualities into our lives.

Flaws in an important system in our lives are revealed around the time of the eclipse, prompting us to redo or to start fresh. Something ends in order for something else to start anew. We may be called to give up something in order to move forward into a new chapter in our lives. Although the “new” may be unrecognizable, it is important to allow the necessary surrender to the unknown.

An eclipse occurs close to the nodal axis, and this eclipse is closer to the South Node of the Moon. Eclipses close to the South Node tend to “feel” a little more challenging than those conjunct or closer to the North Node, as we can concentrate too much on the idea that we might have to let something go. Those of us with planets and points strongly stimulated by this eclipse can feel especially drained and tired, both physically and emotionally. There is a need to let go, forgive, cleanse, and release.

Major developments in the personal areas ruled by Sagittarius in our charts are likely to occur over the course of the next 3-6 months. This is the third eclipse in a series falling along the Gemini-Sagittarius axis. The first eclipses in the series falling along this axis occurred in November (a Lunar Eclipse in Gemini) and June (a Lunar Eclipse in Sagittarius).

• Penumbral LUNAR Eclipse June 5th, 2020 at 15:12:15 at 15° Sagittarius 34′
• Penumbral LUNAR Eclipse November 30th, 2020 at 4:29:32 at 8° Gemini 38′
• Total SOLAR Eclipse December 14th, 2020 at 11:16:26 at 23° Sagittarius 08′
• Total LUNAR Eclipse May 26th, 2021 at 7:13:43 at 5° Sagittarius 26′
• Annular SOLAR Eclipse June 10th, 2021 at 6:52:29 at 19° Gemini 47′
• Total SOLAR Eclipse December 4th, 2021 at 2:42:51 at 12° Sagittarius 22′

Not everyone will feel the effect of the eclipse with the same intensity. Those whose personal planets are activated by the degree of the eclipse will most feel its effects on a personal level.

Solar eclipses occurred at approximately the same degree as this December 2020 eclipse on December 14, 1955, December 13, 1974, December 15, 1982, and December 14, 2001. It might help to think back to these periods and consider the themes that surrounded your life then in order to get a better understanding of what the current eclipse series might mean for you, if applicable. You might also think about issues that emerged in the previous half-year, which can now re-emerge or continue to need attention.

Aligned with Mercury and the South Node, trine Mars, square Neptune. We should watch for the tendency to fall back on distancing ourselves from problems and responsibilities.

We need to make changes in our thought patterns, particularly in terms of ridding ourselves of old habits.

This phase of the Moon occurs at 23 degrees and 8 minutes of Sagittarius, affecting people with personal planets and points at approximately 18 to 28 degrees of the Mutable signs (Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, and Pisces) most significantly.

Aligned with Mercury and the South Node, trine Mars, square Neptune. We should watch for the tendency to fall back on distancing ourselves from problems and responsibilities.

Read more about this and other eclipses.