It's time: an eclipse for the ages

The solar eclipse that is due to occur on 17th February is very concerning for the USA and the world at large. The chart shown here is for the eclipse located in Washington, D.C. and shows the solar eclipse degree conjunct the ascendant at 28° Aquarius. This degree is in Saturn’s sign and the dispositor of the eclipse degree is in the sign of its detriment, about to perfect a conjunction with Neptune. This signifies an inherent flavour of disintegration and dissolution as represented by the Saturn-Neptune conjunction.

This conjunction occurs every 37 years. The last time this occurred was in 1989 which heralded the dismantling of the Soviet Union, symbolised by the fall of the Berlin Wall. The Stock Market was another victim with huge losses and the end of the 1980’s ‘greed is good’ era.

The conjunction this year brings us to another milestone as it perfects at 0° Aries later in February. However, the important point is that the conjunction is presaged in a total solar eclipse a few weeks before.

The eclipse is important especially to the United States because certain degrees spotlight important points in the USA’s Sibly Chart. These include:

• Ascendant of 28° degrees Aquarius is conjunct the Sibly Chart Moon at 27° Aquarius. The Moon represent the people and popular opinion. Not only is it front and centre of the eclipse chart, it is also ‘eclipsed,’ i.e. denied light. One could say that there is a real danger that popular opinion or the people’s voice is silenced or ‘eclipsed,’ taken over by the voice of authority as Saturn disposits both the sign and the degree of the eclipse and the Sibly Moon.

• Uranus makes a tight square to the eclipse as well as transiting the Sibly Moon underscoring the unpredictable and unstable nature that threatens the people. One could also say this shows the restlessness and the surge in the fightback against the draconian activities imposed on communities in the United States. The issue is the instability that it portends as the dispositor of the eclipse is Saturn which has ingressed into the sign of its detriment. The guardrails which have protected the nation are being found wanting but more importantly there seems to be no avenues available to stabilise or manage the fall-out. The need for change is evident but the impasse or unwillingness for those in power to challenge the disintegration is stunningly silent except for a few exceptional voices. I believe that this flags the impact that the Uranus return will have (July & Nov 2027, May 2028).
• The MC of the eclipse chart at 12° Sagittarius is the ascendant of the Sibly chart, echoing the impact of this on the both the government and the governance of the nation. Much has been made of what has been happening in the USA however the real impact will probably not be evident until the middle of the year.

The shift of outer planets into new signs (Saturn and Neptune into Aries, Uranus into Gemini and Jupiter into Leo) marks a new, faster-paced, and more volatile 16-to-195-year cycle. This reshapes technology, society, and personal purpose.

In the words of William Butler Yeats:¹

Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world…

For over 200 years, since the USA first flexed its international muscle in the War of 1812,² the world community has taken note of its buying power, the raw energy of the nation, the money and influence generated by its industrial, political and commercial influence on world. Since then, the USA has been a major player in setting the agenda for much of modern history. As the sheriff, the banker and the arms dealer, it has played a pivotal role in the fortunes of many nations.

Today, that role is now raising serious concerns as the world comes to terms with the fact that the USA is bailing out of many of the undertakings of the last fifty years. It therefore also begs the question that reliance on the USA is no longer a viable option. The nation’s internal instability has shaken world leaders who have looked to shore up their own positions by currying favour through gifts or beneficial trading conditions. Some have put their foot down and are trying to navigate the turbulent waters of tariffs, embargoes and onerous red tape. Regardless, many nations are treading water, looking to develop alternative trade and political alliances in the knowledge that it is not if, but when the center falls out of the current international hierarchy.

China and Russia stand watching while Europe, Africa, Asia and the Pacific are already feeling the edges of this as a consequence of protectionist trade measures in the form of increased tariffs, uncertain and sometimes onerous visa restrictions, foreign aid adjustments, and shifting environmental regulations. This has meant that global trade barriers are influencing slower worldwide GDP growth, heightened market volatility, and reduced funding for global health initiatives.

This is leading to a more fragmented global economy, reduced cooperation and an increasing geo-political risk.

The USA’s current policy of ‘America First’ is highlighted in the stellium of planets in the First house of the eclipse chart set for Washington. This signifies that the effects of the eclipse will impact on the nation’s image and its priorities. It also reflects the fact that the USA has turned its focus to its backyard: the Americas.

The first house also contains the nascent Saturn-Neptune conjunction in Aries highlighting that the ‘fall’ of structures³ which define the nation will define this period. Every planet except Mars and Pluto are in the first house of the eclipse chart and they fall in the Sibly chart’s third house, indeed the eclipse degree is the third house cusp. This does not bode well for the USA’s neighbours. 

Canada has already been weathering the storm, Greenland has been threatened with invasion, Venezuela has had its elected president kidnapped while Cuba was labelled as a threat to national security. As a result the nation is facing increasing rolling blackouts, food shortages, and rationed hospital resources after a month with no oil imports.⁴

Decades of US economic sanctions have undermined Cuba’s economy. It has relied on its allies Mexico, Russia and Venezuela for much needed oil. However with the abduction of the Venezuelan president, Washington has blocked Venezuelan oil from Cuba. According to Trump, the Cuban government is ready to fall.⁵

The eclipse MC at 12° Sagittarius mirrors the Sibly chart ascendant, and is ruled by an exalted Jupiter which is currently retrograde. This suggests that the US government feels it can act with impunity as it has done in the past. But as Jupiter goes direct on 11th March, there may be repercussions that have not been foreseen. Jupiter ingresses into Leo on 1st July and this is when I believe the first effects of the eclipse will manifest. This eclipse’s impact and repercussions will start to be felt between 12-15 months from now in approximately May 2027. This will segue with the build-up to the 2028 US presidential election.

Will the centre hold until then? That is a vital question for the USA and the rest of the world.

[1] William Butler Yeats. The Second Coming.

[2] Also known is US history annals as ‘The second war of independence’. The conflict was triggered by long-standing differences over territorial expansion in North America and British support for Tecumseh's confederacy, which resisted U.S. colonial settlement in the Old Northwest. In 1807, these tensions escalated after the Royal Navy began enforcing tighter restrictions on American trade with France and impressed sailors who were originally British subjects. This also cemented the USA’s international standing as a trade and political entity.

[3] Saturn, lord of foundations and structures is in its Fall in Aries.

[4] Cuba is pushed to the brink. CBC News. 13/02/26 6:00am EST. Source: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/frontburner/cuba-is-pushed-to-the-brink-9.7087406

[5] Yashraj Sharma. From blackouts to food shortages: How US blockade is crippling life in Cuba. Explainer, 8/02/26. Al Jazeera. Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2026/2/8/from-blackouts-to-food-shortages-how-us-blockade-is-crippling-life-in-cuba