Any practicing astrologer will confirm the power of an eclipse. Even non astrologers can see it, just by observing the wild events that happen at those times. There are some astrologers who say that nothing major happens in life – good or bad – without the action of an eclipse. (I mostly agree with this, but transits seem to work even if no eclipse is involved.)

There are eclipses and there are eclipses. They are not all the same. Some are total, some are partial, some are annular (they don’t cast a shadow on the earth). Naturally a partial eclipse is not as strong as a total eclipse. So this is important in weighing its impact. But there is more here. Is the eclipse impacting on other transiting planets? If so how many? Even a partial eclipse can have strong ramifications if it is hitting many planets in the sky. The more planets affected the stronger the impact of the eclipse.

So far we’ve been discussing the universal – general – impact – the impact on the world. But what about the personal effect?

Here too all these things matter. But now we have to gauge how the eclipse is impacting on one’s personal Horoscope. Is it hitting any planet in your chart? If so, the affairs of the House that the planet rules will get shaken up (for good or ill). In what House does the eclipse occur? The affairs of that House will tend to be disrupted. If the eclipse is impacting on other planets in the sky, what Houses do these other planets rule in the given Horoscope? The affairs of these Houses will also be shaken up.

Judith Hill in ECLIPSES AND YOU (a great book if you want to learn more about eclipses) points out that there is a difference between an eclipse that occurs on the South Node or North Node. An eclipse on the North Node will tend to create a “surge” of energy – too much – an imbalance. An eclipse on the South Node will create a deficiency of energy.

All these factors have to be examined when judging an eclipse.