The total lunar eclipse on Friday 27th July 2018 has some special features that mark it out from similar events, past and future. For once, it could be easily observable. It will be the longest this century and it will take place in the evening. Maximum is around 9 pm in London whereas total lunar eclipses are often around 4am - 5am. Additionally, being in July could reduce the chance of cloud cover, though in this heat we may get a thunderstorm. There is quite a good evening one due in 2032 but it is in October.
I will be at the Waterworks Site just off the Lea Bridge Road, Leyton E10 7NU, one of the few Dark Sky Discovery sites in the London area but if you have a good south east view of the horizon you can also see Mars in the same area.
It's a wonderful natural event that is well understood scientifically and mathematically predictable to the second.
And yet, Linda Joyce, astrologer and life coach, tells us "Eclipses create drama and in so doing, they get our attention". "Often the event is unexpected; it seems to rise up from nowhere, even though we’ve been confronting it in our minds." and Donna Page, a professional astrologer with a graduate degree in counseling psychology explains that, "eclipses help shed light on certain areas of your life. This one will give you clarity about knowing what your heart wants, especially when it comes to friendships". Linda and Donna are brought to us courtesy of Women's Health magazine.
Christian ministers John Hagee and Mark Biltz are fairly well known as the originators of the 'blood moon prophecy' which details how a specific series of lunar eclipses is related to human activity. In Blitz's case it is the 'end times' based on the biblical book of Joel 2:31. Hagee is more reserved, stating only that certain major historical events were related to the prophecy. They both have best selling books outlining their thoughts.
A reasonable case can be made linking long term physical processes to catastrophic events and making future estimates based on these. However, the general idea that inactive inorganic matter can affect human feelings is widespread. The sale of pieces of 'special stones and crystals' shows that the market for this nonsense profitably exists and that there is still work to do to eradicate mysticism from human thought.
A fascinating list of predictions based on religious texts and individual whim as well as some based on scientific principles is here.
