This new moon in Pisces is the second of two super new moons in 2023. The technical term for a supermoon is ‘perigee-syzygy of the Earth-Moon-Sun system’ and is used when the moon is less than 223,694 miles from the earth. The term ‘perigee’ describes the point in the moon’s orbit when it is closest to the earth and ‘syzygy’ is the straight-line configuration of three celestial bodies. Supermoons exert a greater gravitational pull on the earth, which causes higher tides. We also see the greatest variation between high and low tide at new and full moon time. Supermoons, whether new or full, affect the ebb and flow of our seas. They are explicitly watery. 

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As the orbital positions of the moon around the earth, and the earth around the sun, shift gradually over a synodic, or lunar, month, the moonlight we see here on earth changes. The waxing and waning of the moon’s light is described by four major phases: new moon, first quarter, full moon and last quarter. The moon doesn’t shine, it reflects the light of the sun. And a full moon occurs when 100% of the moon's face is lit by sunlight. This happens when the sun and the moon are totally aligned on opposite sides of the earth. The climax of the lunar cycle – and indeed all its phases – is a beautiful illustration of the relationship between the sun and the moon, and how it affects what we see and experience on earth. 

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A new moon is the beginning of the lunar cycle. This initial phase is often called the dark moon as it is invisible to us on earth. The absence of the moon’s light in the sky means it is the best time to see other celestial objects, such as planets and meteor shower. Deep sky objects, such as star clusters, nebulae and galaxies also become more visible to us. The absence of lunar light here is revelatory, allowing us to see deeper and, energetically speaking, it is an opportunity to go deeper. 

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Full moons are a climax of energy and light. They represent a time of powerful illumination – where the hidden comes into the light – and release. This full moon in Cancer coincides with Epiphany: one of the oldest festival days of the Christian church. Epiphany marks the first manifestation of Jesus to the Gentiles, represented by the Magi. A divine reveal. The word epiphany, of course, means a moment of sudden and great revelation or realisation. And this is what our first full moon of the calendar year is; a potent, revelatory moon. A sacred check in, which is full of wisdom and nurture.  

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The distance between the earth and the moon varies because the moon’s orbit is an ellipse, as opposed to a circle. A lunar perigee is the term that describes the moment when the moon is closest to the earth and, when it is at its farthest from us, it is called a lunar apogee. When the perigee happens around a full or new moon, we call it a supermoon. A full supermoon looks bigger and brighter. And supermoons – both full and new – cause king tides, which are especially high spring tides, where water levels become much higher; often causing flooding.  

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December’s full Moon is often called by its traditional Mohawk name: the Cold Moon. In China, it is known as Dōngyuè, or Winter Moon. Rising on one of the longest nights of the year – the closest full moon to the winter solstice – it is also called the Long Night Moon by the Mohicans. In the Northern Hemisphere, this December full moon occurs at a moment of peak cold and dark; its light feeling all the more precious because of this.

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New moons are the start of the lunar cycle. They are pure potential. The beginning of a journey. A time to imagine, and reimagine, our lives. This new moon in Sagittarius comes at the end of a very intense eclipse season in Scorpio. A very introspective, internal time – Scorpio represents the underworld – where we may have felt supercharged with challenging emotions. This new moon is a salve to that energy. It is optimistic and visionary, but also safe and soft. It is a moon to dream of what is to come and to reflect on how far we’ve come and all we have achieved. It is also a moon that is explicitly about story-telling.

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Eclipses always happen in solar/lunar pairs (more rarely, three eclipses can take place in a season). Solar eclipses happen on a new moon and lunar eclipses happen on a full moon. The second eclipse of this Scorpio season is a full lunar eclipse in Taurus happening on November 11th. Unfortunately, we won’t be able to view the eclipse in the UK – it will be visible in USA, Canada, South America, Australia and much of Asia – but we will experience its powerful energy.

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With this new moon in Scorpio begins our second eclipse season of the year. Eclipse season is an approximate 35-day period where at least two (and possibly three) eclipses will take place. Typically, there are two eclipses in one eclipse season, and two eclipse seasons in one calendar year. This means we generally have at least four eclipses per year. Eclipse seasons repeat in approximately six month cycles.

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In the Northern Hemisphere, the Harvest Moon is the name given to the full moon that falls closest to the Autumnal Equinox. For several evenings in a row on and around the Harvest Moon, moonrise will happen soon after sunset, which results in an abundance of bright moonlight early in the evening. This was a source of additional light to farmers and workers harvesting crops grown in the summer. Harvest is the last phase in the growth cycle, and full moons are the last phase of the lunar cycle. This full moon is in Pisces, which is the last sign of the zodiac. This is a moment that represents maturation transmuting into dissolution. Of nothing more to do, other than be. Mystical and psychedelic in flavour, this full moon illuminates and melts notions of ‘the self’ as something separate - from others, from the world and from the universe.

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In ‘Astrology, Karma & Transformation’, Stephen Arroyo talks about Virgo, Pisces and Scorpio as the three signs that are “most obviously concerned with the crises that can clearly be related to karma.” These signs “represent crucial stages in self-development, phases of evolution and growth in which the person must confront the fruits of his or her actions and attitudes.” This moon is calling us to notice our patterning; our hardwiring. Versions of ourselves – ways that we behave, things we do and say - that no longer marry the truth of our inner and outer worlds. What actions, beliefs, relationships or work are we doing or enacting that no longer make sense to who we have really become?

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The fourth and last supermoon of the year is a full moon in Aquarius. A supermoon is a new or full moon, which is at its closest orbital point to the earth. The moon travels in an elliptical path around our planet. In astronomical terms, this is described as an ‘eccentricity’: a measure of the amount the orbit deviates from a perfect circle. This closeness means that the usual effects of the moon are amplified. So, in terms of a full moon that means a bigger, brighter moon and a heightened gravitational force; a force that causes much higher tides. A supermoon also augments the way we experience its energy, on an emotional and spiritual level.

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A new, or dark, moon is the first phase of the lunar cycle. Although invisible to the eye, the energy of a new moon is extremely potent. It is the ideal time to plant seeds and set intentions for what we want to bring into our lives. The energy of the moon – new or full – speaks to our inner world. The new moon in particular helps us connect to the deeper, secret, subterranean parts of our psyche. Connect to them, commune with them, find out what we want and make those things manifest. Translating inner to outer.

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This supermoon – or perigee full moon – in Capricorn is the closest to earth of the year. This closeness to earth means that we perceive the moon to be brighter and bigger, particularly if we see it in relation to the horizon. But those are not the only effects felt on the earth. Because of their proximity to this planet, supermoons exert a stronger gravitational force than a regular full moon does. This causes king tides; a much higher tide than usual. This augmented gravitational force can cause bigger tidal ranges and much higher water levels. For us individually, it is an extremely powerful moment of increased energy, sensitivity and possible turbulence. However, with all this comes increased illumination and opportunities to see things about ourselves that we would not normally see. Supermoons light up the corners of ourselves that we don’t usually see, and give us crucial insight and information.

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This new moon is the cardinal water sign of Cancer: the sign it rules. It is powerfully at home here. Whenever we have a full or a new moon in Cancer, home is a very important theme. The symbol of Cancer is the crab. The crab is its own home; its shell, which is part of its own physicality, is its home. So, during a new moon our physical homes are important (do we feel held in our space, for example?) but, because Cancerian energy is so highly emotional, intuitive and truth-telling, it is tied to an innate soul sense of home. This is both feeling at home – protected and safe – physically, emotionally and spiritually, but also having access to that place; to the core of home inside ourselves.

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A full moon occurs when the moon (in its monthly orbit: a lunation) is on the opposite side of the earth from the sun. A new moon takes place when the moon's phase is in conjunction with the sun, so that its dark side is towards the earth. Several times a year, as part of a wider natural cycle, a new or full moon will coincide with perigee - ‘peri’ meaning near and ‘geo’ earth – which is the moon’s closest point in its orbit to the earth. This coincidence is called a supermoon, a term coined by astrologer Richard Noelle in 1979 (astronomers call it a perigean). Supermoons appear brighter and slightly bigger (especially on the horizon). They cause higher tides on our planet and their energetic impact may be experienced by us collectively too.

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Celestial cycles and biological rhythms govern our external and internal worlds. Eclipses are part of this larger, cosmic cycle. Natural but challenging; transformative but potentially painful. Over the last month, we may have been in the trenches at points; mired in change: in deep, raw, sensitive places within ourselves. With this new moon in Gemini, we are officially closing out the first of this year’s eclipse seasons, and with it this period of high-intensity metamorphosis. It is time to integrate and it is time to play, as we approach the much softer, curious and lighter energy of this Gemini new moon.

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A total lunar eclipse happens when: the moon is full and when the moon is at, or near, a lunar node. Astronomically speaking, a lunar node is an orbital node (in astrology we talk about north and south nodes); they are the points at which the orbit of the moon intersects the ecliptic (the sun’s path as perceived from the earth). During a total lunar eclipse, the sun, earth and moon are in a total alignment, with the earth between the sun and moon. The moon becomes red during an eclipse because the only light that reaches its surface is from the very edges of the earth's atmosphere. These atmospheric air molecules scatter out most of the blue light, meaning that the remaining light reflects onto the surface of the moon with a red glow, giving it its ‘Blood Moon’ appearance.

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Celestial cycles is an astronomical term that describes the motion of celestial bodies - the sun, moon and the planets as seen from earth - and also something more. It speaks to the rhythms that make up our universe, from inside our body (circadian) to the pulses and movements of the heavens. Eclipse season is an integral part of these interconnected rhythms and takes place approximately every six months. Think about what was happening for you in November and early December of last year. Solar eclipses occur with the new moon and lunar eclipses with the full moon. Astrologically, the new moon is a time of new beginnings, as is a solar eclipse; each in its own particular way.

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