eclipses never come alone. that is the first thing worth knowing about them.

Why eclipses arrive in pairs

An ordinary new moon happens every month and nothing dramatic occurs, because the moon's orbit is tilted and its shadow usually misses us entirely. Eclipses only happen when a new or full moon lands close to one of the two points where the orbits cross. Those points move slowly, which is why eclipses cluster into seasons roughly twice a year, and why they arrive two or three at a time rather than one by one.

That is the whole mechanism. There is no mystery in it, and knowing it makes the astrology easier to hold sensibly rather than anxiously.

August 12: the total solar eclipse in Leo

The first is a new moon total solar eclipse in Leo, the first total eclipse in that sign since 2019. Its path of totality crosses northern Spain and western Iceland, which makes it a genuine event rather than a chart footnote for a great many people.

Leo governs self-expression, visibility, and the willingness to be seen without apologising for the space you take. A solar eclipse here tends to close a chapter in how you present yourself. If you have been performing a version of yourself that stopped being true a while ago, this is the fortnight the performance gets harder to sustain.

August 28: the partial lunar eclipse in Pisces

Sixteen days later a full moon partial lunar eclipse arrives in Pisces, with about ninety three per cent of the moon covered at maximum. Lunar eclipses tend to bring things to the surface rather than close them quietly. What was submerged becomes visible.

Pisces is the sign of dissolving, of grief and compassion and the blurred edges between things. This one is less about being seen and more about releasing an attachment. Often something you have been holding onto out of habit rather than love.

Why the two together matter

This August sits at a turning point. Eclipses are beginning to move onto the Leo and Aquarius axis while finishing on the Virgo and Pisces axis, which is why one chapter of your life can feel like it is starting while another is clearly ending. That doubled feeling is not confusion on your part. It is accurate.

Read together, the two form a sequence worth trusting. First stop performing. Then let go of what you were performing for.

How to move through it

Do not set intentions. This is a releasing season, not a calling in one, and I have written separately about why. Instead, finish things. Say the sentence. Let the ending be an ending rather than dragging it across another six months.

Then wait. September will offer steadier ground for deciding what comes next, and whatever you choose then will be built on something you actually know.

Frequently asked questions

When are the eclipses in August 2026?

A total solar eclipse on August 12 in Leo, and a partial lunar eclipse on August 28 in Pisces.

Why are there two eclipses in one month?

Eclipses occur when a new or full moon falls near the points where the moon's orbit crosses the earth's orbital plane. Those alignments last a few weeks, so eclipses cluster in seasons and arrive in pairs.

What is the difference between a solar and lunar eclipse in astrology?

Solar eclipses fall on new moons and tend to close chapters in how you act and present yourself. Lunar eclipses fall on full moons and tend to surface what has been hidden, bringing emotional material into view.

How long does eclipse season last?

Usually around a month, from a couple of weeks before the first eclipse to a couple of weeks after the last. Effects are often felt for some weeks either side.

Two eclipses, sixteen days apart, asking two versions of the same question. What are you still carrying that you would not choose again today.

With love from Bali,
Myrah