The year 2017 has been full of lots of things, but one element it's been missing has been celestial drama. Remember 2016, with all the eclipses and the supermoons? And remember how they contributed to the all-consuming apocalyptic sensation of that year? Wild. That's all about the change, though: On Aug. 7, however, we'll be blessed by the second eclipse of 2017, which just so happens of be a partial lunar eclipse. If you're wondering, "How can I see the partial lunar eclipse in 2017?" because you too missed the goings-on of the various planets, read on: You might be in luck.
A partial lunar eclipse occurs when the earth moves between the sun and the moon, but the three don't form a perfect line in space. Instead, the moon falls partially in the umbra, the darkest part of the earth's shadow, and partially within the penumbra, the secondary shadow. The result is a sort of celestial ombre moment. The moon, for a moment, seems to be melting back into the night sky.
When it comes to the logistics, there aren't a whole lot of "tricks" required for lunar eclipse gazing. Unlike a solar eclipse, you don't need to look through a special, self-constructed viewer: Just turn your head towards the sky, ideally in a spot with minimal light pollution and tall buildings.
Yes, Cybill, that's really all.
You just need to be in a part of the world where the eclipse is visible. And that, my fellow Americans, is where our story in this case ends. August's lunar eclipse will be seen by most of South and East Asia, Australia, Africa and Europe. It is not, however, visible from North or South America.
But that doesn't mean we Americans are also excluded from the full moon ~vibes~ accompanying August's celestial event! In keeping with the tenets of astrology, each month we are presented with two points of self-revelation: a new moon, when we plant the seeds of invention and change, and a full moon, when we harvest. A lunar eclipse, which only occurs on either a full moon or a new moon (in this case, it's a full moon), presents an additional gift — kind of. It illuminates those dark corners, those sharp edges, and those areas of our personality we'd like to pretend don't exist, leading us to make inevitable decisions about things in our lives. And while facing up to your own issues can be difficult, it's an important step on the way to self-care and self-love. Embrace wholeness.
