At 5.18 am BST this morning, 28th August 2026, the Full Moon reached its peak in Pisces, just six minutes after a deep partial lunar eclipse reached its maximum. This was quite a significant Full Moon. It was the second eclipse of August, the final eclipse in the current Pisces and Virgo cycle, and the last eclipse in Pisces until 2034.
Eclipses have always caught our attention because they temporarily change something in the sky that we are used to seeing in a particular way. A Full Moon is usually at its brightest, yet during a lunar eclipse it passes through the Earth’s shadow. There is something quite powerful about that image in itself.
What Happened During the Eclipse?
A lunar eclipse happens when the Sun, Earth and Moon line up, with the Earth between the Sun and Moon. As the Moon moved through the Earth’s shadow this morning, almost the whole of it entered the umbra, which is the darkest part of the shadow. It remained a partial eclipse because a small part of the Moon stayed outside the umbra.
At maximum eclipse, the umbral magnitude was around 93%, while NASA calculated that 96.3% of the Moon’s disc was inside the umbra. They are measuring slightly different things, which is why the figures are different. The eclipse began when the Moon entered the lighter outer part of the Earth’s shadow at 2.23 am BST. The partial eclipse began at 3.33 am and reached its maximum at 5.12 am.
The part of the Moon inside the shadow could appear copper-red because some sunlight still reached it after travelling through the Earth’s atmosphere. Blue light is scattered more easily, while red and orange wavelengths continue through towards the Moon. It is the same reason we see red and orange colours at sunrise and sunset. The eclipse carried on after maximum, although the Moon set in the UK before the whole event had finished.
The End of an Eclipse Cycle
This lunar eclipse followed the solar eclipse on 12 August and brought the second eclipse season of 2026 to a close. In astrology, it is also being seen as the end of a wider Pisces and Virgo eclipse cycle that began in September 2024.
Looking back over a period like this can sometimes help us see changes more clearly. Some happen quickly, while others build through decisions, experiences and things we gradually come to understand. Quite often, we only see the pattern when we look back.
The dates give us a useful point to reflect from. We can look at what has changed since September 2024, what we have learnt and what feels as though it has now run its course.
The Meaning of Pisces and Virgo
The Full Moon was in Pisces, with the Sun directly opposite in Virgo. Pisces is the final sign of the zodiac and is associated with intuition, imagination, sensitivity, compassion and connection with something larger than ourselves. Virgo is associated with discernment, practical thinking, daily routines and the details that help bring an idea into something real.
This particular Full Moon feels personal to me because Pisces is my Sun sign and Virgo, its opposite sign, is my husband’s. The Moon was in my sign while the Sun was in his.
Astrologically, Pisces and Virgo together make me think about intuition and practical thought working side by side. Sometimes we sense something before we can explain it. We may keep having the same thought, realise something has changed or find ourselves drawn towards a particular direction. Intuition brings it to our attention, then we can look at what we know, what makes sense and what we want to do with it.
Trust and the Unknown
Trust seems to be one of the strongest themes around this eclipse. It can be easier to trust ourselves when the facts are clear and we can see where we are going. It becomes harder when we know something is changing but still have no idea what comes next.
Most of us want some certainty. We want to know where a decision will lead, whether it will work and what is waiting further along the road. Sometimes we only find that out once we start moving.
A feeling can be worth paying attention to. We can give it some time, look at the practical side and see what else becomes clear. Trusting ourselves can also mean knowing when something is ready for action and when we need to watch it for a little longer.
Following the Compass
A map shows the landscape and the routes through it, while a compass tells us which direction we are facing. Sometimes we have a clear map and know where we are going and what needs to happen next. At other times, we are still working that out.
We might know that something has ended before we know what comes after it. We may feel ourselves changing direction before we fully understand where that direction is taking us. Sometimes we only know the next step.
Our inner compass comes from instinct, awareness, experience and what matters to us. We can notice what we are feeling, look at what we already know and decide what the next step is. Then we can look again as things develop.
This Pisces Full Moon lunar eclipse gives us a natural point to look back over the period since September 2024 and think about what has changed. What has become clearer? What feels complete? What keeps coming back to your attention? What are you ready to let go of? Where does your inner compass seem to be pointing now?
We may still be working some of it out. Sometimes knowing the direction is enough to start moving.
Until next time, trust what you notice.
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