The 2026 new moon in Aquarius is a major initiation moment that will kick off a new chapter for the collective and for each of us personally.
This new moon, which occurs on February 17, 2026 (7:01 AM ET, 28°49’ Aquarius) is extra potent because it’s also a solar eclipse, and kicks off a new eclipse cycle.
This is the first eclipse in Aquarius since 2018, and the first in a new series of six eclipses that will occur on the Aquarius/Leo axis between now and January 2028.
As the first in the new series, this eclipse marks the opening chapter in a new story that will unfold in our lives over the next two years.
What’s the Significance of a Solar Eclipse?
Solar eclipses occur during a new moon, when the moon slides between the Earth and the sun, briefly obscuring the sun’s light. It’s a dramatic disruption to our main source of light, an unexpected change in the natural order of things.
Comsistent with this symbolism, eclipses often coincide with abrupt external shifts, major beginnings and endings, and obstructions of power.
Sometimes the shift is obvious in the moment, but often what begins in an eclipse happens in the darkness of the power outage and isn’t fully revealed until months later.
Themes of the Aquarius Eclipse
The Leo/Aquarius axis speaks to themes relating to leadership and community, the tension between individuality and belonging, and status quo versus innovation.
The opposing signs of Leo and Aquarius invite us to consider who holds power, how communities organize, and what the future looks like when it’s built for the greater good as opposed to the conquest for power.
Aquarius energy is innovative, analytical, and future-focused. This is the sign of the eccentric, the innovator, and the outcast. Leo, the opposite sign, is about the individual, the mainstream, and the conventional norms.
The Aquarius/Leo axis represents a tension between the cult of personality and the power of the collective, between the singular savior and the collective effort, and between craving quick individual recognition and knowing that real fulfillment comes from contributing to real, genuine change, within community.
Reconsider Leadership Paradigms
One invitation of this eclipse is to reconsider what leadership looks like. We often think of leaders as being those people who are already in positions of power.
That perspective may be due for a reframe.
The Sun represents our ego and identity. In Aquarius, it’s already in a place of diminished power: during this middle season of winter in the northern hemisphere, it is low in the sky and doesn’t give much heat or warmth.
The eclipse further diminishes the Sun’s strength, adding to the Aquarian focus on the collective over the individual.
Sometimes the most powerful person in the room is the one who cedes the microphone to others, and sits back to observe.
This eclipse invites us to consider what it looks like to lead from within the collective, rather than from a position of authority or power over others.
With Pluto having already entered Aquarius in late 2024, this eclipse intensifies the transformation of our social structures, technology, and personal freedom.
How to Work With The Eclipse
Eclipses are moments of volatile energy — like when power fluctuates in a storm. Because of this volatility, an eclipse is not a time for major action or intention-setting.
Instead, it’s a time to lay low, observe, and listen before taking action. Eclipses are about surrendering to the bigger forces of nature and noticing what’s happening before you make a major move.
Read: 5 Ways to Work With Eclipse Energy
The exact area of focus for you will depend on where Aquarius falls in your chart and what part of life it relates to.
In general, this eclipse invites us to consider how we can embrace more of our Aquarian nature — the rebel, the innovator, the unconventional one — even within community. One of t
- Reinvent Your Network: Reevaluate your friendships and community involvement. Align with people who support your evolving, authentic self.
- Embrace Individuality: Shed social pressures to conform to existing paradigms; instead, embrace your unconventional ideas.
- Innovate: Consider how you can innovate in areas of your life that may feel stagnant. Where can you take risks or embrace an unconventional approach?
- Lead From the Pack: Find ways to express your leadership even if you’re not currently in a position of power.
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