Retrograde planets
Seen from Earth, every planet from Mercury to Pluto, and the small body Chiron, seems to back up through the zodiac for a while each cycle. This page explains each planet; the year pages list every station.
Terms used here
- Station
- The moment a planet seems to stand still in the sky before it appears to change direction: it stations retrograde, and later stations direct.
- Pre-shadow
- The weeks before a retrograde station in which the planet first crosses the stretch of the zodiac it will later back over. Shown for Mercury, Venus and Mars.
- Post-shadow
- The weeks after the direct station in which the planet moves forward over that stretch again, until it passes the degree where it stationed retrograde.
Retrograde and shadow periods now
Times in Eastern Time (ET)
Neptune
retrograde- Stations retrograde
- · 4°25′ Aries
- Stations direct
- · 1°36′ Aries
Neptune retrograde in Aries
Neptune turns retrograde for roughly five months each year — it only appears to move backward from where we stand on Earth. In Aries, a cardinal fire sign ruled by Mars, the symbolism turns toward what you've idealized about courage: where initiative became fantasy, where a cause blurred your edges. You might revisit what you're actually fighting for.
Saturn
retrograde- Stations retrograde
- · 14°44′ Aries
- Stations direct
- · 7°55′ Aries
Saturn retrograde in Aries
While Saturn is retrograde in Aries — appearing from Earth to drift backward while it keeps moving steadily along its own path — astrologers read a review of how you start things. Aries is cardinal fire, ruled by Mars; Saturn sits in fall here, a placement where it's least at home with raw initiative. You might revisit where your drive meets structure, and what you want to build.
Chiron
retrogradeChiron stations retrograde in Taurus and moves back into Aries on Sep 17.
- Stations retrograde
- · 0°52′ Taurus
- Back into Aries
- Stations direct
- · 26°15′ Aries
Chiron retrograde in Taurus, then in Aries
Chiron retrograde in Taurus: from Earth, Chiron appears to drift backward through this fixed earth sign ruled by Venus — a trick of perspective, not an actual change of course. For roughly five months, the symbolism turns inward toward worth: what you own, what your body needs, what steadies you. You might revisit where enough became never enough.
Chiron retrograde in Aries: seen from Earth, Chiron appears to drift backward through the zodiac, while it keeps moving steadily forward along its actual path. For roughly five months, the symbolism points inward, to old bruises around self-assertion, in Aries, a cardinal fire sign ruled by Mars. You might revisit where asking for what you want once cost you, and try a gentler telling.
Uranus
retrograde- Stations retrograde
- · 5°41′ Gemini
- Stations direct
- · 1°40′ Gemini
Uranus retrograde in Gemini
While Uranus is retrograde in Gemini — seeming, from Earth, to move backward through this mutable air sign ruled by Mercury, though it never reverses in orbit — astrologers read a turn inward across roughly five months. You might revisit which opinions are genuinely yours, which curiosities you dropped, and where your thinking wants loosening rather than defending.
Venus
retrogradeVenus enters its pre-retrograde shadow on Aug 31 and stations retrograde on Oct 3. Venus stations retrograde in Scorpio and moves back into Libra on Oct 25.
- Pre-shadow begins
- Stations retrograde
- · 8°29′ Scorpio
- Back into Libra
- Stations direct
- · 22°51′ Libra
- Post-shadow ends
Venus retrograde in Scorpio, then in Libra
Venus is retrograde in Scorpio — seen from Earth it only seems to drift backward, never truly reversing. In this fixed water sign, where Venus sits in detriment and comfort comes slowly, astrologers read a review of intimacy: what you've merged, withheld, or outgrown. You might revisit an old attachment honestly, keeping full say over what you choose.
Venus is retrograde in Libra — seen from Earth it seems to drift backward through the zodiac, though it never reverses its orbit. Libra is Venus's own sign, so astrologers read this as reviewing fairness: where you've over-adjusted to keep peace, which agreements still fit. You might revisit a relationship question you thought settled, and find your own preference inside it.
Mercury
pre-shadowMercury enters its pre-retrograde shadow on Oct 4 and stations retrograde on Oct 24.
- Pre-shadow begins
- Stations retrograde
- · 20°58′ Scorpio
- Stations direct
- · 5°02′ Scorpio
- Post-shadow ends
Mercury retrograde in Scorpio
While Mercury is retrograde in Scorpio — seeming, from Earth, to move backward through this fixed water sign, though it never reverses its orbit — astrologers read a pull toward buried material: the half-said thing, the motive under the motive. You might reread old messages, or finally ask the question you circled. Nothing here forbids deciding; it invites looking twice.
Watch the next 30 days
Press play and the planets move a day at a time. A planet turning retrograde slows, stops and backs up, as it appears to from Earth.
Put these dates in your calendar: Retrograde stations
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Mercury retrograde
Three or four times a year, Mercury overtakes Earth on the inside and appears, from here, to move backward through the zodiac for 19 to 24 days — retrograde, apparent only, never a real reversal. As symbol rather than force, that doubling-back reads as a cue to review: reread, revisit a conversation, notice what you skimmed. Decide and travel as you please; just take a second look.
Venus retrograde
Venus is retrograde — seen from Earth it appears to slide backward through the zodiac, though it never reverses in orbit; it's overtaking us on the inside, crossing between Earth and the Sun at one moment midway through these 40-odd days. Astrology reads that backward look as review: what you value, who you keep close, what effort has cost you. Revisiting, not retreating.
Mars retrograde
While Mars is retrograde, it only seems to move backward through the zodiac, an illusion that arises as Earth, on its faster inner orbit, overtakes it. Astrologers link Mars to drive and assertion, so these 60 to 81 days are often read as a chance to revisit how you pursue what you want — where anger goes, what effort has stalled — rather than a reason to hold back.
Jupiter retrograde
When Jupiter is retrograde, it appears to reverse through the zodiac — Earth, on the faster inner orbit, is passing it, and the illusion lasts about four months. The symbolism turns inward on growth: the beliefs you expanded into, the commitments you said yes to. Which of them still fit, and which did you outgrow without noticing? Nothing here says wait.
Saturn retrograde
For about four and a half months each year, Saturn seems to drift backward through the zodiac — apparent motion, caused by Earth overtaking it on our faster inner orbit. Astrology reads that backward look as a review season: a chance to revisit the structures you've built and the commitments you keep, and ask which rules are genuinely yours and which you inherited.
Uranus retrograde
Uranus is retrograde: from Earth it appears to slide backward through the zodiac while our quicker inner orbit carries us past it — roughly 150 days, about once a year. Symbolically, the stretch invites you to revisit changes you once wanted: which break from routine still fits, which was borrowed. You keep deciding; the question is what freedom means now.
Neptune retrograde
For about five months each year, Neptune appears to drift backward through the zodiac — an illusion of perspective as Earth, moving faster on its inner track, passes it by. Read symbolically, the long stretch invites a second look at what you imagine or idealize: a person you've filled in with hope, a dream held loosely. Where does the picture differ from what's there?
Pluto retrograde
Pluto never truly reverses course; Earth, moving quicker on the inside track, passes it, so for roughly 162 days each year the slow outer planet appears to retrace its steps, pausing (stationing) at each end. Astrologers read that as a turn inward toward power and compulsion — where you hold control, where something holds you. Nothing is on hold; you're just invited to look closer.
Chiron retrograde
Chiron turns retrograde for about five months each year — it only appears to move backward as Earth, on its faster inner orbit, passes it. Astrologers link Chiron to old injuries you've learned to work around, and read this stretch as an invitation inward: noticing which tender spot still shapes your choices, and what you've quietly grown skilled at because of it.
The interpretations on this page were drafted with software assistance and checked against our voice guidelines by an automated reviewer.
Year by year
How these times are computed
Every time here comes from our own engine, built on astronomy-engine, an open-source ephemeris, and checked against independent references: the U.S. Naval Observatory's Moon phases, NASA's eclipse canon and a second, independent ephemeris. The page is written in Eastern Time (ET); your browser shows the times in the zone you pick.
A station is the moment a planet seems to stand still before it appears to reverse. Retrograde motion is apparent: seen from Earth the planet looks as if it moves backward, while in its orbit it never does. For Mercury, Venus and Mars we also give the shadow: the pre-shadow begins when the planet first reaches the degree where it will later station direct, and the post-shadow ends when it returns to the degree where it stationed retrograde.
Astrology is a symbolic language, not a science: the positions are exact, and what they mean is interpretation.