Retrograde Tracker
When the planets seem to walk backwards,
and when they do it together.
- You’re hovering above the solar system. Every planet is exactly where it is right now, though we’ve drawn each one in its classic side view.
- Distance is on a logarithmic scale. (Space is absurdly big)
- Planets are drawn bigger. Compared to the distance between them, they’d be too small to see, even on a logarithmic scale.
- Dashed lines show retrogrades.
- The asteroids are an approximation. There are over a million out there, and we didn’t draw them all.
- ×1 is real time, just leave it open.
By year
- The top graph counts how many planets are in retrograde at the same time.
- Each row is one planet. Its bars show when it goes backwards.
- ☿ Mercury
- ♀︎ Venus
- ♂︎ Mars
- ♃ Jupiter
- ♄ Saturn
- ⛢ Uranus
- ♆ Neptune
- Rules
- Growth, luck, wisdom, beliefs
- Retrograde
- Once a year, for about 4 months
Jupiter is the teacher. When it turns retrograde, growth turns inward.
Luck feels quieter. It’s a time to reflect on what you believe and where you want to grow.
- Rules
- Drive, courage, anger, action
- Retrograde
- Every 2 years, for about 2½ months
Mars is the warrior. When it turns retrograde, momentum stalls and tempers run short.
Pushing harder won’t help. Rest, rethink the plan, and pick your battles.
- Rules
- Talk, messages, travel, tech, deals
- Retrograde
- About 3 times a year, for 3 weeks
Mercury is the messenger. When it turns retrograde, messages get lost, plans slip and gadgets act up.
It’s a time to re-do things: review, revise, reconnect. Double-check before you sign or send.
- Rules
- Dreams, intuition, illusion, spirit
- Retrograde
- Once a year, for about 5 months
Neptune is the dreamer. When it turns retrograde, the fog lifts and illusions fade.
See people and plans as they really are. Listen to your dreams.
- Rules
- Structure, duty, limits, time
- Retrograde
- Once a year, for about 4½ months
Saturn is the elder. When it turns retrograde, old responsibilities come back to be finished.
Revisit your commitments and boundaries. Slow, steady work pays off.
- Rules
- Change, freedom, surprises, invention
- Retrograde
- Once a year, for about 5 months
Uranus is the rebel. When it turns retrograde, sudden changes slow down and work on you from the inside.
A quiet time for inner breakthroughs, before the outside world catches up.
- Rules
- Love, beauty, money, what we value
- Retrograde
- Every 1½ years, for about 6 weeks
Venus is the lover. When it turns retrograde, old flames return and feelings come up for review.
Think twice before big purchases or a dramatic new look. Ask what you truly value.
By month
- Each wave is one planet. While its wave is up, that planet is going backwards.
- The height of a wave shows how far back the planet goes, in degrees.
- A full circle all the way around us is 360°.
- ☿ Mercury
- ♀︎ Venus
- ♂︎ Mars
- ♃ Jupiter
- ♄ Saturn
- ⛢ Uranus
- ♆ Neptune
What is a retrograde?
Planets usually move forward across the night sky. But a few times a year, one seems to stop and walk backwards for a while. That is called a retrograde.
The planet does not really turn around. It only looks that way from Earth, because we are moving too. It is like passing a slower car on the highway: for a moment, it seems to roll backwards.
In astrology, a planet going backwards slows down the things it is in charge of. Mercury, for example, is in charge of talking, messages and phones. When several planets go backwards together, life can feel slow and stuck. This page shows you when that happens.