Last updated by Susan Taylor
Which retrograde planets affect you the most?
Enter your date, time and place of birth: find out where the planets sit in your birth chart, and so which areas of your life their retrogrades come to shake up.
Your phone crashes, your ex pops back up and your train gets canceled: is Mercury retrograde to blame? 😅 Here are all the retrograde planets for late 2026 and 2027, month by month and down to the minute. Then I'll tell you what each one comes to review in your life, and how to get through these periods without panicking.
In the timeline below, each line marks a station: the moment a planet seems to stop and then head backward (it turns retrograde) or resume its normal course (it turns direct again). I also give the sign it's in, and when it changes signs while moving backward. The timeline runs from October 2026 to December 2027, and all times are Eastern Time (New York).
10
retrograde periods touch 2027
3
Mercury retrogrades in 2027, each across two signs
0
Venus retrogrades in 2027
81 days
of Mars retrograde in 2027, from Virgo back into Leo
Late 2026
♆ Neptune, retrograde since 07/07, continues in Aries
♄ Saturn, retrograde since 07/26, continues in Aries
♅ Uranus, retrograde since 09/10, continues in Gemini
10/03 ♀ Venus turns retrograde in Scorpio (3:15 a.m.)
10/15 ♇ Pluto turns direct in Aquarius (10:39 p.m.)
10/24 ☿ Mercury turns retrograde in Scorpio (3:12 a.m.)
10/25 ♀ Venus, retrograde, moves back into Libra
11/13 ☿ Mercury turns direct in Scorpio (10:53 a.m.)
11/13 ♀ Venus turns direct in Libra (7:27 p.m.)
♄ Saturn continues its retrograde in Aries
♅ Uranus continues its retrograde in Gemini
♆ Neptune continues its retrograde in Aries
12/10 ♄ Saturn turns direct in Aries (6:31 p.m.)
12/12 ♆ Neptune turns direct in Aries (5:18 p.m.)
12/12 ♃ Jupiter turns retrograde in Leo (7:56 p.m.)
♅ Uranus continues its retrograde in Gemini
2027
♃ Jupiter, retrograde since 12/12/2026, continues in Leo
♅ Uranus, retrograde since 09/10/2026, continues in Gemini
01/10 ♂ Mars turns retrograde in Virgo (7:59 a.m.)
02/08 ♅ Uranus turns direct in Gemini (7:29 a.m.)
02/09 ☿ Mercury turns retrograde in Pisces (12:36 p.m.)
02/18 ☿ Mercury, retrograde, moves back into Aquarius
02/21 ♂ Mars, retrograde, moves back into Leo
03/03 ☿ Mercury turns direct in Aquarius (7:32 a.m.)
♂ Mars continues its retrograde in Leo
♃ Jupiter continues its retrograde in Leo
04/01 ♂ Mars turns direct in Leo (10:08 a.m.)
04/12 ♃ Jupiter turns direct in Leo (10:11 p.m.)
05/08 ♇ Pluto turns retrograde in Aquarius (8:56 a.m.)
06/10 ☿ Mercury turns retrograde in Cancer (2:15 p.m.)
06/26 ☿ Mercury, retrograde, moves back into Gemini
07/04 ☿ Mercury turns direct in Gemini (3:39 p.m.)
07/09 ♆ Neptune turns retrograde in Aries (6:41 p.m.)
08/09 ♄ Saturn turns retrograde in Aries (2:06 p.m.)
09/15 ♅ Uranus turns retrograde in Gemini (5:09 a.m.)
10/07 ☿ Mercury turns retrograde in Scorpio (10:37 a.m.)
10/16 ☿ Mercury, retrograde, moves back into Libra
10/17 ♇ Pluto turns direct in Aquarius (11:50 p.m.)
10/28 ☿ Mercury turns direct in Libra (10:10 a.m.)
♄ Saturn continues its retrograde in Aries
♅ Uranus continues its retrograde in Gemini
♆ Neptune continues its retrograde in Aries
12/15 ♆ Neptune turns direct in Aries (4:07 a.m.)
12/23 ♄ Saturn turns direct in Aries (9:46 p.m.)
♅ Uranus stays retrograde until 02/12/2028
Eastern Time, New York (EST from November 1, 2026, EDT from March 14 to November 7, 2027). Purple dot: a planet turns retrograde or direct again. Gray dot: a change of sign or a retrograde in progress.
The Highlights, from Late 2026 Through 2027
Before the end of 2026, Mercury and Venus both start moving forward again on November 13, Saturn and Neptune on December 10 and 12, and Jupiter takes over by turning retrograde on December 12, in Leo. Then 2027 opens with a big one: Mars retrograde from January 10 to April 1, from Virgo back into Leo. Mercury goes retrograde three times, and each time it starts in a Water sign (Pisces, Cancer, Scorpio) and backs up into an Air sign (Aquarius, Gemini, Libra). Good news for tender hearts: Venus doesn't go retrograde in 2027. In the fall, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune move backward together: it's time for deep reviews. And to place these dates among the sky's other big events, here are the key dates of the year.
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A retrograde planet is a planet whose path seems to reverse when seen from Earth. In reality, no planet ever moves backward. It's an optical illusion, caused by the difference in speed between Earth and the planet in question.
To picture it, imagine you're on a train passing another, slower one. For a moment, that second train seems to be going backward even though it's still moving forward. That's exactly what happens with retrograde planets: a simple trick of perspective.
As far back as Antiquity, astrologers noticed that these periods had a particular flavor. Delays, misunderstandings, second thoughts… The planet's energy turns inward, inviting us to pause and revisit certain parts of our lives. Scientifically, no study has ever proven it, let's be honest. But in astrology, it's a valuable reading.
So is a retrograde planet necessarily bad news? No! 😊 You read everywhere that it spells disaster, but that's a very narrow view. See these periods instead as a much-needed step back: sometimes you have to reread a chapter before writing the next one.
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Each planet carries a different energy, and its retrograde doesn't affect you in the same way. The personal planets (Mercury, Venus, Mars) have concrete, immediate effects on your daily life: communication, love, energy. The slow planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto) go retrograde for several months a year, and their influence is subtler, deeper, more collective. Here's each one in a word.
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A calendar is great. But you still need to know what to do with it! Here's a three-step method that works for every planet.
1. Write down the dates
Mark the start and end of each retrograde in your planner. Avoid scheduling major decisions then, especially for Mercury and Mars.
2. Look at the sign
The sign sets the tone of the period. Mercury retrograde in Pisces doesn't trip you up the way Mercury retrograde in Libra does.
3. Find your house
In your chart, the planet moves through a specific house. That's what tells you which area of your life is involved.
What changes every year
The dates of each retrograde
The signs it moves through
What never changes
The meaning of each planet
The house it occupies in your birth chart
For the third step, you need to know the astrological houses and your own birth chart. And if you like to plan your schedule around the sky, the lunar calendar and the eclipses pair nicely with this calendar.
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Breathe, smile: you can absolutely live through these periods well. Retrograde planets aren't here to punish you, they're here to help you grow. Here are my tips for getting through them calmly.
1. Plan ahead 📅
You have all the dates. Save your major decisions for direct periods, especially when Mercury, Venus or Mars are moving backward.
2. Take stock 📝
Every retrograde invites you to revisit the past. Use it to sort through your relationships, your projects, your habits. What still works? What needs to be released?
3. Slow down 🐢
Everything pushes us to go faster and faster. Retrograde planets, on the other hand, tell us: “Stop, take your time.” Meditate, go for a walk, unplug. Your body and mind will thank you.
4. Communicate with kindness 💬
Misunderstandings are common during these periods. Say clearly what you think and don't react in the heat of the moment: one misread message can spark a pointless conflict.
5. Trust the process 🙏
If a project stalls during a retrograde, maybe it wasn't aligned with your path. If an ex reappears, maybe it's so you can close the chapter for good. And remember: the stars incline, they don't compel. The last word is always yours 🌟.
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Our Editorial Insight
What If You Explored Your Birth Chart? ✨
Understanding retrograde planets is great. But every birth chart is unique, and a retrograde doesn't touch the same area of your life as your neighbor's. Susan Taylor, our lead astrologer, offers a personalized study of your birth chart: your sky map tells your unique story 🤩.
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No, not all of them. Mercury goes retrograde 3 to 4 times a year, and the slow planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto) move backward almost every year for several months. On the other hand, Venus and Mars retrogrades are much rarer: Venus goes retrograde about every 19 months, Mars about every 26 months. So in some years, one or the other doesn't go retrograde at all.
Because each planet orbits the Sun at its own speed. Mercury completes its lap in 88 days, Saturn in nearly 30 years, so the moments when Earth “passes” them never fall on the same dates. That's why this calendar is redone every year.
No, not at all. They're neither dangerous nor evil. They're phases of slowing down, reflection and introspection. Their effects can be unsettling if you're not prepared, but once you understand them, you can even get real benefits from them.
Yes, life doesn't stop! Ideally, just take more time to think things through, reread contracts before signing, clarify your intentions and avoid impulsive decisions. Caution, not paralysis 😉.
In your birth chart, a retrograde planet is marked with an “R” or “Rx” next to its symbol. It means its energy expresses itself in a more inward way in your life. An astrologer can tell you what that changes for you.
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Article presented by
Susan Taylor
"Editor in Chief & Astrologer for MyAstroMag My life's work is decoding the language of the stars to illuminate our human experience. As the Editor in Chief of MyAstroMag, I specialize in the astrology of love and relationships. Through our exclusive horoscopes and forecasts, my mission is to provid..."
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From July 26, 2026, until March 26, 2028, the North Node is in Aquarius and the South Node in Leo. In 2027, there's no axis change: the whole year lives under this lesson, paced by five eclipses, from February 6 to August 17. I'll explain what this transit changes for your sign.
Venus retrograde from October 3 to November 13, 2026, in Scorpio then in Libra since October 25: it's the only retrograde of the year. In 2027, there won't be any: the next one starts on May 10, 2028. I'll explain what it stirs up for your sign.
No Mars retrograde in 2026: the next retrograde starts in Virgo on January 10, 2027, slips back into Leo on February 21 and ends on April 1, 2027. It's the only one of 2027, and the next one won't come until February 14, 2029. I'll explain what it changes for your sign.
Jupiter retrograde in Leo from December 12, 2026 to April 12, 2027: it has already been moving through its shadow period since September 17. In 2027, it stays retrograde until April 12, then the next one waits until January 12, 2028, in Virgo. I'll explain what it changes for your sign.
Saturn retrograde in Aries from July 26 to December 10, 2026: it's its only retrograde of the year. In 2027, it will back up again in Aries, from August 9 to December 23. I'll explain what it changes for your sign.
Uranus is retrograde in Gemini from September 10, 2026, to February 8, 2027: it's the big retrograde of the year, and the first one entirely in this sign. In 2027, it will back up again from September 15, 2027, to February 12, 2028. I'll explain what it means for your sign.
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Aries 
Taurus 
Gemini 
Cancer 
Leo 
Virgo 
Libra 
Scorpio 
Sagittarius 
Capricorn 
Aquarius 
Pisces 
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