Retrogrades and eclipses
When each planet seems to go backwards and when there are eclipses, with dates for your time zone.
Retrogrades of 1976
A "retrograde" planet seems to move backwards as seen from Earth, like when a faster car overtakes another: it is an effect of perspective, not a real change. The dates are those of the "stations", the moments when the planet stops and changes direction.
| Planet | Goes retrograde | Goes direct |
|---|---|---|
| Mercury | Wed 14 Jan · 07:42 · 9° Aquarius | Tue 3 Feb · 23:56 · 23° Capricorn |
| Pluto | Wed 14 Jan · 12:41 · 11° Libra | Fri 18 Jun · 23:42 · 8° Libra |
| Mars | since 1975 | Tue 20 Jan · 22:27 · 14° Gemini |
| Uranus | Tue 10 Feb · 23:11 · 7° Scorpio | Sun 11 Jul · 08:04 · 3° Scorpio |
| Neptune | Mon 15 Mar · 21:39 · 13° Sagittarius | Mon 23 Aug · 04:03 · 11° Sagittarius |
| Saturn | since 1975 | Sat 27 Mar · 20:58 · 26° Cancer |
| Mercury | Sun 9 May · 07:04 · 3° Gemini | Wed 2 Jun · 03:19 · 24° Taurus |
| Mercury | Thu 9 Sep · 00:03 · 7° Libra | Fri 1 Oct · 04:59 · 23° Virgo |
| Jupiter | Sun 19 Sep · 20:39 · 1° Gemini | in 1977 |
| Saturn | Sat 27 Nov · 19:45 · 16° Leo | in 1977 |
| Mercury | Tue 28 Dec · 05:34 · 23° Capricorn | in 1977 |
Mercury retrograde: time to review
Mercury seems to go backwards in the sky, an optical effect seen from Earth. Tradition associates it with communication, travel and paperwork. It is usually a good moment to go over things, reread before signing, make backups and pick up what was left pending, rather than to start new things.
Pluto retrograde: a quiet transformation
Pluto seems to go backwards for several months a year: tradition associates it with deep change and with what transforms inwardly. It usually invites you to look honestly at what you are letting go of and not to carry what is no longer yours.
Mars retrograde: energy turns inward
Mars seems to go backwards: tradition associates it with action and initiative. It is usually felt as a slower pace or less wish to push; it is a good moment to gather your strength, finish what you started and not force haste.
Uranus retrograde: change is absorbed
Uranus seems to go backwards for several months each year: tradition links it with change and the need for freedom. It is usually a time to make sense of what has already moved, rather than to provoke sudden turns.
Neptune retrograde: seeing more clearly
Neptune seems to go backwards for much of the year: tradition relates it to dreams, ideals and intuition. It usually helps to tell what you imagine from what is happening, and to look with less fog at what you trust.
Saturn retrograde: reviewing commitments
Saturn seems to go backwards: tradition associates it with responsibilities, limits and structures. It is usually a time to review which commitments you still hold, what is surplus and what is worth reinforcing with patience.
Jupiter retrograde: growing inward
Jupiter seems to go backwards: tradition links it with growth, learning and beliefs. It usually invites you to review what truly makes you grow and to consolidate what you have learned before going for more.
Eclipses of 1976
- Eclipse solar anular at 9° Taurus Thu 29 Apr · 12:19
- Eclipse lunar parcial at 23° Scorpio Thu 13 May · 22:04
- Eclipse solar total at 29° Libra Sat 23 Oct · 06:09
- Eclipse lunar penumbral at 14° Taurus Sun 7 Nov · 00:14
The time is that of the new or full moon; the moment of greatest eclipse falls a few minutes away. Where it can be seen depends on each place and we do not calculate it here: check an observatory before going out to watch it. Never look at the Sun without certified protection.
Solar eclipse: a door to begin again
A solar eclipse happens at new moon, when the Moon covers the Sun as seen from somewhere on Earth. Tradition takes them as moments of beginnings and changes of course, more intense than an ordinary new moon and with an effect lasting some weeks. They do not say what will happen: they are an invitation to decide calmly what you want to start.
Lunar eclipse: seeing and letting go
A lunar eclipse happens at full moon, when the Earth's shadow crosses the Moon. Tradition takes them as moments of culmination: what you have been nurturing comes to light, and so does what no longer makes sense to hold on to. They predict nothing: they help you put a calm close on things.
Calculated with astronomical ephemerides (JPL DE440). Time zone: Europe/Madrid. This is symbolic and astronomical information: it does not predict events.