Retrogrades and eclipses
When each planet seems to go backwards and when there are eclipses, with dates for your time zone.
Retrogrades of 2016
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 | Tue 5 Jan · 14:05 · 1° Aquarius | Mon 25 Jan · 22:49 · 14° Capricorn |
| Jupiter | Fri 8 Jan · 05:40 · 23° Virgo | Mon 9 May · 14:14 · 13° Virgo |
| Saturn | Fri 25 Mar · 11:00 · 16° Sagittarius | Sat 13 Aug · 11:49 · 9° Sagittarius |
| Mars | Sun 17 Apr · 14:13 · 8° Sagittarius | Thu 30 Jun · 01:38 · 23° Scorpio |
| Pluto | Mon 18 Apr · 09:25 · 17° Capricorn | Mon 26 Sep · 17:01 · 14° Capricorn |
| Mercury | Thu 28 Apr · 19:19 · 23° Taurus | Sun 22 May · 15:19 · 14° Taurus |
| Neptune | Mon 13 Jun · 22:42 · 12° Pisces | Sun 20 Nov · 05:38 · 9° Pisces |
| Uranus | Fri 29 Jul · 23:06 · 24° Aries | Thu 29 Dec · 10:28 · 20° Aries |
| Mercury | Tue 30 Aug · 15:03 · 29° Virgo | Thu 22 Sep · 07:30 · 14° Virgo |
| Mercury | Mon 19 Dec · 11:55 · 15° Capricorn | in 2017 |
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Eclipses of 2016
- Eclipse solar total at 18° Pisces Wed 9 Mar · 02:54
- Eclipse lunar penumbral at 3° Libra Wed 23 Mar · 13:00
- Eclipse lunar penumbral at 25° Aquarius Thu 18 Aug · 11:26
- Eclipse solar anular at 9° Virgo Thu 1 Sep · 11:03
- Eclipse lunar penumbral at 24° Pisces Fri 16 Sep · 21:05
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.