from March 12 to April 4
Stops and turns back on March 12 at 07:48, at 6°49' Aries
Moves forward again on April 4 at 11:11, at 23°50' Pisces
Shadow: from February 27 to April 23; the planet crosses the same degrees three times.
Retrogrades
Retrograde planets in 2012
In 2012, Mercury is retrograde 3 times: from March 12 to April 4, from July 15 to August 8, from November 6 to November 26. Venus: from May 15 to June 27. Mars: from January 24 to April 14. London time.
Mercury
from July 15 to August 8
Stops and turns back on July 15 at 03:15, at 12°32' Leo
Moves forward again on August 8 at 06:40, at 1°25' Leo
Shadow: from June 27 to August 22; the planet crosses the same degrees three times.
from November 6 to November 26
Stops and turns back on November 6 at 23:03, at 4°18' Sagittarius
Moves forward again on November 26 at 22:47, at 18°10' Scorpio
Shadow: from October 18 to December 14; the planet crosses the same degrees three times.
Venus
from May 15 to June 27
Stops and turns back on May 15 at 15:32, at 23°59' Gemini
Moves forward again on June 27 at 16:06, at 7°29' Gemini
Shadow: from April 12 to July 31; the planet crosses the same degrees three times.
Mars
from January 24 to April 14
Stops and turns back on January 24 at 00:53, at 23°05' Virgo
Moves forward again on April 14 at 04:53, at 3°40' Virgo
Shadow: from November 18, 2011 to June 19; the planet crosses the same degrees three times.
Jupiter
from October 4 to January 30, 2013
Stops and turns back on October 4 at 14:18, at 16°22' Gemini
Moves forward again on January 30, 2013 at 11:37, at 6°19' Gemini
Saturn
from February 7 to June 25
Stops and turns back on February 7 at 14:03, at 29°30' Libra
Moves forward again on June 25 at 09:00, at 22°45' Libra
Uranus
from July 13 to December 13
Stops and turns back on July 13 at 10:48, at 8°32' Aries
Moves forward again on December 13 at 12:02, at 4°36' Aries
Neptune
from June 4 to November 11
Stops and turns back on June 4 at 22:04, at 3°09' Pisces
Moves forward again on November 11 at 07:52, at 0°21' Pisces
Pluto
from April 10 to September 18
Stops and turns back on April 10 at 17:24, at 9°33' Capricorn
Moves forward again on September 18 at 06:07, at 6°57' Capricorn
Frequently asked questions
When is Mercury retrograde in 2012?
In 2012, Mercury is retrograde 3 times: from March 12 to April 4, from July 15 to August 8, from November 6 to November 26. London time.
Is Venus retrograde in 2012?
Yes: from May 15 to June 27. London time.
Is Mars retrograde in 2012?
Yes: from January 24 to April 14. London time.
What it is
A planet never moves backwards. But Earth and the planet orbit the Sun at different speeds: when one overtakes the other, the planet, seen from here, seems to slow down, stop, back up for a few weeks, then move forward again. It's a perspective effect, regular and predictable centuries in advance.
In astrology, a retrograde planet invites you to go back over what it stands for: for Mercury, the planet of communication, it's a time to reread, review and repair rather than start something new. It's a symbolic reading: nothing proves that Mercury retrograde makes devices break down, but the advice to reread before you hit send always helps.
The shadow, for Mercury, Venus and Mars: the planet covers the same degrees three times, moving forward, backward, then forward again. Some astrologers already see the retrograde's theme in the shadow: a build-up before, a wrap-up after.
How it is calculated
A station is the moment the planet seems to stop in the sky, before backing up or moving forward again. We look for it day by day, then refine it to the second with the Swiss Ephemeris (NASA ephemerides); the dates are checked against a second, independent calculation (Skyfield).