Retrogrades
In 2023, Mercury is retrograde 4 times: from December 29, 2022 to January 18, from April 21 to May 15, from August 23 to September 15, from December 13 to January 2, 2024. Venus: from July 23 to September 4. Mars: from October 30, 2022 to January 12. London time.
from December 29, 2022 to January 18
Stops and turns back on December 29, 2022 at 09:31, at 24°21' Capricorn
Moves forward again on January 18 at 13:11, at 8°08' Capricorn
Shadow: from December 12, 2022 to February 7; the planet crosses the same degrees three times.
from April 21 to May 15
Stops and turns back on April 21 at 09:34, at 15°37' Taurus
Moves forward again on May 15 at 04:16, at 5°50' Taurus
Shadow: from April 7 to May 31; the planet crosses the same degrees three times.
from August 23 to September 15
Stops and turns back on August 23 at 20:59, at 21°51' Virgo
Moves forward again on September 15 at 21:21, at 8°00' Virgo
Shadow: from August 4 to September 30; the planet crosses the same degrees three times.
from December 13 to January 2, 2024
Stops and turns back on December 13 at 07:09, at 8°29' Capricorn
Moves forward again on January 2, 2024 at 03:07, at 22°10' Sagittarius
Shadow: from November 25 to January 21, 2024; the planet crosses the same degrees three times.
from July 23 to September 4
Stops and turns back on July 23 at 02:32, at 28°36' Leo
Moves forward again on September 4 at 02:20, at 12°12' Leo
Shadow: from June 19 to October 7; the planet crosses the same degrees three times.
from October 30, 2022 to January 12
Stops and turns back on October 30, 2022 at 13:25, at 25°36' Gemini
Moves forward again on January 12 at 20:56, at 8°07' Gemini
Shadow: from September 4, 2022 to March 16; the planet crosses the same degrees three times.
from September 4 to December 31
Stops and turns back on September 4 at 15:10, at 15°34' Taurus
Moves forward again on December 31 at 02:40, at 5°34' Taurus
from June 17 to November 4
Stops and turns back on June 17 at 18:27, at 7°12' Pisces
Moves forward again on November 4 at 07:02, at 0°30' Pisces
from August 24, 2022 to January 22
Stops and turns back on August 24, 2022 at 14:53, at 18°55' Taurus
Moves forward again on January 22 at 22:58, at 14°56' Taurus
from August 29 to January 27, 2024
Stops and turns back on August 29 at 03:38, at 23°04' Taurus
Moves forward again on January 27, 2024 at 07:35, at 19°05' Taurus
from June 30 to December 6
Stops and turns back on June 30 at 22:06, at 27°41' Pisces
Moves forward again on December 6 at 13:22, at 24°53' Pisces
from May 1 to October 11
Stops and turns back on May 1 at 18:08, at 0°21' Aquarius
Moves forward again on October 11 at 02:09, at 27°53' Capricorn
In 2023, Mercury is retrograde 4 times: from December 29, 2022 to January 18, from April 21 to May 15, from August 23 to September 15, from December 13 to January 2, 2024. London time.
Yes: from July 23 to September 4. London time.
Yes: from October 30, 2022 to January 12. London time.
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.
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).