Retrogrades
In 2024, Mercury is retrograde 4 times: from December 13, 2023 to January 2, from April 1 to April 25, from August 5 to August 28, from November 26 to December 15. Venus does not go retrograde this year. Mars: from December 6 to February 24, 2025. London time.
from December 13, 2023 to January 2
Stops and turns back on December 13, 2023 at 07:09, at 8°29' Capricorn
Moves forward again on January 2 at 03:07, at 22°10' Sagittarius
Shadow: from November 25, 2023 to January 21; the planet crosses the same degrees three times.
from April 1 to April 25
Stops and turns back on April 1 at 23:14, at 27°13' Aries
Moves forward again on April 25 at 13:54, at 15°58' Aries
Shadow: from March 19 to May 13; the planet crosses the same degrees three times.
from August 5 to August 28
Stops and turns back on August 5 at 05:56, at 4°06' Virgo
Moves forward again on August 28 at 22:13, at 21°24' Leo
Shadow: from July 17 to September 12; the planet crosses the same degrees three times.
from November 26 to December 15
Stops and turns back on November 26 at 02:42, at 22°40' Sagittarius
Moves forward again on December 15 at 20:56, at 6°23' Sagittarius
Shadow: from November 7 to January 3, 2025; the planet crosses the same degrees three times.
No retrograde this year.
from December 6 to February 24, 2025
Stops and turns back on December 6 at 23:33, at 6°10' Leo
Moves forward again on February 24, 2025 at 01:59, at 17°00' Cancer
Shadow: from October 5 to May 2, 2025; the planet crosses the same degrees three times.
from October 9 to February 4, 2025
Stops and turns back on October 9 at 08:04, at 21°20' Gemini
Moves forward again on February 4, 2025 at 09:40, at 11°16' Gemini
from June 29 to November 15
Stops and turns back on June 29 at 20:06, at 19°25' Pisces
Moves forward again on November 15 at 14:20, at 12°41' Pisces
from August 29, 2023 to January 27
Stops and turns back on August 29, 2023 at 03:38, at 23°04' Taurus
Moves forward again on January 27 at 07:35, at 19°05' Taurus
from September 1 to January 30, 2025
Stops and turns back on September 1 at 16:17, at 27°15' Taurus
Moves forward again on January 30, 2025 at 16:22, at 23°15' Taurus
from July 2 to December 7
Stops and turns back on July 2 at 11:40, at 29°55' Pisces
Moves forward again on December 7 at 23:42, at 27°07' Pisces
from May 2 to October 12
Stops and turns back on May 2 at 18:47, at 2°06' Aquarius
Moves forward again on October 12 at 01:31, at 29°38' Capricorn
In 2024, Mercury is retrograde 4 times: from December 13, 2023 to January 2, from April 1 to April 25, from August 5 to August 28, from November 26 to December 15. London time.
Venus does not go retrograde this year.
Yes: from December 6 to February 24, 2025. 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).