Retrogrades
In 2029, Mercury is retrograde 4 times: from January 7 to January 27, from May 2 to May 25, from September 2 to September 25, from December 22 to January 11, 2030. Venus: from December 16 to January 26, 2030. Mars: from February 14 to May 5. London time.
from January 7 to January 27
Stops and turns back on January 7 at 07:56, at 3°38' Aquarius
Moves forward again on January 27 at 18:40, at 17°32' Capricorn
Shadow: from December 21, 2028 to February 16; the planet crosses the same degrees three times.
from May 2 to May 25
Stops and turns back on May 2 at 00:05, at 26°40' Taurus
Moves forward again on May 25 at 20:20, at 17°33' Taurus
Shadow: from April 17 to June 10; the planet crosses the same degrees three times.
from September 2 to September 25
Stops and turns back on September 2 at 13:18, at 1°49' Libra
Moves forward again on September 25 at 03:01, at 17°26' Virgo
Shadow: from August 13 to October 9; the planet crosses the same degrees three times.
from December 22 to January 11, 2030
Stops and turns back on December 22 at 05:50, at 17°42' Capricorn
Moves forward again on January 11, 2030 at 05:45, at 1°26' Capricorn
Shadow: from December 4 to January 30, 2030; the planet crosses the same degrees three times.
from December 16 to January 26, 2030
Stops and turns back on December 16 at 23:47, at 24°01' Capricorn
Moves forward again on January 26, 2030 at 21:33, at 8°37' Capricorn
Shadow: from November 15 to February 27, 2030; the planet crosses the same degrees three times.
from February 14 to May 5
Stops and turns back on February 14 at 08:16, at 13°55' Libra
Moves forward again on May 5 at 19:59, at 24°55' Virgo
Shadow: from December 10, 2028 to July 9; the planet crosses the same degrees three times.
from February 10 to June 13
Stops and turns back on February 10 at 13:07, at 27°25' Libra
Moves forward again on June 13 at 22:06, at 17°30' Libra
from August 22, 2028 to January 5
Stops and turns back on August 22, 2028 at 23:17, at 11°18' Taurus
Moves forward again on January 5 at 12:38, at 4°25' Taurus
from September 6 to January 19, 2030
Stops and turns back on September 6 at 09:34, at 25°01' Taurus
Moves forward again on January 19, 2030 at 03:53, at 18°05' Taurus
from September 19, 2028 to February 16
Stops and turns back on September 19, 2028 at 01:01, at 14°14' Gemini
Moves forward again on February 16 at 10:51, at 10°12' Gemini
from September 23 to February 20, 2030
Stops and turns back on September 23 at 17:21, at 18°33' Gemini
Moves forward again on February 20, 2030 at 23:22, at 14°30' Gemini
from July 14 to December 19
Stops and turns back on July 14 at 03:10, at 11°08' Aries
Moves forward again on December 19 at 08:24, at 8°19' Aries
from May 11 to October 21
Stops and turns back on May 11 at 05:13, at 10°27' Aquarius
Moves forward again on October 21 at 04:56, at 8°02' Aquarius
In 2029, Mercury is retrograde 4 times: from January 7 to January 27, from May 2 to May 25, from September 2 to September 25, from December 22 to January 11, 2030. London time.
Yes: from December 16 to January 26, 2030. London time.
Yes: from February 14 to May 5. 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).