Retrogrades
In 2036, Mercury is retrograde 4 times: from January 1 to January 21, from April 23 to May 17, from August 25 to September 17, from December 15 to January 3, 2037. Venus: from May 8 to June 20. Mars does not go retrograde this year. London time.
from January 1 to January 21
Stops and turns back on January 1 at 04:24, at 26°55' Capricorn
Moves forward again on January 21 at 09:41, at 10°44' Capricorn
Shadow: from December 15, 2035 to February 10; the planet crosses the same degrees three times.
from April 23 to May 17
Stops and turns back on April 23 at 14:17, at 18°37' Taurus
Moves forward again on May 17 at 09:29, at 9°02' Taurus
Shadow: from April 9 to June 2; the planet crosses the same degrees three times.
from August 25 to September 17
Stops and turns back on August 25 at 20:47, at 24°38' Virgo
Moves forward again on September 17 at 18:20, at 10°38' Virgo
Shadow: from August 5 to October 2; the planet crosses the same degrees three times.
from December 15 to January 3, 2037
Stops and turns back on December 15 at 02:06, at 11°02' Capricorn
Moves forward again on January 3, 2037 at 22:57, at 24°44' Sagittarius
Shadow: from November 27 to January 23, 2037; the planet crosses the same degrees three times.
from May 8 to June 20
Stops and turns back on May 8 at 16:58, at 17°31' Gemini
Moves forward again on June 20 at 15:11, at 1°01' Gemini
Shadow: from April 5 to July 24; the planet crosses the same degrees three times.
No retrograde this year.
from September 9, 2035 to January 5
Stops and turns back on September 9, 2035 at 15:14, at 20°43' Taurus
Moves forward again on January 5 at 03:58, at 10°42' Taurus
from October 14 to February 9, 2037
Stops and turns back on October 14 at 02:37, at 26°14' Gemini
Moves forward again on February 9, 2037 at 07:41, at 16°10' Gemini
from November 30, 2035 to April 12
Stops and turns back on November 30, 2035 at 11:07, at 19°14' Leo
Moves forward again on April 12 at 23:36, at 12°19' Leo
from December 13 to April 27, 2037
Stops and turns back on December 13 at 02:58, at 2°53' Virgo
Moves forward again on April 27, 2037 at 05:57, at 25°59' Leo
from October 21, 2035 to March 18
Stops and turns back on October 21, 2035 at 09:02, at 15°04' Cancer
Moves forward again on March 18 at 15:29, at 10°59' Cancer
from October 25 to March 23, 2037
Stops and turns back on October 25 at 04:23, at 19°37' Cancer
Moves forward again on March 23, 2037 at 08:26, at 15°31' Cancer
from July 28, 2035 to January 2
Stops and turns back on July 28, 2035 at 13:27, at 24°37' Aries
Moves forward again on January 2 at 06:31, at 21°48' Aries
from July 30 to January 3, 2037
Stops and turns back on July 30 at 01:18, at 26°52' Aries
Moves forward again on January 3, 2037 at 17:43, at 24°03' Aries
from May 21 to November 1
Stops and turns back on May 21 at 16:35, at 21°19' Aquarius
Moves forward again on November 1 at 07:55, at 18°58' Aquarius
In 2036, Mercury is retrograde 4 times: from January 1 to January 21, from April 23 to May 17, from August 25 to September 17, from December 15 to January 3, 2037. London time.
Yes: from May 8 to June 20. London time.
Mars does not go retrograde this year.
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).