Sky Today
What Planets Are Retrograde Right Now?
Quick Answer
4 planets are retrograde as of October 1, 2026 at 03:37 UTC: Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto. Saturn turns direct on December 10, 2026, Uranus turns direct on February 8, 2027, Neptune turns direct on December 12, 2026, Pluto turns direct on October 16, 2026.
Computed October 1, 2026 at 03:37 UTC. This page regenerates hourly.
Retrograde Status by Planet
- Mercury is directMercury is direct as of October 1, 2026 at 03:37 UTC. Its next retrograde begins on October 24, 2026 at 3:11 AM ET (07:11 UTC) at 20°58' Scorpio and ends on November 13, 2026.
- Venus is directVenus is direct as of October 1, 2026 at 03:37 UTC. Its next retrograde begins on October 3, 2026 at 3:09 AM ET (07:09 UTC) at 8°29' Scorpio and ends on November 14, 2026. Venus is already in its pre-retrograde shadow, which began August 31, 2026.
- Mars is directMars is direct as of October 1, 2026 at 03:37 UTC. Its next retrograde begins on January 10, 2027 at 8:00 AM ET (13:00 UTC) at 10°25' Virgo and ends on April 1, 2027.
- Jupiter is directJupiter is direct as of October 1, 2026 at 03:37 UTC. Its next retrograde begins on December 12, 2026 at 7:59 PM ET (00:59 UTC on December 13) at 27°01' Leo and ends on April 13, 2027. Jupiter is already in its pre-retrograde shadow, which began September 17, 2026.
- Saturn is retrogradeSaturn has been retrograde since July 26, 2026 at 3:57 PM ET (19:57 UTC) and turns direct on December 10, 2026 at 6:23 PM ET (23:23 UTC) at 7°55' Aries. Its post-retrograde shadow ends on March 15, 2027.
- Uranus is retrogradeUranus has been retrograde since September 10, 2026 at 2:41 PM ET (18:41 UTC) and turns direct on February 8, 2027 at 7:23 AM ET (12:23 UTC) at 1°40' Gemini. Its post-retrograde shadow ends on May 26, 2027.
- Neptune is retrogradeNeptune has been retrograde since July 7, 2026 at 7:21 AM ET (11:21 UTC) and turns direct on December 12, 2026 at 5:14 PM ET (22:14 UTC) at 1°36' Aries. Its post-retrograde shadow ends on April 2, 2027.
- Pluto is retrogradePluto has been retrograde since May 6, 2026 at 11:44 AM ET (15:44 UTC) and turns direct on October 15, 2026 at 10:24 PM ET (02:24 UTC on October 16) at 3°04' Aquarius. Its post-retrograde shadow ends on February 7, 2027.
Where the Planets Are Now
Current positions of every planet that can turn retrograde.
| Body | Position | Motion |
|---|---|---|
| Mercury | 0°52'42" Scorpio | Direct |
| Venus | 8°23'54" Scorpio | Stationing retrograde |
| Mars | 1°46'34" Leo | Direct |
| Jupiter | 19°37'04" Leo | Direct |
| Saturn | 11°33'50" Aries | Retrograde |
| Uranus | 5°31'23" Gemini | Retrograde |
| Neptune | 2°51'41" Aries | Retrograde |
| Pluto | 3°07'15" Aquarius | Retrograde |
Retrograde Calendar 2026 and 2027
Every retrograde that touches these two years, in order, with the degree of each station and the full shadow period.
| Planet | Stations Retrograde | Stations Direct | Signs | Shadow Period |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Uranus | 1°27' Gemini | 27°27' Taurus | Gemini, Taurus | to |
| Jupiter | 25°09' Cancer | 15°05' Cancer | Cancer | to |
| Mercury | 22°33' Pisces | 8°29' Pisces | Pisces | to |
| Pluto | 5°30' Aquarius | 3°04' Aquarius | Aquarius | to |
| Mercury | 26°15' Cancer | 16°19' Cancer | Cancer | to |
| Neptune | 4°25' Aries | 1°36' Aries | Aries | to |
| Saturn | 14°44' Aries | 7°55' Aries | Aries | to |
| Uranus | 5°41' Gemini | 1°40' Gemini | Gemini | to |
| Venus | 8°29' Scorpio | 22°51' Libra | Scorpio, Libra | to |
| Mercury | 20°58' Scorpio | 5°02' Scorpio | Scorpio | to |
| Jupiter | 27°01' Leo | 16°59' Leo | Leo | to |
| Mars | 10°25' Virgo | 20°55' Leo | Virgo, Leo | to |
| Mercury | 5°58' Pisces | 20°55' Aquarius | Pisces, Aquarius | to |
| Pluto | 7°10' Aquarius | 4°44' Aquarius | Aquarius | to |
| Mercury | 6°21' Cancer | 27°28' Gemini | Cancer, Gemini | to |
| Neptune | 6°39' Aries | 3°51' Aries | Aries | to |
| Saturn | 27°52' Aries | 21°01' Aries | Aries | to |
| Uranus | 9°57' Gemini | 5°55' Gemini | Gemini | to |
| Mercury | 4°55' Scorpio | 19°18' Libra | Scorpio, Libra | to |
What Each Retrograde Is Known For
- Mercury retrogradeReviewing plans, conversations, contracts, devices, and travel arrangements.
- Venus retrogradeRevisiting relationships, values, spending, and old loves.
- Mars retrogradeRedirecting effort and anger, with slower progress on new initiatives.
- Jupiter retrogradeInner growth and reflection on beliefs rather than outward expansion.
- Saturn retrogradeReworking commitments, structures, and long-term responsibilities.
- Uranus retrogradeInner change and quiet experiments before outward breaks.
- Neptune retrogradeSeeing through illusions and clarifying ideals.
- Pluto retrogradeInner transformation and a private reckoning with power.
The Rest of the Sky
Questions About Retrogrades
What Planets Are Retrograde Right Now?
4 planets are retrograde as of October 1, 2026 at 03:37 UTC: Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto. Saturn turns direct on December 10, 2026, Uranus turns direct on February 8, 2027, Neptune turns direct on December 12, 2026, Pluto turns direct on October 16, 2026.
What Does Retrograde Mean in Astrology?
A planet is retrograde when, seen from Earth, it appears to move backward through the zodiac. Nothing actually reverses: Earth is overtaking an outer planet, or an inner planet is overtaking Earth. Astrologers read retrogrades as times to review and revisit the themes that planet governs.
What Is a Retrograde Shadow Period?
The pre-shadow begins when a planet first crosses the degree where it will later turn direct. The post-shadow ends when it returns to the degree where it turned retrograde. Many astrologers treat the shadow as the lead-in and aftermath of the retrograde.
How Often Do Planets Go Retrograde?
Mercury turns retrograde three or four times a year for about three weeks. Venus turns retrograde every 19 months for about six weeks, and Mars every 26 months for about ten weeks. Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto turn retrograde every year for four to six months. The Sun and Moon never do.
Can More Than One Planet Be Retrograde at Once?
Yes. Because the outer planets spend roughly 40 percent of each year retrograde, several are often retrograde together, especially from late spring to early autumn.
Why Do Some Sites List a Different Retrograde Date?
Most astrology sites print a single date without a time zone. An ingress at 10:49 PM in New York is already the next day in London and Sydney, so two correct sources can disagree by a day. Selfgazer gives every time in both US Eastern time and UTC, and the tables switch to your own time zone in the browser.
Data for this page: JSON, Markdown, iCalendar. Free to cite with a link to this page.