Retrograde Planets 2026: All Dates
Every retrograde period in 2026 — start, end, and zodiac sign — calculated from real planetary positions, not copied from another site.
Mercury retrograde 2026: 27 February – 22 March, 1 July – 25 July, 25 October – 15 November
Retrograde Table 2026
| Planet | Period | Sign |
|---|---|---|
| ☿Mercury | 27 February – 22 March | Pisces |
| 1 July – 25 July | Cancer | |
| 25 October – 15 November | Scorpio | |
| ♀Venus | 4 October – 15 November | Scorpio → Libra |
| ♂Mars | Mars is not retrograde in 2026. Next period starts 12 January 2027. | |
| ♃Jupiter | since late 2025 – 12 March | Cancer |
| 14 December – into early 2027 | Leo | |
| ♄Saturn | 28 July – 12 December | Aries |
| ♅Uranus | since late 2025 – 5 February | Taurus |
| 12 September – into early 2027 | Gemini | |
| ♆Neptune | 9 July – 14 December | Aries |
| ♇Pluto | 8 May – 17 October | Aquarius |
What Each Retrograde Means
Mercury
3× 202627 February – 22 March · 1 July – 25 July · 25 October – 15 November
Contracts, tech, communication — double-check everything. Re-read emails and terms before signing, back up your files. Good time to finish old conversations and projects, bad time to buy a new phone or laptop.
Venus
1× 20264 October – 15 November
Relationships and money. Old flames resurface, and impulse purchases look better than they are. Hold off on drastic appearance changes and new financial commitments.
Mars
Energy and action. Things started now move slower and often need a restart. Finish instead of starting, and watch out for rushed conflicts.
Jupiter
2× 2026since late 2025 – 12 March · 14 December – into early 2027
Reassessment of plans and goals — which expansion is truly worth it and which exists only on paper.
Saturn
1× 202628 July – 12 December
Review of responsibilities and structures. What is dead weight, and what actually keeps your life stable.
Uranus
2× 2026since late 2025 – 5 February · 12 September – into early 2027
Changes brew internally before becoming visible. Felt more on a generational level than in daily personal life.
Neptune
1× 20269 July – 14 December
Illusions thin out. A good period for a sober look at dreams, projects, and people you may have idealized.
Pluto
1× 20268 May – 17 October
Slow, deep reassessment of power and control. Works on the level of society and long-term processes, not day to day.
How to Read Retrogrades
No planet actually moves backward. A retrograde is an optical illusion: Earth and the other planet orbit at different speeds, and when one overtakes the other, the planet appears to drift backward across our sky — the same way a neighboring train seems to roll back when yours pulls ahead. That is the science, and it is worth saying plainly.
The astrological tradition reads these periods as time for review rather than launch: finish, re-check, revisit. One more honest note — the outer planets (Jupiter through Pluto) are retrograde for 4–5 months every single year. That is normal background, not an emergency. What you actually feel in daily life are the personal planets: Mercury, Venus, and Mars.
See Also
FAQ
When is Mercury retrograde in 2026?+
Mercury is retrograde 3 times in 2026: 27 February – 22 March (in Pisces); 1 July – 25 July (in Cancer); 25 October – 15 November (in Scorpio). Dates are calculated from real planetary positions.
What does a retrograde planet mean?+
Physically, nothing moves backward — retrograde motion is an optical illusion caused by Earth and the planet orbiting at different speeds. In astrological tradition, retrograde periods are read as time for review and finishing rather than starting: re-check contracts, revisit old projects, back up your data.
Does a retrograde affect all zodiac signs?+
The dates are the same for everyone — a retrograde is an astronomical event, not a per-sign one. Tradition holds that how strongly you feel it depends on where the retrograde falls in your personal natal chart: which house it transits and which of your planets it touches.
How often is Mercury retrograde?+
Mercury goes retrograde 3–4 times a year, about three weeks each time. It is the most frequent retrograde because Mercury has the shortest orbit — that is also why it gets the most attention.
What does this year hold for you?
2026 Yearly Report
Solar Return, profections, key dates and a month-by-month forecast for all of 2026.
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