Comparable to race vehicles on an oval circuit are the two planets. Earth is in the inside lane and travels more quickly than Mars; in fact, it completes two laps of the track in roughly the same amount of time as Mars does one.
Earth catches up to Mars and passes it once every 26 months. This year, as we pass by the red planet, it will appear to us as though Mars is rising and falling. The illusion will eventually vanish as we continue along our curved orbit and view the planet from a different angle, allowing us to once more see Mars moving straight ahead.
Retrograde motion is the term for this seemingly irregular motion. Jupiter and the other planets that orbit the sun further away also experience the illusion.
The orbits that Earth and Mars follow don’t precisely lay on the same plane, which just adds to the strangeness of the situation. It appears as though the two planets are traveling down distinct tracks that are just slightly off-center from one another. This results in yet another odd illusion.
Imagine you could mark the location of Mars on a sky map every night as it moves forward, goes into retrograde, and then resumes its forward motion. You can either draw an open zigzag or a loop by connecting the dots. Depending on where Earth and Mars are in their skewed racetrack orbits, a certain pattern will emerge.
In This Article...
Is Mars currently in retrograde motion?
Mars Retrograde: What Is It? In the sky, Mars occasionally looks to be going backward “Truly, no planet actually moves backward in its orbit around the Sun, so the essential word here is appears. They don’t even slow down, in fact. Because the Earth orbits the Sun at a different rate than the other planets, retrograde-station-direct cycles are essentially illusions that arise from our vantage point on Earth. Mars goes retrograde every two to three years for about 58 to 81 days.
Note: “Rx denotes Retrograde. You’ll see dates that alternate between “Mars Rx” (the date Mars turns retrograde) and “Mars Direct” in the tables below (the date when Mars turns direct after a retrograde period).
In other words, from the Mars Rx date to the Mars Direct date, Mars is in retrograde motion.
- The position of Mars when it turns retrograde is indicated by the degree and sign adjacent to the Mars Rx date.
- The position of Mars at the time it stops moving backwards and turns direct is indicated by the degree and sign of the Mars Direct date.
The table’s aforementioned sample reads as follows: Mars will turn retrograde on October 30, 2022, at 9:25 AM, when it is near 25 degrees Gemini 37. Mars’ retrograde motion lasts until January 12, 2023, at which point it will turn direct at 3:56 PM, at an angle of 8 degrees Gemini. In other words, from October 30, 2022, to January 12, 2023, Mars will be retrograde in Gemini. Keep in mind that retrograde times are never exact and vary slightly between software packages.
Mercury retrograde occurs May 30 to June 23
Retrogrades of the inner planets, such as those of Venus, Mars, and Mercury, are crucial times to slow down and practice retrospective mindfulness. If we don’t alter the way we look at the world, the retrograde cycle of these particular planets may be difficult for us since we are so accustomed to being in “go, go, go mode,” according to Gailing. “It’s crucial to follow the planets’ lead and return to previously traveled ground in order to make the most of these times and avoid potential stress. When Mercury is in retrograde, you review your communications and interactions in order to reframe them. It’s best to hold off on starting anything new during this time. That being said, keep in mind that you’re still in beta-test status if you do need to launch something. As the planets move into direct motion, gather information and feedback you may utilize to strengthen your design.”
How does the retrograde of Mars effect me?
The fact that Mars does not always function well in polite society is a topic that Mars retrograde also touches on in a much more sophisticated way. We learn to repress our basic, individual wants for the benefit of the group from a very young age. We are taught to keep our mouths shut if we have nothing nice to say, so harsh words often replace silent smiles. So it should come as no surprise when we subsequently discover that we have suppressed our martial tendencies and struggle to exert ourselves when necessary. It’s possible that our professors succeeded in passing down this perverted aspect of contemporary culture too well: we inherit the capacity to witness wrong and say nothing, and even farther, to be wronged and do nothing.
We are likely to confront this aspect of ourselves during Mars’ retrograde, letting off rogue fury units that appear out of nowhere. We are given the chance to rethink these aspects of our lives when we delve deeply into areas of unresolved conflict, allowing new and better impulses to take control. Mars retrogrades are the best opportunities to reevaluate our goals and motivations, allowing for any necessary rewrites. After Mars retrograde, we gain a fresh perspective on our path and learn new strategies for fusing motivation with meaning.
What is now 2021 retrograde?
Again, Mercury is in retrograde. In astrology, Mercury is the planet that primarily governs communication. Mercury entered retrograde motion on September 27, 2021, and it will remain in that state through October 18, 2021. Mercury looks to be moving backward from west to east while it is in retrograde.
What does Mars moving backwards mean?
Your relationships at work, home, and in your personal life could all suffer at this period.
Your general energy levels will drop, and you can feel angrier or more annoyed.
It’s not just anger that gets things going, according to Francesca; it’s also passion, fire, understanding, guts, and impatience.
What zodiac signs will be impacted by the 2021 Mercury retrograde?
The other cardinal signs in the other elements will feel this particular backward turn the most because it is occurring in cardinal Libra. Aries (cardinal fire), Cancer (cardinal water), and Capricorn are included in this (cardinal earth). Aries, it will manifest in your fourth house of domestic life, Cancer, your seventh house of partnerships, and Cap, your tenth house of careers.
What kind of retrograde are we currently in?
January 14February 3, 2022, is the first retrograde period. May 10June 3, 2022, is the second retrograde period. September 9October 2, 2022, is the third retrograde period. December 29 until January 18, 2023, is the fourth retrograde.