Fortune Cookies
Mars runs drive and action. Mars retrograde is what it feels like when force turns inward: head-on attacks bog down, but whatever you already started moves well. On average a period lasts 78 days, happens roughly 1 time a year.
Retrograde periods Mars: 2021–2031
Eastern Time, to the minute. "Shadow before" is when the planet first crossed the degree of the coming station; "shadow after" is when it returned direct to where the retrograde began.
2022 the year in detail →
| Turns retrograde | Turns direct | Lasts | Signs and shadow | Chart of the Sky |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25°36′ Gemini | 8°07′ Gemini | 74 days | The whole period in Gemini Shadow: from to |
2024 the year in detail →
| Turns retrograde | Turns direct | Lasts | Signs and shadow | Chart of the Sky |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6°10′ Leo | 17°00′ Cancer | 79 days | Returns from Leo to Cancer Shadow: from to |
2027 the year in detail →
| Turns retrograde | Turns direct | Lasts | Signs and shadow | Chart of the Sky |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10°25′ Virgo | 20°55′ Leo | 81 days | Returns from Virgo to Leo Shadow: from to |
2029 the year in detail →
| Turns retrograde | Turns direct | Lasts | Signs and shadow | Chart of the Sky |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13°55′ Libra | 24°55′ Virgo | 80 days | Returns from Libra to Virgo Shadow: from to |
2031 the year in detail →
| Turns retrograde | Turns direct | Lasts | Signs and shadow | Chart of the Sky |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21°38′ Scorpio | 4°26′ Scorpio | 76 days | The whole period in Scorpio Shadow: from to |
What to watch for during Mars retrograde
What tends to help
- Finish what is open instead of opening new fronts
- Train at an easy pace, protect your back and your tendons
- Deal with an old irritation instead of stacking more on top of it
Where to leave yourself margin
- Starting a war of any kind: a lawsuit, a fight, a power struggle
- Launching something that needs one hard sprint to work
- Making medical decisions without your doctor: planetary motion is not a substitute for one
These are not prohibitions. A retrograde does not cancel your life – it shows you where the wind is behind you and where it is in your face. If something cannot be moved, it can be done with margin: re-read it, ask again, leave an extra day.
Other retrograde planets
Mars Retrograde by year
All years Mars: 1900–2050
How this is calculated. Our numbers come from the Moira 6.1.0 engine running on NASA JPL DE440 ephemerides, tropical zodiac, Eastern Time, data updated Aug 8, 2026. More on our method →
The wheel uses the tropical zodiac, 0° Aries on the left, signs running counterclockwise. The lines in the middle are the exact angles between planets at that moment.