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Perhaps no astrological factor has more different opinions and less agreement among astrologers than the phenomenon of retrograde motion, the fact that from the earth’s view all planets appear to move backward in reverse motion through the zodiac, one or more times a year. Expert’s opinions range from there being no perceived effect whatsoever when a planet is retrograde, to their being a very dramatic effect. But then, even if an effect is indicated, there is a wide range of declarations as to what that effect might be.

The various interpretations are all over the board. In this section, we will examine the physical astronomy behind the retrograde phenomenon and, based on what we find, go on to discuss how this might be interpreted.

For starters, among those who do credit retrograde planets with an interpretation, it is generally agreed that when a planet is retrograde, its nature and effect is somehow retarded, delayed, or obscured. For the most part (and with a few exceptions) in the history of astrology it is not considered a good or helpful thing to have a planet retrograde.

The most well-known example of a retrograde planet and what it portends is that of Mercury. Most of us have heard things like “Don’t sign that contract! Mercury is retrograde,” and there is a whole astrological sub culture built up around what you should and should not do when Mercury goes retrograde. When Mercury is retrograde, so it is claimed, communications of all kinds cannot be trusted, and may go haywire. The advice is usually “Wait until Mercury goes direct.” With this sort of thing in mind, let’s examine the retrograde phenomenon.

If we want to understand what most astrologers agree retrograde indicates, it would be something to the effect that when a planet is moving backward in the zodiac, it is not moving forward doing its normal thing. As obvious as that statement is, it makes sense. If we have been progressing forward in one direction or another, and then find ourselves backtracking over the same ground, we are not going forward. That seems to be the essence of the traditional interpretation of what retrograde motion is all about.