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As a rule, retrograde planets presage a period of seemingly inevitable or fated events, which relate to their sphere of influence. They present us with a series of events over which we seem to have little or no control, relating especially to the sign in which the retrogradation occurs. For example, Saturn retrograde in Gemini presents quite different sets of circumstances from those generated when it retrogrades into Taurus.
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 Retrograde Mercury
Retrograde Mars
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A retrograde period is best seen as a cycle, which begins when the planet begins to slow to a halt before travelling backwards through the zodiac and ends when the planet returns to the point where it first paused. However, during the cycle, the planet's energy is most powerful (and more likely to generate critical events of universal importance) when the planet makes a station, appearing motionless in the sky. These stationary periods occur at the beginning of the cycle (when the planet first halts as it prepares to move backwards) and midway through the cycle when the retrograde planet slows to a stop before moving forward again.
Saturn is now retro until February 2002, while Jupiter turned retro at the beginning of November 2001, remaining so until March 1, 2002.
However, the main event in the retro world of 2001 was the biennial Mars retro cycle, between early May 2001 and the end of July.
Pluto had his retro station in March 2001, turning direct again in August 2000;
Neptune's last retrograde station occurred in May 2001, while his direct station happened in October 2001.
Uranus too turned retrograde in May 20001, turning direct on October 30.
Retrograde Planetary Cycles
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Mercury
Retrograde
24 days
Stationary approx. 3 days
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Venus
Retrograde
42 days
Stationary approx. 11 days
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Mars
Retrograde
80 days
Stationary approx. 20 days
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Jupiter
Retrograde
120 days
Stationary approx. 10 days
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Saturn
Retrograde
140 days
Stationary approx. 10 days
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Uranus
Retrograde
150 days
Stationary approx. 16 days
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Neptune
Retrograde
160 days
Stationary approx. 16 days
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Pluto
Retrograde
160 days
Stationary approx. 16 days
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Updated: Saturday, 6 March 2010
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