The Science Behind Planetary Retrogrades

Everyone likes to talk about Mercury retrograde, but few realize what retrograde actually means scientifically, and even fewer realize that all planets go retrograde at some time or another. In fact, 2023 is chockfull of retrogrades as you will see below.

First of all, when a planet goes retrograde it does not mean that it goes backward, it means that it appears to go backward, so yes, you can say a planet going retrograde is an illusion. A planet going retrograde means it is giving the illusion of going backwards, and that illusion is determined by our point of view here on earth. Okay, calm down, and untangle your indignation, just because it is an illusion, does not mean that you do not feel its effects. I will explain how that works further in the article. I know you are thinking, “Julie, we don’t want to hear the science pooh poohing what we all know, from experience happens. And I agree, so please bear with me, don’t close your mind, and read the entire article.

There is a huge arrogant disconnect between science and spirituality and what I call spiritual science, and this is an example of this. Understanding what a retrograde is scientifically helps you understand how to deal with the spiritual effects of it. Science will tell you that an “illusion” is not real and therefore cannot affect you. I say, “yeah right.” There is too much anecdotal evidence to counter that claim. I am attaching an article I wrote about “Intelligent Faith.”

So, let’s dig into the science of retrogrades.

Planets going into retrograde is a very common occurrence and in fact on September 4, 2023, we will experience the rare occurrence of seven planets being retrograde at the same time. It’s going to be a wild ride.

So, what exactly does “retrograde”?

In a nutshell, planets move from west to east across the night sky and all planets revolve around the sun in the same direction. If you can imagine sitting at the north pole, and looking up, all planets would appear to be traveling anti-clockwise. This anti-clockwise motion is called “prograde”.

When a planet gives the illusion of going “backwards” it is called “retrograde.” It appears that it is going backwards, but it is not. The illusion is based on our point of view or viewpoint here on earth caused by the different speeds that the planets rotate (including earth) orbit around the sun.

When the Earth’s orbit overtakes a planet with a slower orbit, we see that planet from a different viewpoint or perspective. The planets with slower orbits would be Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto. When the earth’s orbit overtakes a slower moving planets orbit, it appears to zig zag or go backward here on earth from our perspective. It is like an illusional wobble.

The faster moving planets (the ones between us and the Sun – Mercury and Venus appear to go retrograde when their orbit overtakes the earth.

It is all perspective, and it is all an illusion. But illusions and perspectives can affect us. Have you ever read a great book or poem or seen a beautiful piece of art and were moved emotionally by it? You “felt” it. The words in the book and poems are illusions—they come from someone else’s imagination, so they are not real to you, illusions so to speak. Yet you feel those emotions that have been caused by these illusions. You look at a piece of art and you feel something. The piece of art is a representation of something else, yet you feel it in your soul, and it affects you. The illusion of a retrograde is the same thing, you are observing an illusion, yet your spiritual higher self feels it, whether you feel it in a good way or a bad way. Illusions can be experienced! Scientists will state otherwise. Scientists were convinced the earth was flat also. We are all finely tuned “feeling” machines; so don’t for a minute discount that what you feel is real.

In astronomy, opposition has a different definition than in astrology. Astronomy uses the term “opposition” when a planet appears to be going in the opposite direction to the Sun, as viewed from Earth.

Because Mercury and Venus have orbits that are closer to the Sun than the Earth’s, they can never go into opposition. However, planets closer to the Sun can go retrograde. I will be writing more about how each planet affects us when it goes retrograde.

When is the next retrograde in 2023?

• Mercury

o 29 December 2022 - 18 January 2023

o 21 April 2023 - 15 May 2023

o 23 August 2023 - 15 September 2023

o 13 December 2023 - 2 January 2024

• Venus

o 23 July 2023 - 4 September 2023

• Mars

o 30 October - 12 January 2023

• Jupiter

o 4 September 2023 - 31 December 202

• Saturn

o 17 June 2023 - 4 November 2023

• Uranus

o 24 August 2022 - 22 January 2023

o 29 August 2023 - 27 January 2024

• Neptune

o 30 June 2023 - 6 December 2023

• Pluto

o 1 May 2023 - 11 October 2023

- Julie O'Hara 2023

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