Venus Retrograde Calendar
When Venus turns retrograde, with the exact dates.
Direct now. Next retrograde:
When is Venus retrograde? About once every eighteen months, for roughly six weeks. That makes it one of the rarer ones: whole years pass with no Venus retrograde at all.
It is an optical effect, not a real reversal. Venus keeps orbiting the Sun, but Earth and Venus travel at different speeds, so from here the planet seems to slow, stop, drift backward for a while, then turn forward again. The two stations, the day it stops to go back and the day it resumes, are the dates below.
In classical astrology a retrograde planet is read as turned inward. Venus governs what we value and how we relate, so tradition treats this window as a time to review rather than begin: old connections resurface, tastes get questioned, a purchase waits. This is an astronomical calendar of the real station dates, not a forecast of trouble.
Retrograde periods
| Retrograde begins | Turns direct | In |
|---|---|---|
| Scorpio / Libra | ||
| Gemini | ||
| Capricorn | ||
| Leo | ||
| Aries / Pisces | ||
| Scorpio / Libra | ||
| Gemini | ||
| Capricorn |
Dates are UTC-based; in your local zone a station can fall a day either side. Station times from the Swiss Ephemeris, given in UTC.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often is Venus retrograde?
Roughly once every eighteen months, for about six weeks. Because the cycle is longer than a year, some calendar years contain no Venus retrograde at all.
Is Venus retrograde this year?
The calendar above answers it for any year we cover. If a year shows no period, Venus stays direct for all of it, which is normal and happens regularly.
What does Venus retrograde mean?
Astronomically it means Venus appears to move backward from Earth's viewpoint. In classical practice it is read as a review period for values and relationships, not as a warning.