Is Mars retrograde now?
Mars’s motion right now, its next retrograde, and every Mars retrograde in 2026 and 2027.
No, Mars is direct
Its next retrograde starts on and ends on .
It turns at 16°11′ Leo in the Vedic zodiac and 10°25′ Virgo in the Western one.
Yes, Mars is retrograde
It turned retrograde on and turns direct on .
It turned at 16°11′ Leo in the Vedic zodiac and 10°25′ Virgo in the Western one.
No, Mars is direct
No later retrograde falls inside the data, which runs to 2028.
Mars through 2026
The sign Mars is in, by the Vedic (sidereal) zodiac, and when it turns back.
Every Mars retrograde, 2026 and 2027
Times in UTC. Same dates in Vedic and Western astrology; only the signs differ.
| Turns retrograde | Turns direct | Days | Vedic signs | Western signs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Next | 81 | Leo → Cancer | Virgo → Leo |
The other planets right now
- Mercury DirectRetrograde 582 days ago RetrogradeDirect DirectRetrograde 457 days ago RetrogradeDirect DirectRetrograde 342 days ago RetrogradeDirect DirectRetrograde 234 days ago RetrogradeDirect DirectRetrograde 110 days ago RetrogradeDirect DirectRetrograde in 6 days RetrogradeDirect DirectRetrograde in 115 days RetrogradeDirect DirectRetrograde in 236 days RetrogradeDirect DirectRetrograde in 355 days RetrogradeDirect DirectRetrograde in 464 days RetrogradeDirect DirectRetrograde in 582 days RetrogradeDirect DirectRetrograde in 703 days RetrogradeDirect Direct
- Venus DirectRetrograde 595 days ago RetrogradeDirect DirectRetrograde 15 days ago RetrogradeDirect DirectRetrograde in 571 days RetrogradeDirect Direct
- Jupiter DirectRetrograde 340 days ago RetrogradeDirect DirectRetrograde in 56 days RetrogradeDirect DirectRetrograde in 452 days RetrogradeDirect Direct
- Saturn DirectRetrograde 462 days ago RetrogradeDirect DirectRetrograde 83 days ago RetrogradeDirect DirectRetrograde in 296 days RetrogradeDirect DirectRetrograde in 675 days RetrogradeDirect after 2028 Direct
Questions
Dates are computed with the Swiss Ephemeris.
Is Mars in retrograde now?
As of 17 October 2026, no: Mars is moving direct. Its next retrograde runs from 10 January to 1 April 2027 (UTC).
When is Mars retrograde in 2026?
Mars is not retrograde at any time in 2026. Its next retrograde runs from 10 January to 1 April 2027 (UTC).
How long does a Mars retrograde last?
In 2026 to 2028, each Mars retrograde lasts about two and a half months (81 days), from the station that turns it retrograde to the one that turns it direct.
Is Mars retrograde the same in Vedic and Western astrology?
Yes. A retrograde is an astronomical event, so the dates and times are the same in both. Only the sign names can differ: the Vedic (sidereal) zodiac sits about 24° behind the Western (tropical) one. Mars’s station of 10 January 2027 is at 10°25′ Virgo in the Western zodiac and 16°11′ Leo in the Vedic one.
What does retrograde mean?
A planet is retrograde when, seen from the Earth, it seems to move backwards through the zodiac for a while. It is an effect of the Earth’s own motion. Mercury and Venus turn retrograde around the time they pass between the Earth and the Sun; Mars, Jupiter and Saturn around the time the Earth passes between them and the Sun.
How the dates are found
Read the methodology- Stations
- The moments Mars’s geocentric longitude stops and turns, from the Swiss Ephemeris (NASA JPL’s DE441).
- Signs
- Vedic signs in the sidereal zodiac with the Lahiri ayanamsa; Western signs in the tropical zodiac.
- Time zones
- Times show in your own time zone; choose another at the top of the page.
- The year track
- Sign changes and stations in the year, by India time.
Swiss Ephemeris · sidereal (Lahiri) and tropical signs · your time zone · Swiss Ephemeris · Method