Mars retrograde · 2038
Is Mars retrograde in 2038? No: here are the nearest dates
Is Mars retrograde in 2038? No, and this page explains why, lists the nearest retrogrades on either side, and says whether Mars is in a shadow period during the year.
There is no Mars retrograde in 2038: Mars is direct all year. The previous retrograde ended on December 23, 2037, and the next runs November 23, 2039 – February 9, 2040, from 21° Cancer back to 3° Cancer. Mars is retrograde only about every 26 months, so some calendar years pass without one.
Mars retrograde 2038: the short answer
No. Mars does not turn retrograde in 2038. Mars is still in the post-retrograde shadow of the previous retrograde until February 19, 2038, covering the degrees it backed over.
Why there is no Mars retrograde in 2038
Mars is retrograde about every 26 months, for 9 to 12 weeks: about 9% of the time. Because the cycle is longer than a year, the retrogrades do not land in every calendar year. The previous one ran October 12 – December 23, 2037 (Gemini back into Taurus); the next one runs November 23, 2039 – February 9, 2040 (Cancer). In between, Mars moves forward the whole time.
What a year without one means
In astrology Mars stands for drive, desire, anger and how you go after things. With no retrograde in 2038, there is no scheduled review of those themes: matters ruled by Mars tend to move forward at their ordinary pace. It does not make the year lucky or unlucky. The guides to the nearest retrogrades are Mars retrograde 2037 and Mars retrograde 2039; the meaning and the full how-to are in the Mars retrograde guide.
Mars retrograde dates around 2038
| Retrograde (UTC dates) | Stations retrograde at | Stations direct at | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 15 – Oct 15, 2035 | 28° Pisces | 17° Pisces | 60 days |
| Oct 12 – Dec 23, 2037 | 6° Gemini | 20° Taurus | 71 days |
| Nov 23, 2039 – Feb 9, 2040 | 21° Cancer | 3° Cancer | 77 days |
| Dec 28, 2041 – Mar 18, 2042 | 27° Leo | 8° Leo | 80 days |
Computed from NASA JPL Horizons (geocentric positions in the tropical zodiac). Dates are UTC.
Mars retrograde 2038: questions
Is there a Mars retrograde in 2038?
No. Mars is direct for the whole of 2038. The previous retrograde ended on December 23, 2037 and the next begins on November 23, 2039.
When is the next Mars retrograde after 2038?
November 23, 2039 – February 9, 2040. Mars stations retrograde at 21°45′ Cancer and direct at 3°02′ Cancer.
Why is there no Mars retrograde in 2038?
Mars is retrograde about every 26 months, for 9 to 12 weeks. Since that cycle is longer than a year, some calendar years fall entirely between two retrogrades, and 2038 is one of them.
Is Mars in a shadow period in 2038?
Mars is still in the post-retrograde shadow of the previous retrograde until February 19, 2038, covering the degrees it backed over.
Sources
The checkable facts on this page come from these external sources. The astrological interpretation is our own.
- Horizons System (planetary ephemeris service) · NASA Jet Propulsion LaboratoryMars in 2038, computed from JPL Horizons positions: no retrograde in this year
- Mars: Facts · NASA ScienceA year on Mars lasts 687 Earth days
- What does it mean for Mercury to be in retrograde? · NASARetrograde motion is an apparent change in a planet's movement through the sky; the planet does not physically move backwards in its orbit
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