Neptune retrograde · 2038
Neptune retrograde 2038: dates, degrees and what it means for each sign
Everything about Neptune retrograde in 2038 in one place: the exact station dates and degrees, the shadow periods, which other planets are retrograde at the same time, and a reading with practical advice for each of the twelve signs.
In 2038 Neptune is retrograde until January 6 and again from August 4 to January 8, 2039. The retrograde of Aug 4, 2038 – Jan 8, 2039 runs from 1°23′ Taurus, backs into Aries on October 21 to 28°34′ Aries. Astrologers read it as a time to review dreams, ideals, intuition and illusions.
Neptune retrograde 2038: the dates
- August 1, 2037 – January 6, 2038 (157 days). Neptune stations retrograde on August 1, 2037 at about 14:00 UTC, at 29°08′ Aries. Neptune stations direct on January 6, 2038 at about 05:30 UTC, at 26°19′ Aries. Most of this retrograde falls in 2037; its reading for each sign is in Neptune retrograde 2037.
- August 4, 2038 – January 8, 2039 (157 days). Neptune stations retrograde on August 4, 2038 at about 02:00 UTC, at 1°23′ Taurus (the evening of August 3 in US time zones), backs into Aries on October 21. Neptune stations direct on January 8, 2039 at about 17:00 UTC, at 28°34′ Aries.
Neptune is retrograde once a year, for a little over five months. Compared with the previous retrograde (Aug 1, 2037 – Jan 6, 2038), this one begins about 2° further along the zodiac, now in Taurus instead of Aries.
Times are UTC. Nothing reverses in space: retrograde motion is the apparent backward drift a planet shows when Earth overtakes it (or, for Mercury and Venus, when the planet overtakes Earth).
Neptune retrograde 2038: all dates
| Retrograde (UTC dates) | From | To | Shadow period | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 1, 2037 – Jan 6, 2038 | 29° Aries | 26° Aries | Apr 10, 2037 – Apr 27, 2038 | 157 days |
| Aug 4, 2038 – Jan 8, 2039 | 1° Taurus | 28° Aries | Apr 12, 2038 – Apr 30, 2039 | 157 days |
Computed from NASA JPL Horizons (geocentric positions in the tropical zodiac). The shadow period runs from the day the planet first crosses the degree where it will turn direct to the day it passes the degree where it turned retrograde.
Neptune retrograde Aug 4, 2038 – Jan 8, 2039: key dates
| Date (UTC) | What happens |
|---|---|
| Apr 12, 2038 | Pre-retrograde shadow begins: Neptune first crosses 28°34′ Aries, the degree where it will later turn direct |
| Aug 4, 2038, about 02:00 UTC | Neptune stations retrograde at 1°23′ Taurus (the evening of August 3 in US time zones) |
| Oct 21, 2038 | Neptune backs out of Taurus into Aries |
| Oct 23, 2038 | Opposition: Neptune is opposite the Sun at 29° Aries, closest to Earth and visible all night; the midpoint of the retrograde |
| Jan 8, 2039, about 17:00 UTC | Neptune stations direct at 28°34′ Aries |
| Mar 23, 2039 | Neptune re-enters Taurus, moving forward |
| Apr 30, 2039 | Post-retrograde shadow ends: Neptune passes 1°23′ Taurus again and covers new ground |
Computed from NASA JPL Horizons. A station in the first hours of a UTC day falls on the previous evening in the Americas. Neptune is almost motionless around a station, so the time is given to the nearest 30 minutes; the date is firm.
What else is retrograde at the same time
Retrogrades overlap, and astrologers read them together. These planets are also retrograde during at least part of each period:
- Aug 4, 2038 – Jan 8, 2039: Mercury (Jul 21 – Aug 14, 2038), Mercury (Nov 12 – Dec 2, 2038), Jupiter (Dec 17, 2038 – Apr 17, 2039), Saturn (Jan 8 – May 25, 2039), Uranus (Nov 3, 2038 – Apr 1, 2039), Pluto (May 25 – Nov 4, 2038).
The whole year is on the retrograde calendar 2038.
What Neptune retrograde means in 2038
In astrology Neptune stands for dreams, ideals, intuition and illusions. Neptune retrograde is read as the fog thinning: you see a situation, a person or your own wishful thinking more clearly, sometimes with disappointment and usually with relief. In Taurus the subject is money, comfort, stability and what you are building to last. In Aries the subject is independence, initiative, courage and how you start things.
Who notices it most. For Aug 4, 2038 – Jan 8, 2039 astrologers look first at people with the Sun, Moon, rising sign or personal planets from 28° Aries to 1° Taurus, and at the matching degrees of Cancer, Libra, Capricorn, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius. Everyone else can read it through the house it falls in, below.
What to do
Compare the story you are telling yourself with the facts, return to a creative or contemplative practice, and watch the habits you use to escape. The longer guide, with the astronomy and the reading of a natal Neptune retrograde, is on the Neptune retrograde page.
Neptune retrograde Aug 4, 2038 – Jan 8, 2039 for each sign
Read your rising sign first if you know it, since it sets the houses; then your Sun sign. Houses are counted from your sign in whole-sign style. The birthdays show whose Sun the retrograde touches directly: Neptune covers 28° Aries to 1° Taurus, and the Sun moves about one degree a day, so the dates are approximate.
Aries: 2nd house, then 1st
Until Oct 21 (Taurus), 2nd house: money, income, possessions and self-worth. Vague finances and wishful thinking about money, and the question of what you truly value. What to do: look at the real numbers, close the small leaks, and be wary of a deal that sounds too good.
From Oct 21 (Aries), 1st house: your body, identity and how you come across. Your sense of who you are is hazy, and you see where you have been playing a role. What to do: spend time alone to hear your own voice, and drop one mask.
Strongest for Aries born around April 18–20 (Sun at 28°–29°): Neptune retrogrades over your Sun.
Taurus: 1st house, then 12th
Until Oct 21 (Taurus), 1st house: your body, identity and how you come across. Your sense of who you are is hazy, and you see where you have been playing a role. What to do: spend time alone to hear your own voice, and drop one mask.
From Oct 21 (Aries), 12th house: rest, solitude, endings and what you keep private. Strong dreams, old sorrow and the pull to escape. What to do: sleep, create, meditate or pray, and watch the habits you use to numb yourself.
Strongest for Taurus born around April 20–22 (Sun at 0°–1°): Neptune retrogrades over your Sun.
Gemini: 12th house, then 11th
Until Oct 21 (Taurus), 12th house: rest, solitude, endings and what you keep private. Strong dreams, old sorrow and the pull to escape. What to do: sleep, create, meditate or pray, and watch the habits you use to numb yourself.
From Oct 21 (Aries), 11th house: friends, groups and long-term hopes. Disappointment or clarity about friends and causes, and ideals for the future revised. What to do: notice who is truly on your side, and give your time to one cause you can verify.
Easier for Gemini born around June 18–20 (Sun at 28°–29°): Neptune sextiles your Sun.
Cancer: 11th house, then 10th
Until Oct 21 (Taurus), 11th house: friends, groups and long-term hopes. Disappointment or clarity about friends and causes, and ideals for the future revised. What to do: notice who is truly on your side, and give your time to one cause you can verify.
From Oct 21 (Aries), 10th house: career, reputation and public role. Uncertainty about your vocation: a dream career weighed against the real one. What to do: clarify what you want to be known for, and take one practical step towards it.
Easier for Cancer born around June 21–23 (Sun at 0°–1°): Neptune sextiles your Sun. Strongest for Cancer born around July 19–21 (Sun at 28°–29°): Neptune squares your Sun.
Leo: 10th house, then 9th
Until Oct 21 (Taurus), 10th house: career, reputation and public role. Uncertainty about your vocation: a dream career weighed against the real one. What to do: clarify what you want to be known for, and take one practical step towards it.
From Oct 21 (Aries), 9th house: travel, study, beliefs and publishing. Your faith, your ideals and your dreams of faraway places are sifted for what is true. What to do: return to a spiritual or contemplative practice, and keep the beliefs that survive honest doubt.
Strongest for Leo born around July 22–24 (Sun at 0°–1°): Neptune squares your Sun. Easier for Leo born around August 20–22 (Sun at 28°–29°): Neptune trines your Sun.
Virgo: 9th house, then 8th
Until Oct 21 (Taurus), 9th house: travel, study, beliefs and publishing. Your faith, your ideals and your dreams of faraway places are sifted for what is true. What to do: return to a spiritual or contemplative practice, and keep the beliefs that survive honest doubt.
From Oct 21 (Aries), 8th house: shared money, debts, intimacy and trust. Unclear shared finances, and trust that rests on hope more than on facts. What to do: read the shared paperwork carefully, ask the direct question, and avoid lending on a promise.
Easier for Virgo born around August 23–25 (Sun at 0°–1°): Neptune trines your Sun.
Libra: 8th house, then 7th
Until Oct 21 (Taurus), 8th house: shared money, debts, intimacy and trust. Unclear shared finances, and trust that rests on hope more than on facts. What to do: read the shared paperwork carefully, ask the direct question, and avoid lending on a promise.
From Oct 21 (Aries), 7th house: partnerships, marriage and one-to-one relationships. You see a partner more clearly, with the idealisation or the excuses removed. What to do: compare the relationship you have with the one you imagine, and state a boundary plainly.
Strongest for Libra born around October 21–23 (Sun at 28°–29°): Neptune is opposite your Sun.
Scorpio: 7th house, then 6th
Until Oct 21 (Taurus), 7th house: partnerships, marriage and one-to-one relationships. You see a partner more clearly, with the idealisation or the excuses removed. What to do: compare the relationship you have with the one you imagine, and state a boundary plainly.
From Oct 21 (Aries), 6th house: daily work, routines and health habits. Blurred boundaries at work, low energy and routines that drift. What to do: keep habits simple and regular, rest when you are tired, and stop rescuing colleagues.
Strongest for Scorpio born around October 23–25 (Sun at 0°–1°): Neptune is opposite your Sun.
Sagittarius: 6th house, then 5th
Until Oct 21 (Taurus), 6th house: daily work, routines and health habits. Blurred boundaries at work, low energy and routines that drift. What to do: keep habits simple and regular, rest when you are tired, and stop rescuing colleagues.
From Oct 21 (Aries), 5th house: romance, creativity, children and fun. Romantic illusions and creative inspiration, including falling for a fantasy. What to do: check the dream against the person, and pour the feeling into something you make.
Easier for Sagittarius born around December 20–22 (Sun at 28°–29°): Neptune trines your Sun.
Capricorn: 5th house, then 4th
Until Oct 21 (Taurus), 5th house: romance, creativity, children and fun. Romantic illusions and creative inspiration, including falling for a fantasy. What to do: check the dream against the person, and pour the feeling into something you make.
From Oct 21 (Aries), 4th house: home, family, roots and where you live. Idealised or blurred pictures of home and family, and a longing for somewhere to belong. What to do: see your family as it is, and make one corner of your home a real refuge.
Easier for Capricorn born around December 21–23 (Sun at 0°–1°): Neptune trines your Sun. Strongest for Capricorn born around January 19–21 (Sun at 28°–29°): Neptune squares your Sun.
Aquarius: 4th house, then 3rd
Until Oct 21 (Taurus), 4th house: home, family, roots and where you live. Idealised or blurred pictures of home and family, and a longing for somewhere to belong. What to do: see your family as it is, and make one corner of your home a real refuge.
From Oct 21 (Aries), 3rd house: communication, learning, siblings and short trips. Misheard words, daydreaming and half-truths in everyday talk, and more imagination in how you write and think. What to do: check the facts, put agreements in writing, and give imaginative work a regular hour.
Strongest for Aquarius born around January 20–22 (Sun at 0°–1°): Neptune squares your Sun. Easier for Aquarius born around February 17–19 (Sun at 28°–29°): Neptune sextiles your Sun.
Pisces: 3rd house, then 2nd
Until Oct 21 (Taurus), 3rd house: communication, learning, siblings and short trips. Misheard words, daydreaming and half-truths in everyday talk, and more imagination in how you write and think. What to do: check the facts, put agreements in writing, and give imaginative work a regular hour.
From Oct 21 (Aries), 2nd house: money, income, possessions and self-worth. Vague finances and wishful thinking about money, and the question of what you truly value. What to do: look at the real numbers, close the small leaks, and be wary of a deal that sounds too good.
Easier for Pisces born around February 18–20 (Sun at 0°–1°): Neptune sextiles your Sun.
Neptune retrograde 2038: questions
When is Neptune retrograde in 2038?
In 2038: until January 6 (in Aries, since August 1, 2037); August 4 – January 8, 2039 (Taurus back into Aries). Dates are UTC.
When does Neptune go direct in 2038?
Neptune stations direct on January 6, 2038 at about 05:30 UTC, at 26°19′ Aries.
Which sign is Neptune retrograde in during 2038?
Aug 1, 2037 – Jan 6, 2038: from 29°08′ Aries back to 26°19′ Aries. Aug 4, 2038 – Jan 8, 2039: from 1°23′ Taurus back to 28°34′ Aries.
When is the Neptune retrograde shadow period in 2038?
For the Aug 4, 2038 – Jan 8, 2039 retrograde the pre-shadow begins on April 12, 2038 and the post-shadow ends on April 30, 2039.
When is Neptune at opposition in 2038?
On October 23, 2038, at 29° Aries. Neptune is then opposite the Sun, closest to Earth for the year and visible all night; it is the midpoint of the retrograde.
Who is most affected by Neptune retrograde in 2038?
For Aug 4, 2038 – Jan 8, 2039 astrologers look first at people with the Sun, Moon, rising sign or personal planets from 28° Aries to 1° Taurus, and at the matching degrees of Cancer, Libra, Capricorn, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius. Others feel it through the house it falls in for their rising sign.
Is Neptune retrograde in 2039?
Yes: until January 8, 2039; August 6, 2039 – January 11, 2040.
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 LaboratoryNeptune in 2038, computed from JPL Horizons positions: retrograde 2037-08-01 13:56 UTC at 29°08′ Aries, direct 2038-01-06 05:33 UTC at 26°19′ Aries; retrograde 2038-08-04 02:00 UTC at 1°23′ Taurus, direct 2039-01-08 17:00 UTC at 28°34′ Aries
- Neptune: Facts · NASA ScienceNeptune makes a complete orbit around the Sun in about 165 Earth years (60,190 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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