![]() ![]() Animation showing the apparent retrograde motion of a planet in the outer solar system, such as Jupiter. As Earth overtakes another planet, let’s say Jupiter, it overtakes on the inside and from our viewpoint on Earth, this results in Jupiter appearing to zigzag across the sky. When the Earth’s orbit overtakes a planet with a slower orbit, we see that planet from a different perspective. It’s created by the different speeds at which the planets orbit the Sun. This backwards movement, retrograde, is actually an illusion created by our viewpoint here on Earth. If a planet suddenly started moving backwards, it’s perhaps not surprising that our ancestors might have taken this as a sign of impending doom. The word ‘retrograde’ itself, means to move backwards. To the observer, this looks as though the planet is moving backwards. When a planet is going through a period of apparent retrograde motion, it appears as though it’s moving in the opposite direction, from east to west across the sky, often looping or zig-zagging as it goes. Anticlockwise motion is the ‘normal’ (more common) motion and is known as ‘prograde’. The planets move from west to east across the night sky.Īll the planets travel in the same direction around the Sun, and if you imagine a spot above the Earth’s north pole, they would be seen to travel anticlockwise. ![]() There are also regular meteor showers every year and we’ve rounded them all up in this handy meteor shower calendar. If you’re looking forward to making the most of clear nights this year, we’ve put together this full Moon UK calendar and astronomy for beginners guide to help you plan ahead. Whether or not you believe this, planets going into retrograde is a common and regular occurrence, and on 4 September 2023, there will be six planets in retrograde at the same time… seven if you include Pluto.īut what exactly does retrograde mean? What planets are in retrograde right now? And what causes the apparent retrograde motion of the planets? Answers to these questions, and more, are below. In reality, however, there is very little scientific evidence that any of the planets going into retrograde will have a tangible effect on our lives. ![]() ![]() When planets in our Solar System go into retrograde, you’ll often hear them being blamed as the source of a person’s woes, restlessness, burnout or, more optimistically, representing a time for reflection. At first, they move away, then as you pass them, they APPEAR to be moving backward relative to you - even though they are still walking forward.Retrograde motion of the planets: Everything you need to know Watch your friend and think about how they are moving relative to you. Start out standing side by side with a friend. You can experience this effect for yourself. So as we catch up to that planet in its orbit and then move beyond it, the motion appears to go through the pro-retro-pro cycle. Notice that it is all due to the fact that the Earth moves faster in its orbit than does Mars. How the planet Mars would appear to have both prograde then retrograde then prograde motion is shown in the diagram below. The explanation for retrograde motion in a heliocentric model is that retrograde occurs roughly when a faster moving planet catches up to and passes a slower moving planet. This seemingly strange behavior is easily understood within the context of a Sun-centered ( heliocentric) solar system. The retrograde motion continues for a short time and then the motion switches back to prograde. However, peridiocally the motion changes and they move east-to-west through the stars. Normally, the planets move west-to-east through the stars at night. It just appears to do so because of the relative positions of the planet and Earth and how they are moving around the Sun. It is not REAL in that the planet does not physically start moving backwards in its orbit. Retrograde motion is an APPARENT change in the movement of the planet through the sky. What does it mean for Mercury to be in retrograde? What does it mean for Mercury to be in retrograde? StarChild Question of the Month for June 2002 Question: ![]()
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