There Are 1 Too Many Retrograde Planets In September — Including Mercury

A new month is upon us, which means that a new set of planetary transits is on the horizon, including retrogrades. Retrogrades are usually dreaded in the astro community, but it’s important to remember that they don’t always spell doom and gloom. When outer planets like Uranus and Neptune station retrograde, the effects aren’t as intense as when inner planets such as Venus and Mercury station retrograde. And even when the inner planets station, it’s only for a short period. So, while the number of retrograde planets in September 2022 may sound like too much to handle, it’s not as daunting as you may think (even though Mercury is one of them).

What Is A Retrograde?

A retrograde takes place when a planet essentially slows down, causing the planet to appear to move backward in the sky from our place on Earth. In reality, the planet isn’t actually moving backward, but it is moving much slower than normal, which is where the retrograde mishaps can come into play. A retrograde is what takes place when a planet reaches a certain distance away from the sun, called a trine, which coincides with the beginning and end of a retrograde cycle. Since Mercury typically retrogrades about three times every year, the effects are usually more noticeable and discussed, especially since it’s the planet that rules over speech, communication, and transportation. Since the outer planets don’t rule over mundane topics, their effects aren’t always as apparent, at least not initially.

How Many Planets Will Be Retrograde In September 2022?

This month, six planets in total will be retrograding through the cosmos — but five of them stationed retrograde prior to this month, and they’re all outer planets. The good thing is, you’ve experienced the retrogrades of each of these planets every single year, so it’s nothing you can’t handle.

What To Expect From September 2022’s Retrograde Planets

Though six planets retrograde is literally more than half of the sky, it’s nothing to worry about, because only one of these planets will actually be stationing retrograde in September.

• Uranus in Taurus on Aug. 24
• Jupiter stationed retrograde in Aries on July 28
• Neptune in Pisces on June 28
• Saturn stationed retrograde in Aquarius on June 4
• Pluto in Capricorn on April 28

The only planet that will actually station retrograde this month is Mercury, on Sept. 9. As a planet that stations retrograde pretty often, the themes of Mercury rx may already be engrained in your mind: texts sent to the wrong person, delayed or canceled travel plans, and Instagram going down, to name a few. Generally, Mercury retrogrades are typically a time to review, revise, and rethink the topics Mercury occupies over in your birth chart. Be sure to look not only at where Mercury will be stationing retrograde, but also at the astrological houses that Mercury rules over (Gemini and Virgo-ruled houses) in your birth chart. These are the areas prone to revisions, while the house Mercury actually stations in may be where you’re called to actualize these changes.

Mercury Retrograde (Sept. 9-Oct. 2)

Mercury is the planet all about details, information, and communication. When it stations retrograde, it can cause these themes to be more challenging, particularly based on the sign it’s stationing retrograde in. This time around, Mercury will initially be stationing retrograde in the cardinal air sign of Libra, prompting you to reconsider how you mediate, connect, and find balance in your life. As a sign ruled by Venus, Libra is all about treating people fairly and taking the time to understand every side to a story. Since Mercury will be retrograde, however, it may be challenging to receive accurate information during this time, so it’ll be important that you double check any messages that come your way now.

On Sept. 23, Mercury will retrograde back into the mutable earth sign of Virgo, grounding communication in a way that’s logical and efficient. Since this is the sign where Mercury is exalted, the second half of Mercury retrograde is bound to feel slightly more productive than the first half. With Mercury still retrograde, however, don’t expect productivity to be linear now. Instead, use this time to assess details and information, but don’t feel too much pressure to tackle everything listed on your to-do list until Mercury stations direct on Oct. 2.