Retrogrades › Mars › 2024
Mars is retrograde once in 2024: Dec 6 – Feb 23 in Leo and Cancer.
| Pre-shadow begins | Retrograde | Direct | Post-shadow ends | Signs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 5, 2024 | Dec 6, 2024, 6:34 PM ET | Feb 23, 2025, 9:01 PM ET | May 2, 2025 | 6°10′ ♌︎ Leo → ♋︎ Cancer 17°01′ |
Dec 6, 2024 – Feb 23, 2025 · 79 days
Mars turns retrograde at 6°10′ Leo on Dec 6, 2024, 6:34 PM ET (2024-12-06 23:34 UTC) and direct at 17°01′ Cancer on Feb 23, 2025, 9:01 PM ET (2025-02-24 02:01 UTC).
Astrologers link this retrograde to creativity, romance and self-expression, then home, family and old memories.
Shadow: Oct 5, 2024 – May 2, 2025.
Mars rules drive, conflict and physical energy. Its retrograde, about every 26 months, is associated with stalled projects, frustration and old conflicts resurfacing — a time to rethink strategy rather than force progress.
Retrograde motion is an optical effect: Earth and Mars move at different speeds, so Mars appears to drift backward against the stars for a while. Our dates are station times — when the apparent motion reverses — calculated with Astronomy Engine; see the methodology.
Same year: Mercury retrograde 2024 · Jupiter retrograde 2024 · Saturn retrograde 2024 · All planets now
Mars is retrograde once in 2024: Dec 6 – Feb 23 in Leo and Cancer.
About 25 days in total during 2024; each retrograde lasts 79 days. Including the pre- and post-shadow, each cycle spans roughly 209 days.
The pre-shadow starts when Mars first reaches the degree where it will turn direct; the post-shadow ends when it passes the degree where it turned retrograde. The dates are in the table above.
Astrology is a symbolic and cultural tradition. The planetary positions on this site are calculated with astronomical accuracy; the interpretations describe what astrologers associate with them and are not scientifically validated predictions about personality, relationships or the future.