Venus Retrograde 2026: Dates, Times, Meaning and Each Sign
Short answer: Venus is retrograde from Oct 3, 2026 at 07:16 UTC to Nov 14, 2026 at 00:27 UTC. It turns back at 8°29' Scorpio, re-enters Libra on Oct 25 at 09:10 UTC and turns direct at 22°52' Libra. The shadow runs from Aug 31 to Dec 15, 2026.
Venus retrograde 2026 dates and times
| Event | UTC | US Eastern | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-shadow begins | Aug 31, 14:46 UTC | Aug 31, 10:46 US Eastern (EDT) | 22°52' Libra |
| Venus enters Scorpio | Sep 10, 08:07 UTC | Sep 10, 04:07 US Eastern (EDT) | 0° Scorpio |
| Venus stations retrograde | Oct 3, 07:16 UTC | Oct 3, 03:16 US Eastern (EDT) | 8°29' Scorpio |
| Venus re-enters Libra (retrograde) | Oct 25, 09:10 UTC | Oct 25, 05:10 US Eastern (EDT) | Libra–Scorpio boundary (ingress) |
| Venus stations direct | Nov 14, 00:27 UTC | Nov 13, 19:27 US Eastern (EST) | 22°52' Libra |
| Venus re-enters Scorpio | Dec 4, 08:13 UTC | Dec 4, 03:13 US Eastern (EST) | 0° Scorpio |
| Post-shadow ends | Dec 15, 18:44 UTC | Dec 15, 13:44 US Eastern (EST) | 8°29' Scorpio |
In US Eastern time the direct station falls on the evening of Nov 13. US clocks change on Nov 1 (EDT before, EST after).
Key facts
- Venus enters its pre-retrograde shadow at 22°52' Libra on August 31, 2026 at 14:46 UTC (10:46 US Eastern).
- Venus stations retrograde at 8°29' Scorpio on October 3, 2026 at 07:16 UTC (03:16 US Eastern).
- The Sun–Venus conjunction is exact at 0°45' Scorpio on October 24, 2026 at 03:44 UTC (Oct 23, 23:44 US Eastern).
- Venus re-enters Libra, still retrograde, on October 25, 2026 at 09:10 UTC (05:10 US Eastern).
- Venus stations direct at 22°52' Libra on November 14, 2026 at 00:27 UTC (Nov 13, 19:27 US Eastern).
- Venus re-enters Scorpio on December 4, 2026 at 08:13 UTC (03:13 US Eastern).
- Venus leaves its post-retrograde shadow at 8°29' Scorpio on December 15, 2026 at 18:44 UTC (13:44 US Eastern).
Source: NASA JPL DE440s ephemeris, calculated with Skyfield and cross-checked with astronomy-engine. Tropical zodiac, geocentric.
What is Venus retrograde?
Venus doesn't really reverse. Retrograde is apparent motion: seen from Earth, a planet seems to slow, stop and drift backwards against the background stars for a few weeks, because of how Earth's orbit and the planet's orbit line up. For Venus, which orbits closer to the Sun than we do, it happens as Venus passes between Earth and the Sun. In 2026 that alignment, the Sun–Venus conjunction, is exact on Oct 24 at 03:44 UTC (Oct 23, 23:44 US Eastern) at 0°45' Scorpio, close to the middle of the retrograde.
Astrologers link Venus with love, friendship, pleasure, beauty and money, and more broadly with what people value. A retrograde is traditionally read as a time to review those themes rather than launch new ones: revisiting old relationships or tastes, rethinking habits, noticing where what you value and how you live have drifted apart. Luma Horoscopes presents this as reflection, not prediction. The sky doesn't decide anything for you.
What is the Venus retrograde shadow?
Around every retrograde, Venus crosses the same stretch of the zodiac three times: forwards, backwards, then forwards again. The pre-shadow begins on Aug 31 at 14:46 UTC, when Venus first reaches 22°52' Libra, the degree where it later turns direct. The post-shadow ends on Dec 15 at 18:44 UTC, when Venus is back at 8°29' Scorpio, the degree where it turned retrograde.
Astrologers read the shadow as the preview and the follow-up. Themes that first showed up from late August are often said to return for a closer look in October and early November, and to settle once Venus clears the shadow in mid-December.
Scorpio to Libra and back
This retrograde straddles two signs that traditional astrology treats very differently. Venus rules Libra, where it is said to be at home, and is considered in detriment in Scorpio, the sign opposite Taurus, its other home. Venus entered Scorpio on Sep 10 at 08:07 UTC and turns retrograde there on Oct 3 at 07:16 UTC, at 8°29' Scorpio.
Moving backwards, it squares Mars on Oct 10 at 21:31 UTC (7°21' Scorpio and Leo) and Pluto on Oct 20 at 06:56 UTC (3°04' Scorpio and Aquarius), meets the Sun on Oct 24, then slips back into Libra on Oct 25 at 09:10 UTC. It turns direct at 22°52' Libra on Nov 14 at 00:27 UTC, which is the evening of Nov 13 in US Eastern time, re-enters Scorpio on Dec 4 at 08:13 UTC and leaves the shadow on Dec 15.
Astrologers often read the Scorpio stretch as being about depth, honesty and attachment, and the Libra stretch as being about fairness, agreements and how relationships look from the outside. A separate cycle overlaps: Mercury stations retrograde on Oct 24 at 07:13 UTC at 20°59' Scorpio, a few hours after the Sun–Venus conjunction.
What it means for you: your Sun sign, your Venus sign
Two placements shape how astrologers read this retrograde for a person: the Sun sign, which most horoscopes use, and the Venus sign, the sign Venus was in on the day you were born. Either can make this retrograde feel more or less personal.
Your Venus sign is always your Sun sign or a sign up to two signs away on either side — Venus never strays more than about 47° from the Sun. A birth date is enough to find it, except near a sign change, where the tool shows every possible sign.
Astrologers read this retrograde as most personal if your natal Sun or Venus sits between 22°52' Libra and 8°29' Scorpio, the zone where Venus slows, turns back and crosses again before the shadow ends.
The sections below are written for each Sun sign. The personal guide adds your Venus sign, checks whether the retrograde passes over either placement, and lists the key dates in UTC, US Eastern, UK and Cairo time. It needs only a birth date, no birth time, and it doesn't use houses or rising signs.
Venus retrograde 2026 for each sign
Venus retrograde 2026 for Aries
Venus spends this retrograde in Scorpio and then Libra, the sign opposite yours. Libra is traditionally linked with partners and agreements, so for Aries the second half, from Oct 25, is often read as a review of one-to-one relationships: who leads, who adapts, and whether that balance still suits both people.
The Scorpio stretch has its own link to you. Mars, your ruler, is also the traditional ruler of Scorpio, and the Venus–Mars square on Oct 10 at 21:31 UTC (7°21' Scorpio and Leo) is a natural moment to ask where desire and patience pull in different directions.
Venus retrograde 2026 for Taurus
Venus is your ruling planet, and it turns back in Scorpio, the sign opposite yours, on Oct 3 at 07:16 UTC. Astrologers often call this one of the more personal retrogrades for Taurus. The themes on the table are the ones Venus already rules for you: comfort, money habits, loyalty and what you find beautiful.
Seen through Scorpio, the question is about depth: which bonds feel truly mutual, and where is closeness built more on routine than on choice? The Sun–Venus meeting on Oct 24 at 03:44 UTC sits midway through and is a natural point to take stock. Reflection, not financial advice.
Venus retrograde 2026 for Gemini
Venus begins this retrograde in Scorpio, a sign with little in common with yours: Scorpio prefers depth and privacy, Gemini prefers range and conversation. Astrologers read that mismatch as a prompt to slow down where you usually skim. Which relationship would benefit from one long talk instead of many short ones?
Mercury, your ruler, meets Venus on Oct 7 at 00:10 UTC at 8°13' Scorpio, a fitting moment to put a feeling into words. From Oct 25 Venus is back in Libra, a fellow air sign, and the mood is traditionally read as lighter and more sociable.
Venus retrograde 2026 for Cancer
Scorpio is a fellow water sign, so the first part of this retrograde is often read as familiar emotional territory for Cancer: loyalty, closeness and old feelings that want acknowledging. If a past attachment comes to mind, treat it as information rather than an instruction.
From Oct 25 Venus moves back into Libra, which squares your sign, and the review is read as being about balance. Are you giving care in a way that leaves room for your own needs, and do the people close to you know what those needs are?
Venus retrograde 2026 for Leo
Venus turns back in Scorpio, which squares Leo, while Mars is moving through your sign. Their square on Oct 10 at 21:31 UTC, at 7°21' Scorpio and Leo, is the standout date for you. Astrologers read it as tension between what you want and what someone else wants, or between pride and closeness.
A useful question for the month: where do you hold back affection so you are never the first to show it? From Oct 25, Venus in Libra makes an easy sextile to your sign, often read as a friendlier, more relaxed stretch.
Venus retrograde 2026 for Virgo
Scorpio forms an easy sextile to Virgo, so the Scorpio phase of this retrograde is often read as constructive for you: a chance to look closely at how you show care, and to notice whether your help is the help people actually want.
Mercury, your ruler, joins Venus on Oct 7 at 00:10 UTC, which suits honest, specific conversations. From Oct 25 Venus moves back into Libra, the sign after yours, which astrologers link with what you value, including money and self-worth. What do you value that you rarely say out loud? Reflection, not financial advice.
Venus retrograde 2026 for Libra
Venus is your ruling planet, and the second half of this retrograde happens in your own sign. Venus re-enters Libra on Oct 25 at 09:10 UTC and turns direct there, at 22°52' Libra, on Nov 14 at 00:27 UTC. Astrologers read this as a personal review of how you balance your needs with everyone else's, and of the image you present.
If your natal Sun sits near 22°52' Libra, the direct station is one of the most personal points of the whole cycle. A question to carry through November: what does fairness look like when it includes you?
Venus retrograde 2026 for Scorpio
The retrograde begins in your sign. Venus stations at 8°29' Scorpio on Oct 3 at 07:16 UTC, and the Sun meets it at 0°45' Scorpio on Oct 24 at 03:44 UTC. Astrologers treat this as a direct review of what you want in love, how you present yourself and what you are prepared to give.
Traditional astrology calls Venus uncomfortable in Scorpio, which is often read as honesty over comfort. Mercury also stations retrograde in your sign, on Oct 24 at 07:13 UTC at 20°59' Scorpio, so late October has a strongly reflective tone for you.
Venus retrograde 2026 for Sagittarius
Scorpio's preference for depth and privacy can sit oddly with Sagittarius' openness. Astrologers read the Scorpio stretch of this retrograde as a time to give private feelings and old memories some quiet attention rather than pushing past them.
From Oct 25, Venus in Libra forms an easy sextile to your sign, traditionally read as a warmer, more sociable mood: shared ideals and easy company. A question for the whole period: which freedom genuinely matters to you, and which is just a habit of keeping every option open?
Venus retrograde 2026 for Capricorn
Venus begins in Scorpio, which makes a supportive sextile to Capricorn, so the opening weeks are often read as a good time to review trust: who you rely on, and who relies on you. Scorpio values loyalty that has been tested, a quality Capricorn tends to recognise.
From Oct 25, Venus moves into Libra, which squares your sign, and the focus is read as shifting to balance: does your pace leave room for pleasure and partnership? Venus turns direct on Nov 14 at 00:27 UTC, a natural point to choose what you are keeping.
Venus retrograde 2026 for Aquarius
Scorpio squares Aquarius, and on Oct 20 at 06:56 UTC Venus squares Pluto at 3°04' Scorpio and Aquarius. Astrologers read this as the pressure point of the retrograde for you: questions of control, independence and how much of yourself you share. Noticing where you keep people at a distance is enough; no grand gesture is required.
From Oct 25, Venus in Libra forms a trine with your sign, often read as an easier phase for fairness, friendship and shared ideals.
Venus retrograde 2026 for Pisces
Scorpio is a fellow water sign, so astrologers often read the start of this retrograde as sympathetic for Pisces: a time for affection, beliefs about love, and perhaps a creative or spiritual interest coming back into view.
When Venus returns to Libra on Oct 25, it sits at an awkward 150° angle to your sign, which is read as a need to adjust. Notice where you give more than feels comfortable, especially in shared commitments. Gentle limits are part of kindness too.
FAQ
- When is Venus retrograde in 2026?
- From Oct 3 to Nov 14, 2026 (UTC). Venus stations retrograde at 8°29' Scorpio on Oct 3 at 07:16 UTC and stations direct at 22°52' Libra on Nov 14 at 00:27 UTC. With the shadow, the whole cycle runs from Aug 31 to Dec 15.
- What time does it start and end in my time zone?
- It starts on Oct 3 at 07:16 UTC, which is 03:16 US Eastern (EDT), and ends on Nov 14 at 00:27 UTC, which is 19:27 US Eastern (EST) on Nov 13. The free personal guide shows the key dates in UTC, US Eastern, UK and Cairo time.
- What is the shadow period?
- The weeks before and after the retrograde when Venus covers the same degrees: the pre-shadow from Aug 31 (14:46 UTC, 22°52' Libra) and the post-shadow until Dec 15 (18:44 UTC, 8°29' Scorpio). Astrologers read it as the preview and the follow-up to the retrograde itself.
- What does Venus retrograde 2026 mean?
- Astronomically, Venus only appears to move backwards as it passes between Earth and the Sun. Astrologically, it is read as a time to review love, friendship, pleasure and money habits, first in Scorpio (depth, honesty) and then in Libra (balance, agreements). Luma Horoscopes treats it as a prompt for reflection; it doesn't predict events. Reflection, not financial advice.
- Which signs are most affected?
- Astrologers usually point to Taurus and Libra, which Venus rules, and to Scorpio, where the retrograde begins. More precisely, it is read as most personal if your natal Sun or Venus sits between 22°52' Libra and 8°29' Scorpio. Check yours with the free guide.
- What is my Venus sign?
- It is always your Sun sign or a sign up to two signs away from it on either side. Near a sign change, more than one Venus sign is possible from a birth date alone. Work it out from your birth date with the free guide.
- How will Venus retrograde affect me?
- It depends on your Sun sign, your Venus sign and whether either sits in the 22°52' Libra–8°29' Scorpio zone. Get your free personal Venus retrograde guide for your signs and key dates in UTC, US Eastern, UK and Cairo time.
- What degree is Venus retrograde?
- Venus turns retrograde at 8°29' Scorpio and turns direct at 22°52' Libra. Those two degrees also mark the edges of the shadow.
- Is this Vedic astrology?
- No. Luma Horoscopes uses the tropical zodiac, the system most Western astrology uses. Vedic astrology uses the sidereal zodiac, where the same retrograde falls at different sign positions. The guide works from a birth date only, so it doesn't use houses, rising signs or birth times.