Venus Retrograde Calendar
You're checking when Venus is retrograde, and this calendar gives you exactly that — every Venus station across your date range, filtered down from the full retrograde list. Venus retrograde happens about once every 18 months, so this list will typically show one clear window at a time rather than a cluster.How it works ↓
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Venus turns retrograde about every 18 months, for roughly 40 days at a time. It's traditionally associated with revisiting relationships, finances, and values, themes that resurface rather than move forward during the retrograde window.
Venus's retrograde is also apparent motion, not a real reversal
Venus never actually changes the direction it orbits the Sun. Because Venus orbits faster than Earth, there's a stretch roughly every 18 months where Earth's own motion makes Venus appear to slow, stop, and drift backward against the stars, before resuming forward once the geometry shifts again.
It's the same relative-speed effect behind every retrograde in this calendar, playing out on Venus's own orbital timetable.
About every 18 months, for roughly 40 days
Venus retrogrades far less often than Mercury but more often than Mars — roughly once every 18 months, lasting about 40 days each time. That puts it squarely in the middle: rarer than Mercury's frequent short windows, but shorter and more frequent than Mars's long, sparse ones.
Because the gap between Venus retrogrades runs well over a year, most people only encounter one every 18 months or so — worth checking ahead of anything you're planning around relationships, money, or a major purchase.
Traditionally associated with revisiting relationships, money, and taste
Venus governs relationships, finances, and aesthetic choices, so its retrograde is traditionally read as a time when old flames, old deals, or old preferences resurface rather than new ones taking hold. It's often described as the window where an ex reappears or a stalled financial decision comes back up for reconsideration.
The traditional read isn't a warning against new relationships or purchases — more a nudge to expect resurfacing rather than resolution until Venus stations direct.
Shadow periods extend Venus's themes before and after the station
Like every retrograde, Venus has a pre-shadow and post-shadow — the periods before and after the retrograde itself where Venus crosses the same degrees again. Traditional practice treats these as where the themes start to build and where they gradually fade, rather than switching on and off at the exact station date.
Given Venus's 40-day retrograde window, the full arc including both shadows can stretch well beyond that.
Venus retrograde compared to Mercury and Mars retrograde
Mercury retrogrades three to four times a year for about three weeks each — far more often, much shorter. Mars retrogrades roughly once every two years for two to two-and-a-half months — far less often, much longer. Venus sits between the two: about every 18 months, for roughly 40 days.
If you want all three side by side, the full retrograde-calendar shows Mercury, Venus, and Mars together along with the outer planets.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Venus retrograde mean for relationships?
Traditionally it's read as a time when past relationships or unresolved feelings resurface rather than new ones firmly taking hold — a period for revisiting rather than starting fresh.
How long does Venus stay retrograde?
About 40 days each time, occurring roughly once every 18 months.
Does Venus retrograde bring back an ex?
That's a common traditional association — Venus rules relationships and values, so its retrograde is often read as a window where past partners or old decisions resurface for reconsideration, though it's not a guarantee.