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199 retrograde periods, 1900–2100

Pluto Retrograde Dates

Pluto runs backward for more than five months of every year, gaining barely two degrees between one loop and the next. Every station, 1900 to 2100.

As of Sep 8, 2026, Pluto is retrograde.

It turned retrograde on at 5°30′ Aquarius and goes direct again on at 3°04′ Aquarius, 162 days later.

Highlighted in the table: the period happening now

Pluto retrograde calendar

Pluto is retrograde 44.1% of the time, the largest share of any planet, for the simple reason that it barely moves: between one and two and a half degrees a year depending on where it is in its orbit, so Earth's overtake is nearly the whole story. Each loop covers two to three degrees and lasts 162 days; the 199 periods in the archive run from 156 to 166. Pluto's orbit is the most lopsided of the seven, and it shows: a spread of 10 days between the shortest loop and the longest, against Neptune's four.

Each row runs from the station where Pluto appears to stop and turn back to the one where it turns forward again. These near-term tables are solved from the ephemeris to the second and shown as UTC calendar dates with the degree at each station. An almanac working in local time can put a station a day either side.

2026 Pluto retrograde dates

Pluto retrograde and direct station dates for 2026, with the zodiac sign of each station and the number of days between them.
Goes retrograde Turns direct Duration
5°30′ Aquarius Happening now 3°04′ Aquarius 162 days

2027 Pluto retrograde dates

Pluto retrograde and direct station dates for 2027, with the zodiac sign of each station and the number of days between them.
Goes retrograde Turns direct Duration
7°10′ Aquarius 4°44′ Aquarius 163 days

2028 Pluto retrograde dates

Pluto retrograde and direct station dates for 2028, with the zodiac sign of each station and the number of days between them.
Goes retrograde Turns direct Duration
8°49′ Aquarius 6°24′ Aquarius 163 days
Past dates (2025)

2025 Pluto retrograde dates

Pluto retrograde and direct station dates for 2025, with the zodiac sign of each station and the number of days between them.
Goes retrograde Turns direct Duration
3°49′ Aquarius 1°21′ Aquarius 162 days

How often Pluto is retrograde

Every figure here is measured from the 199 complete periods between 1900 and 2100. Nothing is quoted from a reference book or rounded to the month, which is where most retrograde tables start to drift.

Share of the time
44.1%
of all days between 1900 and 2100
Typical length
162 days
median period; the mean is 162 days
Shortest to longest
156–166 days
across every catalogued period
How often
About once a year
199 periods in 201 years

Pluto gets the underworld: power, what is buried, what comes up when a building is demolished. Astrologers read the retrograde as the digging turned inward. People describe it as the argument they finally had with themselves, or a secret that stopped being worth the effort of keeping. Because Pluto is retrograde nearly half the time and stays in a sign for well over a decade, a natal Pluto retrograde is a feature of a whole cohort, and astrologers say so.

Birthdays fall on retrograde days as often as on any other, so the share above is also, near enough, the share of birth charts with Pluto retrograde. The natal retrograde calculator checks a date against the same stations.

Every Pluto retrograde, 1900–2100

All 199 periods, by decade. Each degree links to the Cycle Lab query for that point of the zodiac, so you can see what else has ever stood there.

1900s (10 periods)
Every Pluto retrograde period beginning in the 1900s, with the zodiac degree of each station and the length of the period.
Goes retrograde At Turns direct At Days
17°42′ Gemini 15°41′ Gemini 164
18°42′ Gemini 16°40′ Gemini 164
19°42′ Gemini 17°40′ Gemini 164
20°42′ Gemini 18°40′ Gemini 164
21°43′ Gemini 19°41′ Gemini 164
22°44′ Gemini 20°42′ Gemini 164
23°46′ Gemini 21°44′ Gemini 164
24°48′ Gemini 22°46′ Gemini 164
25°51′ Gemini 23°48′ Gemini 164
26°54′ Gemini 24°51′ Gemini 164
1910s (10 periods)
Every Pluto retrograde period beginning in the 1910s, with the zodiac degree of each station and the length of the period.
Goes retrograde At Turns direct At Days
27°57′ Gemini 25°53′ Gemini 163
29°00′ Gemini 26°57′ Gemini 163
0°04′ Cancer 28°00′ Gemini 163
1°09′ Cancer 29°04′ Gemini 163
2°13′ Cancer 0°09′ Cancer 163
3°19′ Cancer 1°14′ Cancer 163
4°25′ Cancer 2°19′ Cancer 163
5°31′ Cancer 3°26′ Cancer 163
6°39′ Cancer 4°33′ Cancer 163
7°46′ Cancer 5°40′ Cancer 163
1920s (10 periods)
Every Pluto retrograde period beginning in the 1920s, with the zodiac degree of each station and the length of the period.
Goes retrograde At Turns direct At Days
8°55′ Cancer 6°48′ Cancer 163
10°03′ Cancer 7°56′ Cancer 163
11°13′ Cancer 9°04′ Cancer 162
12°22′ Cancer 10°14′ Cancer 163
13°33′ Cancer 11°24′ Cancer 163
14°45′ Cancer 12°34′ Cancer 163
15°56′ Cancer 13°46′ Cancer 162
17°09′ Cancer 14°58′ Cancer 162
18°23′ Cancer 16°12′ Cancer 162
19°37′ Cancer 17°26′ Cancer 162
1930s (10 periods)
Every Pluto retrograde period beginning in the 1930s, with the zodiac degree of each station and the length of the period.
Goes retrograde At Turns direct At Days
20°53′ Cancer 18°41′ Cancer 162
22°10′ Cancer 19°57′ Cancer 162
23°27′ Cancer 21°14′ Cancer 162
24°45′ Cancer 22°31′ Cancer 162
26°04′ Cancer 23°50′ Cancer 161
27°24′ Cancer 25°09′ Cancer 161
28°45′ Cancer 26°29′ Cancer 161
0°07′ Leo 27°51′ Cancer 161
1°30′ Leo 29°13′ Cancer 161
2°55′ Leo 0°36′ Leo 161
1940s (10 periods)
Every Pluto retrograde period beginning in the 1940s, with the zodiac degree of each station and the length of the period.
Goes retrograde At Turns direct At Days
4°20′ Leo 2°01′ Leo 161
5°47′ Leo 3°27′ Leo 161
7°15′ Leo 4°55′ Leo 161
8°45′ Leo 6°24′ Leo 160
10°16′ Leo 7°54′ Leo 160
11°48′ Leo 9°25′ Leo 160
13°22′ Leo 10°58′ Leo 160
14°57′ Leo 12°33′ Leo 160
16°34′ Leo 14°09′ Leo 160
18°12′ Leo 15°46′ Leo 160
1950s (10 periods)
Every Pluto retrograde period beginning in the 1950s, with the zodiac degree of each station and the length of the period.
Goes retrograde At Turns direct At Days
19°51′ Leo 17°25′ Leo 160
21°33′ Leo 19°05′ Leo 159
23°16′ Leo 20°48′ Leo 159
25°01′ Leo 22°31′ Leo 159
26°48′ Leo 24°18′ Leo 159
28°36′ Leo 26°06′ Leo 159
0°27′ Virgo 27°55′ Leo 159
2°19′ Virgo 29°46′ Leo 158
4°13′ Virgo 1°40′ Virgo 158
6°10′ Virgo 3°35′ Virgo 158
1960s (10 periods)
Every Pluto retrograde period beginning in the 1960s, with the zodiac degree of each station and the length of the period.
Goes retrograde At Turns direct At Days
8°07′ Virgo 5°32′ Virgo 158
10°07′ Virgo 7°31′ Virgo 158
12°09′ Virgo 9°32′ Virgo 158
14°13′ Virgo 11°35′ Virgo 158
16°19′ Virgo 13°40′ Virgo 157
18°28′ Virgo 15°48′ Virgo 157
20°39′ Virgo 17°58′ Virgo 157
22°51′ Virgo 20°10′ Virgo 157
25°06′ Virgo 22°24′ Virgo 157
27°23′ Virgo 24°40′ Virgo 157
1970s (9 periods)
Every Pluto retrograde period beginning in the 1970s, with the zodiac degree of each station and the length of the period.
Goes retrograde At Turns direct At Days
29°42′ Virgo 26°58′ Virgo 157
2°03′ Libra 29°18′ Virgo 157
4°25′ Libra 1°40′ Libra 157
6°49′ Libra 4°03′ Libra 157
9°15′ Libra 6°28′ Libra 156
11°42′ Libra 8°55′ Libra 156
14°11′ Libra 11°24′ Libra 156
16°42′ Libra 13°54′ Libra 156
19°13′ Libra 16°25′ Libra 156
1980s (10 periods)
Every Pluto retrograde period beginning in the 1980s, with the zodiac degree of each station and the length of the period.
Goes retrograde At Turns direct At Days
21°46′ Libra 18°58′ Libra 156
24°21′ Libra 21°31′ Libra 156
26°55′ Libra 24°07′ Libra 156
29°31′ Libra 26°42′ Libra 156
2°08′ Scorpio 29°19′ Libra 156
4°45′ Scorpio 1°55′ Scorpio 156
7°21′ Scorpio 4°32′ Scorpio 156
9°58′ Scorpio 7°09′ Scorpio 157
12°35′ Scorpio 9°45′ Scorpio 157
15°11′ Scorpio 12°22′ Scorpio 157
1990s (10 periods)
Every Pluto retrograde period beginning in the 1990s, with the zodiac degree of each station and the length of the period.
Goes retrograde At Turns direct At Days
17°47′ Scorpio 14°58′ Scorpio 157
20°22′ Scorpio 17°33′ Scorpio 157
22°57′ Scorpio 20°09′ Scorpio 157
25°31′ Scorpio 22°43′ Scorpio 157
28°04′ Scorpio 25°16′ Scorpio 157
0°36′ Sagittarius 27°49′ Scorpio 157
3°07′ Sagittarius 0°19′ Sagittarius 158
5°36′ Sagittarius 2°49′ Sagittarius 158
8°03′ Sagittarius 5°18′ Sagittarius 158
10°30′ Sagittarius 7°44′ Sagittarius 158
2000s (10 periods)
Every Pluto retrograde period beginning in the 2000s, with the zodiac degree of each station and the length of the period.
Goes retrograde At Turns direct At Days
12°54′ Sagittarius 10°09′ Sagittarius 158
15°16′ Sagittarius 12°32′ Sagittarius 159
17°37′ Sagittarius 14°54′ Sagittarius 159
19°57′ Sagittarius 17°14′ Sagittarius 159
22°15′ Sagittarius 19°32′ Sagittarius 159
24°30′ Sagittarius 21°49′ Sagittarius 159
26°45′ Sagittarius 24°04′ Sagittarius 160
28°58′ Sagittarius 26°18′ Sagittarius 160
1°09′ Capricorn 28°30′ Sagittarius 160
3°18′ Capricorn 0°39′ Capricorn 160
2010s (10 periods)
Every Pluto retrograde period beginning in the 2010s, with the zodiac degree of each station and the length of the period.
Goes retrograde At Turns direct At Days
5°25′ Capricorn 2°47′ Capricorn 160
7°30′ Capricorn 4°53′ Capricorn 160
9°33′ Capricorn 6°57′ Capricorn 161
11°35′ Capricorn 8°59′ Capricorn 161
13°34′ Capricorn 11°00′ Capricorn 161
15°33′ Capricorn 12°58′ Capricorn 161
17°28′ Capricorn 14°55′ Capricorn 161
19°24′ Capricorn 16°51′ Capricorn 161
21°17′ Capricorn 18°45′ Capricorn 161
23°09′ Capricorn 20°37′ Capricorn 161
2020s (10 periods)
Every Pluto retrograde period beginning in the 2020s, with the zodiac degree of each station and the length of the period.
Goes retrograde At Turns direct At Days
24°59′ Capricorn 22°29′ Capricorn 162
26°48′ Capricorn 24°18′ Capricorn 162
28°36′ Capricorn 26°07′ Capricorn 162
0°21′ Aquarius 27°53′ Capricorn 162
2°06′ Aquarius 29°38′ Capricorn 162
3°49′ Aquarius 1°22′ Aquarius 162
5°30′ Aquarius 3°04′ Aquarius 162
7°10′ Aquarius 4°45′ Aquarius 163
8°49′ Aquarius 6°24′ Aquarius 163
10°27′ Aquarius 8°03′ Aquarius 163
2030s (10 periods)
Every Pluto retrograde period beginning in the 2030s, with the zodiac degree of each station and the length of the period.
Goes retrograde At Turns direct At Days
12°03′ Aquarius 9°39′ Aquarius 163
13°39′ Aquarius 11°15′ Aquarius 163
15°13′ Aquarius 12°51′ Aquarius 163
16°46′ Aquarius 14°24′ Aquarius 163
18°18′ Aquarius 15°57′ Aquarius 163
19°49′ Aquarius 17°28′ Aquarius 164
21°19′ Aquarius 18°58′ Aquarius 164
22°47′ Aquarius 20°27′ Aquarius 164
24°15′ Aquarius 21°55′ Aquarius 164
25°42′ Aquarius 23°22′ Aquarius 164
2040s (10 periods)
Every Pluto retrograde period beginning in the 2040s, with the zodiac degree of each station and the length of the period.
Goes retrograde At Turns direct At Days
27°07′ Aquarius 24°49′ Aquarius 164
28°32′ Aquarius 26°15′ Aquarius 164
29°56′ Aquarius 27°39′ Aquarius 164
1°19′ Pisces 29°03′ Aquarius 164
2°42′ Pisces 0°27′ Pisces 164
4°04′ Pisces 1°49′ Pisces 164
5°25′ Pisces 3°10′ Pisces 164
6°45′ Pisces 4°31′ Pisces 164
8°05′ Pisces 5°51′ Pisces 164
9°23′ Pisces 7°10′ Pisces 165
2050s (10 periods)
Every Pluto retrograde period beginning in the 2050s, with the zodiac degree of each station and the length of the period.
Goes retrograde At Turns direct At Days
10°41′ Pisces 8°28′ Pisces 165
11°58′ Pisces 9°45′ Pisces 165
13°14′ Pisces 11°01′ Pisces 164
14°30′ Pisces 12°18′ Pisces 165
15°45′ Pisces 13°33′ Pisces 165
16°59′ Pisces 14°48′ Pisces 165
18°13′ Pisces 16°03′ Pisces 165
19°27′ Pisces 17°16′ Pisces 165
20°39′ Pisces 18°30′ Pisces 165
21°52′ Pisces 19°42′ Pisces 165
2060s (10 periods)
Every Pluto retrograde period beginning in the 2060s, with the zodiac degree of each station and the length of the period.
Goes retrograde At Turns direct At Days
23°03′ Pisces 20°54′ Pisces 165
24°15′ Pisces 22°06′ Pisces 165
25°25′ Pisces 23°16′ Pisces 165
26°34′ Pisces 24°27′ Pisces 165
27°44′ Pisces 25°36′ Pisces 165
28°53′ Pisces 26°46′ Pisces 165
0°01′ Aries 27°54′ Pisces 165
1°09′ Aries 29°03′ Pisces 165
2°16′ Aries 0°10′ Aries 165
3°24′ Aries 1°18′ Aries 165
2070s (10 periods)
Every Pluto retrograde period beginning in the 2070s, with the zodiac degree of each station and the length of the period.
Goes retrograde At Turns direct At Days
4°31′ Aries 2°25′ Aries 165
5°37′ Aries 3°31′ Aries 165
6°43′ Aries 4°37′ Aries 165
7°48′ Aries 5°43′ Aries 165
8°53′ Aries 6°48′ Aries 165
9°57′ Aries 7°53′ Aries 165
11°01′ Aries 8°57′ Aries 165
12°05′ Aries 10°01′ Aries 165
13°09′ Aries 11°06′ Aries 165
14°12′ Aries 12°09′ Aries 165
2080s (10 periods)
Every Pluto retrograde period beginning in the 2080s, with the zodiac degree of each station and the length of the period.
Goes retrograde At Turns direct At Days
15°15′ Aries 13°12′ Aries 165
16°18′ Aries 14°16′ Aries 165
17°21′ Aries 15°18′ Aries 165
18°23′ Aries 16°21′ Aries 165
19°25′ Aries 17°23′ Aries 165
20°27′ Aries 18°25′ Aries 165
21°27′ Aries 19°26′ Aries 165
22°28′ Aries 20°27′ Aries 165
23°28′ Aries 21°27′ Aries 166
24°29′ Aries 22°28′ Aries 165
2090s (10 periods)
Every Pluto retrograde period beginning in the 2090s, with the zodiac degree of each station and the length of the period.
Goes retrograde At Turns direct At Days
25°28′ Aries 23°28′ Aries 165
26°28′ Aries 24°28′ Aries 165
27°28′ Aries 25°28′ Aries 165
28°28′ Aries 26°27′ Aries 165
29°27′ Aries 27°27′ Aries 165
0°26′ Taurus 28°27′ Aries 165
1°25′ Taurus 29°25′ Aries 165
2°24′ Taurus 0°24′ Taurus 165
3°22′ Taurus 1°23′ Taurus 165
4°21′ Taurus 2°21′ Taurus 165

The archive comes from the shared event catalogue, and I store each station there floored to the hour, so the UTC calendar date is exact but no time of day is shown. It also means a degree here can sit an arc-minute below the same station in the near-term table above, which is solved to the second. Degrees are apparent geocentric ecliptic longitude for the equinox of date, the tropical position an astrologer reads. The catalogue is published under CC BY 4.0. Cite as: AstroCalcs, Pluto retrograde dates 1900–2100, https://astrocalcs.com/pluto-retrograde-dates/ (CC BY 4.0).

Retrograde dates for the other planets

The same tables, built the same way, for each of the eight planets that ever appear to run backward.

Looking at one chart rather than the calendar? The natal retrograde calculator says which planets were retrograde on a birth date, and Cycle Lab finds every station and eclipse near any degree.

Pluto retrograde FAQ

When is Pluto retrograde in 2026?

In 2026, Pluto is retrograde from May 6 to Oct 16, counting in UTC. The calendar above has the full date of each station and the sign and degree it happens at, to the arc-minute. If an almanac you trust says a day earlier or later, it is probably working in local time, and the station fell near midnight.

How long does Pluto retrograde last?

About 162 days, taking the median of the 199 periods between 1900 and 2100. The shortest ran 156 days and the longest 166. Each is the gap between a period's two stations as the catalogue stores them, floored to the hour, so lengths come out in whole days rather than hours. Nothing here is a rule of thumb; the figures are counted from the stations themselves.

How often does Pluto go retrograde?

About once a year. Sampled at noon UTC on every day from 1900 to 2100, Pluto is retrograde 44.1% of the time. Birthdays are spread over those same days, so that is also, near enough, the share of birth charts with Pluto retrograde. That is a lot of the time, and astrologers say less about an outer planet being retrograde in a chart than about Venus or Mars, partly for that reason.

Is Pluto retrograde right now?

The banner at the top of the page answers that. It is written into the page at build time, then rechecked in your browser against your device's clock, using the station dates the page already carries, so it stays right between rebuilds. It also marks the matching row in the calendar as happening now or next up. It reads your clock and nothing else.