Planetary Transit Calendar 2026-2027
Every major sign-change, retrograde, eclipse, and conjunction over the next 18 months - with the general effects classical Vedic astrology associates with each across career, relationships, health and spiritual life. Use it to understand the cosmic weather ahead.
October 2026
Mercury Retrograde begins (Libra)
Mercury retrograde during festival season. Communication in relationships and partnerships can tangle. Confirm plans twice, handle travel early and avoid hasty agreements.
Jupiter enters Leo - exaltation ends, regal phase begins
Jupiter leaves Cancer exaltation for Leo (the royal sign). Confidence, leadership and self-expression are blessed with growth. A favourable time to step into authority roles and pursue creative or career ambitions with warmth.
November 2026
Mars enters Leo - confidence + leadership
Mars exits debilitation into Leo (its friend sign). Courage, confidence and leadership return. A favourable time to take initiative in career and pursue bold personal goals.
Rahu enters Capricorn (Ketu enters Cancer) - 18-month axis shift
Major 18-month Rahu-Ketu axis change. Ambition, structure and worldly goals come into focus, while emotional and home matters call for inner detachment. A meaningful pivot in overall life direction.
December 2026
Jupiter Retrograde begins (Leo)
Jupiter turns retrograde for ~4 months. A time to pause outward expansion and turn inward - reflect on beliefs, values and personal growth. Wisdom deepens through review rather than new ventures.
January 2027
Mars Retrograde begins (Leo)
Mars retrograde - ~2.5 months. Energy turns inward; frustration can build if pushed too hard. A time to review goals and avoid starting major new pursuits.
Jupiter enters Cancer
Jupiter enters Cancer - A season of growth, wisdom, learning and opportunity
February 2027
🌑 Solar Eclipse
Annular Solar Eclipse - a powerful turning point; avoid major new beginnings near the eclipse, focus on rest and reflection
Mercury Retrograde begins (Aquarius)
Mercury retrograde in the Rahu-axis sign. Friendships, group plans and communication with networks may stall. Confirm details and postpone launching big new ideas.
🌕 Lunar Eclipse
Penumbral Lunar Eclipse - emotions run high and old feelings resurface; a time for patience, rest and letting go
March 2027
Mars enters Cancer
Mars enters Cancer - Energy, courage and drive run high - channel it into action
April 2027
Mars enters Leo - confidence + leadership
Mars exits debilitation into Leo (its friend sign). Courage, confidence and leadership return. A favourable time to take initiative in career and pursue bold personal goals.
June 2027
Saturn enters Aries - MAJOR 2.5-year debilitated shift
Saturn moves into Aries where it is debilitated (neecha). A major 2.5-year period that tests patience, courage and self-discipline. Karmic lessons around independence and responsibility surface; honest, steady effort builds lasting strength.
Mercury Retrograde begins (Gemini)
Mercury turns retrograde in Gemini - review plans; delays and second thoughts are common
Jupiter enters Leo - exaltation ends, regal phase begins
Jupiter leaves Cancer exaltation for Leo (the royal sign). Confidence, leadership and self-expression are blessed with growth. A favourable time to step into authority roles and pursue creative or career ambitions with warmth.
July 2027
Mars enters Virgo
Mars in Mercury's earth sign favours detailed, methodical work. A good phase for health routines, organisation and disciplined effort.
🌕 Lunar Eclipse
Penumbral Lunar Eclipse - emotions run high and old feelings resurface; a time for patience, rest and letting go
August 2027
🌑 Solar Eclipse
Total Solar Eclipse - a powerful turning point; avoid major new beginnings near the eclipse, focus on rest and reflection
Saturn Retrograde begins (Aries)
Saturn retrograde while debilitated. Heightened pressure to slow down, review and master lessons in courage, patience and self-reliance.
🌕 Lunar Eclipse
Penumbral Lunar Eclipse - emotions run high and old feelings resurface; a time for patience, rest and letting go
Mars enters Libra (debilitated again)
Mars in Venus's air sign - its second debilitation of the year. Tensions in partnerships may rise. Practise patience and avoid hasty commitments.
October 2027
Mercury Retrograde begins (Libra)
Mercury retrograde during festival season. Communication in relationships and partnerships can tangle. Confirm plans twice, handle travel early and avoid hasty agreements.
Mars enters Scorpio (own sign)
Mars in its own sign Scorpio - maximum strength. Determination, focus and transformative energy peak. A powerful time for deep, committed effort.
Saturn re-enters Pisces (retrograde)
Saturn retrogrades back into Pisces - a partial easing of the Aries phase. A time to revisit old responsibilities and consolidate lessons learned.
November 2027
Mars enters Sagittarius
Mars in Jupiter's fire sign blends drive with faith and vision. A favourable time for travel, higher learning and pursuing meaningful goals.
Jupiter enters Virgo - analytical phase
Jupiter shifts to Mercury's earth sign. Growth comes through service, attention to detail and self-improvement. A good phase for studies, health routines and refining everyday work.
December 2027
Mars enters Capricorn (exaltation)
Mars exalted in Capricorn - peak strength. Discipline, ambition and stamina are at their best. An excellent phase for sustained effort toward career and life goals.
January 2028
Jupiter Retrograde begins (Virgo)
Jupiter turns retrograde in Virgo - review plans; delays and second thoughts are common
Mercury Retrograde begins (Capricorn)
Mercury turns retrograde in Capricorn - review plans; delays and second thoughts are common
🌑 Solar Eclipse
Annular Solar Eclipse - a powerful turning point; avoid major new beginnings near the eclipse, focus on rest and reflection
February 2028
Mars enters Aquarius
Mars enters Aquarius - Energy, courage and drive run high - channel it into action
Saturn enters Aries - MAJOR 2.5-year debilitated shift
Saturn moves into Aries where it is debilitated (neecha). A major 2.5-year period that tests patience, courage and self-discipline. Karmic lessons around independence and responsibility surface; honest, steady effort builds lasting strength.
Jupiter enters Leo
Jupiter enters Leo - A season of growth, wisdom, learning and opportunity
March 2028
Mars enters Pisces
Mars enters Pisces - Energy, courage and drive run high - channel it into action
April 2028
Mars enters Aries
Mars enters Aries - Energy, courage and drive run high - channel it into action
May 2028
Venus Retrograde begins (Taurus)
Venus turns retrograde in Taurus - review plans; delays and second thoughts are common
Mercury Retrograde begins (Taurus)
Mercury turns retrograde in Taurus - review plans; delays and second thoughts are common
Rahu enters Sagittarius
Rahu enters Sagittarius - Sudden change, ambition and unconventional paths come up
Mars enters Taurus - steady, grounded energy
Mars moves from its own sign into Venus's earth sign. Energy becomes patient and determined. A good time for steady effort toward home, comfort and long-term material goals.
July 2028
Mars enters Gemini - active mind
Mars in Mercury's air sign energises communication and curiosity. Debates, quick decisions and busy conversations increase - channel the drive into learning.
Jupiter enters Virgo - analytical phase
Jupiter shifts to Mercury's earth sign. Growth comes through service, attention to detail and self-improvement. A good phase for studies, health routines and refining everyday work.
August 2028
Saturn Retrograde begins (Aries)
Saturn retrograde while debilitated. Heightened pressure to slow down, review and master lessons in courage, patience and self-reliance.
Mars enters Cancer (debilitated)
Mars in debilitation. Energy and motivation may feel scattered, and emotions can run hot. Be patient with family and avoid impulsive reactions until Mars exits.
September 2028
Mercury Retrograde begins (Virgo)
Mercury turns retrograde in Virgo - review plans; delays and second thoughts are common
October 2028
Mars enters Leo - confidence + leadership
Mars exits debilitation into Leo (its friend sign). Courage, confidence and leadership return. A favourable time to take initiative in career and pursue bold personal goals.
How to read this calendar
Vedic transit (gochar) interpretation rests on a simple frame: each planet governs certain houses and life themes, and when a planet changes signs, goes retrograde, or aspects another planet, those areas of life become active. Saturn and Jupiter are the slowest-moving and produce the most durable, long-term effects (about 2.5 and 1 year per sign respectively). Rahu and Ketu shift the axis of desire and detachment across 18-month cycles. The Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus and Mars move faster and colour the shorter-term rhythm of daily life.
Why eclipses matter most
In classical Vedic astrology, eclipses (grahan) are among the most significant events. A solar eclipse temporarily veils the Sun's significations (vitality, authority, the father, self-confidence); a lunar eclipse does the same for the Moon (emotions, the mind, the mother, the public mood). The days surrounding an eclipse are traditionally treated as a time for prayer, fasting and inner reflection rather than for starting important new ventures. Eclipse degrees become sensitive points in the chart that re-activate whenever transiting planets cross them over the following 18-24 months.
Retrograde periods are NOT all bad
Mercury retrograde (3-4 times yearly, ~3 weeks each) gets the public press, but it is rarely the most consequential. It is a natural time to review, revise and reconnect rather than launch. Saturn retrograde (4+ months yearly) is a window for restructuring routines, releasing old burdens and deepening discipline. Mars retrograde (every 2 years, ~2.5 months) asks us to slow down, rethink strategy and avoid rash conflict. Jupiter retrograde (~4 months yearly) turns the focus of growth inward - a time for study, reflection and refining one's beliefs.
How AstroLogics members use this
Members combine this calendar with their personal Dasha-aware "How's my time?" dashboard to identify dates where the sky's transits and their own birth chart resonate. When both align, the timing for important decisions is at its strongest. Combine it with our daily Panchang and Choghadiya, or book a personal reading with one of our Vedic astrologers.
Frequently asked questions
What is a planetary transit?
A transit, or gochar, is simply where a planet is in the sky right now, as opposed to where it was when you were born. Transits are read against the birth chart: the same Jupiter transit is a different event for each person, because it falls on a different house and touches different natal planets.
Which transits on this calendar matter most?
The slow movers. Saturn takes about two and a half years to cross one sign, Jupiter about a year, and Rahu and Ketu around eighteen months, so their sign changes mark genuine phases rather than passing moods. The Moon changes sign every two and a half days and is not listed here for that reason. Eclipses are listed separately because they fall on the nodal axis and tend to coincide with turning points.
What does it mean when a planet turns retrograde?
Retrograde motion is apparent, not actual: the planet appears to move backwards against the stars because of how its orbit and ours line up from our point of view. The calendar marks the day a planet turns retrograde and the day it turns direct again. Classically these stretches are read as a time to revisit and finish existing matters rather than to start new ones - they are not a blanket warning.
How do I use this calendar with my own chart?
Find your Moon sign first, then count which house each transiting planet is moving through from there. A transit through your 10th house speaks to work and standing; through the 7th, to partnership. For the periods the transit is landing on, read it together with the planetary period that is running for you - the two together are far more informative than either alone.
What timezone are these dates and times in?
All dates and times are Indian Standard Time. They are computed from the same sidereal engine that produces the birth charts on this site, using the Lahiri ayanamsa, so a sign change listed here falls on the same moment the rest of the site would give you.
Read a transit against your own chart
A transit only means something once it is placed against your birth chart. These free tools give you the chart, the positions and the period it is landing in.