It’s essentially lapping us on its way around the sun, causing an optical illusion in the meantime. Because Mercury, in particular, orbits the sun about four times as fast as the Earth does, there are a few periods per year where the speedy planet briefly moves east to west in the sky, rather than west to east. While it may seem like astrologers talk the most about Mercury moonwalking its way around the sun, it turns out that all of the planets take turns moving in retrograde at some point or another-or at least that’s how they appear from our position on Earth. What does it mean when a planet is in retrograde?īy definition, retrograde means to “move backward, have a backward motion or direction, retire, or retreat.” First coined in the 1300s, the word retrograde was originally used to describe the perceived motions of the planets and is derived from the Latin prefix retro, or “backward.” Often depicted with wings on his shoes and helmet, Hermes served as the essential messenger for all of the other gods, ruling over commerce, wealth, thievery, eloquence, science, and good fortune.īecause it’s always been so clearly visible in the night sky, it’s hard to say exactly when Mercury was first discovered, but the planet was first observed through telescopes by astronomers Galileo Galilei and Thomas Harriot in 1631. 365 days), which is likely why the planet was named after the quick, swift-footed Roman god Mercurius, or Hermes in Greek mythology. Due to its close proximity to the sun, Mercury has a shorter orbital path than Earth does (88 days vs.
Facts on planet MercuryĪpproximately the size of Earth’s moon, Mercury is the closest planet to the sun and the smallest planet in our solar system. But what causes this, and why does it always send your astrology-loving friends into such a tizzy?įirst, let’s cover the basics. During this time, the planet Mercury appears to be moving backwards (or in retrograde) when viewed from Earth. One of astrology’s most nerve-racking events, Mercury retrograde is actually an optical illusion that occurs for about three weeks approximately three to four times a year.
#VIRGO MERCURY RETROGRADE 2020 SERIES#
You might chalk this series of unfortunate events up to luck (or rather, lack thereof), but some may take it a step further and blame it on the fact that Mercury is, yet again, in retrograde. You’re in an arbitrary fight with your best friend over a misunderstanding, you got a flat tire on the way to work, and an important document you needed got lost in the mail, never arriving at its intended destination.
0 kommentar(er)
