Jupiter retrograde 2026: out of Cancer in March, into Leo in December
In 2026, Jupiter is retrograde twice: 11 November 2025 to 11 March and 13 December to 13 April 2027.
Today Jupiter is direct but already in the pre-shadow of its next retrograde, which starts on 13 December, in 58 days.
Exact dates
11 November 2025 – 11 March 2026 · 120 days
Sign: Cancer
Stations retrograde at 25°09′ Cancer, direct at 15°05′ Cancer
Pre-shadow from 17 August 2025, post-shadow to 6 June · 293 days in all
13 December 2026 – 13 April 2027 · 121 days
Sign: Leo
Stations retrograde at 27°01′ Leo, direct at 17°00′ Leo
Pre-shadow from 17 September, post-shadow to 11 July 2027 · 297 days in all
Dates are Universal Time (UT). A station close to midnight can fall on the previous day in the Americas and on the next day in Europe.
How Jupiter retrograde feels
Jupiter retrograde turns expansion inward. Question assumptions about luck, faith, and what “more” actually means for you. It is a strong period for studying, mentoring, and realigning long-term vision, not for overpromising.
Jupiter spends about four months of every year retrograde, so this is background weather rather than an event. It tends to feel like a pause in growth: offers take longer to turn into anything, and optimism has to wait for evidence. 2026 holds the end of one cycle and the start of the next, with a long direct stretch between them.
Two windows in two signs
The two windows sit in different signs, and that is the useful detail. The Cancer pass that closes in March finishes a question about home, family and where you feel safe enough to grow. The Leo pass that opens in December starts a different one, about visibility and whether you are willing to be seen taking a risk.
What to do and what to avoid
Communication and tech
Do: Ask for honest feedback on your plans
Avoid: Overpromising to win approval
Contracts and money
Do: Grow what already works before adding more
Avoid: Inflating budgets on hope alone
Work
Do: Finish courses and training you already started
Avoid: Dismissing feedback that challenges your plan
Relationships
Do: Talk about long-term hopes, not only next steps
Avoid: Expecting a relationship to grow without effort
See which part of your life Jupiter retrograde touches in your free birth chart, or compare two charts with synastry.
Where to go from here
Questions about Jupiter retrograde 2026
When is Jupiter retrograde in 2026?
Twice, at either end of the year: 11 November 2025 to 11 March and 13 December to 13 April 2027. The first window began in November 2025 and the second runs into April 2027, so 2026 itself sees nine months of direct motion between them.
What sign is Jupiter retrograde in?
Cancer for the window that closes in March, Leo for the one that opens in December. It turns back at 25°09′ Cancer and 27°01′ Leo. Jupiter changes sign roughly once a year, so this pair of retrogrades is what a handover between two twelve-month chapters looks like.
How long is Jupiter retrograde each year?
About four months, every year without exception: roughly a third of the time. Adding the shadows takes each cycle to 17 August 2025 to 6 June and 17 September to 11 July 2027, which is why the phase is better treated as a season than as a warning.
Is Jupiter retrograde bad luck?
No, and the older sources do not say so. Jupiter is the planet of growth and a retrograde turns that inward, so the reading is that gains come from consolidation rather than from new ground. Nobody loses what they have; what stops working is the assumption that more will simply keep arriving.
What should you do during Jupiter retrograde?
Consolidate. Finish what you have started, check which promises still make sense, and let go of one commitment that no longer fits. The classic use of the period is study, because it rewards going deeper into something you already know rather than starting a new subject.
Dates recalculated 22 September 2026