Retrograde planets in astrology are when the planets appear to be moving backwards. However, this is not the case as the planets do not move backwards. It is actually an optical illusion. When an astrologer looks up into the sky, he sees the sun and all the planets that orbit around it, the sun being the center of our universe. There are times when looking at the planets from Earth they seem to slow down, pause, and even move backwards. They haven’t stopped or slowed down, it’s just an illusion of looking at the planets from earth. The best way to explain this is to imagine that there are two trains going in the same direction with you on one of them. When a train starts to accelerate, it appears from inside this train that the slower train is moving backwards. But we know it’s not going backwards, it’s just that the train we’re on has sped up. This again is an optical illusion and the retrograde motion of the planets works the same way.
The only exception with the retrograde planets is the Sun and the Moon, they are never in retrograde motion. Mercury is the planet that retrogrades most frequently, 3 times a year and for about 3 weeks each time. This year (2011) the planet Mercury will be retrograde from March 30 to April 23, the next one is from August 3 to 26, then the last one is from November 24 to December 14.
Mercury is associated with the rational mind and all forms of communication such as travel, conversations in any form such as email or telephone. It governs how we trade and exchange goods, services and contracts. If Mercury is retrograde, its influences are magnified and turbulent. Almost as if a storm was brewing. The signs of Gemini and Virgo are ruled by this planet, so this means that you will be more affected. There could be delays with travel or car problems, mail or contract delays, misunderstandings and miscommunication, canceled appointments, and problems with electrical equipment, especially anything to do with communications, such as computers, telephones etc This explains the problem we had here in the UK regarding all the travel problems caused by snow. If you look at the dates when Mercury was retrograde last year, you’ll see that’s exactly when the storm broke, so to speak.