Sky now

The sky, right now

Today the Moon is in Aries.

Above you now: Sun, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Uranus.

5 planets look like they're moving backwards (FootnoteRetrogradeWhen a planet appears to move backwards across the sky. A time to review rather than rush ahead.Read more →). It's common: there's nearly always one.

AndromedaEagleRamCharioteerHerdsmanGreat DogCassiopeiaCentaurWhaleSwanEridanusTwinsLionOrionPegasusPerseusArcherScorpionBullBig DipperVirginSunMoonMercuryVenusMarsJupiterSaturnUranusNeptunePlutoNESW✦ Polaris

Tap a planet or a bright star to see what it is.

How to read this map

Everything inside the gold line is above you. The dashed line is the path the Sun, Moon and planets travel (the FootnoteZodiacThe band of sky the Sun, Moon and planets travel through, divided into twelve equal signs.Read more →). The map turns with the real sky.

Planisphere for 40°N · stars to magnitude 4.8

Moon calendar

How much of the Moon is lit each night this month, and which sign it's in.

See the month
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June 2040

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Tap a day to see the Moon's sign and mood.

Times are in GMT.

New and full Moons

The dark Moon and the full Moon this month, and what each is good for. Add your birth details to see which part of your life each one lights up.

Buddhist holy days, set by the Moon

Many Buddhists keep the new, full and half Moons as holy days for extra quiet and practice. In the Theravada tradition they are called uposatha. Exact days vary by country and calendar.

New Moon

FootnoteNew MoonWhen the Moon sits between Earth and Sun and can't be seen. Traditionally a time to begin things.Read more → in Gemini

Sat 9 Jun, 18:03

A time to set intentions and start small.

Sit for three slow breaths and notice what you are carrying that you don't need to carry.

Full Moon

FootnoteFull MoonWhen the Moon is opposite the Sun and fully lit. A time when things come to a head.Read more → in Capricorn

Sun 24 Jun, 19:19

A time to finish, release and take stock.

Generosity is the first practice: what could you give today without expecting anything back?

Retrogrades in 2040

When each planet looks like it's moving backwards this year.

See the dates

A retrograde is when a planet looks like it's moving backwards. The planet isn't reversing. From Earth, it only looks that way for a while, the way a slower car seems to slip backwards as you pass it.

Neptune
Uranus
Mars
Jupiter
Saturn
Mercury
Pluto

Solid bars are retrograde now, outlined ones are still to come, grey ones are over. Hover, tap or tab to a bar.

Uranus, Neptune and Pluto were found after ancient astrology was written down, so their meanings come from modern tradition. Each outer planet is retrograde for about five months every year, so their retrogrades are gentle background, not headline events.

Coming up

Neptune retrograde

6 Aug 2039 to 11 Jan 2040 · runs past 2040, so the bar is cut at the edge

Backs up from Taurus 3°37′ to Taurus 0°48′.

What it can mean

The fog thins a little. A time to see things more clearly.

Neptune, another modern planet, is associated with dreams, ideals and imagination, and also with confusion. Its retrograde is usually read as a time when illusions are easier to spot. People often use it to check whether a hope is grounded and to make room for creative work.

All dates as a list
  • Neptune retrograde, 6 Aug 2039 to 11 Jan
  • Uranus retrograde, 8 Nov 2039 to 5 Apr
  • Mars retrograde, 23 Nov 2039 to 9 Feb
  • Jupiter retrograde, 16 Jan to 18 May
  • Saturn retrograde, 21 Jan to 6 Jun
  • Mercury retrograde, 12 Feb to 5 Mar
  • Pluto retrograde, 27 May to 7 Nov
  • Mercury retrograde, 13 Jun to 7 Jul
  • Neptune retrograde, 8 Aug to 12 Jan 2041
  • Mercury retrograde, 9 Oct to 30 Oct
  • Uranus retrograde, 12 Nov to 10 Apr 2041