November 2026 begins with five planets retrograde at the same time. Mercury is retrograde in Scorpio, Venus is retrograde in Libra, Saturn is retrograde in Aries, Uranus is retrograde in Gemini and Neptune is retrograde in Aries. This makes the first half of November one of the more concentrated retrograde periods of the year.
The important point is that these retrogrades are not all doing the same thing. Mercury and Venus are relatively personal planets and their retrograde cycles can be noticed through everyday events, conversations, relationships and decisions. Saturn, Uranus and Neptune move much more slowly, so their retrogrades belong to longer periods of adjustment that have already been developing for months.
November also brings a noticeable change. Venus turns direct on November 12th and Mercury turns direct on November 14th. Within two days, two of the retrogrades most closely connected with everyday life come to an end. Saturn, Uranus and Neptune remain retrograde throughout the rest of November.
Mercury Retrograde in Scorpio Until November 14th
Mercury is already retrograde in Scorpio when November begins. It turned retrograde on October 25th and continues moving backwards through Scorpio during the first half of November.
Mercury represents communication, information and the way we think through problems. Scorpio prefers to investigate rather than accept an easy explanation. Mercury retrograde in Scorpio can therefore bring unfinished conversations and unanswered questions back for another look.
Something that appeared to have been settled during October can need further discussion. Information can emerge that changes your understanding of what happened. This is particularly relevant where trust, money or private matters are involved.
Do not assume that returning to an old subject means you are going backwards. Sometimes you need to go over the same ground again because something important was missed the first time.
Mercury slows considerably as it approaches its station and turns direct in Scorpio on November 14th. This does not mean every communication problem immediately disappears. It marks the point where Mercury changes direction and gradually begins moving forwards again.
Information gathered during the retrograde can now be put to better use. An unfinished discussion can move towards a conclusion, or a decision that was difficult to make earlier in the month can become clearer.
Venus Retrograde in Libra Until November 12th
Venus begins November retrograde in Libra. It originally turned retrograde in Scorpio on October 3rd before moving backwards into Libra on October 17th.
Venus is the ruling planet of Libra, so relationships, cooperation and questions of fairness are particularly important during this part of the retrograde. An arrangement that looks balanced from the outside might not feel equally fair to the people involved.
This can apply to romantic relationships, but Venus is not only about romance. Money, personal values and agreements can also need reconsideration. Something you previously wanted can lose some of its appeal once you have had more time to think about it.
There is no need to force an immediate answer. Venus retrograde is useful for working out what still matters and what you have simply continued to value through habit.
Venus turns direct in Libra on November 12th. This is the first major retrograde turning point of the month. Matters involving relationships or money that have been under review can gradually begin moving forwards again.
The important word is gradually. A direct station is a change of direction rather than an instant solution. What you have learned during the retrograde still needs to be applied.
Mercury and Venus Turn Direct Within Two Days
The closeness of the two stations makes the middle of November particularly important. Venus turns direct on November 12th and Mercury follows on November 14th.
For several weeks, both planets have been asking for different kinds of reconsideration. Venus has concentrated on what you value and what you want from relationships or agreements. Mercury has concentrated on what you know and whether the information available to you is complete.
Those subjects can easily overlap. You can know what you want but discover that the practical agreement does not support it. You can also receive information that changes what you value or how you feel about a situation.
By the middle of November, there is a clearer opportunity to begin acting on what has been learned. The review period starts giving way to decisions.
Do not rush simply because both planets have changed direction. Use the information that has emerged during the retrogrades rather than returning automatically to the way things were before.
Saturn Retrograde in Aries
Saturn remains retrograde in Aries throughout November. It moves slowly through the early degrees of Aries and does not turn direct until December 13th.
Saturn represents structure, discipline and responsibility. Aries wants movement and prefers to act rather than wait. The combination can be frustrating when progress depends on dealing with limitations first.
Saturn retrograde in Aries asks whether the foundations behind an action are strong enough. If a plan repeatedly meets the same obstacle, simply pushing harder is unlikely to solve the problem.
This is a better time to look at why the obstacle exists. A responsibility can need reorganising, or a longer-term plan can require more preparation than originally expected.
Saturn retrograde is slow. There is no need to treat every delay as a major event. What matters is whether the same issue keeps returning and what it is trying to show you.
Uranus Retrograde in Gemini
Uranus remains retrograde in Gemini throughout November. It is moving backwards through the earliest degrees of the sign and approaches 0 degrees Gemini towards the end of the month.
Uranus is associated with change, independence and breaking away from established patterns. Gemini is connected with communication and the exchange of ideas.
During the retrograde, ideas that seemed new or exciting can need another look. Something can still be worth pursuing, but the original approach might not be the best one.
This can also be a useful period for questioning assumptions. You do not have to continue believing something simply because you have believed it for a long time. At the same time, replacing an old idea with a new one does not automatically make the new idea better.
Question it. Test it. See whether it works.
Uranus retrograde can help separate genuine improvement from change for the sake of change.
Neptune Retrograde in Aries
Neptune is also retrograde in Aries throughout November and remains close to the beginning of the sign.
Neptune represents imagination and idealism, but it can also make boundaries less clear. Aries wants a definite direction and is usually impatient to begin.
Neptune retrograde can expose the difference between what you hoped would happen and what is actually happening. That does not necessarily mean abandoning the original idea. It can mean making it more realistic.
A dream that survives closer examination can become stronger. One that depends entirely on ignoring inconvenient facts will be harder to maintain.
With Saturn also retrograde in Aries, there is an interesting contrast. Neptune imagines what could be possible while Saturn asks what can actually be built. Both are moving backwards through the same sign, making November a useful month for examining the difference between ambition and a workable plan.
Pluto Is Direct in Aquarius
Pluto is not retrograde during November. It turned direct in Aquarius on October 17th and continues moving slowly forwards throughout the month.
This is worth noting because Pluto had been part of the wider outer-planet retrograde pattern earlier in the year. By November it is moving direct while Saturn, Uranus and Neptune remain retrograde.
Pluto moves extremely slowly, so this is not a sudden change. Its direct motion is part of a much longer process involving transformation and structural change associated with Pluto in Aquarius.
Which Planets Are Retrograde in November 2026?
At the beginning of November, the retrograde planets are:
- Mercury retrograde in Scorpio
- Venus retrograde in Libra
- Saturn retrograde in Aries
- Uranus retrograde in Gemini
- Neptune retrograde in Aries
Venus turns direct on November 12th and Mercury turns direct on November 14th. From that point onwards, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune are the three planets remaining retrograde for the rest of November.
What November's Retrogrades Mean
The first half of November has a much stronger sense of review than the second. Mercury and Venus are both still retrograde as the month begins, bringing recent conversations, decisions and relationships back into focus.
The middle of November changes the direction. Venus turns direct first, followed two days later by Mercury. Matters that have been repeatedly reconsidered can begin moving towards a clearer conclusion.
The slower retrogrades continue in the background. Saturn asks whether plans are properly supported. Uranus questions established ideas, while Neptune tests the difference between an ideal and reality.
November is therefore not simply a month when several planets are retrograde. It is a month when the retrograde picture begins to clear. Five planets are retrograde at the beginning of November, but only three remain retrograde after November 14th.
Use the first half of the month to look again at what has not been working. As Mercury and Venus turn direct, start deciding what is worth taking forwards and what is better left behind.
Aries
Taurus
Gemini
Cancer
Leo
Virgo
Libra
Scorpio
Sagittarius
Capricorn
Aquarius
Pisces