Why Mercury Goes Into Retrograde

What is Mercury in Retrograde? Neil deGrasse Tyson and comedian Chuck Nice break down what it means for a planet to be “in retrograde” and whether astrology has any impact on our lives.

What did pre-scientific people think of Mercury in retrograde? We explore the rotation of planets around the sun and how often planets go retrograde. Does every planet go into retrograde from our point of view? Could we someday watch Earth go into retrograde from a colony on Mars?

Animations made by Visual Science: https://visual-science.com

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Science meets pop culture on StarTalk! Astrophysicist & Hayden Planetarium director Neil deGrasse Tyson, his comic co-hosts, guest celebrities & scientists discuss astronomy, physics, and everything else about life in the universe. Keep Looking Up!

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00:00 - Introduction: Mercury in Retrograde
00:25 - Earth as the Center of Motion
2:33 - Orbiting Around The Sun
4:05 - Do All Planets Go Into Retrograde?
5:42 - Watching Earth From Mars
6:13 - Thoughts on Astrology