Planetary Retrograde Periods

█ PLANETARY RETROGRADE PERIODS

Visualize when planets appear to move backward through the zodiac. This indicator detects and displays retrograde motion for all 8 planets that exhibit apparent retrograde motion from Earth's perspective: Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto.

Powered by the BlueprintResearch lib_ephemeris library.

█ FEATURES

• 8 Planets Supported — Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto
• Two-Phase Visualization — Distinguishes first half (speed increasing in retrograde direction) from second half (speed decreasing toward direct motion) with different transparency levels
• Future Projections — Projects upcoming retrograde periods up to 500 bars ahead on any timeframe
• Station Markers — Clear labels for Station Retrograde (℞), Midpoint (½), and Station Direct (D)
• Timezone-Aware Labels — Future date/time labels display in your selected timezone
• Alert Conditions — Set alerts for station retrograde, station direct, or any station point
• Per-Planet Colors — Customize colors for each planet individually
• Speed-Based Detection — More accurate than longitude-based methods


█ HOW TO USE

1. Select a Planet — Choose which planet to track from the dropdown (Mercury through Pluto)

2. Enable Two-Phase Display — Toggle "Show Retrograde Halves" to see first half vs. second half shading

3. Configure Future Projections — Set how many bars ahead to scan (1-500) and enable/disable date labels

4. Set Your Timezone — Choose your timezone for accurate future date/time display

5. Customize Colors — Adjust planet colors, transparency levels, and label text color to match your chart theme

6. Create Alerts — Use TradingView's alert system with the built-in conditions for station points


█ UNDERSTANDING THE DISPLAY

Background Colors:
• First Half of the Planet’s retrograde (lighter shade)
• Second Half of the Planet’s retrograde period (darker shade)

Future Projection Lines:
• ℞ (Station Retrograde) — Yellow dotted line marking when the planet will station retrograde
• ½ (Midpoint) — Shorter line in planet color marking the halfway point of the retrograde period
• D (Station Direct) — Green dotted line marking when the planet will station direct

Labels:
• Top label shows planet symbol and station type
• Bottom label shows projected date and time (optional)

█ ACCURACY

This indicator uses speed-based detection

Timing Accuracy:
• All planets (Mercury through Pluto): Within hours to ±1 day
• Future projections maintain accuracy up to 500 bars on any timeframe
• Spot tested on Daily and Weekly charts with excellent results

For Critical Applications:
Cross-reference with professional ephemeris tools such as JPL Horizons or Swiss Ephemeris for mission-critical timing.

█ TECHNICAL DETAILS

Theory: VSOP87 (Mercury through Neptune), Meeus algorithms (Pluto)

█ REFERENCES

• Meeus, Jean. "Astronomical Algorithms" (2nd Edition, 1998)
• Bretagnon & Francou. "VSOP87 Solutions" — Astronomy and Astrophysics 202 (1988)